THE inimitable Ash Mandrake worked as a kiss-o-gram, a computer programmer and a teacher before hitting the road as modern day bard/minstrel.

Today Ash makes music, grows pumpkins and creates out of this world millinery and tomorrow he is at The Beehive, Prospect Hill, Old Town from 8.30pm.

Comedy, stories, loops, soundscapes and folk rock from his double-necked guitar, that he designed himself, make up his theatrical set. By his own admission one of his early influences was the first Tarzan, Johnny Wiessmuller, so he will be swinging into Swindon tonight for a free gig.