10 quick questions for... Daniel Thomas

10 quick questions for...

Daniel Thomas

Vocals, bass, guitar

1] First album: Michael Jackson – Bad

2] Favourite album: Revolver – The Beatles

3] Favourite song: Tomorrow Never Knows – The Beatles

4] Favourite gear: My heavily personalised Epiphone Sheraton II, with one Gibson P–94 pickup, one Gibson Burstbucker #3 pickup, amber Schaller M6 tuning pegs, Bigsby whammy bar, orange drop capacitors and CTS pots - and gold buttons.

5] All–time favourite musician: Paul McCartney. I know, I know... he can be a bit soft, glib and smug. But he was the most creative in The Beatles and is the most successful songwriter in the history of the world. It may seem an odd thing to say, but I think the guy is underrated simply because he's still alive.

6] Favourite gig: Jimmy Cliff at Glastonbury 2003. I thought I'd only heard the guy's name before seeing him. Then I discovered I'd loved his music all my life.

7] Favourite Inferno gig/moment so far (and why): Looking down on the crowd at the Pork & Cider Festival at the Royal Oak and seeing about 400 people all dancing to Land Of 1,000 Dances by Wilson Pickett.

8] Favourite Dan T’s Inferno song: I Got A Woman - re-written for the band

9] If you’re buying: A double Laphroaig with ice, since you’re being so kind

10] Describe Dan T’s Inferno in five words: Bringing guitar music back home

10 quick questions for... Sarah McKenna

10 quick questions for...

Sarah McKenna

Vocals, percussion

1] First album: Culture Club – Colour By Numbers

2] Favourite album: Radiohead – The Bends

3] Favourite song: Cheryl Lynn – Got To Be Real

4] Favourite gear: Fifth

5] Favourite artist: KT Tunstall

6] Favourite gig: Wick Barn in Bath

7] Favourite Inferno gig/moment so far (and why): The Bath Music Festival gig in May this year – seeing the crowd really enjoying themselves

8] Favourite Dan T’s Inferno song: Shirley Ellis – The Clapping Song

9] If you’re buying: Cranberry and lemonade

10] Describe Dan T’s Inferno in five words: Four Suits, Girl In Dress

10 quick questions for... Alex Taylor

10 quick questions for...

Alex Taylor

Vocals, drums, guitar

1] First album:
I think it was something like The Fine Young Cannibals’ debut album of the same name

2] Favourite album:
Er, this is tricky… Errr, erm… Okay… Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid

... Look, I’m not happy with just one favourite album, can I have a Top 5?

The Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow
The Invisible – The Invisible
Innervisions – Stevie Wonder
The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
Remain in Light – Talking Heads

Off The Wall – Michael Jackson
Headhunters – Herbie Hancock
Maveric A Strike – Finley Quaye
Philadelphonic – G. Love & Special Sauce
Discovery – Daft Punk

Abbey Road – The Beatles
The Soft Parade – The Doors
Bleach – Nirvana
Vs – Pearl Jam
Led Zepp II – Led Zeppelin

Sweet Baby James – James Taylor
Grace – Jeff Buckley
The La's – The La's
For Emma, Forever Ago – Bon Iver
Around The Well [Disc 2] – Iron & Wine

Super Fly – Curtis Mayfield
Music For Large & Small Ensembles – Kenny Wheeler
Kind Of Blue – Miles Davis
Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell
Quiet is the New Loud – Kings Of Convenience

... How many is that? 25??? Okay, five Top 5s. Yep, I’ll stop now. Sorry!

3] Favourite song:
Snowden by Doves

4] Favourite gear:
My Boss RC–50 Loop Station. As well as drumming and singing in The Inferno, I play a lot of solo gigs where I sing, play guitar and loop my voice – all ‘organic’, nothing pre–recorded! This bit of kit has become a huge part of my creative process as a singer/songwriter, and an essential tool for me as a ‘one–man band’

5] Favourite artist:
Oh this is tough, I grew up with so much music around me, and I like so many different genres of music. I’ve been listening to Total Life Forever the new album by Foals a lot recently, but I wouldn't say that they are my favourite band/artist. I would have to say that the people who have influenced me most in music would be my parents – John Taylor and Norma Winstone

6] Favourite gig:
I played The Brixton Academy, supporting Kosheen, it must have been about seven or eight years ago. We did the whole UK leg of their tour, but that one in particular will always stick with me. 4,000-strong crowd, my old stomping ground and my best mates right at the front. It was crazy!

7] Favourite Inferno gig/moment so far (and why):
Playing festivals this year, especially headlining the one that we put together on Gloucester Road in Bristol with the guys at The Royal Oak. A lot of work went into it, and I really felt a sense of achievement, as it turned out to be a big success, WE ROCKED! They had built us a stage at the bottom of the beer garden, the garden itself is massive and it was absolutely jam–packed full of people jumping up and down to our set, fuelled by pork, cider and great party music. Our final encore I Got A Woman by Ray Charles was a real highlight

8] Favourite Dan T’s Inferno song:
There are so many to choose from, but I think Monkey Man by The Stones really sums up the sound of the collective instruments in our band. It was one of the first songs we played together, and we don’t always get to play it at every gig, so it’s a real treat when we do get to air that one out.

