mike alway

fave cities		bath madrid
motto		replace money with imagination
what sports are you good at?		cricket ( as a medium bowler I took 108 wickets for heston cc in 1976) football (I played for middlesex schoolboys)
fave record sleeves		would-be-goods: the camera loves me monochrome set: westminster affair
gastronomic deligths		summit bar (inexplicably discontinued around 1973)
where do you see yourself in ten years?		in the sunshine (southern spain or portugal)
the city where you live		london
what record is guaranteed to make you cry?		"eine symphonie des grauens" by monochrome set "goodnight" by the moog beatles
fave magazines		when saturday comes nova
ideal age		41
key films in your life		"f is for fake" by orson welles "chimes at midnight" by o. w. "mr arkadin/confidential report" by o. w. "pandora and the flying dutchman" by albert levin "a matter of live and death" by michael power & emeric pressburger
what makes you smile?		any brentford goal the "ls bumble bee" up pompeii (the single by frankie howerd)
what do you consider your greatest strenght?		attention to detail
least fave él records		the james dean driving experience (whoever they are) the crap second anthony adverse lp made on él after I had been removed from the scene (it both looks and is... totally awful)
most embarrashing clothes you wore		yellow loon pants (circa 1971) and multicoloured tank-top
fave football players		then: stan bowles (queen's park rangers/ brentford) now: carl asaba (brentford)
why are you a very important character in Japan and not in England?		because in both cultures my work is considered to be archtypically english
last book you read		"fake" by clifford irving
best labels ever		verve él
fave spanish bands		le mans daily planet
best song lyric ever		"eine symphonie des grauens" by monochrome set
when have you travelled?		early 1996... brussels and paris
fave shops		cenci (second hand clothes shop in london specialising in italian originals from 50's and 60's) sportspages (definitive sports bookshop in london)
fave football teams		brentford plymouth argyle falmouth town
what is bellisimo?		a pretentious title to elevate a historical but really worthwhile collection of él a sides over two cds
what is the last thing you think of before you go to sleep?		hope to dream
fave spanish expression		basta
fave monochrome set songs		eine symphonie des grauens mr bizarro the mating game adeste fideles lester leaps in
how much money do you have in the bank?		minus something
instant cofee: tribute to él		haven't heard it or at least not in any coherent assembly matt will take years getting it right and he surely will
what the world needs now is...		mystery
di stefano. pelé, cruyff, maradona or ronaldo?		cruyff... intelligence, peripheral vision, superb athleticism, discipline
what would you do to get number one?		absolutely nothing
what do you more hate about él?		any reissues
fave greatest hits lp		supremes
most notorious person you've met		quentin crisp
what would you fax to sophia loren?		keep taking risks (eg don't do rubbish films like "pret a porter")
fave new labels		duophonic chemikal underground teenbeat
what is the difference between él and if...?		if... is absolutely a fantasy label where anything may be realised and nothing is impossible él tended towards these qualities only latterly
what would you find down the back of your sofa?		crumbs of comfort
fave pop fantasy		to be respected as an enigma or ephimeral figure capable of surprises
why your next compilation is called "songs for the jet set?		a metaphor for escapism, caprice, space, sunshine, clean air and clean hair
what do you thing about "mike alway's diary" by kahimi karie?		absurdly flattering
last great record you 've heard		several: m set "eine symphonie des grauens" "bedazzled" film soundtrack (composed and performed by dudley moore and peter cook) brigitte bardot "contact" free design compilation on trattoria can "future days" lp electric prunes "mass in f minor" soft boys "hear my brane" peter cook & dudley more "the ls bumble bee" harper's bizarre " i love you alice b toklas"
favourite historical character		portmerion... the baroque facade fantasy village in north walles that was location for the historic "prisioner" tv series without doubt the greatest television of this century
lawrence (felt /denim)		a brilliant pop conceptualist who should without doubt have his own label. a person with brilliant care and attention to detail who is far talented for the miserable music biz industry. wants utopia and... why not?
bid (monochrome set)		the most talented underachiever the world has ever known and the nicest person on god's earth, a genuine great man. masive ability, producer of "songs for the jet set" - the greatest artistic pop record for a long time
tracey thorn (everything but the girl)		the greatest voice of the 80's and 90's and a decent intelligent modest person. a really strong admirable woman. a fantastic example to anyone
ben watt (everything but the girl)		generous, inventive man who cares for his friends. totally ageless in that he's always interested to assimilate new musical ideas. his heart and feeling is understimated. ben cares about quality and will achieve far more than the onging ebtg hits. supports northampton town football club which reveals a lot about his character
louis philippe		a massively underrated pop songwriter and a beautiful, original voice. refined and endlessly civilised and cultivated person. he has the light touch of a snowflake. the most positive person. sometimes too musicianly and jazz for my liking but i can only admire that he does
momus		the greatest songwriter in the english language and specially on the subject of sex and relationships in general. like bid, like louis, like simon turner, a man looking for a context. has brillantly proven that he can write successfully to formula with kahimi karie's huge hits "i am a kitten" and "good morning world". does not share louis' regard for "the classic era"
fave souvenir		a full set of "sky blue" coventry city football programmes from the season 1970/71 (a masterprice of graphic design)
what would you like your epitaph to be?		he always thought about the future