 Following his departure from the Fall, he formed Ark with Burns, Crooks and former Creepers bassist Pete Keogh, the band releasing the album "Brainsold" in 2002, and joined the Lovers in 2001, a group fronted by Tom Hingley of Inspiral Carpets.Both these bands also featured Paul Hanley.The Lovers released two albums, "Abba Are the Enemy", released in 2004, and "Highlights" which was released in March 2008.