Have you heard the stuff that Jimmy's sons, The Webb Brothers, are coming out with at the moment, ?
Yes, I've heard some of it, it's good! I don't think it's quite as well conceived as the old man's, but it's good.

Now a remix of 'Rhinestone Cowboy', by Rikki and Daz, has just been released. How did you get from Jimmy Webb-style, downbeat, heartbreaking songs, to the 'Rhinestone Cowboy' remix?
I don't know! [Laughs] Well, you know it was record of the year here in the States in 1975 and I really do like what the song says. It knocked me out when I first heard it. I first heard the update when Rikki came over and played it for me. I took him into my studio here and sang 'Rhinestone Cowboy' for him about three or four times and he showed me what he was doing with it. I just laughed and laughed, it was like the craziest thing I've heard in my life.

Was it a style of music you were aware of before?
No, I didn't know anything about techno. I'd heard some on the radio, while flipping through stations, but I'd never heard it to that extent. I think it's cool though.

Having been part of such an important era of music, what do think about music today?
I listen to the radio all the time, but I think it's hard to find a really good ballad song these days. I think there would be a place for another 'Rhinestone Cowboy' or 'MacArthur Park'.

How do you feel about sample based music? People would have used your guitar riffs from your session work.
I have no qualms about it one way or the other. If someone can use a sample and make a great sounding record from it then more power to them. As long as everybody involved get's what's due to them, and that's the tricky part.

The remix has just been released and has gone straight into the charts at no.12, so what's next?
I'm going out on a Christmas tour next week, for 17 days. I get to do all my favourite old singers, like Nat King Cole as we get closer to Christmas. [He sings "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."] We start out in Florida and go up the east coast.


So when were you last over here?
About two and a half years ago, on tour. It went really well.


What other plans do you have?
Well, I'm going to have to get off the road for a while to work that out. I'm listening to songs at the moment and still playing, but I think I'm just about ready to hang up the guitar and put my golf things on for a while.


That would be a massive loss, although I guess you'd get to sit back and listen to all those sessions you did and never got to hear again...
Yeah, I guess I could do that. You know those were fun days, I got to work with literally everyone in the business; Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Beach Boys, The Mamas and Papas and all the other rock bands that came out of LA. It was an incredible era and I've been out there playing and singing for as long as I can remember. I probably will do another album, I just don't know when.