2009-12-23T17:53:00.001-08:00

In addition to my writing, I have been involved in several creative pursuits in collaboration with friends. For the most part, these have been "for fun", though in each and every case, something has been created at the end of the process.

With writing, I'm not the best collaborator but in other activities, I find it suits me very well.

Music
In 1993, Alison and I co-formed a band called Passionfish with our good friend, Mike Pateman. He wrote the music, played lead guitar and sang; I wrote the lyrics and played rhythm guitar and Alison sang lead vocals. We performed a handful of gigs, recorded three CDs and made a live video. I had a great time doing it and listening back to those recordings now (we still see Mike and still play occasionally) is a real thrill.

The story of the band is told in an article by Ed Sharman, which appeared in "The Snapper" (a local music fanzine) and I have also compiled a 'discography'

Click on the menu item to the right or go direct from this link

Film-making
Film production was something that I really wanted to get involved in but, growing up through the 70s and 80s, the means weren't either cheap or easily accessible. Instead, I made 'photo-stories' and, if you ask me nicely next time we meet, I might just show you a few.

With Matt Ratcliff, a friend from school, I was involved in several extremely low budget horror/thriller movies during the late 80s/early 90s. I started out as just an actor, but quickly graduated to co-writing and co-directing and I even handled a lot of the special effects.

Jon Litchfield & I - during a break on the Fields & Wild Experience - wrote two short film screenplays, one of which we got so far as shooting test material for, though both of them remain unproduced. The second screenplay was called “Dog Day Summer”, as referenced in my short story “Smile”.

The link also includes a 'highlights' filmography.

Click on the menu item to the right or go direct from this link

Comedy
Alison & I met when, in 1992, we co-formed The Committee with our good friend (and now my archivist), Jonathan Litchfield, to write and perform comedy sketches.

In 1994, Jon & I evolved this into The Fields & Wild Experience which, even now, we still occasionally write material for. I dedicated my story “Smile” to him as it contains many Litchfield/West in-jokes.

The link also includes a set-list for the first Committee show.

Click on the menu item to the right or go direct from this link

Other Projects