And it all started in 1989 when he started a band that was to sound like "Napalm Death meets Christian Death [LA Deathrock band]". I have no idea if 'Adream' managed this, but we can find out tonight. After twenty years of living the DIY rock life, Andrew is celebrating by resurrecting 'Adream' and other previous outing 'Griswold' for one night of scuzzy rock. In the midst of crazy amounts of rehearsals for tonight's show, Andrew found the time to tell us more about the past, present and future.

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So twenty years gigging warehouses, sweaty watering holes, and lately slums around Europe! How do you keep going?

I'm too stubborn to quit! I know I'm getting older and I can make more money doing other things, but I just love the thrill of being onstage - the noise of the drums and the hum of the amps. I love the challenge of winning over audiences and travelling from town to town. I'm writing a book now, too, so even when bad ['stuff'] happens it's just more material for the book!

What have been the major changes for you in the last 20 years?

It doesn't feel like 20 years, and then sometimes it feels like a lifetime. The major changes for me personally are that I quit drinking, which was the best move I ever made, and that I went back to tech and got a qualification. Musically, my goal is still the same - to make the Motörhead album Motörhead never made!

How hard was it to get the guys back to play as Adream and Griswold?

Griswold was easy enough to sort out. Leif, the singer and guitarist, now works as a guitar tech for Leonard Cohen, but he's on a break from the world tour right now. I had jammed with him a few times last year, so he was up for taking it a step further and playing a few Griswold songs. Ian, the bassist, has played with me in the Dangerfields on and off, so he was easy to convince, too.

Adream was a bit more of a challenge. Marc, the singer and guitarist, was well up for it, but the other two ummed and ahhed for ages, then finally let us down last week. Luckily, Jamie from the Dangerfields has stepped in to play bass, so we're all set to go!

Is there any gig from Adream or Griswold that holds legendary status in your mind now?

The first Adream gig is important to me, because it was my first ever gig, but musically it was pretty awful. The only remotely notable gig we played was supporting Therapy? in the Errigle Inn before they were famous. I remember Andy let Marc borrow all his pedals, and Michael's brother was filling in for Fyfe on drums.

Griswold played a bunch of shows with Ash on the Nu-Clear Sounds tour, which was fun, but we were too drunk to take advantage of the opportunity. I remember drinking a half-bottle of whiskey onstage at the London Forum and verbally abusing the crowd, much to Ash's management's disgust.

There have been loads of stories told from the Dangerfields' tours. What's been the most down and out point so far?

It's got to be sleeping rough in the Outer Hebrides in the middle of winter, and waking up with our sleeping bags covered in seagull [excrement]. Then there was the time we got infested with ticks in a wagon park in Germany...

And surely there's been a hint of luxury at some point??

When we supported Stiff Little Fingers in Glasgow, the drummer in the opening band was a night porter at a Premier Travel Inn, so he sorted us out with a free hotel room for the night - the first and only time we have slept in a hotel in our entire 800-gig history. But it wasn't that luxurious, because there were six of us in a double room and we had to get up at 5am to get to the next gig...

You've said you've gotta be an "absolute lunatic" to be in The Dangerfields. Does that include 41 members that couldn't keep up the lunacy?

I can't think of a single "normal" person who has been in the band. "Normal" people don't play rock 'n' roll.

Who lasted the least amount of time and who have you corrupted?

There was a guy who sang for one practice in the very early days, whose name I never even knew. Usually, people are already corrupted by the time they get to us. We just give them the opportunity to get it out of their systems.

If you could pick anybody to play with (forever) in a line up, who would it be?

I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone forever, but me, Lemmy and Joan Jett would be worth a tour or two.

You've calmed down during the years. But is there something that triggers off in your head that turns you into Griswold once you step foot on stage?

Once the hat and the shades go on, something takes over. I couldn't go onstage as 'Andrew Johnston'. I'm a shy [insert preferred expletive] in real life. I hate being the centre of attention. 'Andrew Griswold' is a different animal entirely.

What is it about the DIY gorilla style tours that you love so much?

I love roaring into town, [playing very loud rock music into] people's ears and pillaging their pockets for t-shirt money. It's just a lifestyle that appeals to me - travelling from town to town, playing music and meeting strange new people. Belfast is a great place, but I like to get out there and see the world.

Have I heard right that you've started a book?

Yes. It will be a cross between Anvil, The Dirt and a Beano annual.

So twenty years gigging, over 800 gigs with the Dangerfields... What about the next twenty? Do you think you will ever be ever to stop?

I want to play at least as many gigs as the Ramones did, so you're stuck with us for a good while yet, baby.

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FREE DANGERFIELDS TRACK:Gimme Gimme Rock 'n' Roll

To download the free track above, right click on the link and choose 'Save Target As' (if you're using a Mac it's Ctrl+click).

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