Dennis Munday was born on August 15 1948, in New Eltham, South East London. His father Frederick hailed from Battersea, and married Dennis’s mother Valeria, in Italy at the end of the war.

Although unable to speak English fluently, Dennis’s mother encouraged Dennis to read and write, prior to attending infant school. Thanks to his mother’s diligence, Dennis has had an interest in reading since the age of four.

In the late fifties, the family moved to Plumstead, and Dennis attended Wyborne Primary School, before matriculating to Crown Woods Comprehensive School. Dennis suffered from chronic asthma and his parents dispatched him to Warnham Court boarding school in East Sussex to recuperate.

He completed his education at Oakmere Secondary Modern School and left school in 1964, having attained three GCSE’s in English literature, English language, and Geography. Although interested in further education, Dennis’s father had other ideas and sent him out into the big wide to earn his keep.

After leaving school, Dennis held down a number of clerical jobs, but didn’t enjoy being confined to an office and left to become a tree-pruner. He soon realised that working in the outdoors in the cold, wasn't for him either, and one month later, he quit.

With nothing better to do, Dennis headed for the West End of London to visit his favourite record shops. Whilst discussing his situation with the two assistants, who worked at a branch of HMV, they suggested Dennis apply for a Christmas job at the main store in Oxford Street.

As he was extremely knowledgeable on music, they hired him immediately, although the manager menacingly stated; “I don’t care how much you know about jazz and pop music. If you can’t sell Mantovani, Al Bowly, and James Last, you’re out on your ear old son!” Following this apprenticeship, HMV hired Dennis on a permanent basis.

Although working at the largest record shop in Europe was an immensely enjoyable experience, Dennis became bored, and yearned for a job in the ‘real’ record business. Unexpectedly, Polydor’s Tape Marketing Manager offered him a position working as his 'Gofer' and Dennis’s career in the record industry kicked off.

After a year, he was promoted to become Polydor’s Jazz A & R manger, and worked with the legendary jazz producer Norman Granz. During this period, he worked with many great jazz artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, Zoot Sims, Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Jackson, and Joe Pass.

Dennis moved on to work with a number of American rock bands, but it wasn’t the kind of music he enjoyed. When the opportunity came to take over the 'Punk' bands that Polydor had signed, he jumped at the chance.

Dennis worked with Sham ’69, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Jam, and The Style Council. He also worked with John Otway, Ritchie Blackmore, The Who, Godley & Creme, Visage, and gave Lisa Stansfield, her first contract. By the mid-eighties, the ‘bean counters’ were running the record business and Dennis left Polydor to pursue a solo career. Continuing to work on The Jam and The Style Council’s back catalogue, Dennis produced many CD’s and the 5CD box sets of both groups, as well as working for the Cure and other music related projects.

In 2002, Dennis moved to Italy to pursue a career as a writer. His first book was semi-autobiographical and, in his own words; “the manuscript was bloody awful.” Every publisher turned it down, though one commented that had Dennis been famous, it would have sold a million copies. Never one to give up, he commenced his second book, Shout To The Top, a bio on Paul Weller’s career, which was published by Omnibus in 2006.

What A Way To Earn A Shilling was published by Wholepoint Publications, in 2012, as an eBook/iBook/KOBO, alongside the Italian version, Che Razza Di Maniera Di Guadagnarsi Da Vivere.

Riding On The Granzwagon is another music bio by Dennis, which will be published in the near future. This bio is about his experiences working with Norman Granz, and many great jazz musicians.