What are your views on the state of music in 2007?

“There’s been no stand out tracks which have stood the test of the last twelve months, which further underlines the demise of music as a meaningful entity in people’s lives. The moment you can’t hold it, you can’t go out and buy it, it ceases to mean anything. And that’s the negative side of downloading. The paradox of that is where that’s actually killing the music, it’s motivating more kids than ever to go and make music. So there are more people who want to make it than want to buy it. The people who were the customers, now want to make it themselves, so they don’t expect to pay for it, they want it for free. That’s completely unsustainable. Today’s generation say: If I have to pay for it, I don’t want it!

What is the most embarrassing record you own?

“I own loads! I’ve always said, I do love and I do play completely crap records! Some of them are so bad they are good, there’s an intrinsic beauty in ugliness, do you know what I mean? I have got one or two that are truly awful, especially disco. But in the right environment, that crap really works! If I’m doing a fierce gay night and it’s really camp then these records can get played. Different people enjoy different things. I always make sure to buy the best from every genre going, so yes, I do have some minimal techno, and I do play it out.”

What is the best gig you have ever played and why?

“I’ve been blessed, I’ve had so, so many. Numerous. Carnival – when I think to myself ‘it can’t get any better than this’, it does. This year was the 28th year, and it gets better every time. The Big Chill festival, for the last three years has been extra special, I don’t know why. I play on Sunday lunchtime and most people have been up all night and are in no mood to trudge across a field to come and hear me play, but they do and I’m in awe of that.”

What’s the best New Year’s Eve party you’ve been to?

I’ve always played on New Year’s Eve, never just partied. I’ve had three amazing New Year’s Eves. In 1987, it was my last illegal warehouse party, in the old GPO offices on the south side of Southwark bridge on the Thames and about 2,000 people turned up. I remember getting on the mic and saying, quite prophetically as it turned out, ‘make the most of this, this is the last party of this type we’ll ever experience’.
“I think deep down I knew the game was up. Another one was Sydney, in 1999, the turn of the Millennium. I thought, ‘I’m not going to stay in London because there are more people putting on parties than people to go to them’. The last one that comes to mind was the first night at the Clapham Grand, I love playing there, it’s an old theatre. I didn’t think we’d sell out, but I was pleasantly surprised. The crowd was fantastic, loads of lovely girls there, and they all stayed with us until five in the morning.”

And the worst?

“Once, I remember doing a kind of glam/fashion night, Boy George and Fat Tony were on the bill, over in a warehouse in Park Royal, and I got invited to play. I remember standing on a stairwell come midnight – they didn’t even stop for twelve o’clock.
“The DJ was playing techno, and no one even knew it was New Year. I thought, ‘you know what, I ain’t never playing at these sort of things again on New Year’s Eve’. It had cost people so much money to get in, like forty quid a ticket – it was hopeless. It left a bitter taste. If I’m playing anywhere now, I’ll play the midnight set. Otherwise, it’s just not fair on people who buy their ticket to come and see you, and then you’re on at half four in the morning.”

Are you a big fan of Christmas in general?

“If I’m surrounded by kids, yes, if not, no – it’s the day I slob out.”

Are you a good present buyer?

“Yes I am. I’m not very good at receiving them though. I buy my own toys!”

What’s the best way to prepare for NYE?

“Don’t get pissed too early, meet your friends at a pre-arranged spot and all go in together. Arrive early – it seems obvious, but the last thing you want is to be stuck ten yards down in a queue at five to twelve.”

Why have you decided to include a live element to Good Times this New Year’s Eve?

“I always wanted to include a live element, it was just trying to find the right act, who were available on the night – and until this year it’s never happened. We’ve got a huge theatre, with a lovely stage – I would love to see a group on there, although I’d never put them on at twelve o’clock. The Bugz are great, they can actually play, and they’ve got a stage set. Ben Westbeech is a great DJ, funk and soul, he has fun with the crowd, puts on bit of a performance, not like some of the DJs who’ve got their head buried in a laptop all night.”

And who are the Loud Minority Collective?

“They are my son, Russell and his friends. Sometimes there are only two of them, sometimes there are six. They DJ, they produce, play instruments, write and arrange. It’s important to be able to do a bit of everything these days. We’ve given them an early slot to show our support.”

What can people expect, when they come to Good Times Live?

“A lovely looking crowd! We’ve got such a great mix of people who come: Yummy mummies, trustafarians, street kids, it’s a good balance. Sometimes if you have too much of one and not enough of the other you can end up with a sterile atmosphere. Luckily, we seem to attract the right mix of people, kind of like what we do at carnival. We try and translate that carnival vibe to the club.”

You can reserve your own VIP table or Box at Good Times Live on NYE – who would you invite to your table?

“My wish list would be Paul Weller, Nelson Mandela, Jazzy B, Ricky Hatton, would I have any Spurs players? That’s a big ask! Yeah, I’d have Martin Jol – that’s about it!”

Have you got any New Year’s resolutions for 2008?

“Yeah, never to make any – what a waste of time!”

What were the best and worst trends of 2007?

“The worst trend I think is ultra skinny emo boys with eating disorders. Bullimic boys. It’s not really been recognised… yet. Look out for these boy bands, it’s more than being slim, and it’s sad. Other than that, I don’t follow trends. I’m more style than trend.”