Stephen Boakes Story and some tips

From about the age of 16 I was interested in the didjerydoo from playing the bass, I liked the low rumbling sound it made, I had also come across it on a Virgin Prunes album and liked the effect it had on the song. Later on I got into Acid house and people were playing around with noises the didge seeming like a wooden synth to me. Then when I was 21 my brother went to Australia and brought me back a didge. The Levellers then asked me to play at a couple of gigs, which I did very badly because I couldn't circular breath. I then went out to Australia for 7 months and was committed to learning the didge. I basically bought a 'teach yourself the didge' book and tape and practised every day for 1-2 hours. On returning to England I moved to London and got in touch with the Levellers again and a dance act and just basically went busking while waiting for the Levellers and this dance act to get back in contact with me. They both did but the Levellers had a more committed interested so I left my chefing job at the time and joined them on tour. They were also old mates of mine so I was really chuffed to be going on tour with them. I had had a lot of contact with them as they were growing as a band.

My tips really come from Charlie Hook of Gondwannaland/ Midnight oil He is I suppose my GURU.
Listen to Charlie Hook for a good contemporary example of the didge.
Clear nose and guts.
Play the Jews harp to find interesting noises.
Play from the gut not the throat.
Finger in ear to listen closely to the sounds.
Close yourself off to the noises you make.
Play along to interesting Grooves i.e. Massive attack/Goldie/Tricky.
Experiment with sound a lot.