He started playing the recorder at the age of 13 and was later attracted to the clarinet on hearing Acker Bilk's "Stranger on the Shore".

[2] He has cited his early influences as the British trad jazz bands of the day, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and Chris Barber being the best known names.

Formed in 1969, Audience had an unusual line up of tenor sax doubling clarinet and flute, electric acoustic guitar, drums and bass.

They had no lead guitarist as such and with the aid of echo loops and wah-wah pedal Gemmell's reeds replaced this traditional rock band role.

He now found himself playing alongside his teenage hero, Eddie Thornton (former trumpet player with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames).

When Stackridge collapsed he left the world of rock bands behind him, studying clarinet with Prof. Richard Addison (principal clarinetist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) for a year.