Thinking of calling the band Tonophobia to imply musical ineptitude but Monophobia rolled off the tongue better. Didn't know what it meant at the time. Fear of singular objects or early Beatles records perhaps.

We play around London and we mostly hate it, apart from Bad Bobs in Covent Garden which has cheap booze and treats the bands well, and the Bull & Gate in Kentish Town which has a nice big stage and shows real interest in the bands.

I think the internet is going to become an important resource for existing record companies in terms of A&R if the public ever get tired of commercial manufactured pop acts, which they probably won't I'm sorry to say. It is going to majorly influence how record companies operate and sell music, and hopefully make the various big labels aware how much great unsung talent exists when they are sruggling to sell yet another digitally remastered Pink Floyd compilation, or when they realise that most people think Mariah Carey is a spoilt, whining bi*** who should be locked in a mansion with Michael Jackson.

Of course.

Monophobia was originally conceived by Philip Quinton and Bryn Rosenwould, two drunken media students who met in Watford in 1991, and had nothing in common, not even music. Phil couldn't play an instrument and neither of them could sing. Only a small collection of embarrassing recordings exists to mark the project's early existence. The duo parted company in 1994 and Monophobia was silent until 1997 when Phil met Tony Longworth, a musician from Shepherd's Bush with a nameless band and a handful of cool tunes, and Monophobia was reinvented as a kicking live underground group. Several other bandmembers have come and gone since then but keyboardist Zizi Schuh joined last year and stayed on to become an active core bandmember, and guitarist Nimesh Hathiwala sticks loyally by the band even though Phil is a total bastard and keeps picking on him. The band have recently had one song - "Remnant Head" - released on a compilation by UK co-operative Institutionalized Records and are now in the process of recording their first true album.

New Order, The Charlatans, The Muppets, King Adora, Pulp, Joy Division, Super Furry Animals, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Blur, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, The Stone Roses, The Beatles, Pink Floyd

I love big traditional marketplaces very early in the morning before it gets busy, especially if it's sunny. "El Rastro" in Madrid is amazing and cheap. Or Camden Lock in London if I'm looking for music or overpriced junk food.

The Oberhiem OB-12 is fairly nifty and a little old Nanosynth.

Ibanez bass, purple Squier Strat, drums, Tanglewood acoustic guitar, any other crappy guitars we got.