黑洞社区

What is your favourite site?

Apart from the BBC, which is usually the first port of call, I spend a fair bit of time on Poole Percussion () 鈥� a drumming website. I dream about buying things I can鈥檛 afford and couldn鈥檛 possibly justify.

What was the last thing you bought online?

A Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum. It cost hundreds of pounds and I didn鈥檛 dare tell my wife the real price. Otherwise, I鈥檓 usually on eBay buying various bits of drumming paraphernalia.

Why?

I used to play in a band called The Larks (pictured). NME described us as 鈥渁 punk band with a soul overcoat鈥�. We peaked in about 1986/87 and had three singles out. Simon Bates played us on the radio and we appeared on The Chart Show and kids鈥� TV.

Do you buy anything else online?

No 鈥� I鈥檓 a bit of traditionalist in that way. If I buy clothes I like to try them on first. Having said that, our last three holidays were all bought online.

Social networking or face-to-face?

I prefer to talk to people rather than have a virtual relationship.

I do look at My Space sometimes because the band has a page up there with some of our videos. Given the current economic situation I don鈥檛 have that much time to spend online anyway.

What鈥檚 on your iPod?

I鈥檓 a huge David Bowie fan and have 34 of his albums on there. Also, I鈥檝e got everything that Led Zeppelin ever did 鈥� their drummer John Bonham (pictured) was the greatest drummer to walk the earth.

Then of course there鈥檚 Be Bop Deluxe, Roxy Music and The Ramones.

Of the more modern music I鈥檓 a fan of Blink-182, Goldfrapp and Fall Out Boy.

Aren鈥檛 chief executives supposed to be into things like Mahler symphonies, though?

Do you take your BlackBerry on holiday?

I do. I鈥檓 speaking on it now and I鈥檓 on holiday.

My wife is now giving me a look that is saying 鈥渉urry up鈥�.

If I鈥檓 on summer holiday, I tend to be quite disciplined with it, though, and will try to check it only twice a week.