MUSIC

Okay, everyone has an obsession and mine is music. At least it was; over the years I’ve managed to pretty much build my ultimate hi-fi system. (Technogeeks can click to find out the specifications). There also seems to be a marked decline in music that I actually like being released recently.

I’ve run the musical gauntlet over the years - starting out listening to Motown, ‘60s (i.e proper) R’n’B, Hendrix and The Who. From there I branched out into Northern Soul and then, like most of my friends at the time, drifted into all things punk and psychobilly. That led to a flirtation with goth (though thankfully not the dress sense), and from there it was an easy step into heavy metal - mainly thanks to Bryan Connolly and my girlfriend at university, Colette.

From there my journey passed through rave, gabba, electronica and nu-metal. Now I find myself listening to what is called R’n’B (which, I’m sure, makes Otis Redding spin in his grave), along with a smattering of drum and bass and jungle. As you’ve probably realised by now, my record collection covers pretty much everything, with the notable exception of disco - something I really should remedy at some point.

I actually pride myself on the fact that absolutely everybody I know will find something hidden in my ridiculously eclectic record collection that they will love… and something that they hate. That’s a good thing. Embrace diversity, I say.

A quick list of favourite bands/performers would include The Clash, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Nine Inch Nails, Destiny’s Child, Faith No More, Method Man, Outkast, Madonna, Nirvana, The Prodigy and White Zombie.