Oliver has worked with many musicians during his career building a solid reputation, and today enjoys being involved with some of the best artists in the business.

 He started playing a guitar his Mother got from a jumble sale after expressing an interest in playing after hearing ''Purple Haze'' by Jimi Hendrix at school. He then had lessons for three or four years, before teaching himself. His Fathers record collection was mainly country blues (especially Big Bill Broonzy) and 60s Blues and Rock and Roll , all heavily guitar led. For an aspiring young guitarist, this was a library of exciting tricks to learn, more so than other music around at the time or since, and Oliver quickly became a student of the blues and its many forms. But the lessons really started when he began playing with other musicians....

 'I got ok at it (guitar), and my Uncle Martin introduced me to some local musicians, including Steve Walwyn (guitarist with Dr Feelgood and The Big Town Playboys at the time). Steve invited me up on stage when I was 15, and the buzz was amazing, I knew what I wanted to do...'

 Oliver then formed his first band, with Chas Chaplin (the drummer from Steve's band) on drums, and firstly Matt Clark then later Craig Rhind (also from Steve's band) on bass....the band was called The Bluetits.

 'Retrospectively, I was so lucky to be playing with experienced and tasteful musicians like these, really spoilt-they saved me years of messing around and pointed me in the right direction'.

 Around this time Oliver saw Mike Sanchez, then front man of The Big Town Playboys;

 'I was blown away with his style and charisma, and also the level of musicianship, I'd never seen anyone that good before. The fact that it was wrapped up with a great show as well was awesome, he had everything'.

 This made an impression, and Oliver's understanding of the whole art of the show began to develop.

 It was also around this time that Oliver fully began to appreciate the true brilliance of Fleetwood Mac's frontman and founder, Peter Green;

 'I'd always listened to and liked Peter Green, but one day something clicked, and I just suddenly realised how different he was to everyone else. I suppose it was just growing up a bit, kind of like an acquired taste. It also happened to me like that with T-Bone Walker, and especially with Charles Brown and Johnny Moore-I listened to the albums the first time, and thought they were ok, but then something would keep nagging at me, haunting me, and I'd put the album on again, and then be think ''Wow, this is amazing.... I want to learn how to do this!'''

 A few years later, Oliver was supporting a group called Electric Leg (featuring Sanchez's then bass player, Al Gare) with The Bluetits, and the guys really liked a couple of T-Bone Walker tracks The Bluetits performed. They asked Oliver up to do a couple of numbers with them. This was also where the nickname 'Darling' came from-at the end of the gig, the singer wanted to introduce Oliver, and asked 'what's his name?'. One of the band replied 'Darling', and when announced, there was some sniggering...! After this, the name stuck.