A small but select number of Neil Conti’s songs are published by Jacobs Ladder Music.

As a founding member of the incomparable Prefab Sprout and subsequently the drummer of choice for countless sessions and shows around the world, Neil has finally settled into the inevitable role of producer and collaborator. Although not a regular songwriter he has contributed to a number of recordings by UK and French artists and has written and released songs with BJ Cole and Perry Blake among others.

Neil began to play around the age of 6 and became an accomplished classical pianist, encouraged by his cousin Morgan Fisher, the long-time keyboard player in Mott The Hoople.

Switching to drums at 12 and moving to London in 1979 he toured Europe and recorded the first five albums with Prefab Sprout, playing on all of their most treasured recordings. He also filled the rest of his time founding and running  “Backstage Club” at The Borderline in Soho, a club dedicated to presenting the best emerging UK vocalists and songwriters with a killer house band, directed and led of course by Neil himself. As his reputation grew, he was asked to play on an ever increasing number of albums by artists as diverse as Annie Lennox, Mick Jagger, Youssou N’Dour, Pascal Obispo, David Bowie, Alison Moyet, Paul Young, Jean-Luis Murat, Robert Plant, Sandie Shaw and Deep Forest, while his live work was topped at Wembley Stadium when he played in the all-star band behind David Bowie at Live Aid.

Taking a break from constant touring and recording, Neil spent time in France and decided that was where he wanted to live and work. Having acquired a barn which he then rebuilt, Neil opened Magic Circle Studio (now re-launched as minimoon) in 2002 and he has been working flat out ever since. He has produced a host of established artists and upcoming bands from France, England, Ireland and USA.