Neil started playing Trombone at the age of 12 with the Leeds Schools Brass Band in West Yorkshire, but soon after learning moved to the Cornet.  After leaving school he joined the RAF as an aircraft apprentice and played for two years with the RAF Halton Apprentice Band in Buckinghamshire.  From there he moved to Lincolnshire playing with the RAF Coningsby Voluntary Band and the Horncastle Silver Band.  There then followed a short period in Suffolk with the Orwell Band in Ipswich before being posted to the north of Scotland joining the RAF Kinloss Voluntary Band.  During this period he also played with Elgin City Band.

On completion of his Scottish tour of duty he moved down to Norfolk joining the Dereham Band in 1991.  He continued to play front row cornet with the Band until 1997 when he took up a vacant position on the trombone stand reverting to his first instrument after a period of over 30 years.  There then followed a period of relative stability playing with the Band and RAF Wyton Area Voluntary Band until 1999, when he moved to Wales joining the RAF St Athan Voluntary Band contesting in the South Wales 2^nd Section.  This posting lasted for 2 years until he was able to engineer a return back to Norfolk to rejoin the Dereham Band.