My Fantasy Band: Alex Clare

Alex Clare

Drums - Ginger Baker
I think we need to go with a vintage drummer such as Ginger Baker, who played in bands like Cream and Blind Faith, because he was a machine. There's no other word for it. I used to play drums, it was the first instrument I learnt, and although I never really got into Cream that much, I used to drum along to what he was doing on record because I thought he was great.

Bass - Pino Palladino
He's D'Angelo's bass player (as well as many others) and I think he's the one when it comes to contemporary, innovative and solid bass playing. He's a skinny old Welsh white dude who has ended up playing for people like The Roots; he's the go-to guy.

Horn - Chet Baker
He's the original rock'n'roll star even though he came 15 years before it. He was a bit of a loose cannon, but I guess every band needs one. He played trumpet beautifully and he had an incredible voice so he can do vocals too.

Guitar - Marv Tarplin
He played guitar for The Miracles and co-wrote "The Tracks of My Tears" with Smokey Robinson. He made the most soulful guitar sounds.

Vocals - Donny Hathaway and Method Man
Method Man can be the hype man and get all nasty. Throughout my life I've been a bit of a Wu-Tang Clan fan and he was always my favourite. The track he did with D'Angelo, "Break Ups 2 Make Ups", is so cheesy but it's amazing; it still gives me goosebumps when I hear it. No one delivers a song or writes a song more beautifully than Donny Hathaway, so if we're talking fantasy, he's got to be on lead vocals.

'The Lateness of the Hour' is out now (www.alexclare.com)