A british celebrity in all senses of the word, his most recent, and successful exploits have lead him to HOW2, a programme on ITV, which delves into the how's and wherefores of life.

The team expert on computers, space travel, and vegetarianism, Gareth's idea of Heaven is to be marooned on the USS Enterprise with just a year's supply of Mung Beans and a Psion Organiser for company. He has the skills and coordination of an acrobat; able to walk tightropes, juggle prodigiously, and perform flawless flying trapeze somersaults.

Sadly he is unable to walk into a room without the door handle coming off in his hand, tripping over the carpet and grabbing the nearest china cabinet to break his fall.

Gareth is one of the best known presenters for younger viewers, with 'The Big Bang' and 'It's Not Just Saturday' to his credit.

Gareth has his own webpage.

Name: Gareth Jones formerly (and occasionally still) Gaz Top

Occupation: TV Presenter/Producer. TV show's such as "HOW 2" & "The Big Bang"

Location: Stoke Newington, London, United Kingdom although I am from Wales

Birth Date: 05 July 1961

Marital Status: Married since 1992

Hobbies: Space Science, Formula 1, Star Trek, Yoga, Hill Walking, Slade, the Welsh language

Quote: Just raise your hand and say How!

E-mail address : GarethGTJ@aol.com

Interview conducted via e-mail between: Laurence Patterson of LurveWeb and Gareth Jones July 3rd 1998

Lurve Web

<< "You've been in the entertainment business for over a decade now. You started in the music industry. Is that right? That's a facet that, as they say, not a lot of people know about you. What happened?

Gareth Jones

Actually I have been involved with the music industry since 1979 almost 20 years!! I started as musician myself as a bass player in what we used to call "New Wave" bands such as "Backseat" "The Units" and "The Grids". The Grids released a single in 1980 called "You're No Better than Me" on Kings Head Records. At about the same time I began regular work as a roadie for a band from North Wales called "Seventeen" who later became The Alarm. We moved to live in London in 1981 and then in 1983 we got a record deal and started playing all over the world, often supporting U2, more often headlining in their own right. I gave up rock 'n roll in January 1985 to become a music presenter on Satellite TV. However in 1987 In London I formed my own band "Gaz Top & The Tuphelo Torpedoes", we played a few gigs, recorded a bunch of demos but never chased a record deal. Although we did record the theme tunes for two ITV television series "KellyVision" and "Video Jukebox". But then my TV presenting work didn't allow enough time for my interest in music to continue.

So now you have a number of TV series under your belt. You've done kids stuff in the main, but have you ever thought of bridging the age gap and making the LEAP to, wait for it, 'grown up TV'?

I never set out to be a kids TV presenter, that is something that I fell into a year after I started as a music presenter. I have never considered that what you call grown up TV to be any different forom the children's programmes I am better known for. Over the years I have made many programmes aimed at an adult audience such as "PSSST: the Really Useful Guide to Alcohol, Gaz Top Non-Stop, Cyber Wales, Digital World" so I guess I continually leap back and forward between kids and big kids if you see what I mean. I'm proud to say that HOW 2 has quite a following among kids who are far too old to go to school!

Lurveweb is designed to 'catch lurve in the net and keep it there', and most of the time it does. But all in all, the internet is a new thing - the new domestic furnishing. You're an avid net surfer, arent you? What sites do you go to most?

I am a bit of a Web evangelist, I have been on-line for 4 years since my work on "The Big Byte" the computer programme I presented on Radio 5 Live. The 'Net is a great place if you have lots of interests, and I have loads, I am a Formula One Motor Racing nut, so most of my time surfing is spent visiting F1 related sites. I attended the launch of most of the cars on the 1998 grid, via the 'Net that is. I am also a regular visitor to the NASA sites, I was there for the live pictures from Mars on my birthday last year. I also enjoyed following the successful world land-speed record attempt by Thrust SSC as a 'Net event. It is also great being able to stay in touch with my friends and family in California with live chat on-line, much cheaper than a transatlantic flight or phone call.

Hopefully by now you'll have had a wee look at what Lurveweb has to hold. But what about YOU and LURVE? Having been married for seven years now, what do YOU reckon is the secret of LURVE? (married 6 years actually)

Easy, be nice to each other, always consider the other person's position and never be afraid to say "I love you" But there again I would say that, It's easy when someone loves you back.

As a seventies and eighties kid, you must have had your fair share of winners, losers, and no-hopers. But did you have any crushes on anyone famous? My personal favourite were the Wombles but that's Top Secret! Spice Girls: Posh, baby, Scary, Sporty, Ginger, or OLD?

Usually when I fall for someone it the feeling never goes away, to this day I still have a massive crush on Bjork Gumunsdottir the singer, Emily Lloyd the actress, Anna Ford the newsreader and my pal Danni Minogue.

Sweaty group sex, tainted with virginal brides, heavily endowed with wet, steaming flesh, heaving breasts and the sweet smell of nubile girls. Right, sorry, that's THAT over with. Sorry Gareth. As a welshman myself (I hail from Pontypridd), I have to ask you if you're fully behind England or Scotland or Germany in the World Cup, or rather WERE!

I'm backing Italy for the World Cup, for family reasons. A great nation, great people, the best culture. Although I don't really follow football.

What's the most expensive thing you've ever bought for your loved one?

The House that my wife and I live in, I will be paying for it for the next 20 years!!

What do you say to the women who say,'men have an easy time of it'?

Those women are mixing with the wrong men.

What's the last film you saw Gaz?

Please, call me Gareth, everyone else does these days.

When I was working in Florida in May, I saw "Godzilla" really disappointing. The best film ever made was "For All Mankind" a feature length film documentary of the Apollo Moon Mission...shot on location in outer space. Out now on video.

And what albums are you listening to at the moment?

At the top of the pile today are: The Stereophonics "Word Gets Around" Massive Attack: "Mezzanine" Air: "Moon Safari" Slade: "The Genesis of Slade"

What would you seel your soul to? Do you mean sell your soul for???

A flight into Earth orbit or to the Moon. Or the opportunity to record a Slade song in Welsh with Bjork.

I'll give you £200 to strip nude in a magazine, will you do it?

I don't appear in magazines fully clothed for £200 let alone naked.

There's a saying doing the rounds at the moment that goes, 'if a man gave as much attention to space travel as he does to women, we'd have hot dog stands on the moon'. Have you got your space suit ready?

I have been ready for a space-suit fitting for 25 years at least!

Lastly Mr Top, what DID you think of LURVEWEB??

Lurveweb has always been nice to me, man.

GARETH JONES...AKA..GAZ TOP...AKA...COOL DUDE....YOU'VE BEEN A GENTLEMEN, A SCHOLAR, AND AN ACROBAT. THANK YOU, AND HAVE A NICE LIFE :)!!!!

You are most welcome. Gareth Jones July 1998