Dot matrix print-outs, handwritten notebook of code, first computer book, 1998 screen layout chart

Problem-solving runs in the family. I started coding in the 80s - my dad bought a Spectrum computer for the family. He worked in tech at the telephone exchange and would fix problems if the lines were down at the hospital in the middle of the night.

I used to pick up gaming magazines from the local newsagents and they had bits of code in. I typed them into the Spectrum to see what they would do. It felt futuristic and cool. Eventually, my dad bought a machine to save code to the computer and I could start writing my own. When someone else in the family was on the computer, I would hand-write code that I could type up later. My dad was happy that I was doing something useful - not just playing games the whole time. My favourite was 3D stuff, probably because that was the hardest to do - that’s the problem-solver in me!

Berlin code, image of Ashley teaching, enamel playcodeshare badge

My work has evolved a bit since I hand-wrote my first notebook full of code! The maddest thing I’ve ever done with code was a one-off piece in Berlin. It was a really physical piece - which I love - that used Generative Code. It looked at the idea of the planet as a conscious being. It had this trippy audiovisual mash up and, adding to the trippiness, there were loads of naked performers everywhere, who were there for the next show!

I’ve shared my love for all of the funky stuff coding can do with over a hundred students. I could see the kids getting into it like I did when I was learning code on the family Spectrum. I set up, “Play, Code, Share,” at Warwick Arts Centre to give more kids the opportunity to build coding skills and find a way to express their creativity like I did. Some of the kids have got back in touch as adults - I guest-starred in one of their Dungeons and Dragons campaigns!

The drill, small electronic devices, mad tech

One of my friends said to me recently that, “you’re always doing mad stuff,” and I guess he’s right. I forget lots of cool stuff that I’ve done. With tech, I like to create things that are genuinely beneficial to people. One I always remember is an arcade game that raised awareness for a male suicide charity that used to put out ‘random acts of kindness’ tickets for people to complete.

There was one time when I was building some hardware at home and my son was watching. I didn’t really have a workshop or anything at that point and I was working from home so I was fixing this bit of hardware on the dining table. I somehow ended up drilling right through the table! I looked up at my son and I said, “don’t tell mummy,” but as soon as Wendy walked through the front door, he said, “Dad drilled through the table!” I guess she must have forgiven me eventually…

Wendy’s roller skates and a picture of Wendy & Ashley first date

My cousin brought her best friend to my gig at the Campbell and her sister, Wendy, tagged along. I was totally oblivious to the fact that Wendy liked me until she invited me to her house party. At the end of the party, I was a bit cheeky, I said I wouldn’t sleep on the sofa. She let me sleep in her bed but I was so nervous that I just talked until she fell asleep - what a noob!

I took her on a proper date that November. She wasn’t like other girls I’d liked - she was dark haired and feisty and I was excited by her. By the following June, I had proposed. We had a house and a kid before we actually got married though!

Roller Derby is a huge part of Wendy’s life and I’ve ended up doing some tech for her team and now her Roller Derby friends are one of my favourite D&D parties to DM for (don’t tell the others!).

Laptop Battle Championship selection ball, winning laptop, worn T-shirt, T-shirt prize, images, Henry the Frog, first 7” record signed by Mary Anne Hobbs, daughters artwork on second release CD, can of red bull

I’d fiercely wanted a record label since I was fifteen. When I first started Airvent Media in 2006, no one else had the hardware to do my sounds and visuals - and no one else had Henry the Frog. Henry was an in-joke invented by Matt, who I used to DJ with a lot, and the rest of my college mates - we had a frog-shaped sponge spinning on the turntable until we were ready to start.

In 2009, I drove to Bristol on my own to enter the UK Laptop Battle Championship - an electronic music competition. I won and it never ran again so I’m the reigning champion! I was played on Radio 1!

My daughter did the artwork for my second release when she was three - it went in HMV! One day I’ll release a whole album. I miss DJing.

Cassette tapes 1991-1992, homemade cassette inserts, DJ Arctic promo photo taken by Wayne, selection of flyers featuring DJ Arctic

When I was growing up, I could see my mate Wayne’s bedroom window from my window and we used to send each other morse code messages with torches. One time, I sent him a message between the windows and only saw an erratically wiggling torch in response. The next day, he told me his girlfriend had been round and that he didn’t want to send morse code anymore - so embarrassing!

My first girlfriend’s sister looked old enough to get into The Eclipse - a legendary rave venue in Coventry. She used to get in, tape the music and then pass the tapes on to us and I used to sing and rap over the tapes.

At college, Wayne supported my music making dreams and took photos of me, “for the future,” when I would, of course, become famous.

Spokey Dokey, yoghurt covered raisins, Carob beans, sugar cubes

I’m known in Cheylesmore, that’s just who I am. I moved here when I was seven months old. I think my parents were drawn here by the green space of Quinton Pool. I’m pretty sure I learnt to ride my bike round there and so did my kids, eventually.

My mum worked at the Daventry Road health food shop and she loved helping people - I think that’s where I get it from. In fact, my first official commissioned piece of coding work was programming a label system for the health shop - helping the people who helped everyone else!

I used to cry my eyes out when my mum first left me at preschool at the community centre. But there was this one lady, Mrs Innes, who worked there who used to sneak me sugar cubes from the kitchen to cheer me up. Maybe less healthy a remedy than what my mum was selling but it did the trick!

Selection of games: Top Trumps, Playing Cards, Cluedo, Cranium, Dr Panic, Magic the Gathering Cards, Urbion

Spending time with people is important to me. When I was growing up, we played games. Card games, Top Trumps, on holidays, in the evenings with my mum, dad and my brother - that’s what we did together. It’s probably where all of my gaming stuff came from.

My dad used to work late so the time when we had him to ourselves was on holiday in Anchor Bay. Those holidays where we could all play together were important.

There was also a physical boardgame thing at the back of a shop at Anchor Bay - we’d probably call it an escape room now - it was like a dungeon. Me and my brother used to go there together during holidays. It must have left an impression because I made him an escape room for his 40th birthday!

Dungeons and Dragons scene setter, crocheted dice, D20 dice

My Uncle Mike first introduced me to games like D&D. He had a really strong ethos of gaming as something social and fun, rather than as something competitive. He lived with my grandad so we used to go over in the daytime, play D&D and Warhammer and then see what my grandad had pulled up from his garden for dinner - probably some broad beans!

I stopped playing for a while but then, about six years ago, a friend of mine said he was never allowed to play as a child because he grew up Catholic. He used to come to New Year's Eve murder mystery parties at ours, so there was already a group of us getting together to play games. We started playing D&D and, not long after, I realised how much I love to be Dungeon Master - organising, mapping and steering the game. I now run six campaigns both online and in person!

Wii console, selection of family videogames, astro turf

When my daughter was young, I was commuting to Nottingham to run a record shop - I was really going somewhere as a DJ and business leader. One day, I picked my daughter up from her grandad’s and she cried because she didn’t recognise me. At that moment, I decided to give it all up. My family meant more to me. I became a homedad for a few years - and you can bet we played lots of games!

Videogames mean family time for us. We played Legends of Zelda and then we’d go into the garden and reenact it - I would be the wolf and my daughter would be Link and ride on my back. We all loved it.

When I wasn’t a wolf, I spent a lot of homedad evenings watching black and white movies with my wife’s nan. It was refreshing to share some old-school entertainment with someone of an older generation in between dad duties.