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Born Norman David Austin on 8th November 1955 in New Malden, Surrey. Learned classical piano from the age of six. Won scholarship aged 12 to attend Trinity College of Music, London for free tuition on Saturdays. Unfortunately dropped out after a year and a bit .... carried on learning contemporary styles - particularly blues, rock and roll, jazz ... self taught beyond this point. Resumed classics for personal pleasure in later years.
First public performance aged 10 ... had small trio for this purpose, helped by the father of the bass player and rummer, who was himself an accomplished jazz pianist. Various solo performances of no real significance until forming band at the age of 16 called 'Petroleum Blownapart', band blew apart after one gig.
Next band was formed when about eighteen years old having eeked enough cash from parents to buy a Fender Rhodes Stage 88 and a dirty great big amp. Much experiementing in farly hard rock culminated in no gigs. Went to Germany for several months playing in a band 'Connection' around the American army and airforce bases, gigging 6 nights a week. Came back to Britain and joined a rock band called Lip Service, who had just performed on the last Marc Bolan TV show before his death. Stayed with them for a year or two before band split, having recorded extensively but had no releases.
Age 23 joined a new-age band which became known as Flix. Gigged around London and developed a small following. Recorded a single about Hitchcock called 'Hitch', which coincidentally was released at the same time as Hitchcock died. Single flopped and band split when bass player got married and drummer moved to Brighton. Came to Scotland for the first time during this period, to the wedding of the bass player. Joined the first of several Irish bands and played estensively on the Irish circuit throughout the UK, Ireland and Boston. Contributed to several albums, mostly Irish.
During the ten year period from age 23 to 33, apart from Irish gigs, Norman contributed to numerous recording sessions which included Sandy Shaw and Level 42, where he did nothing other than programme a (now classic) synth called an Oberheim Xpander which was noted by it's absence from their hit record 'Lessons in Love'. Yes Mark whatshisname is as nice a guy as everyone says he is. Oh, and the famous saz player Garry Barnacle who got me the sesh did all the saxy bits. Oh, and it was recorded in Mason Rouge, Fulham, and the keyboard player's Synclavia rig took up half the studio and cost considerably more than any house I've every bought.
Was photographer's assistant for the very famous rock band phtographer Ross Halfin (staff phtographer for Kerrang Magazine - offical photographer for Iron Maiden and Deff Lepperd, etc), taking pics of any mega rock star you care to name, he also took my wedding pics, so I'm bound to make it one day. Also during this period, I helped to develop some small spun aluminium coned studio monitors that could handle 400W each (unheard of in those days for a monitor with a four inch driver) and sounded phenomenal. I still use a pair for recording purposes.
On the fallout of a business partnership, Norman adopted Islam and metamorphosed into Nurudin (Noor-Ud-Din meaning Light of the Faith) ... poor sad bastard. Nurudin came out of it finally this year, sadder but wiser. Fifteen years of bashing my head on the floor and not eating for a month every year (for the first ten years anyway).
Moved to Skye in 1988. Gave up music for four years and became thoroughly depressed. So I bought a synth (Korg M1) and started gigging with a singer/guitarist called Neil Stone, who moved away from Skye about ten years ago. Around this time I heard of the band called Peatbog Faeries and decided that a band with a name as good as that needed me. So I made contact and when the band was in a state of dissemblence, I joined forces with Ali Pentland, Innes Hutton and Peter Morrison. From then on the band developed and was joined by various other members (some stayed, some left). We toured extensively throughout the world and whilst I was iwth the band we recorded three albums; 'The Great Ceilidh Swindle', 'Mellowosity' and 'Faerie Stories'. I stayed with the Peatbog Faeries for about seven years and never got rich, so I left and moved to southern Spain via Dumfries and Galloway.
January 2001 started work on first solo album 'Beard & Sandals'. This writing/recording process continued whilst living in six different locations in Scotland and Spain, and was finished and released in July 2002, having returned to Skye in January. The album is a reflection of much personal change and unrest during this period.
Now working on a new album and show with an exciting new band which encompasses influences from Scotland and the East (ie. Arabia, etc) whilst retaining a darkish rock undertone. Other band members inlcude ex-Peatbog guitarist Ali Pentland, who is also a pretty adept fiddler, mandolinist and bazoukyautist and vocalizer. The drummer, Paul Hayward is a very approachable guy with great communication skills and much enthusiasm and motivation .... he uses a combination of electronic and acoustic drums. Doug Lister recenlty moved to his mother's home town of Dunvegan and brings with him much experience of gigging in rock/grunge bands. His last two bands include Stone Cold and Teen Spirit a Nirvana tribute band, where Doug destroyed 19 bass guitars on stage. He is a t pains to point out that these guitars were the biggest heap of garbage that you could every come across in the rubbish bins of second hand shops. Unfortunately tough, the guitarist managed to break several good basses accidentally. These have been stuck back together again with super glue and gaffer tape, and add the grunge element to our brand of Celtic music. Watch this space!
P.S. I don't know what the hell to call myself now. How about the Artist formerly known as ....
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