After playing in a patchwork of jazz, rock, reggae and funk groups (switching between sax, double bass and electric guitar), he realized his writing, and not his music, had a better chance of paying the bills. Since then, he has been published by Time Magazine, The Guardian (UK), The Telegraph (UK) and The Times of Central Asia, following a curious stint of slumming it with the good folk of Kyrgyzstan. He was also highly commended in the Channel 4 News Young Blogger 2010 competition.