John Ireland was born John Griffith on the 23rd August 1954 in Boksburg. He attended Boksburg High School in the early 1970s. In 1977 he and Jonathan Handley (born 5 June 1954) formed the band Slither and were based in Springs. He studied medicine with Jonathan at Wits University and they both became doctors. Slither later became The Radio Rats. John has musical training in classical piano to an advanced level and also plays guitar and drums.
