Guy Pratt was born on 3 January 1962, in a flat above a shop on the street The Cut, in Lambeth, South London, England, United Kingdom. His father, Mike Pratt, was an actor, songwriter and screenwriter but died when Guy was 14. Pratt worked for a while as a graphic designer, but then decided to concentrate on a music career. In the late 1970s, Pratt was in a band based in Southend-On-Sea called Speedball, which released a single on NO PAP1 Records called 'No Survivors'. In 1981, aged 19, Pratt was asked to tour with Icehouse. Two years later as a member of Icehouse he supported David Bowie on his Serious Moonlight Tour, which was Bowie's longest, largest, and most successful concert tour. A support slot at a 1984 David Gilmour solo concert led to a stint with Pink Floyd. He also spent some time in Los Angeles where he played with Madonna and Michael Jackson.