Question (from SC) Have your artistic references evolved over your long musical journey? Who/what inspires your work these days?

Answer – I think the references have evolved since the second album, and especially more so on Thynk Pynk! I hinted at Crowley on The Golden Dawn, funnily enough though a lot of the references on Thynk Pynk! only became clear to me after I’d recorded the album and reviewed the content as I was preparing the website. These days I’m inspired by many, many bands and genres, nothing’s really off the table. I think if you limit yourself on the input, you’re limited on the output.

Question (from El Presidente) What made you decide to bring out a new LP now, after so long?

Answer – The initial idea was to work with a new band, sadly that fell through, but I had a bunch of songs written. Mostly they were just prose ideas jotted down during lockdown, I wanted a vehicle to get them out, but didn’t have a band to do them with. That’s when I approached Batmobile and Boz, and the rest is history!

Question (from WG) I know that you’re a great fan of rockabilly, early R&B, and and the many subgenres that come under rock and roll, that’s a given, but I also want to know who your earliest musical influences were from when you were a preteen and teenager?

Answer – So from the very early days, the Beatles must take some credit, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Sweet, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, then I swerved into Punk (a little bit of soul to boot), then finally landing on rockabilly. The list goes on and on, if it’s good, I’ll like it!

Question (from SC) I believe you are considered something of a Dandy! Apart from your Rock and Roll sartorial elegence, if you had a fashion Time Machine, what era would you travel back to and why?

Answer – Hardly! I think it would almost certainly be the 1920s, probably not de rigeur for the Rock ‘n’ Roll cognoscenti but I’m a huge fan of all things art deco, plus the clobber and motors.

Question (from WG) You strike me as quite a literary man, have any books have served as an influence for your lyrics?

Answer – not directly, but indirectly I suppose A Clockwork Orange, Wuthering Heights, Lord of the Rings, The Devil Rides Out – loads more to be honest!

Question (from El Presidente) Why Thynk Pynk?

Answer – it has long been a project that has been in my mind. I think because most of my life I’ve suffered from depression and the thoughts have been quite black over the years. So Thynk Pynk! is a bit of a statement to say that music has helped me enormously during those decades, the spelling is a nod to Nick Drake’s “Bryter Layter”, one of my huge musical heroes. So try to Thynk Pynk!, in other words be positive and the future will be positive!

Question (from SC) What is Herbie’s idea of a rotten night out?

Answer – good question! Anything that involves me having to shout conversations to make myself heard. I venture out so little these days that it’s almost not a consideration anyway. I don’t think I could handle pumping house now with everyone off their respective faces either!

Question (from El Presidente) Do you have more songs written and ready to go?

Answer – I do, although they are in the embryo stage at the moment, I’m always writing stuff, always putting it down, it might be a line that pops into my head, it might be a fully fledged song with melody.

Question (from El Presidente) Any live dates planned?

Answer – discussions are underway and I’m putting a new band together, hopefully we’ll be out there again in 2026, with the intention of playing some tracks from Thynk Pynk! and some new stuff. That’s the plan anyway!

Question (from SC) Tell me about a song that moves you to tears? A song that fills you with joy?

Answer – Tears? My Funny Valentine by Julie London. Joy? When the Levee breaks by Led Zeppelin.

Question (from El Presidente) On a tour, who would be your dream backing musicians both realistic and totally fantastic (alive or dead)? Not allowing you to include any former Sarnos.

Answer – Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass, John Bonham on drums.

Question (from SC) One of Lord Byron’s lovers described him as ‘mad, bad and dangerous to know’. How about a fitting epithet for Lord Herbert Sarongster III?

Answer – The same.

Question (from El Presidente) Is there a particular musical influence you could pick out for each track (rather than a general influence on your music as a whole)?

Answer – If you check out the lyrics pages, I’ve tried to include references as best I can.

Question (from El Presidente) As it was recorded in the Algarve, how big an influence was Medronho on this LP?

Answer – Immense! I even managed to get it into “Kittens”.

Question (from El Presidente) Is the album going to be available in all formats?

Answer – At the moment, just in CD format, hopefully then online and maybe vinyl in the future.