THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Hamilton of British Sea Power

Elsewhere has had a long interesting in and affection for the UK band British Sea Power who have delivered four previous albums and a couple of soundtracks and yet never quite got the wide acclaim they deserve.

So it was a pleasure to hear their new one Machineries of Joy because it marks a career high and economically encapsulates their many styles but pulls them together in songs which have a slightly eccentric quality between the ballads and head-down beats.

At times it's a headphones album, at others it reaches high and wide and demands full volume.

So it's a pleasure to have Neil Hamilton Wilkinson -- aka Hamilton -- one of the band's songwriters, guitarists, singers and its bassist answer our Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire.

And yes, it's eccentric . . .

Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .

Neil Young, Cripple Creek fairy, Julian Cope and the wobbles

Lennon or Jagger, Ramones or Nirvana, Madonna or Gaga, Jacko or Jay-Z?

Jonathan Richman can take on the lot.

If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .

Dry stone waller or hobo

The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .

Whiter Shade of Pale as it makes me think of rain and the lakes, Affection by Jonathan Richman cause everybody needs affection, and Roadrunner by Bo Diddley

Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home?

Me old pump organ sitting on my porch in Scotland, it's ex-sea dog wood and glory, and a nice way to drone away the evil

The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .

Do It For Your Mum by Roy Wilkinson

If you could get on stage with anyone it would be . . . (And you would play?)

have to be Iggy Pop, hopefully on the hoover

The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .

Withnail and I........Pee Wee's Big Adventure, .....Racing with the Moon

The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include . . .)

Lee Scratch Perry, Arkology,.. hoots mon

One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . . .

--

The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever would be . . .

would just like a nice picture of the desert please?

You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .

A map of New York

David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” You would spend them where, doing . . .?

in the fields walking and farting about

And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, “Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?”

its the best one, but there will be better ones after now, see you all after now then.