Since then, football's still been a big part of his life, following Newcastle United and questioning why he bothers. But he's somehow found space for music too - despite being tone deaf. Since first hearing Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette was an idol to Azeem, so it followed that she was the first live act he ever saw.

After that his taste has become as eclectic as it has ridiculous. Emerging through the Limp Bizkit phase relatively unscathed, 'real' rock fell into his path. The likes of Tool, Korn and Incubus all fell to him and Mr Mathers introduced him to the world of hip hop.

There've been random 'bits on the side' that he's had affairs with - notably Prodigy and The Streets. And lately the club scene's added a bit of funky house into the equation.

Over the past two years he has combined writing for musicOMH with the occasional slot on BBC Radio Newcastle, although the quest for higher education has brought him to Leeds to study Communications - and work for student radio. He plans to do a Law conversion and then move into PR but anything can happen...