The last time I updated this page was back in January 2001 and with the impending 20th Anniversary of Shave the Monkey I thought it was about time to sort it out. My original page with my potted history can still be read by clicking here.

Well, I can't believe that it's five years since Shave the Monkey decided to call it a day. It that time however, far from taking it easy, I have been lucky enough to be a member of some excellent bands and to play with some excellent musicians. I've also bought a new Line 6 Variax 700 guitar. This has totally revolutionized my stage gear as I no longer have to have three or four guitars on stage, just my Variax 700. if you want to find out why visit the Line 6 website at line6.com/variax/.

One of the first bands I became involved in after Shave was Slaughterhouse. The brain child of Ian Cutler, this band was originally put together for a one off gig to promote Ian's Slaughterhouse CD. As well as Ian Cutler, the band featured
Peter Knight (Steeleye Span), Colin Rees (The Bully Wee Band), Val Cutler (Albion Morris), Hugh Crab tree (Feast of Fiddles),
Martin Vincent (Feast of Fiddles), Carlton Hunt (Bad Manners), Doug Hudson (Hot Rats), Mick Peters (Hot Rats) and the string quartet Blush. Needless to say it was brilliant fun and a great success. In fact it was so successful it was agreed that it could not be a "one off" and we continued to play further gigs with a slightly slimmed down line-up.

In 2003 we recorded a live album imaginatively entitled "slaughterhouse Live". I am extremely proud to be part of this album especially as there are no overdubs and captures the atmosphere of the evening.

Unfortunately, With members as far apart as Scotland, The West Country and Kent it was always going to be difficult keeping this band together. With the reforming of the Bully Wee Band and Val's emigration to Australia the curtain was finally brought the down on this great adventure. Hopefully sometime in the future we may get to do all again.

I have managed to revisit some of the Slaughterhouse material from time to time when reuniting with Colin, Ian and Mick as part of Colin Rees and friends at Rochester's Sweep Festivals.

For over Twenty years I have also been a member 'Albion Morris Men', primarily as a dancer but for the last ten years also as part of the band. The Albion Morris Band features some great musicians John Watcham (concertina), Ian Cutler (violin), Jon Davie (bass guitar), Tom Leary (violin), Nicole Rincon (clarinet) and Kevin Neaves (drums) and me on electric guitar and electric bouzouki. Unfortunately we don't dance together as often as we used to, just for the occasional weekend tour or festival. However, when ever we do, we always manage to put on a great show and it's always wonderful fun.

For the last few years and along with Bryan Causton and I have been involved with a couple of ceilidh bands, Dangerous Circles and it's big brother Swindlers & Gentry.

Dangerous Circles is an acoustic four piece ceilidh band featuring Bryan Causton on mandolin & cittern, Anna Ardley on oboe, whistles & bassoon, Robin Scott on concertina & melodeon Adrian Turnham the caller and me playing guitar and bass pedals.

Swindlers & Gentry is a full blooded folk rock ceilidh and along with the members of Dangerous Circles it also features Andy Thompson on Accordion, Dan Leighton on Bass guitar and Kevin Neaves on Drums. It's been great fun playing ceilidhs with these guys especially our regular trips to Belgium.

A few years ago I set my home PC based recoding studio and have had great recording at home playing all the parts myself when time and inspiration allows. It is possible to hear some of these results by visiting my Myspace site at www.myspace.com/guidorincon. Please feel free to leave any comments I'd love to hear people thoughts. Now I've come to grips with the recording process I have also just started asking friends to add their input to my music.

And twenty years after Shave the Monkey first trod the boards it looks like we are going get together for a few reunion/celebration concerts. What I find exciting about the prospect is that all members have agreed to do it and judging by the first couple of rehearsals it hasn't lost any of it's magic. We've even been trying some new material. So watch this space for further info.

For me one of the greatest innovations for musicians in recent years is the social networking site MySpace which has introduced two way communication like no other medium has before. I therefore would love to hear from anyone with an interest in what we do. You leave comments, questions etc. at:

• My MySpace site
• Shave the Monkey Myspace Site
• The Shave the Monkey Guestbook

All the best

Guido
25th February 2008