CURRENT MISSION

To meet good and interesting people around the world. At this point, not so much about seeing beautiful places as a range of cultures and characters

ABOUT ME

Being in bands since my early teens means I've spent a lot of time touring, mostly around the UK, meeting people and making friends. Living like that, you either get to like people or you give it up. So I find it very hard NOT to like people and take an interest, even from the start...

In love the social side of any city, but like to spend time wandering around on my own. Having time to relax is also a must, especially since it can be just as much fun as going out for music, dancing or whatever else.

PHILOSOPHY

The idea of not regretting anything in life is very strong for me. This isn't to say that I would not make different decisions if I were to face them now, but every experience we have (whether good or bad) builds who we are. The mistakes we make become lessons, and we are better for it.

With this in mind, it allows you to be positive about life and not dwell on the past for longer than it takes to think about what you have learned.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

As well as hoping for lovely people to help (whether it is just to crash, to go out, advice, anything) I will be back in London permanently from September 2014 and will be around to take people in.

I LOVE London, and I want people to love it as much as I do. So if people come to visit then I will do my best to help them out, even if it's just advice on the best places to go to suit what they like.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

With an old band, we had a Couchsurfing profile we used a lot... We had no money, so would contact people through the site before a tour asking if two (or all four) of us could crash there. The experiences were hugely varied (from student accommodation floors to each having a double bedroom and waking up to breakfast in the morning...)

We met some incredible people and made friends we are still close with. I am new to couchsurfing alone, though I did host a few people we met through the band's profile in London.

Interests

Music I listen to is a different box, but writing music is big. The beauty of travelling is that it allows you to write on the road, whether lyrics, little melodies or ideas for beats, I'm always writing.

I love writing stories (comes as part of writing lyrics), and you get the characters and experiences for these stories from real like (ask Jack Kerouac...).

Food. As a previously chubby kid, I try and keep an eye on this while at home, (along with exercising) but when travelling it's an all-out challenge to try anything people suggest or recommend.

• writing
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• breakfast
• exercise
• marathon
• running
• walking
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• boxing

Music, Movies, and Books

Music- Ridiculously broad tastes, I take "I like anything" to the limit, I tried to list everything else here but it just looked silly. A few favourites (at the moment) are Prince, Chic and Fleetwood Mac, but I live on music so Pink Floyd, Muse, Justice and Daft Punk have to be in there somewhere...

Movies- I try and see as much as I can since I grew up watching Singin' In the Rain and Groundhog Day on repeat, a current favourite is High Fidelity (the book too). I'm a massive Sci-Fi nerd, so Blade Runner and the Fifth Element are up there too. With touring I don't watch much TV, so tend to get sucked into shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, How I Met Your Mother online...

Books- Lots of escapist fiction, so Sci-Fi (Iain M Banks, Douglas Adams, both RIP) and Fantasy (Terry Pratchett, George RR Martin). On this planet, mostly smart funny writers like Nick Hornby and Elmore Leonard

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

In 2012 I ran the London Marathon, it was a hot day and at around Mile 22 I started to feel dizzy, eventually stopping to throw up by the side of the road. The paramedic, Gavin, who came to help told me I had heatstroke, but he walked with me, sick bag in hand, unable to walk or see straight. Like a teenager persuading Mum he isn't drunk, I eventually got him to let me run, and went off on my own.

That final few miles, delirious with heatstroke and muscle pain, was a phenomenal experience. With my name printed on my vest for people to call out, and thousands lining the streets, it reminded me just how wonderful and encouraging people can be. I don't for a minute regret that I didn't get my target time, and was on a high for a month after. Literally, since walking up stairs was fine, but down was a problem...

Teach, Learn, Share

There is nothing more powerful than an unqualified apology. Even if you are absolutely not sorry...