What’s your favourite album and song ever?
Favourite album is Swoon by Prefab Sprout. It floored me when I first heard it in 1984 and it still floors me now. Words to die for and the most stunning chord sequences that I’ve never been able to get my head round. Talking Heads’ ‘Once in A Lifetime’ could have come out of any era since the 1970s - it’s a perfect pop song; haunting, pretty and ever so slightly mad.

What was the best year for music and why?
Personally, 1992. I wrote about 11 of my best songs, following a particularly wonderful and damaging relationship. Otherwise, 1978 had pretty much everything going for it..

What is your earliest musical memory?
Piano lessons with the terrifying Mrs Percival. I still can’t play scales to this day.

Is there any particular album or song you never want to hear again in your life?
John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ is the biggest piece of sentimental bollocks ever recorded. It’s a loathsome record - why do people still think it‘s good? Maybe I should get off the fence...

If you could go back in time which musical figure would you like to meet?
I’ve just read Tony Visconti’s autobiography. He’d make a very good dinner guest. But I suspect it wouldn’t be long before asking him if Bowie wanted to come round too.

Who would you put in your fantasy band?
George Murray and Dennis Davis on bass & drums (from Bowie’s band in the 70s and 80s), Johnny Marr on guitar, I’d take vocals and let Bjork do backing vocals. Mark Feltham can chuck some harmonica into the mix, Jon Hassell can play guest flugelhorn, with Nigel Godrich producing the album. Probably be a disaster.

What’s the best gig you have ever been to?
Toss-up between David Gray at Shepherd’s Bush Empire just before he got big in ’99, and most of the I Am Kloot shows I’ve been to over the years. They all gave that amazing feeling that nothing else in the world matters.

What was the first gig you ever went to?
Boomtown Rats, Sheffield City Hall, 1978. There was a fight down the front, but I decided not to get involved.

What was the last gig you went to and how was it?
King Creosote at the Islington Academy. Great songwriter and performer.

CD, Vinyl or MP3?
You’ve missed out cassette - surely the greatest format of all?

John or Paul?
Neither. Over-hyped, overrated. Can I pick Tom Waits instead?

East Coast or West Coast?
If we’re talking Hull versus Liverpool, The Housemartins would win it for Hull every time.

Dylan or Elvis?
Has to be the stepfather of singer-songwriters, mainly because I went through something of a Dylan phase when I started writing my own songs.