Mike Richards SAM

Despite living in Britain all his life, Mike Richards was first introduced to filk tapes by a friend in Florida. He first attended a convention in 1995, when he was a quiet listener at the back of Transept, the 7th annual UK filkcon. He spent the next year writing parodies, and has been a regular performer at UK cons since Obliter-8, gradually diversifying into songs with original melodies. An unwise comment ("What does con-running actually involve?") has resulted him being on the con-committee of four UK filk cons, one HarmUni, and one costume con - so far.

After attempting to learn guitar or re-learn keyboard for several years, Mike asked to borrow Annie Walker's harp at Decadence. It was love at first sight. Shortly afterwards he bought his own, Enwyn, and has never looked back. Most of his songs are now written for this instrument or her newer big sister, Medren, including Will Ye Come Back Home? which was subsequently adapted by both the GKs and the N'Early Music Consort choir. He has a bad habit of spotting people with wistful looks on their faces and maliciously inviting them to have a go on his harp.

In his day job Mike is a mathematician and computer programmer, who also does some tutoring for the Open University on the side. He's married to Alison, the editor of two UK songbooks (and one Worldcon songbook), who has steadfastly refused to be on any con committees so far and has the badges to prove it.