Biography

Oliver Shepherd's entrance to the music scene was not an easy one. The only child of Isaac and Theo Shepherd, the leaders in all things pornographic and adult toy related in London, Oliver was introduced to the musical scene relatively early on, though he was given few chances to explore or enjoy it for himself until he began to receive private piano instruction at the age of seven.

By the age of thirteen he'd mastered the piano and had moved on to the guitar, using an uncanny ear for notes and an airtight memory to begin playing back songs that he heard on the radio after school. Listed among his early influences are Black Sabbath, The Clash, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, as well as Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd.

Dropping out of school due to both disinterest and shoddy grades, Shepherd began to perform on street corners, taking street busking to new levels and gaining a few regular listeners by the age of sixteen. Though he worked for his parents, they allowed him to pursue his dream. He's said on occasion that he's never been quite sure whether they let him perform because they thought he'd grow out of it, or because they actually believed he had talent.

At the age of twenty he'd become an underground phenomenon, playing in parks and dirty pubs the length and breadth of London, the gigs rarely promoted and even more rarely bringing in any money, though they became well known and much sought after before long, creating a big buzz in the underground scene. Still, despite sending in demos to various record companies, no one would sign him on. His time as a street busker had marked him, making him an uncertain risk in the eyes of most.

Frustrated with the lack of interest from various record companies, and realising that his momentum could only last so long, Shepherd, at age twenty-one, sold most of his belongings except for his instruments, bought the equipment he'd need, and recorded the album himself, in his own flat. Within months, ``Death To The Radio`` was ready for manufacture. After picking up an outside manufacturer and distributor, both of whom had been fans of his work for years, he went on a self-promoted tour across England, often handing his CDs out for free in order to get the music out there. Within half a year, they'd begun playing his song on the radio for the first time, and within a few more months, the album had gone silver, a surprising accomplishment for one that had been recorded, quite literally, in someone's bathroom. When asked about the unlikely surroundings, he simply shrugged and stated that it had the best acoustics of any room in the flat.

Without pausing to bask in the limelight, Shepherd quickly recorded a second album (``Rakishly Yours``) on the heels of the first, using more of the material he'd been steadily gathering over the years, a move which, combined with continued touring and self-promotion, led to a gold record and two platinum singles, ``Oh My God`` and ``Open Book.``

Nearing the age of twenty-six, Shepherd took a brief break to start his own recording company called Death To The Radio Records, signing on several artists and bands who were much like he himself had been, before he began a very lengthy European tour, which lasted nearly a year, covering small bars and large venues alike. When a bout of laryngitis put him on a lengthy bed rest, Shepherd finally agreed to a break, during which time he began working on material for a third and fourth album, both of which were recorded in the last half of 2006. With a small variety of music awards, videos, and a fifth album released in 2007, Oliver found a solid place in the music industry, both in his native England as well as America. And, despite the dissolution of a failed marriage and a doomed engagement in the past several years, his demeanor remains upbeat.