Favourite film
Gosford Park by Robert Altman – the best picture I’ve seen of the English class system. And can you imagine a better cast?
Favourite album
Kraftwerk’s Computer World is synthetic music at its most beautiful. And given its influence on hip-hop, it’s one of the most groundbreaking records ever made.
Current favourite band
A US/German duo called Lunz, who have made an electronic piano record (also called Lunz) of perfect simplicity.
Favourite actor
Gene Hackman. He makes ordinary people interesting, which is much harder than blowing people away with grandeur and tragedy.
Favourite writer
American novelist Joan Didion has a unique voice. She uses a lot of double negatives, which according to George Orwell is a bad thing. But I love the way she talks around a subject.
Wish I’d seen…
The young Elvis Presley, who had this completely unconscious genius that’s impossible if you’ve had any education.
Favourite artist
Picasso. I went to see a retrospective in Amsterdam once, and by half way through I was crying.
Creative hero
Leonard Cohen. Famous Blue Raincoat is the best example of putting words to music there is.
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions’ singles collection ‘The Singles’ is out on Monday; their 1984 album ‘Rattlesnakes’ is re-released on October 4. They play Glasgow Barrowland on October 12, then touring.
Publication: The Daily Telegraph (London)
Publication date: 25/09/04