Simon Allen

On Stage: Drums, rambling banter, enthusiastic backing vocals, big hair, white tequila

Off Stage: microlabel manager, photographer, ranting anti-theist, nagging parent, MAMIL, mid-level Twitter twit (@logicbuster, @newmastersounds), occasional rock climber, enthusiastic late-starter (tennis, gymnastics & chess), resentful Apple slave (iMac, Macbook Pro, iPad, iPhone), Scrabble apostate (logicbuster on Words With Friends), Boggle apostate (logicbuster on Scramble With Friends),

Ideal Drum Gear: Ludwig Black Beauty 14 x 6.5 snare drum; 13 or 14 Zildjian A custom Mastersound hi-hats; Zildjian 21 sweet ride, Istanbul 18 dark crash; a Ludwig 22 sparkly 1960s kick drum, 12 rack tom (mounted on the kick drum, for goodness' sake!) and 16 floor tom (on the floor on legs, by crikey!), Evans coated heads on the toms and snare drum. (Thanks, Evans!). Some moon-gel here and there to stop the terrible ringing. Pro-Mark 5A Hickory sticks (thanks, Pro-Mark!)

Born: Warwickshire, England

Brief Musical History: 1987 - had a Saturday job at Discovery Records in Leamington Spa. Acquired rudimentary grasp of drums (but not drum rudiments) by tapping on the counter along to music. Moved to Leeds aged 18, played in a blues band and several unsuccessful acid jazz and soul bands in the early nineties. Connected with Eddie Roberts in 1997.

Feed Me: toast and Marmite

Hot Beverage Preference: Proper tea with milk and one sugar, please. But only if it's piping hot. (favourite tea joke: why did Karl Marx only ever drink herbal tea? a: because all proper tea is theft.) Is there anything more counter-intuitive than, when ordering in USA, having to specify: '"black" tea please, but leave some room for the milk'? And why on Earth would you present me with a cup of warm water and a tea bag in a little packet on the side? By then it's already too late! (Of course, I won't make a fuss since I'm British.)

Cold Beverage Preference: Rum and ginger beer with ice and lime

Recently Read:

• Any Human Heart by William Boyd

Currently Reading:

• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

Recommended Reading:

• Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
  
• Paranormality by Richard Wiseman

What's On My Ipod:

• Space Capone - Space Capone
  
• Mode Selektor - Hello Mum
  
• Jonathan Wilson - Gentle Spirit

Recommended Listening:

• Caravan Palace - Panic

Pet Hates (HEAR ME RANT): 1. Having to dodge dog shit on the sidewalk when walking my kids to school. This enrages me and always inspires insane vigilante fantasies, which, if actually carried out, would land me in prison or a secure mental facility. Which I resent.