Not your average chief executive, this ex-punk band member spends his online time surrounded by drums and drumming paraphernalia. Unless he’s on holiday, when you’ll find him talking to Building

What is your favourite site?

Apart from the BBC, which is usually the first port of call, I spend a fair bit of time on Poole Percussion (poole-percussion.co.uk) – a drumming website. I dream about buying things I can’t afford and couldn’t possibly justify.

What was the last thing you bought online?

A Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum. It cost hundreds of pounds and I didn’t dare tell my wife the real price. Otherwise, I’m usually on eBay buying various bits of drumming paraphernalia.

Why?

I used to play in a band called The Larks (pictured). NME described us as “a punk band with a soul overcoat”. We peaked in about 1986/87 and had three singles out. Simon Bates played us on the radio and we appeared on The Chart Show and kids’ TV.

Do you buy anything else online?

No – I’m a bit of traditionalist in that way. If I buy clothes I like to try them on first. Having said that, our last three holidays were all bought online.

Social networking or face-to-face?

I prefer to talk to people rather than have a virtual relationship.

I do look at My Space sometimes because the band has a page up there with some of our videos. Given the current economic situation I don’t have that much time to spend online anyway.

What’s on your iPod?

I’m a huge David Bowie fan and have 34 of his albums on there. Also, I’ve got everything that Led Zeppelin ever did – their drummer John Bonham (pictured) was the greatest drummer to walk the earth.

Then of course there’s Be Bop Deluxe, Roxy Music and The Ramones.

Of the more modern music I’m a fan of Blink-182, Goldfrapp and Fall Out Boy.

Aren’t chief executives supposed to be into things like Mahler symphonies, though?

Do you take your BlackBerry on holiday?

I do. I’m speaking on it now and I’m on holiday.

My wife is now giving me a look that is saying “hurry up”.

If I’m on summer holiday, I tend to be quite disciplined with it, though, and will try to check it only twice a week.

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