Philosophers down the ages have pondered the eternal questions. Life. The Universe. Why men have nipples. But none of them, until now, have had the opportunity to fill in MTs searching questionnaire. Enter Bluey Maunick of Incognito...

TRAVELLING INCOGNITO

Bluey and Incognito will be playing selected dates around the UK up to Christmas - keep an eye out for regional announcements. Incognito emerged at the forefront of of the UK jazz-funk movement of the early '80s, and Bluey has guided the band with a sure hand through a turbulent decade, notching up hit albums Jazz Funk (1981) and Inside Life (1991) plus six hit singles along the way. The latest of these, 'Still A Friend Of Mine', is taken from the new album Positivity, released on Talkin Loud.

1 What was the first synthesiser you ever played?

"A Yamaha CS80. A huge son of a bitch which takes ages to program but sounds superb. It's still one of the finest; inimitable and a roadie's nightmare. Put one in a flightcase and you need a crane to lift it."

2 Who is your favourite musical pioneer?

"Stevie Wonder, for obvious reasons. Listen & learn. I recommend Innervisions, Talking Book, Fulfillingness' First Finale and Songs In The Key Of Life."

3 What's the difference between Take That and Stravinsky?

"Stravinsky is my favourite composer, and... this question is begging for a slagging but you won't get one from me, because they both appeal to totally different types of people - for example, me and my 8-year-old daughter. My days of negativity are over; there is room for all tastes."

4 What's the difference between a drum kit and a drum machine?

"One uses chips, comes in a little case just bigger than a shoe box, and the other takes up the whole stage at The Jazz Cafe but you can eat your chips on it. Look, let's not be silly; one is a sequencer; the other is live, and I prefer the latter, although the drum machine is a good writing tool."

5 Playing live: why bother?

"Because it's the best f***ing feeling in the world..."

6 Which record says most to you about music technology?

"'Slave To The Rhythm' by Grace Jones: Trevor Horn and the Sarm posse at their very best - high-tech plus fabulous musicianship."

7 What does the phrase 'multi-media' mean to you?

"Means we can do whatever the hell we like - no rules. Great, eh?"

8 How do you react to hearing a sample of your music on someone else's record?

"Happy if they have credited or paid us; pissed off if they haven't. The only thing worse was when a so-called friend of mine nicked one of my songs and had a hit with it. I couldn't prove it, but I believe in Karma. Keep looking over your shoulder, Ian!"

9 What is the next piece of equipment you would like to buy?

"A Hohner Clavinet, a Gibson Howard Roberts guitar and the new Trace Elliot acoustic amp."

10 Will technology become invisible?

"It already is when used properly. Long live the human touch! Keep up the good work, MT - respect, I'm out. Bluey. "