Panter was born in Croydon, Surrey and spent most of his formative years in Kettering, Northamptonshire starting a one-year art course at Northampton College in 1971.

In his second year at Lanchester Polytechnic he met Jerry Dammers and together they formed The Specials.

The band started playing in Coventry bars and clubs before releasing their first single, 'Gangsters' on their own record label (2-Tone).

Today, he is a full-time member of the reformed Specials and is also in a blues combo, called 'Blues 2 Go'.

[3] His work is based on traditional forms of iconography fused with the sensibilities of British pop art.