Steve Sutherland

Because Bruxelles – or Brussels if you prefer – is not on anyone’s list of the world’s most famous rock ’n’ roll capitals, chances are you won’t have heard of Belgium’s ICP Recording Studios. If truth be told, my only memories associating the land of chocolate and waffles to anything vaguely musical were the unfortunate fact that Scots hooligan rocker Alex Harvey died of a heart attack while waiting for a ferry in Zeebrugge back in 1982.

What's the weirdest drink you have ever had? I've guzzled a fair few strange ones in my time, including a gruesome concoction in New York involving what looked like Swarfega mixed with cream. But the one that topped the lot was something or other from a barnacled bottle salvaged from a galleon that had been part of the Spanish Armada sunk in battle in the English Channel in 1588.

Many, many moons ago, when I was editing the NME, one of my principal duties was maintaining the myth. The paper had an historic reputation for integrity, for championing credibility above all else. Or, to put it another way, to support those who the caucus of writers considered worthy of having their musical efforts publicised to the readership with scant consideration for either chart positions or sales figures.