Ken works at a science and technology museum in Milwaukee and they've just opened a Les Paul exhibit. Les himself cut the ribbon. Ken says I can have a guide tour. Sounds good to me, thanks; I hope I can make it sometime.

Ed: Hypothetical question: If MTH were ever inducted into the R + R Hall of Fame, would you show up? And would every member be invited?' Hypothetically speaking - I haven't a clue.

David Maile: I don't think so. Glad all has improved. David says I'm a long distance runner - most of the sprinters have gone. Actually, I was a long distance runner at school - and not bad at it either!

Mgdriver: 'Listening to Alice Cooper's Radio Show - he said some nice things about you and then played, 'Walkin' With A Mountain'. Have you two ever met?' Sure, we've met over the years. I like Alice a lot; very intelligent man. Dennis Dunaway lives quite near and I see Dennis now and again. 'What was 'Walkin' With a Mountain' about? That's private.

Bruce Larson: Thank you!

Steve Karmazin: 'What do you do when an idea for a song pops into your head? Do you scribble something down on paper - or record something?' Experience teaches you to have a note pad on you at all times. I've got cassette players all over the place (I've got an Edirol but I'm still using cassettes because I'm used to them. Don't ever make the mistake of thinking it's so good you'll remember it - the tiniest thing can change the whole idea radically. A lot of people lose songs through sheer laziness. I've done it. You're half asleep and this thing is going round in your head and you think - ah, yes - but you have to retain it and get it on top immediately - because they come and they go. The temptation is to rollover and go back to sleep but you've got to get up and put it down there and then. Pain in the ass at 4 AM,but there you go.

Michael Lindberg: 'Where do you get all the inspiration from?' Dunno; it just comes. It was a lot of fun doing 'Shrunken Heads' last time around and that seems to have quickened me up a bit. The band's great and I love the studio we're using and Pet Moshe is like lightning behind the desk. So it doesn't' get too boring. I think you write a bit towards the situation in hand. Plus, this record is different again to the last one and the one before. Keeps it interesting. Tips enough?

Mark F. If you see Al tell him I didn't get my copy yet!

Greg Majcher: Thanks for your interest but I don't do A.P.'s.

Trey Patterson: Have fun with it. And you can't go wrong with a name like Patterson.

Gary Norris: You're a traveling man there, Gary.

Nick Malcolm went to see Alejandro at the Mod Club in Toronto (where I should play if I ever come back!). 'Musical magical - place was jammed.'

Lorraine: Probably next spring; probably one gig up north.

Celeste: I know the one you're talking about but I haven't got it.

Bucks Burnett: Someone will get back to you.

Alan (K.W.) A lot of people say to a record analog and then go to digital for mixing etc. but I do think it's on its way out, unfortunately. Basically it's cheaper digitally, if you know how to combat the sterility factor. Bass usually is a combination of direct and close miking of the amps (as you say). And I've always been a pic man, so I'm not qualified to give an authoritarian answer on this.

Phil Taylor: 'At what point do you think a song is good enough to record? Is it a gut feeling?' Yes, it's a gut feeling. In a sense the song tells you. Nothing is niggling at the back of your mind. Sometimes you get a chill and that's always a good sign. Sometimes the lyrics carry the music - sometimes the music carries the lyrics. Sometimes the lyrics don't even matter. Sometimes all is well lyrically and musically - that is what you strive for. Sometimes songs get left by the wayside because they don't 'suit' the other songs on the record; and so it goes. Yeah, gut!

Irina: Don't know. 'Teachers' is a long way off to me now. Always thought of it as a Ronno song.

Andrew Field: You and me both. I'm on this Vino Verde stuff now - Portuguese - slightly bubbly - inexpensive - and lovely! I've long forgotten who 'Rose' was about; she may actually have been a figment. Did I mix with serious druggies ever? Nah - I never got invited to those kinds of parties. I don't know what D.B. thought really. I think he had this biker fantasy about the band.

Charlie Hyneman: 'From an old MTH fan - any chance the band will get together one more time?' Well, if we did it - it wouldn't be in Titusville - you'll have to travel!!!

Pat: 'Does Steve Holley ever talk about working with McCartney?' Of course he does.

John Stieferman: 'Are you aware Ozzie did 'Dudes'? It's very good, but not as good as yours. Do you know him? Did Bowie have to give his permission? Not sure how it works.' Yes, I am aware Ozzie did Dudes (I did it with him). Yes, I do know Ozzie a bit. No, David didn't have to give his permission. Once a song is published and out there - anybody can cover it as long as you get a mechanical license.

James Rawnsley: 'In 'Diary' - when you wrote about kids taking guns into schools and taking pot shots at teachers, did you realize you were predicting the future? Also, what happened to the Maltese Cross?' Did I say that in 'Diary'? It slips the mind; I'll have to dig it out and have another look. The Maltese Cross was bought by a chap in England who periodically brings it for me to see again. I sold it - we must have been skint at the time.

Kellianne Flynn: How lovely - thank you!!

John Pottage: I can't remember - it was something he was hot on at the time - sounded great too. Sorry!

Jeffrey Stanke: No - it's a very nice basement actually - windows - French doors - carpeted - high ceilings - light pine walls and the garden is looking good. We saw a Turkey Vulture demolish a squirrel yesterday and a huge black bear sat on our lawn and sunned himself a while back. A care it aint.

Irina: Actually, I think it was Mick's guitar on that promo. Must have forgotten mine. Sony were going to put a DVD together but the BBC wanted too much money for them to use the old stuff.

Bart: 'What's your opinion of Joe Elliott on Dancing with the Stars and lip syncing? You speak highly of him, but that is something so anti Ian Hunter. I would lose my mind if you did it.' Hey, Joe's Joe and I'm me. Joe's in a big, big band with big management and sometimes they have to do stuff or their people can get weird. It's working for them. It's a whole different ball game where they're at. They're a great bunch of lads and, sometimes you've got to do what you've got to do. That's why I like the periphery - no pressure. 'How often do you use drum machines? I've notice them on the last two albums?' Actually, I use them quite a lot when writing. Not actual drum machines but a keyboard that does the same thing. Whatever it takes - but Steve plays 99.9% on the record - and 100% live.

There you have it. Hot and hazy. Stay in the shade and drink a lot of water. Less like a Horse's Mouth - more like a beached whale.

IH