What's on your rider?Just water and a crate of beer. If there are a few bananas thrown in, we're over the moon.
What would be on your fantasy rider?I think I experienced it already. We played a show in Murcia in Spain a few years ago and they gave us our own chef! They also gave us 12 different types of cheese. It was borderline decadent. Plus, they had clean socks and football shirts of the local team, Real Murcia. We've been fans ever since.
What's your pre-gig ritual/routine?We're very sensible before gigs. We have a sit-down meal, drink loads of still water and deliberate over the set list. After the gig is when the problems start..
How do you get to the gig – limo, taxi, walking?We use public transport. We've never had a limo – they scare me.
What's the best gig you've been to?Some the first shows I went to as a teenager were amazing: Blue in Heaven, A House, Billy Bragg, The Wedding Present, all around 1986/'87.
And the worst?I ended up at a Stereophonics gig once. I really don't get them; to me it's like having a beetroot and peanut butter sandwich.
What are your favourite and least favourite venues?I used to love Sir Henry's in Cork, but it's in Heaven now. La Cigale in Paris and Brixton Academy in London are amazing venues. The worst is a place called Ferme de Gwernandour in Brest. The dressing room was so cold that we had to gather around the fridge to warm up!
Who is the most famous person to have shown up at one of your gigs?Matt Dillon came to see us in Los Angeles, in the Viper Room of all places.
Most embarrassing on-stage moment?Once at an early show the rest of the band took a mid-gig bathroom break, so I decided to treat the audience to an a capella version of Walk on the Wild Side. I still cringe at the thought.
What's your crowd-pleasing number?It's After Allhere and in the UK, but in Germany it's This Is Not a Song. And Colourswould have been our biggest song in Spain.
What's the most you've ever paid for a gig ticket?I think it was €80 for The Who a few years back.
Chatting between songs – good or bad?Sometimes people just want you to get on with it, while for others a bit of banter works well.
Groupies. Would you?As a member of the Touring Drummers' Guild and taking into account Rule 23, sub-section B, I'm afraid I can't answer this question. I will say, however, that there hasn't been a groupie at a Franks gig since Cynthia Plaster Caster came to our Camden Falcon show in May 1991.
How many roadies does it take to change your lightbulbs (ie, how big is your entourage)?Our entourage is zero.
Have you a special stage wardrobe?Brown trousers, beige shirts and orange ties. It's a good look for us.
Do you like to meet and greet fans after the gig?Yes, meeting up with the fans is always good. We've made some great friends over the years.
Any useful stage tips?Always have gaffa tape, plectrums and a drum key to hand, and wear shoes with good grip.
What's the worst thing ever thrown at you?A dwarf! I'm not joking. It was in Coventry in '93, and some drunken oaf just picked him up and threw him on stage. It was terrible.
If you could be in any other band, which one?Slow Motion Heroes or Fight Like Apes.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
. The Frank & Walters play Cork tonight
