Swindells grew up in the Bath and Bristol area, dropping out of art college to play keyboards with the rock band Squidd (which was put together by drummer and fantasy artist, Rodney Matthews[1]).
In the early 1990s, he decided to re-invent himself as a journalist, writing the internet column for Time Out under the name Spyder for many years, as well as a gadget/lifestyle colourmn for Attitude, before becoming the editor of the magazine's website.
[citation needed] In 2003, Swindells played keyboards and sang lead vocals in the band Danmingo together with Jerry Richards, Jon Moss and Winston Blissett.
Swindells wrote all of the songs, apart from two band collaborations and one co-write with Stephen Meade (aka Shanks) and the late Kent Brainerd.
In 2009, Swindells was instrumental in the formation (or reformation) of the Hawklords, a musical collective of ex-Hawkwind members, playing a special show in memory of artist Barney Bubbles.
The show was advertised as a benefit concert 'with a view to setting up a foundation/annual award for innovative album cover design, and a memorial plaque for him'.