Bob Harris Show, on B.B.C. Radio 2, introduces to Dan the music of Beach Boys, Steely Dan, Doobie Brothers, America, C.S.N.Y., Eagles, Todd Rundgren, Hall & Oates. All will influence Dan in his songwriting.

Dan writes his first song, 'I Could Still Love You'. Many more follow.

First public performance, with fellow songwriter/guitarist Billy Hewett, of original material and covers, busking in Victoria Square, Clifton in Bristol, West Of England.

Forms Sundown Pilgrims with Hewett, drummer David Jones, bassist Jago Bidmead, keyboardist/clarinetist Will Fear and lead guitarist Peter Willey.

Forms Blue Oranges with songwriter/guitarist Phil Brodie, conga player/percussionist Nick Hughes, bassist Billy Fuller and lead guitarists Jeff Webber and Graham Woodward.

Forms acoustic guitar/close harmony trio Wine Dark Sea with Hewett and guitarist/songwriter Simon Perigud.

Forms DC8 with Hewett, Hughes, vocalists Tricia Baylis and Jessica Small, bassist Ben Small, lead guitarist Syd Riley and drummer Mal Bressington.

Forms Sunset Run with Hewett, Riley, keyboardist Jamie Newman, and 2 jazz players, bassist Adrian Smith and drummer Max Ottolang.

Forms Sway with guitarist/songwriters Mark O'Callaghan and Dan Perry.

Forms Longwave with O'Callaghan, lead guitarist Mick Raymond, bassist Katy Biggs and drummer David Jones.

Following the demise of Longwave, Dan commences work on a new solo album 'Road To California' with producer/musician Jason Allen in Bristol, UK.

Dan's 'Road To California' album is released in June to critical acclaim, as a single album. Dan forms a new band called Pacific Groove.

Pacific Groove settles down to a stable 5 piece line up of Dan Russell: vocals, 6 & 12 string acoustic guitars, electric guitar. Kate Gold: vocals, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, djembe. Nigel Coates: vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, bass guitar. Sarah Menage: vocals, keyboards, acoustic guitar. Jack Murphy: drums, percussion.

Dan's band Pacific Groove continues to evolve as group members come and go. The band spends a brief period as a three piece, renamed as Midtide, featuring Dan with Kate Gold and Steve Orchard. By the end of 2004, the line up is a healthy 7 members.

A Pacific Groove compilation CD titled 'From Stockwood To Woodstock' is released, showcasing 13 songs recorded with a variety of musicians and producers over the previous 2 years. The line up continues to change - over 40 individual musicians have now passed through or been involved with the band. Dan also finds the time to release a cassette-only album called 'Freeing In The Rock World', maintaining his impressive album-a-year run, which has been ongoing since 1991.

Dan records and releases his 'Life Will Set You Free' album with producer and collaborator Jason Allen at the controls. The Pacific Groove line up settles down somewhat with a series of acclaimed gigs. A new Pacific Groove album entitled 'Approaching The Fluffy Outskirts Of Almost There' is set to be recorded during 2006.

The Pacific Groove line-up continues to evolve as members arrive and leave. A single is released called 'The Second Summer Of Love', but the long-awaited second album 'Approaching The Fluffy Outskirts Of Almost There' fails to materialise. In December news broke that Dan had started a new project with ex-Groove member John Baxter.

In February Dan announces his departure from Pacific Groove after 6 years at the helm. The remaining members decide to re-group under a new name, thus ending the Pacific Groove journey. Dan and John's new band The Creek (shortened from Crystal Creek) grows into a 10-piece and embarks on a tour of the West Country. New recording sessions commence, with an album, called 'It Doesn't Matter', readied for release in August.