Ben Watt, best known for being one half of ‘Everything But the Girl’ was Tom Dunne’s guest for ‘Back to Mine’ this week. Watt, who has become a significant record label owner, solo artist and writer since the break up of EBTG, has just written his second book, ‘Romany and Tom’.

Following the success of his first publication, 'Patient', which re-imagines a period of critical illness he suffered in the '90s, ‘Romany and Tom’ is a biography of his parents within the framework of their relationship.

“We only witness the second half of our parents lives,” he says. This book is an attempt to understand the other half.

After his parents died, Watt found a secret envelope of letters written by his mother, labelled ‘For Tom Only’. He was faced with a dilemma - “Do I open it and perhaps have a greater understanding of my parents?” he wondered.

He decided to open it and the book is an attempt to put the pieces together.

Watt was exposed to music from a young age. His mother was a journalist and would receive records in the post to review. These would be farmed out among the children to listen to. Watt remembers getting his hands on ‘Decade’ by Neil Young and he took it completely to heart.

For his first song pick, Watt chose ‘On the Beach’ by Neil Young (see below). 

Watt’s father was a jazz musician and enjoyed a period of considerable success, even winning an Ivor Novello award for his efforts. However, the advent of rock and roll in the '60s destroyed his career.

Watt’s second song pick was ‘Over the Hillside’ by The Blue Nile. “It’s just one of those records that is oozing atmosphere for me,” he says.

‘You and I’ was Watt’s favourite Stevie Wonder song for a long time, until he came across ‘Think of Me as Your Soldier’, which he says “might even have eclipsed it”. Inevitably then, it was Stevie Wonder to close out the interview.

‘Romany and Tom’, by Ben Watt, is on sale now.