Helen grew up in Cambridge and is still slightly awed by the fact that her big brother was at school with various members of Pink Floyd. As a result she has a profound mistrust of bands that can't play their instruments but is doing her best to overcome this unfortunate handicap.

She still has fond memories of seeing Roxy Music as the support to Al Stewart at Cambridge Tech. The audience thought they were rubbish. (OK, so we were wrong.)

Having missed a large chunk of the '70s and '80s because she got sidetracked into classical music and opera, she now desperately tries to cover up this gaping hole in her musical education. She occasionally succeeds.

She nurses a completely unwholesome obsession for baritones of all persuasions, from Nick Cave and Dave Gahan to Simon Keenlyside, but has been known to appreciate the occasional tenor too.

Her favourite country is Italy - she visits it several times each year - and uses the excuse that she needs to write reviews for restaurantsOMH.com to indulge in appallingly long lunches.