Collin originally started as a caller because of his total inability to master any of the instruments he picked up. His renditions of "Abide with me" on the melodeon, concertina and guitar were unbelievable.

So "The Original Glebe Pit Orchestra" asked him to learn some dances and he hasn't looked back since. That band (members of Stafford Morris and The Glebe) morphed over the next 20 years through Band of Hope & Glory, Redhot Polkas, Bottle Lodge into Lounge Lizard which eventually stopped working in 1998.

He was inspired by bands like Oak, Old Swan Band, Umps & Dumps, Flowers & Frolics, New Victory Band amongst others. Also, when in 1983 he joined The Ironmen and Severn Gilders he met many others who shared his favouritism for the genre including Dave Hunt, a leading light in the design of the dance style.

Collin had been asked to call for Cuckoo's Nest a few times when their regular caller was out of the country. When Lounge Lizard folded, he became the regular choice for Cuckoo's Nest.

Other bands and musical work

Over the years he has called with a number of other bands (he does describe himself as a tart who will call and dance with anyone good) including All Blacked Up, Boldwood, Hekety, Jabadaw, Moody Food, Cut the Mustard, Hodges Dump, The Whole Caboodle, Rogues March, Fidget Pie, Brandywine Bridge, The Rhythm Pirates and the Staffordshire version of The Woodsiders.

Musical influences

His other musical likes and influences are Jimi Hendrix, Steve Earl, The Stones, Pink Floyd, Mozart, Billy Fury, Frank Crummit, Big Country, Emmylou Harris, Bo Diddley, Led Zeppelin, Bunk Johnson, Nick Lowe, Oysterband, Beethoven, Louis Armstrong, Queen, The Animals, Runrig, Them, Dolly Parton, Alison Krauss, Fleetwood Mac, Handel, Simon Dupree & the Big Sound, Janis Joplin, Blue Cheer ...........