Watcher.

Martin Curry: 'Have you seen 'Still Crazy'? It seems like the Dad's Army team took MTH and created a film about you. Once upon a time a reunion tour would have been great. Now, another I.H. tour would be better. Thanks for the great stuff. If you do a reunion tour - please play as much of the solo stuff as you can!!'

Bill Curtis: I played piano on 'Flamingo Road'. Bill wants us in Boston. We shall endeavor to please.

Bob Gailiss: 'Australia?' It seems like there's more English in Australia than in England. Can't say I blame 'em. We'll see!

Tony O/'S is baffled by the 'Mad Shadows' cover. Turn it sideways.

Simon Urquhart (7 years): 'How do you remember all those songs? I LOVE 'Rip Off'. I sing it to my Dad every day!!' Well, the short answer is, I don't remember a lot of them. Before you tour you decide what you're going to do and then you have to learn them all over again.

Bill P.: 'Do you plan to do more extensive artwork on the CD cover than you have in the past, or do we get another close up of hair 'n' glasses? Do you have a say in the artwork or does the label handle that? Yep Roc again?' I make my own albums and we pay for them; then we license them to interested parties. Sometimes the licensing party pays for the artwork, sometimes I do - it depends what has been negotiated. Danny Goldberg will handle that side of things. In any case, the artwork on this record will not be hair and shades!

Liz - K: Everything's going according to the plans I never make.

Phil Taylor wants the chords for, 'I Believe in You.' I can't remember, but I think it's pretty easy.

Ryan Roman: Don't do this.

Tony just heard a Verden Allen interview on the BBC radio stating a MTH reunion is on and 'all original members have agreed.' You'll have to ask Phally about this!

Wheeler: 'I read in a '74 interview in Creem (You did it the weeks of the Broadway shows) where you said 'Marionette' was your best song to date. What do you think of it now?' What do you think of 'The Hoople' in general?' Well, 'Marionette' was probably the feature of the Broadway shows, so I was probably high on it at the time. 'Te Hoople' was different. Ralpher had left, so 'The Hoople' is very much me - song wise. Pretty involved musically. It sometimes gets a bad rap as it doesn't sound like the follow up to 'Mott'. Ralpher wasn't there, that's about it. Haven't heard it in ages and I'm different now.

Carlo Mathews: 'Two Quickies' a) Any plans to release demos and/or obscure versions album? We've a live acoustic album in the works. b) How's quitting smoking going? Not too well at the moment, but better than before.

Matt Nojonen: 'I downloaded all my writing on a flash drive then thought I'd lost the thing. Felt like I'd been kicked. Anything like that happened to you? 'All of the Good Ones Are Taken' immediately comes to mind. It was great at one rehearsal but the cassette went missing and we lost the original groove. Didn't get it back until Oslo and the orchestral DVD. Too late! 'My new favorite song is 'Too Much'; 'Who do you Love' will always be up there. Nothing beats 'Picasso'. There are too many. Can't wait to hear the new stuff.' We're happy with it.

MG Driver: 'Just stumbled across a song, 'Cars and Girls' by the Dictators. Checked their website and almost fell out of my chair when I saw a picture of you and Dick Manitoba on their home page! It's dated 2008. Any more info on this?' I met Dick a couple of times in NYC recently. Once at CBGB's at a John Varvatos gig and again at his bar on a night out with Tracie. Nice enough lad.

Marty G: I can't answer this question at this time.

Reid Winfrey: I can't answer this question at this time.

Rob Goald: 'Someone likened Sarah Palin to Maggie Thatcher. Your opinion?' Well, she's much better looking and the rest is up to conjecture. I wouldn't vote for her. I didn't agree with Maggie but I respected her.

Richard Jones: 'Irene Wilde' is on 'All American Alien Boy.'

Bryn Douthwaite: Can't answer this.

James White: 'How do you choose CD names? YUIORTA was a great album with a crap name. A friend of mine who is a DJ said the album name stopped his station from giving it album of the week status - because no one could pronounce it. Suggestion for a new CD -Accademical My Dear Hamilton.' Around the time of YUIORTA, Mick Ronson kept saying - 'Why you I oughta' which was a Three Stooges pet saying. I called the LP that. Hey, one out of 20 odd ain't bad. Like your title.

