hiː ɡɹˈuː ˌʌp ɪn stɹˈaʊd, ɡlˈɑːstɚʃɚ, wˌɛɹ hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd wˈʊdtʃɛstɚɹ ɛndˈaʊd pɹˈaɪmɚɹi skˈuːl ænd lˈɜːnd tə plˈeɪ ðə ɡɪtˈɑːɹ ˌʌndɚ ðə ɡˈaɪdəns ʌvðə skˈuːlz hɛdmˈæstɚ.
He grew up in Stroud, Gloucestershire, where he attended Woodchester Endowed Primary School and learned to play the guitar under the guidance of the school's headmaster.