 He started playing the guitar at age nine and during his high school years performed in bands on weekends with his brother Paul, a drummer and vocalist.In 1998 while living and performing in Brisbane, he signed a recording and publishing contract with JWM and Roughcut Music's John Woodruff, manager of Savage Garden.Bidmead moved back to Sydney and later that year, his debut album "Seven Seconds" was produced by Charles Fisher and mixed in Los Angeles by Chris Lord-Alge.