ABOUT STEPHEN WICKS
My dear old mum used to say “If you can write a good letter and talk a good talk, you will do alright son”. When I look back on it, that advice has pretty much defined my life.
A lot of people I know remember their school days with warmth and fondness whereas I hated mine with a vengeance! Unlike today’s world where there is a distain for authority, there was a healthy respect (or fear) of teachers. Somehow or other, I always seemed to end up getting into trouble and had more than my fair share of slippering by a sadistic P.E teacher and caning by the Deputy Head, who seemed to hate me!
The only ray of light was my English teacher, Mrs Macpherson, who was kind and got me interested in writing stories and getting a good grasp of the English language.
This was probably the first beginnings of my creative side.
MY EARLY LIFE
Whether entrepreneurs are born that way or out of necessity, I have no idea, but from an early age I was always into one “money making” scheme or another. These ranged from buying bags of stale cakes from a local bakery and selling them in the playground to hungry schoolboys, to digging up “leaf mould” in the woods and selling it in bags as peat to local gardeners.
I left school at 15 with no qualifications at all. At this time my dad was terminally ill and his decline over several years is still a haunting memory. I became an unofficial father to my two brothers who were 5 years younger than me.
Back in those days apprenticeships were plentiful and I quickly got a job as a trainee electrician. My mum was completely broke and soon I became the “breadwinner” of the family. Having an absolute determination to be successful, it became an obsession which has been a mixed blessing looking back on it.
My life from that time on was as an entrepreneur running both private and public companies, mainly in the property field.
THE MUSIC BEGINS
I started writing songs when I was about 20 years old. I had a brief spell in a band, and also did a few solo gigs around that time. My creative side, however, was always overwhelmed by a burning desire to do well in business.
The biggest success in my life is undoubtedly my marriage to my wife Jenny. It was literally love at first sight. We met and married within three months, and that is now over 38 years ago. Jenny has always encouraged and supported me in everything I have tried to do.
CAN’T ACT MY AGE
I have always given to good causes and realise the power of music in that process. About 10 years ago I released a song called “Can’t Act my Age” with the proceeds going to the charity Age UK.
The song raised over £25,000.
THE FEELING INSIDE OF ME
A lot of my songs are about the creative fire inside you that keeps burning despite every effort to extinguish it. I am particularly proud of my song “The Feeling” on that subject.
Even though I have a wonderful marriage, quite a few songs seem to be about love going wrong! The songwriting process is strange – you have no control over what comes into your head and what words come out.
NEW MUSIC COMING
I am now a man on a mission to get my music “out there”, whatever that means.
I am fortunate to be working with the wonderful George Shilling, a creative genius, recording engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who seems to understand what I am trying to do. With the wonders of George’s studio, technology, and know-how, he manages to make me sound half decent.
I have left all of this a little late but I am full of enthusiasm to share my music with whoever wants to listen!
NEWS & PRESS
To talk to me about my journey, and my music – please feel free to reach out to me.