Michael Vogel

I’ve been playing various musical instruments since I was 8 years old when I started talking lessons on the lap steel acoustic guitar. 
In high school I began learning Trombone and several other brass instruments as well as piano and acoustic and electric guitar. I played Trombone in military style marching bands and a variety of  school and community based bands and orchestras until I was about 20. At age 14 our school’s Brass Band was invited to record an EP at the ABC’s studios in Ultimo Sydney.  I played First Trombone and had the privilege of shadowing the engineers for the session when I wasn’t playing. I was hooked on audio recording from that day. 
Another highlight was being selected to play Trombone with the Australian ABC youth orchestra when I was 15 and occasionally filling in with the St Mary’s Brass band who had previously won the world A Grade brass band championship. I also played with the band of the First Royal Lacers based in Parramatta on an ad hoc basis. 
I was handed the opportunity to attend the Sydney Conservatorium on graduating high school and play with the professional ABC Orchestra based in Sydney.   I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time quite often it seems.  unfortunately, my  father’s insistence on my getting a “real” job, put the kibosh on all those offers and what promised to be a great musical future. 

As so often happens, neither my father’s plans for me nor my own, worked out but I did play guitar in a number of bands and worked on my passion for music in general and recording music specifically for much of my life  

On leaving school I began what became a 40 year career in nursing.  An early marriage and child by age 20 changed my life irreversibly. Music still played a part however, whether in bands or on my own while singing with acoustic guitar in small venues from restaurants to clubs. By the time children had grown up a home studio allowed me to delve deeper into recording. 
These days poor health has all but crushed music out of my being and while I hang in there, it’s only survival at best.