What music are you currently grooving to?
Well, I listened to Supertramp on Ken Bruce this morning: "Take a look at
my girlfriend What she got?/Not a lot." It's a fun track but a bit cruel,
bit nasty. And The Alarm. I bought them from Sue Ryder. 50p. I never liked
punk, mistrusted it, but they've got lovely, spiky blond hair, studded belts.
All smiling, a lot of fun.
What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album?
Well, I quite like Oliver!. The Lighthouse Family are very nice to drive to.
They've only got four notes but he sings those notes very well.
What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?
Little Arrows by Leapy Lee. I bought it in Wilson Peck in Sheffield. You listened
to the records in a special booth but I used to get distracted because I like
pegboard. I'd wonder about the machines that could get such precise holes.
I found a Bounty bar in there once. That was when they still had the cardboard
trays to protect the fragile coconut filling. You used to throw them away?
You're crazy, lad! They could be used as a nice bookmark afterwards.
Which musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?
Well, I wanted to do Richard Clayderman on Stars In Their Eyes. He smiles,
doesn't he? About every eight seconds. I worked it out. I'd quite like to
be in Racey. I don't see much coverage of them in your magazine. Or Johnny
Hates Jazz.
What do you sing in the shower?
Maritime reels and shanties. On the tiles we've got a dolphin and a mermaid.
Makes you think of the high seas.
What is your favourite Saturday night record?
On Saturday night I like to take it easy, maybe get a Chinese takeaway. One
of those establishments where everyone stands up and watches the telly, lovely
feeling of cameraderie. Saturday night's for telly, isn't it? Excellent programming.
Very high quality.
And your Sunday morning record?
Something like The Drifters, Saturday Night At The Movies, which is crazy
isn't it, on a Sunday morning? And I'm rehearsing songs for my tour, One Foot
In The Gravy, which starts at Leeds City Varieties on April 4.
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