It's 5.30pm. The interview has been arranged all day, but when Danny Howells answers his phone, it's clear it has slipped his mind.

You might expect him to be busy in the studio or fine-tuning a set for his next gig. Instead, he's wandering around his local Tesco.

"I'm doing well so far," he assures me before breaking out into an infectious laugh. "I've got a huge packet of Golden Wonder Discos, some chocolate, a box of Coco Pops and a pint of milk."

The 35-year-old is currently promoting his latest compilation, Choice, which, rather than being a straightforward club mix, features a selection of his all-time favourite tracks and songs which have inspired him over the years.

Cuts from Orbital, The Temptations, Carly Simon and even obscure heavy rockers Iron Butterfly nestle alongside each other, somehow perfectly pieced together.

Headlining at Shindig tomorrow with his usual blend of deep house, progressive grooves and the odd techno thumper, the former psychiatric nurse will be digging deep into his record crates at Tokyo on Sunday.

The night gives him a chance to show off his vast and varied collection for an eclectic set comprising funk, disco and anything he cares to throw in.

"I've got a separate box of records for the Choice dates and it's great because you can't fit them into a normal club set.

"I love playing in Newcastle. I always end up having too much tequila. Actually, I might have a few Dooley's. Scott Bradford introduced me to it at Shindig. It's pretty strong stuff.

"I've calmed down a bit recently though. I'm getting old so I have to give my body a breather every now and again."

Having toured the States and Canada in recent weeks, he's been enjoying time at home.

"I live in a small village just outside Hastings which only has about 10 people so everyone kind of knows each other.

"If they haven't seen me for a while, someone will put a note through the letterbox asking if I'm ok. Or they'll say `I saw your curtains were still drawn at two in the afternoon, is everything all right?'

"Yes, that's because I only got to bed at 8am and was fast asleep! It's quite sweet really."

Danny is at Shindig at Digital, Times Square, Newcastle, tomorrow (10pm-4am), and Tokyo, on Westgate Round, on Sunday.

* Choice is out now on Azuli.