Paul C.: I was in Shrewsbury and took a look at 23A. The owner said people keep wanting to buy his front door. Being a Scouser, I immediately spotted a scam, but he wasn't interested. Any ideas what I can do with 250 B&Q doors?' If I remember correctly it was a big old blue door. You'd have probably been stuck with 249 if the deal had gone through!

Liz K: You aren't the only one that's been ripped off. It's hard - especially if nothing much is happening at the time. Let it ride. Let them live with it.

Alan/Kent: 'What mikes do you use?' I use AKG C12 VR in the studio and usually a SM 58 live. The Neuman on the 'Rant' shoot just happened to be there.

Welshy: 'Ever considered doing a radio show along the lines of the Alice Cooper show; or maybe a podcast of your favourite tracks and commentary that us fans can download on your website?' Too time consuming.

Colin Moore: 'On 'MTH Live' at the beginning of 'Rest In Peace' - just after the keyboard into starts, there's a sound of something breaking and the audience applauds. Do you know what that was?' Haven't a clue.

Michael Haineault: 'Who decides on album titles?' On my albums - me. 'Who came up with 'You're Never Alone With a Schizophrenic'? Ronno found it on a toilet wall. He didn't want to give it to me so I gave him half of 'Just Another Night' for it.

Andy Martin: Your mate's out of his mind!

Mark F.: Green card holder.

Barry Cobb: Can't answer this.

Larry Woodside: 'Every time we meet you look so healthy - are you on a special diet? Do you work out? Is it genes? How do you feel about aging? Getting old sucks! A) I eat anything - Trudi's an excellent cook. I just eat what's put in front of me - I'm British! B) Sure, I work out. Writing is sedentary, but I like to go out and get plastered, too; nothing better than good friends and a bevy. C) Genetics - who knows - there are similarities in all my kids and my parents. Fortunately, as far as I know, people all died of different things - no main genetic illnesses.

Edward: Did you ever meet or share a bill with Ritchie Blackmore or any of the Deep Purple gang? Sure - played with them - met them etc. John Lord is a gentleman. Different neck of the woods.

Mike Hogan: 'Can't wait to hear the new stuff. You have many fans in Ventura County, CA!! Any hint on Southern California next year?' Not yet, but I remember the dates you mentioned fondly. Even wrote a song about the Agoras - it's on the new CD.

Andrew Field: Recording going well. Andy's working his ass off.

Ken Moore: Can't answer this question.

Mike Costanza: 'Ronson sounded good sharing the vocal on 'Daylight'. I was wondering about his voice. Was it easy to get him on vocal or was he unsure of his voice?' Ronson had perfect pitch. The problem wasn't his voice; he just had to be near his amp when he played. He didn't like using monitors - which you have to use when you sing. I just let him do what he wanted to do - which wasn't much usually! How he came to sing the first two verses of 'Daylight' was quite amusing. I was having a chat with Bruce Springsteen and Mick said 'Come and do it.' I said hang about a minute, but he said, 'Come and do it now, - or I'll do it!' I said, 'OK, you do it then' and the bugger did! Sounds good too. Trudi is the putterer - I just survey.

Ralph Cohen: I'll be back soon.

Davy Medd: Played a lot with Blue over the years. Great player. Welch guys are great organists. Emotional, see.

Carlo: 'Do another book - on the Brits.' They'd kill me.

Sharon: 'Can you give a horse penicillin in its feed?' Only if I'm bacterial.

Joe S: Back to work, Joe

Peejay: 'Hey - what's up with Seaham then?' Where?

Trip: Trees get in the way.

Martin Dench: 'Constantly amazed at the fact that you and MTH left more great tracks off your albums than most put on. I wanted to ask about 'Moonbus'. The moment I heard the box set I was blown away. It's awesome - do you remember it? For me it was a defining moment of Hoople.' No, can't recall.

Tim: Any shows in coming months? Nope, we're in limbo until this CD is done and the business concluded. People get antsy - I do too.

Stay tuned for Part 2 ...