Click here for press quotes about Arran's playing

Arran began playing bass at 15 and, now 25, has been a professional electric bass player since finishing his studies at the Academy Of Contemporary Music in 2007. He has toured nationally and internationally, playing gigs all around the UK as well as India, France, Germany, Romania, Belgium, Holland, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy and Portugal. He has played large international festivals and is regularly gigging in and around London and the South-East of England.

He is currently performing in the bands De Profundis, Seven7, The Separation and several function bands, including Barcoda. Arran also played and recorded with the reformed lineup of 80’s supergroup Statetrooper (featuring members of Weapon, Michael Schenker Group and Praying Mantis) before they went on hiatus. He also performs session work (most recently for Estonian keyboard virtuoso Sergey Boykov on his progressive fusion solo album) and plays in other function and tribute bands. He is currently finishing writing and arranging songs for the Jazz Fusion band ‘Makaton Scheme’ which will begin recording and performing in 2012. His independent record label, MGP Records, runs the fortnightly ‘Guildford Jazz Club’, which highlights new local and international Jazz music artists.

Arran is endorsed by Mayones guitars (Poland) and uses a 6-string fretless Caledonius bass. 6-string basses have a larger musical range, allowing for greater freedom of expression as well as minimising movement on the neck due to the increased notes in each position. He also uses 4-string basses when situations do not allow the use of a 6-string instrument.

He is a very versatile player, having played with acoustic songwriters, in jazz duos and trios, in rock and metal bands, in tribute bands, in cover bands performing a wide variety of different genres and styles and also in orchestras for musical theatre, where he has played classic and contemporary musicals. He has played in all kinds of venues, from large international festivals to small, intimate pubs, clubs and private parties. He is often commended for his professionalism, tone, feel and technique.

Arran’s approach to the bass is characterised by his love of other cultural music. He has intimately studied the music of Turkey, North and South India, Spain, China and Africa and these influences are often present in his playing. His lines often have a Jazz theoretical basis, but are played with the experimental, virtuosic spirit of Progressive Rock. He is one of the few bass players using a fretless bass in metal, and the quotes below are a tribute to his phrasing and sensitivity, as he plays elegant, flowing passages underneath the heavy guitars. His greatest passion, however, is trying to forge his own style and voice on his instrument, rather than emulating those who have gone before.

Arran teaches music privately and at the Idol Hands music school in Oxted, Surrey, and has been giving private tuition since the age of 18. Rates are competitive and more information can be found on the Teaching page of this website.

Arran also does website design and has designed and built the Separation and Seven7 websites, as well as this website. He also does video editing, an example being the 'making of' and 'promo' De Profundis videos, which can be found on the Video page of this website.