Ian Staples is a veteran of the 60s London music scene, having played alongside many names of the day including Pink Floyd, Marc Bolan and David Bowie.

Influenced by the likes of Hendrix and Captain Beefheart he became involved in Avant Garde music and formed Red Square with Jon Seagroatt who later became a member of psych folk band Comus.

In 1980 Ian bought an old wooden boat and moved onto the canal where he developed an interest in boat restoration.

His performances are entirely self penned songs and stories about canal history and people he has met and his adventures on the canal, underpinned with a guitar style strongly influenced by musicians such as Mississipi John Hurt and Dave van ronk.

He performed on channel 5 TV series celebrity barging through Britain and can be heard on Banbury music mix radio 98.