Intro by Tynon

"Enjoyed  connecting with Mark from the outset.  Top fella, good hearted, real passionate about his music & didg  playing.  When we met I tempted him with big holed E - advanced playing didg, ,  he drew to it and I trusted but was concerned  will it be the one. Thankfully it was  and he took  to it like nothing else. Didg has taken him on a fun filled journey Playing in  a band "Bushfire" , teaching a mob of kids didg  , or  running didg workshops at fests,  are some of what I've heard  he's up to. Heres a run down from the fella"

Marks didg story-I first got into the Didgeridoo when, in 1997, a friend of mine (Samantha Bray, who I am eternally indebted to) brought an English made split didg home from Glastonbury (the small town, not the festival). She could just about get a sound out of it, which sounded wicked to me, so, after a bit of encouragement, I decided to have a try. That was it,I was well and truly addicted from that moment.

A month or so later I was on my way down to Glastonbury to buy my first one, on the second attempt, I had broken down on the way the first time, 2 weeks earlier.

It wasn't long before I wanted a Eucy didg and I was told of a shop called Aboriginalia which is in Wiltshire. I didn't have a lot of money so I bought a plain one (far left) which an Aborigine (Colin Jones) later told me was Coolabah wood from the Cape York area.This didg is very sharp and responsive but the toots are very high and to attempt a high toot will properly result in your eyeballs splattering on the wall.About 6 months later I was browsing round an ethnic type gift shop in Northampton and I spotted 2 didges in the corner. They played ok, but were obviously tourist didges from Indonesia or that region. They were hollowed out naturally and' out of curiosity,I decided to ask the price .I was told that they were only £20 each, so I thought "why not" and bought one there and then (2nd left).

I won the square didg at the in the raffle at the DidgUk festival 2000 at Clumber Park in Sherwood Forest. It is made of hardboard and plays surprisingly well with a deep, rich drone.I enjoy playing this one because it is a nice relaxing didgeridoo.

After I'd been playing for 3 years or so I got a PC and surfed the web for the first time.I looked at loads of mouth-watering didges on various web sites, the likes of which I'd never seen before. I held back buying one at first because, to be honest, I didn't really like the idea of buying a didg via the internet and also the thought of not being able to hold it and play it put me off. Once I realised I'd be struggling to get what I was after in England without a bit of luck and a lot of travelling I decided to take the plunge.

I didn't want to rush things too much even though I'd been in contact with Tynon for a couple of months but when I saw 'Big un E' on the Heartland site that was it.There was only one didg for me.

A while later (One suprise was the fact that it only took 4 days to arrive from Aus) I had a 'didg to die for' in my hands (middle) although it took me a couple of months to get fully used to it, having never played a big-bore didg before ,things are really starting to take off with it. It certainly is an 'earthshaker' with phenominal vocals and a drone that vibrates the whole house.. you ask my long suffering girlfriend. Although I enjoy playing all of my didges, at the end of the day that is one that I go for first 9 times out of 10.

That is my  didg quiver so far but I don't think it will be too long before there will be a new arrival again..........shall I go for a nice deep 'B' or shall I go for a....!!!???

Respect to all didg players and to Tynon and his crew for supplying me with not only a fantastic didg but also for their trust and friendship on the didg journey which I know is just beginning.

 

Mark