MATT SPALL PRO-FILE.

Full Name: Matthew Adrian Spall

Date and place of Birth: 3^rd April 1980. Ipswich

Family Status: Single (although the Miss Of Much Metal is trying to get me to change this on a daily basis!)

Town you are living in: Ipswich. I wish I could say something cool here but, as many people will testify, once Suffolk gets to you, you don’t want to leave – no rude jokes here about inbreeding or the fact that Suffolk people are too stupid to be able to leave please – that’s Norfolk!

How long have you been with Powerplay: Since Issue 80

First record ever bought: Brian May “Back To The Light”

Last record bought: Tarja Turunen “What Lies Beneath”

Top 5 favourite albums: This is a toughie and alters on a weekly basis. Plus I know I’m going to miss out some of the usual suspects like Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden (all of whom have released superb albums) but right now, I’d say: Evergrey “In Search Of Truth”; Katatonia “Night Is The New Day”; Seventh Wonder “Mercy Falls”; Dimmu Borgir “Enthrone, Darkness, Triumphant”, Nevermore “Dead Heart In A Dead World”

Heroes and idols: My brother. I admire many other people but no-one else comes close to him.

Fondest memory in career: There are so many. Working for Powerplay has meant that I have been lucky enough to meet or chat to some of my all-time favourite musicians. The trips to Germany for listening sessions were all very cool, as was walking into a hotel room to be faced with Iced Earth’s Jon Schaffer. But the pinnacle has to be interviewing Jonas Renske of Katatonia in the band’s dressing room prior to a London show, with the entire band present – and then being waved to from the stage by the drummer, Daniel Liljekvist at a different show a few days later.

Worst Memory in career: Not exactly career-based but losing my brother two years ago. He was my biggest fan, best friend and my musical inspiration.

Nickname at School: Afro (because I had short hair that was determined to sit upright in a randomly static fashion!)

Most famous person on your cellphone: Cellphone? Hell, we’re in England, so the most famous person on my mobile phone is Nick Holmes of Paradise Lost (although I’m not sure that he realises it – it was for an interview)

Football team you support: The mighty Tottenham Hotspur – there is absolutely no other choice. COYS!

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption. Films just don’t get any better.

Things you hate: There are many things that I hate and the list grows as I get older. But top of the list are: Arsenal, religion, chavs with their Staffordshire Bull Terriers, awful dress sense and their bastardisation of the English language, bad cyclists who deliberately ignore the rules of the road and HGVs in the outside lane of dual carriageways.

Hobbies/interests outside of music: I play golf, badminton and I cycle when I get time. I’m a big armchair sports fan (football, cricket and American football mainly) and I also read quite a bit, mainly from the Fantasy genre – Raymond E Feist and Guy Gavriel Kay are geniuses.

Greatest achievement: Obtaining my law degree or my post-graduate diploma were both big achievements for me. Other than that, being given the chance to write for Powerplay and seeing my name in print is pretty cool.

Most prized possession:  Another toughie but apart from the amazingly cool new house I’m in the process of buying and my little puppy, I’d have to say either my CD collection or the collection of musical memorabilia that I have accumulated over the years including the original painting created for Shadow Gallery’s album “Room V” and a jacket owned and worn by ex-Megadeth guitarist Glen Drover.

Most embarrassing moment: I couldn’t possibly comment on this because admitting that I dressed as a blonde woman for a Primary School fancy dress day or admitting that I sucked my thumb until well into my teenage years would open me up to years of unenforced ridicule!

Place you would most like to visit: New Zealand – because of its diversity…and because of “Lord Of The Rings”!

What makes you laugh: Arsenal losing, various comedians including Michael Macintyre, Bill Bailey and Billy Connolly, and my puppy’s eccentricity. Come to think of it, my girlfriend’s eccentricity is pretty amusing too!

Favourite food/drink: Curry (vindaloo) and red wine, although JD and coke comes a close second.

Fantasy date: I’m already in a relationship with my dream date but, if she dumped me, I’d have to fall back on Megan Fox (circa Transformers) or Danni Minogue.

If you were a superhero what special power would you have: In an ideal world, I’d have the power to give myself all the special powers! But failing that, being invisible would be pretty cool.

Body feature you would most like to change: I’ve always wanted a six-pack but then, hasn’t every bloke? Other than that, I wish I wasn’t so folically challenged and was able to re-grow my hair.

Favourite band: For many reasons it unequivocally has to be Katatonia.

Favourite genre of music: Progressive metal, although I love most forms of rock/metal as well as a smattering of classical.

Can you remember the first band you covered for Powerplay and what issue it was in: The first interview I did was with the French symphonic/power metal band Fairyland back in December 2006 and it was featured in Issue 84.