James Hawkins our extremly talented and versatile Bass player ...

During "the naughties" I quit my day job and ran a recording studio for a few years - New Moon Studios. Whilst running the studio I recorded several hundred different artists of all sorts of styles from grime to folk to traditional Indian to doom metal. I also did live sound for a short while. Being immersed in music full time, my playing stepped up a notch or three. I went from being "a bit handy" to being "a proper musician". I was in several gigging bands at the same time, and was regularly rehearsing or gigging every night of the week. I organised a local music festival, Lame-Fest, for a couple of years with bands playing non stop for two days. I organised and ran a battle of the bands, never again! 
Symbiotic - originals nu metal band. Played loads of shows around London and the South East. We were a local favourite in Croydon, and were written about in the paper.
JFX - The James Ford Experience - blues and rock covers, inc lots of Hendrix. James was really young at the time (maybe about 10?) but was up and coming and obviously a virtuoso. He featured in some Coca Cola ads back then. Now he is a well known solo artist.
A Coup D'Etat - melting pot of rock, rap, prog, blues, funk. I played guitar.
Godsized - southern metal style originals band. I was one of the founding members, the band went on to become quite big playing a tour with Black Label Society.
Ten Foot Nun - super crazy technical prog punk original band. We played anywhere and everywhere and even performed our own rock opera/musical.
Stoneface - originals metal band. I joined the band the day before a gig because their bass player had quit - I stayed up all night learning the set. We recorded an EP and played some gigs around London.
The Right Stags - a function band with Ben Haenow singing - before he had won the X Factor. Did one summer of weddings, about 15 or so.
Duplex Gauge - I filled in on bass for a while with these guys. Ambitious originals band, played some bigger gigs around London.
IT - well respected prog band. I played with for the best part of 10 years. I recorded one album We're All In This Together. Played up and down the country, including a few prog festivals. Was on the front cover of Prog Magazine.
Cy Curnin - The Horse's Mouth. I got to play on Cy's solo album. Cy's day job is singing in The Fixx, who had big success in the 80s and are still well known in the USA.
Spoil The Party - originals and covers dad rock band.

Some places I've played, the ones I can remember!
Bromley High School for girls 
Clapham Grand, London
Concord 2, Brighton
Koko, London
229 bar, London
Scala, London
Fiddler and Firkin, London
The Dublin Castle, London
The Fallen Angel, London
The Horn, London
The Bull And Gate, Kentish Town
Black Sheep Bar, Croydon - many times
The Cartoon / The Cool Rooms, Croydon - many (MANY) times
Poo Na Nas, Croydon
Cafe Moonshine, Croydon
The Old Brief, Croydon
Alley Cats, Croydon
The Green Dragon, Croydon
The Oval, Croydon
Scream Lounge, Croydon
The Stairway, Croydon
The Gun Tavern, Coydon
Please Don't Hang The Drummer, London
The Windmill, Brixton - was also a strip bar!!
The Amersham Arms, London
The Camden Monarch, London
The Barfly, Camden, London
The New Cross Inn, London
Water Rats, London