The 5-minute Interview: Andy Mackay, Musician

Andy Mackay, 61, is the saxophonist from the rock band Roxy Music. He has also written numerous television scores, including for the award-winning 'Rock Follies'. He is working on a new Roxy Music album as well as his solo project, 'Andy & the Metaphors'

If I weren't talking to you right now I'd be...

Sitting around feeling guilty about not playing my saxophone.

A phrase I use far too often...

"What was I about to say?" Probably because I always get distracted.

I wish people would take more notice of...

Horrible rural housing developments. It's just bad architecture and often in the wrong place. If I'm being more frivolous, I think more men and women should wear hats. I think hats are great.

The most surprising thing that happened to me was...

Finding out that I wasn't as shy as I thought I was while prancing around on stage with Roxy Music. I was more serious before I joined the band, but I learnt quickly that you can't hide on stage and you should just go for it.

A common misperception of me is...

I am more serious than I actually am. I appear quite bookish, but at heart I am a joker.

I am not a politician but...

Well, I wish nobody was. The very idea of a political class means the worst will become leaders.

I'm good at...

Pickling and preserving. I make my own bacon as well. I think I was ahead of my time as I realised early that cooking was a good way to pick up women.

I'm very bad at...

Sports. At school I was always the skinny boy at the edge of the field.

The ideal night out is...

A good meal and a cold glass of white wine. I have a flat in Soho and I love coming to London to eat out.

In moments of weakness I...

Pray. I am a serious minded person in that sense.

The best age to be is...

Thirty-three. I was old enough to be sensible and young enough to have fun.

In a nutshell, my philosophy is this...

I guess it would be "Stay cool is still the main rule", one of Bryan [Ferry's] lines on the song "For Your Pleasure".

Gavin Cumine