marot started his professional career upon leaving art college in 1978. at 19 years old he joined members of prog-rock band van der graaf generator in an offshoot collective called the pool of sound, who for three years performed on the live music circuit but were unsuccessful in securing a record deal. he supplemented the living he made from music by working as a landscape gardener and whilst doing so picked up the physically debilitating illness toxoplasmosis which resulted in him giving up touring. he moved to london where he got a job as a counter assistant at the hounslow branch of our price records.