What is your idea of earthly paradise?
Scuba diving in the Cayman Islands with my mum.
What is your idea of living hell?
The last days of the Stone Roses were not at all pleasant.
Under what circumstances do you lie?
One of my daughter's hamsters has just died. I was planning to replace it with another one without her knowing.
What is your most endearing feature?
I make a good cup of tea.
What is your most annoying habit?
I don't sleep well. I get up in the middle of the night and listen to the radio.
Which historical figure do you most admire?
Joe Strummer. He was the lead singer in the first band I ever saw. I was besotted with The Clash.
I didn't realise how much I loved him until he died.
Which living person do you most identify with?
My girlfriend, Sophie. We have been together five years. We have the same laid-back temperament.
What have you loved and lost?
A dog, a couple of girlfriends and a convertible Mercedes.
Who or what is the love of your life?
My children. Jamie, ten, and Dillon, four.
Where would you most like to call home?
Where I live now in Cheshire.
Who are your favourite writers?
Graham Greene.
JG Ballard. Chuck Palahniuk. I am reading his book Lullaby at the moment. It is great.
What CDs are you listening to?
Tighten Up: A Trojan compilation album. Frank Sinatra. I mostly listen to what Sophie puts on. It is quite a broad range. Stuff like Billie Holiday and
The White Stripes. My daughter, Jamie, is growing out of the Steps and Spice Girls cul-de-sac now. At Christmas she asked for Missy Elliot, Jennifer Lopez and Eminem.
What makes you most happy?
Playing my guitar or painting. I don't think of myself as a painter but I love doing it. I enjoy making a mess.
What makes you most unhappy?
Hunger. Sleep deprivation.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?
Joe Strummer. I would just like to see him again. The last time I saw him was at his penultimate show in Sheffield. Sophie was pregnant at the time and desperate to leave because she was hot and bothered by the end of the show. We were invited backstage but I said we had better get off because Sophie was tired. I really regret not making the effort to go see him.
What can't you do without?
Comfortable shoes. I love desert boots. Suede. Crepe sole. Very OAP.
Who can't you live without?
My dog, Charlie. She is a two-year-old, long-haired, black German Shepherd. She is a very devoted.
What are your favourite names?
Stanley, Edith, Jamie and Dillon.
What is the most stupid thing you have done?
While recording the second Stone Roses album we went through a stage of shooting aerosols. We would do it next to a naked flame to see which of us could make the biggest explosion. Quite often the canister would come flying by your head. No one was hurt but we all got blinding headaches from the fumes.
What is the most admirable thing you have done?
Beating a bird to death with a brick. It had been wounded by a car. I
found that difficult but I was proud of myself for putting it out of its misery.
John Squire will perform at Aberdeen Music Hall on January 27 and Barrowland, Glasgow, on January 28.
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