My five favourite bars... Richard March

Best known as half of Bentley Rhythm Ace, one of the most famous names in big beat, Richard March was formerly bassist for Pop Will Eat Itself, the Eighties post-punk band. He formed BRA in 1995 with fellow Brummie Mike Stokes. Richard lives in Birmingham with his wife, Annie, and daughter, Prudence.

Best known as half of Bentley Rhythm Ace, one of the most famous names in big beat, Richard March was formerly bassist for Pop Will Eat Itself, the Eighties post-punk band. He formed BRA in 1995 with fellow Brummie Mike Stokes. Richard lives in Birmingham with his wife, Annie, and daughter, Prudence.

1 RED LION Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands B90 3AX (tel: 0121 744 1030)

The Red Lion is a couple of miles out of town. It's a family place that does decent pub grub and delicious puddings, with a good selection of beer and wines. We're talking very traditional. If you did a cartoon drawing of a classic pub, it would probably look like the Red Lion. I've been going there for years; I think it was Mike Stokes who first took me. He used to go with his mum and dad.

2 MEDICINE BAR The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham B9 4AA (tel: 0121 693 6001)

This bar is set in an old custard factory that's been turned into a multimedia theatre and design centre. My company's management offices are there, so I often drop in after work with friends. There's a big ornamental pool outside that's large enough for my wife to swim in after too much absinthe. And there are always good events at the Medicine Bar during the summer; famous DJs come to play, and its drum and bass nights are simply legendary.

3 THE LONG BAR Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road, Singapore (tel: 0065 337 1886)

A couple of years ago, while we were DJing in Singapore, we persuaded the promoter to take us to Raffles - the only place to drink a Singapore Sling. The cigar-and-billiards mentality took some getting used to. The bar is very colonial; all wood panelling, with a big cooling fan, a cigar menu and a range of brandy, cognac and cocktails. There are funny signs saying things like "The last-ever native tiger in Singapore was shot under the billiard table here at Raffles Hotel". Overall, it's unmissable.

4 McSORLEY'S OLD ALE HOUSE 15 East 7th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, New York (tel: 001 212 473 9148)

McSorley's is a proper old Irish pub. A spit and sawdust place, with just a bar selling beer. It's a manic place where you go to drink just for the sake of it. The first time I went to the States in 1988, I was playing round the corner with Pop Will Eat Itself and stumbled on it. I've been back a number of times. It reminds me of home; we've a big Irish community in Birmingham. It's not too touristy and serves decent Guinness.

5 THE CROWN LIQUOR SALOON 46 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, County Antrim BT2 7BA (tel: 028 9027 9901)

The first time I went to Belfast with Bentley Rhythm Ace, we stayed at the Europa Hotel. It was a few years ago, before the current peace negotiations. The guy who picked us up at the airport told us Belfast was the most bombed city in Europe. At the hotel, we saw David Trimble walking in - we panicked and ran off to the first pub, which happened to be this one. The bar has Victorian panelling with stained glass everywhere. You sit in closed-off booths imagining the shenanigans going on behind those doors.

BRA's album "For Your Ears Only" is out now.