Alex: Well, the book is really a comedy - and writing comedy is the least funny thing in the world. It made me realise that all these things I thought were important, which were getting me down in life, were silly and irrelevant. It's good looking back at the thread that got you to where you are now.

A: Yes, but they were the rantings of a drunk moron. About half-way through writing the book, I came across boxes of old magazines. I started reading about an Australian tour we did and I remembered it completely differently to the way it was written up. It's my recollection so it's personal but it was all clear to me. The good thing about the band is I recall the past by what single we had out at that time; I know what order they came in.

A: At its worst or at its best? I drank three bottles of Champagne a day, every day for five years. Now I don't drink at all, or rarely. Your twenties are about finding where the limits are. It's the duty of anyone in a band to push the boat out. Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to the life of a rock star.

A: I met the right girl at the right time. You've got to have a reason to want to stop. I didn't drink to escape anything; I drank to throw myself into the world more. That was the key. If you drink to run away from something, then you've got a problem. If you're running towards something with a big smile on your face, then it's all hunky dory.

A: It was the very first time we really kicked arse and tore the roof off. Probably on a Friday night in Dudley. I'd just got my results from my French exams, which weren't very good. The first single had just come out and we blew them off their feet. You know if you've done it once, you can do it again. After that, it doesn't matter if you're playing for a hundred people or a million. We had 1million people in Rome once - it was ridiculous.

A: Life is bound to have repetitive tasks whatever you do - that's the nature of work - but playing music is one of the more pleasant repetitive tasks. Being onstage is all right but the travel can be drudgery. We got around that by getting our own aeroplanes. It's bad manners to moan about being in a band; it's the best job you can have when you're 23.

A: Not personally. You're supposed to shoot them in their face. It's probably a job for professionals. In an all-out war situation, I would definitely not be afraid of getting my hands dirty.

A: It's good. We got our first batch through. We have a cheese launch in September at the Great British Cheese Festival. It's a revolutionary new pickled cheese, like sweets for grown-ups. But the pickling process is our secret recipe. I've always liked cheese. I can talk to you as long as you like. Sex and food are very closely related - cheese is sex for grown-up rock stars.

A: Nothing.

A: We did a single. It's all right.

A: Yeah, I saw her a few weeks ago. I've been working with KT Tunstall. I don't want to be an artist. I like being here - I don't want to leave the house. I like writing music but I don't want to join another band really. I'm a songwriter for hire.

A: Don't hold your breath.