Riff was born Richard Neil Williams in Cardiff, South Wales on December 28th 1968 to parents Alun John and Barbara Lydia. The nickname 'Riff' needs no explanation - he's had it since he took up the guitar at the age of 12.

He grew up in a small town in South Wales called Pencoed and at an early age showed an intense love of music. The first album he bought (at the age of seven) was ... "A Fistful of Dollars and A Few Dollars More" by Ennio Morricone.

His first hero and biggest early influence was Elvis. He had soon managed to prise his mother’s albums from her and listened through them all over and over, singing along with his collar up while strumming a tennis racket.