Posh people’s etiquette organisation Debretts have recently issued fresh guidelines for mobile phones and ring tones so Skrufff asked a bunch of producers including psy-trance/ electronic legend Steve Hillage (System 7) about their personal preferences . . .

Click for more on System 7 (& their latest album)

Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): What’s your main ring tone- and what does it say about you? (Debretts’ options include ‘ head-banging rocker, fashion-conscious teenager, gamer, sci-fi nerd, smooth seducer, tv addict, ‘invisible’)

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “To tell the truth I’ve stopped using a ring tone for the past couple of years. I just have my phone on vibrate – and of course the screen lights up when someone calls. Yes I miss a few calls but if someone leaves a voicemail. I’m usually pretty efficient about getting back. What does this say about me? I suppose I’m being fairly discreet by not having an audible ring.”

Skrufff: When was the first time you got a custom one?

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “I’ve never had a custom ring tone. (System 7 partner) Miquette uses a few sometimes. She sometimes has some weird Forbidden Planet/Twilight Zone thing that rings just when I call her – I suppose she assumes I’m going to say something weird and bizarre to her . . .’

Skrufff: How important are ring tones for your business?

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “Now, they’re not at all important. There was a mini-boom in ring tones a while back, which seems to have faded away now. Although we still sell quite a few System 7 track excerpts as ring tones in Japan. They are called ‘Utas’ in Japanese.”

Skrufff: What winds you up the most about how other people use mobiles (does it bother you if friends have mobile conversations in front of you?)

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “Obviously when people speak for hours on the phone when you’re trying to have a conversation, yes, it can be very annoying. People having repeated loud business conversations on the table next to you in a restaurant can be extremely annoying, although to be honest I’ve probably been guilty of this on occasions. I generally try to go outside if I have to have an intense phone conversation at a restaurant.”

Skrufff: Have you ever had a full-blooded row’ on your mobile (ie in front of people?)

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “Yes.”

Skrufff: Debretts say ‘don’t make calls to people from inappropriate venues; a call from a bathroom is deeply off-putting’: have you ever done that?

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “Yes – in the bath sometimes – but I try not to phone from the toilet.”

Skrufff: Do you have any links where people can buy your ring tones?

System 7 (Steve Hillage): “Mostly in Japan – but it’s all in Japanese. I think iTunes version 10 has a facility to convert tracks that you own into ringtones, but I’ve never verified this.” (Make free Iphone ringtones: http://bit.ly/bGath1 )

System 7’s latest album UP (released last June) is out now.

http://www.a-wave.com/system7/

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff