On a very technical level, I am a geek who is interested in the intricacy of rhythm playing, so I like comparing and working out its details.

One of my interests is to understand what constitutes the vibe of a place and what makes one concert different from another.

On a very technical level, I am a geek who is interested in the intricacy of rhythm playing, so I like comparing and working out its details.

There actually had been a tradition within English music of the '60s of people looking eastwards, maybe in quite a naïve way, but nonetheless, you had musicians like George Harrison or Bryan Jones recording the musicians of Joujouka in North Africa.

I think it's quite jarring and exciting when you see someone in the thrall of being completely transported by the music they're sharing with you.

I do understand the perspective of die-hard fans who complain that we don't play the same as the record, but at the same time I think fans are getting an amazing deal.

I have much clearer memories of my time in Egypt: songs on the radio, the rhythms that accompanied belly dancers, the sound of the adhan - the Muslim call to prayer. I just soaked it all up.