My Secret Life: Mark E Smith, singer

The guiding light behind the legendary post-punk group The Fall, Mark Edward Smith was born on 5 March 1957 in Salford, Lancashire. Before forming the band in 1976, he worked in the docks. Twenty-six studio albums, many line-ups and more than 30 years later, The Fall are still performing and will appear tomorrow at the Manchester International Festival to launch Perverted by Language, an anthology of short fiction inspired by their music. Mark is married to band member Elena Poulou.

If I have time to myself ... I like to sit romancing my wife, thereby persuading her to go out to the off-licence.

You wouldn't know it but I'm very good at ... cooking up wholesome couscous for the group.

You may not know it but I'm no good at ... This type of statement is not in my book.

A book that changed me ... The Spirit to Serve by [the leading hotelier] Mr [J W] Marriott.

Comfort eating ... Chinese aniseed curry with half-cooked chips.

When I was a child I wanted to be ... my hero, Richard Branson.

I wish I'd never worn ... sponsored training shoes.

All my money goes on ... the trains run by my hero.

At night I dream of ... having lunch in London with my favourite journalist from The Independent, or Noel Gallagher.

It's not fashionable but I like ... What I do today, the rest of the world does tomorrow.

If I wasn't me I'd like to be ... the lead singer of The Fall.

The shop I can't walk past ... is Bamber's Art Space in Manchester.

My favourite work of art ... is The Assumption by Tintoretto [in Santa Maria Assunta, Venice].

The soundtrack to my life ... is Boney M, the greatest hits.

The best invention ever ... are buttons and socks – both in short supply.