The cousins lived on separate floors in the same large house in West Byfleet, with their fathers - The Burt Twins - identical twin brothers who worked the Variety and Radio circuit as an exceptional piano playing duo. With the arrival of television, the brothers, Jo's mother (a professional dancer) and other members of the family were seconded to the new medium, and the stage, so to speak, was set.
With such an extraordinary and talented family, it was inevitable that Jo would embrace showbusiness - just how it would manifest itself became clear in 1961, the day a 7 year old Jo can be seen sitting in the front row watching his aunt, Pip Hinton, co-present the popular children's TV programme 'Crackerjack' (courtesy of BBC archives). That was the day he first saw Adam Faith and The Roulettes perform live - and Jo's Rock 'n' Roll bug was born.
Incredibly enough, Jo is entirely self-taught. Painstakingly practising playing along to his favourite tunes, he methodically, yet instinctively taught himself to play rhythm guitar - and ultimately the bass. Taking his inspiration from artists such as McCartney and Entwhistle, Jo began the development of his unique style. Singing bass players back then, as now, were in demand, yet the fact that Jo could sing in perfect harmony as naturally as breathing still hadn't registered as significant for him.
From the moment he got his hands on his first guitar, Jo worked hard, teaching himself classical and rock styles before forming a school band with his friends at the age of 13. 'Mint' played at all the school concerts and due to an outrageous stroke of luck - the band played their first paid gig as the support to an established club circuit band soon afterwards. All the band members were just 14 years old.Countless youth club performances and college gigs followed but when the band members were offered places at different and distant universities - inevitably, they called it a day.If he hadn't realised it before, by the time Jo arrived at Bristol University it was blindingly obvious that he had a vocation. On walking into the local music store one day, where he was already a familiar fixture, Jo stumbled on a conversation between the proprietor and a guitar player from an established semi-pro band. The band were seeking a singing bass player - which, for someone who just wanted to play, was impossible to resist. Jo switched instruments without batting an eyelid.'Swealter' were one of the primary local bands, but still they only played about once a month - not nearly enough for Jo
Jo's love affair with Bristol had to end with an inevitable move to London. Three days in, Jo had all his equipment stolen from his bedsit - including his beloved Rickenbacker bass - and was ready to run back to Bristol when a call from fellow Bristolian, Graham Smith, offered him a bass guitar - and a gig - with his band, Daphne & The Tenderspots. Ex-Dragon, Alan Wilder joined within months and Jo remained in the band for about a year.
One life-changing phone call later, things really took off in 1977 when Jo received an invitation to play bass guitar for the legendary Troggs on their first trip to the USA in ten years. The gigs were attended by everyone who was anyone - and Jo was thrown in the deep end with no rehearsal with the band. Arriving at Reg Presley's house on the afternoon of the first gig, Jo was told words to the effect of "you'll be fine - just don't follow Ronnie!" (raucous laughter!) In the first week, they recorded a live album at Max's New York, a studio single with Chris Spedding on guitar, and Jo picked up a co-write credit on the B-side ... and was approached by Tom Robinson to join the TRB. The association with Reg and Ronnie lasted a further eighteen months before Jo left to team up with Tom.In 1979, Jo joined Tom Robinson to write for the Sector 27 album, produced by Steve Lillywhilte. Touring soon became a two year game of Trans-Atlantic ping pong between the North American continent and Europe. The album picked up a four star review in Rolling Stone magazine while the band played Madison Square Gardens, opening for The Police on their first stadium shows in America. The album was re-released in 1996. A second album titled 'North By Northwest', again co-written, was released in 1983.By this time, Tom had left the band and the album was released under his name. The album was re-released in the summer of 1997.
In 1998, in the midst of a concenIn 1995 to 2000, Jo found himself back in the Tom Robinson Band with writing credits on the 1996 album 'Having It Both Ways' and a new world-wide publishing association with LEOSONG under the guidance of Brian Justice. 'Home From Home' a live album recorded in Tokyo and Osaka in 1996 and released in Japan that same year, was released in the UK in January 2000.trated songwriting period - lasting six years in all - Jo was approached to co-write and record a movie soundtrack for a Channel 4 short film entitled 'Shit Happens'. This period threw up a number of collaborations - with diverse results - by far the most significant for Jo himself being the moment he figured out where he wanted to take himself and his music next.
As a result, Jo has finally been given the opportunity to expose his own songs in his own style. Bravely and openly developing his music in public continues to be, in Jo's own words 'a cathartic experience' for him.
It shows - Jo continues to electrify his audience with the mixture of honesty, intensity and humour that he brings to each performance.
And he's not done yet ...