Ain’t Got No (I Got Life) by Nina Simone is also up there in my, ever changing, Top 5! I love adding the little subtle harmonies to Sarah's voice on that tune, and it is really upbeat, but even played fast it still retains that danceable groove. It’s also amazing playing that one with the horn section… Babba Dubba Baa Dabba Dup Baaahhh!

9] If you’re buying:
A case of Corona (?) Oh, and another Line 6 DL–4 delay pedal, someone spilt a case of Corona on this one

10] Describe Dan T’s Inferno in five words:

Punchy. Exciting. Emphatic. Talented. Tight

10 quick questions for... Ollie Thomas

10 quick questions for...

Ollie Thomas

Vocals, bass, guitar

1] First album: The Michael Jackson Mix. A decisive compilation medley of Jackson 5 songs mixed together the way only 1980s DJs could. Mixed altogether more thoroughly when I foolishly left the vinyl on the fireplace and it went all Dali-clock

2] Favourite album: At the moment, Orphans, Brawlers, Bawlers And Bastards by Mr Tom Waits but one that I could listen to over and over, perhaps OK Computer

3] Favourite song: At the moment, Great Expectations by Elbow. Arguably a little soppy

4] Favourite gear: I’m rather keen on my discontinued BOSS RV-3 Delay Reverb Pedal, if I wasn’t I wouldn’t have re-bought it three times after loss and thefts. Apparently it’s generally quite popular

5] All-time favourite artist: I know it’s a little common but I suppose it still has to be Jimi. Or Bruce Lee (martial artist)

6] Favourite gig: The Polyphonic Spree – Koko Club

7] Favourite Inferno gig/moment and why: My favourite Inferno gig was the Pork & Cider Festival at The Royal Oak and that’s word. Blow me if even the bar staff weren’t up dancing on the bar and everyone on the tables. My favourite Inferno moment: Waiting, waiting and anticipating a whole gig for all two seconds of Owen’s Vocoder debut; all the music stopping and it being in completely the wrong key

8] Favourite Dan T’s Inferno song: Use Me

9] If you’re asking (favourite drink): I’ll have a lovely yummy Laphroaig on ice please, mmm

10] Describe Dan T’s Inferno in five words: Same answer as ‘favourite album’

10 quick questions for... Owen Bailey

10 quick questions for...

Owen Bailey

Vocals, bass, guitar

1] First album: The first one I bought was Adam And The Ants – Prince Charming, because my mum wouldn’t let me buy Centerfold by The J Geils Band

2] Favourite album: Fuzzy by Grant Lee Buffalo. Or The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses. Or The Three EPs by The Beta Band. Or Solid Air by John Martyn. Or…

3] Favourite song: May You Never – John Martyn

4] Favourite gear: The Fender Japan 1962 Reissue Telecaster with Bigsby I use for our second set. A sultry temptress

5] All–time favourite musician: Stevie Ray Vaughan

6] Favourite gig: The Beta Band at Glastonbury 2000

7] Favourite Inferno gig/moment (and why): Any time we play The Blue Lagoon on Gloucester Road in Bristol. It’s where we played our first gig – imagine The Cavern Club, but with better burgers

8] Favourite Dan T’s Inferno song: Either Beggin’ by Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons or Chuck Berry’s Rock ’N’ Roll Music

9] If you’re buying: A pint of Guinness, thanks

10] Describe Dan T’s Inferno in five words: End-of-wedding buffet guardians

On the improbability of Karma

We have decided karma is probably not real.

Owen was closing the security gates to our rehearsal space and said "I don't think karma's very likely."

Owen is the lead guitarist and my friend of 12 years. He was in an expansive mood.

"I mean," he expanded, "your every action isn't going to go to some central processing unit and be categorised for subsequent retribution."

Ollie said: "And whose to say what is 'good,' anyway?"

I felt that was muddying the waters a bit; but otherwise a good point. I added, weakly, that it would need to be a massive computer and wondered by what means our actions were relayed to the hypothetical good/bad-ometer, since fibre optic cable was scarcely practical and copper wire was hopelessly old fashioned.

Karma, and its ghastly henchmen veganism and roll-up fags were on our mind because our practices follow a yoga session.

Which means we arrive to the smell of incense. Which is okay, I suppose.

Bristol seems to be the UK's last refuge of hippies. I would like to know why.

Widespread acceptance of liberal capitalism and diminishing state benefits didn't help. That, and the almost complete impossibility of doing or achieving anything remotely interesting or useful while being a hippy have seen them boxed into north Bristol. And there they sit, smoking desperately for a solution. Running out of Duma.

Perhaps, I suggested, Karma had been unkind to hippies because - ironically - it admires punctuality and getting-to-the-pointativeness. Perhaps it shares the engineer's aesthetic of dynamic, useful simplicity.

Owen had finished the extensive security routine.

"No" he said. "There's just no such thing as karma."

It was about then that we decided to go to the pub.