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Yes - Bethnal Green.
Hove, in Sussex.
Guinness or white wine, or quality cider, and the occasional lager.
Declining to progress from the Cubs to the Scouts because it clashed with Steptoe & Son.
"Tell Me When" by The Applejacks:
Ha, No.
Researching the importance of various session players in the sound/development of pop music before it was common for them to be routinely credited. I've also spent a lot of time transcribing the bass lines from hundreds of Motown/Soul/R'n'B records, along with guitar stuff across various genres. I guess it's a quest for working out what makes them tick.
No, lost in the mists of time. I do proudly remember that my first public appearance was in my mid teens, with a 50's Strat. Some American kid came to my school with a beat up sunburst 50s Strat way before they were the holy grail, and I got to borrow it to play some Shadows numbers at a local community hall.
Spending a lot of time as a jobbing musician, there've been a few. A cleaning job involving serious chemicals which magically made my fingerprints temporarily disappear. Another temp job helping to rewire at the Ford Dagenham car plant, involving laying 33KV cable at heights that wouldn't be allowed without harnesses these days. A couple of days after I started on that job, the others attended the funeral of my predecessor.
My first proper band was Rocky Sharpe & The Razors:
(Click this image to see it full size)
...a rock & roll revival band from Brighton which was on the verge of a deal but split up just as punk was starting.
I later did some recording and gigs with the closely-related Rocky Sharpe & The Replays:
This included a memorable recording of the Chris Tarrant show "O.T.T." when, over the closing credits, Bernard Manning was telling cruder and cruder jokes whilst being hoisted up and deposited into a pool of gunk. Much to my regret, Sally James wasn't involved.
Various musical heroes who whilst they're seated I could bore to death with my questions.
I started playing when I was 10 and started gigging at 18. Basically as long as I can remember.
Apart from Rocky Sharpe, there have been loads, some of which I struggle to remember. I'm currently playing on the country circuit earning a crust.
In the 60s I remember most UK artists rating Ray Charles amongst all others and me not understanding why, until I first came across his 50s Atlantic recordings, and then it was a revelation.
Genres have subdivided so much over the years it's difficult to categorise these days, but I'm heavily influenced by Motown, Southern Soul (Muscle Shoals and Memphis in particular), New Orleans R'n'B, some aspects of country, jazz & gospel, and whatever I get asked to play.
B.B. King, Freddie King, Peter Green, Johnny Guitar Watson, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, T-Bone Walker, Percy Mayfield, Bobby Bland, Etta James, Esther Philips, Albert Collins, Bonnie Raitt.
It's a very long list but to keep it short:
Did I mention Ray Charles?
It was special working with Mike Vernon (of Blue Horizon Records fame) and seeing what a quality producer brought to the process.
Fender Telecaster - I like this guitar so much I couldn't stop at one!
Gibson 335:
...and the Mesa Boogie Lonestar Special:
Over the years I've tried all sorts, but I've found nothing to beat these, particularly the amp.
Developing.
Thankfully a fading memory helps out here.
See above.
When the chemistry is right and a really good groove comes out of nowhere.
Aretha Franklin/King Curtis live at the Fillmore 1971.
Jeff Bridges.
NO.
I guess a car that starts first time doesn't count when there are no gigs to go to!
Developing your ears is far more important than repetitive practicing.
OK - here goes...
(To protect the innocent, Mr Humphreys has used invisible ink. To view his answer, print out this web page, soak it in vinegar and hold it up to the light.)