NOT all popstars like moving too fast, loose women and drugs. Matthew Jay is one of them, the kind of crooner you could take home to your mum but with enough knowledge of rock and hip hop not to shame you in front of your mates.

Like a folk star plucked from history, dropped into a box of hip hop, acid house and Beatles delights, his music is a meeting of the old world and the new.

Since he signed to Food Records two years' ago, two EPs have been released bearing his name followed by the acclaimed album, Draw.

His new single, Call My Name Out, is set for release in October when Matthew will be supporting Star Sailor on tour, taking the love story from town to town like a latter-day bard.

"Call? It's probably the moment of sexual ecstasy," said Matthew, rather coy as to the precise meaning and the role played by the girl who worked with him in Wilkinson, Cibi Walk, Frogmore Street. He said: "I didn't know her that well. No, I didn't want to get to know that well. If she reads this, I'll just say it was the one that worked next to her."

At work Matthew stacked pet food but his time in the shop was a big part of his education, he said. "I had plenty of time to think about other things when I was doing that. I got on with the girls that worked in toiletries, which kind of made it more pleasant."

Matthew lived in Abergavenny from the age of ten (moved from Ashby de la Zouch in Leicestershire) and attended Llantilio Pertholy school in Mardy, near Abergavenny.

His parents were avid folk musicians, but not the 'finger in the ear' kind, Matthew pointed out.

With guitars lying around and his dad to teach him, Matthew took to music with Shakin' Stevens and Elvis for inspiration. But he gave up the guitar for a bit when his dad tried to teach him a classical style.

"I couldn't get my head around it," said Matthew. "So I just strummed three chords, which has served me well ever since."

When he was 15 the song writing began. He had a mate, whom he won't name (shame) who sang with him, and was in different bands at school including a Levellers cover band with Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chilli Peppers leanings.

"There were a couple of people in the band taking A-levels so someone suggested we should call ourselves the A Levellers!" laughed Matthew. "But we knocked that on the head straight away. I played bass guitar in that."

Thus, Matthew Jay the recording artist was moulded in a sandwich of early 90s' grooves and ancient British tunes before a backdrop of the sleepy town of Abergavenny.

Artists such as Syd Barrett have talked of their hometowns as major influences on their work. In Syd's case it is Cambridge and the rolling fields and meadows surrounding it. Matthew is not so sure about Abergavenny, but did say the weather there has left its mark on him.

"Say in New York, you've got the hot, humid or very, very cold extremes - the bands you get there are like New York Dolls, Velvet Underground and The Strokes, with all that nr nr nr nr nr - either trying to keep themselves warm or just somehow sweat it out, I'm not quite sure!" he said. "On the other coast you've people in the sunshine all the time.

"You can hear it in people like the Grateful Dead and from them to Dr Dre. I think extreme changes in weather might have had an affect on the eclectic nature of my music."

As life in Abergavenny rolled on, GCSEs came and went and A-levels were upon him, Matthew was writing songs as he tried to revise his biology, chemistry and maths.

"There's a lot of religion in biology and a lot of chaos in chemistry," he said. "That's what Remember this Feeling is about."

After school Wilkinson became his new home and Matthew started sending tapes of his songs to people in the music business he thought could help him.

It took some time, but he found a manager in Martin Watson who went on to find him the deal and produce the album, Draw.

In the meantime Martin got Matthew onto the live circuit with a band of musicians he'd introduced to him.

By this time Matthew had moved to Nottingham as this was where the musicians lived.

To get a record deal Martin drove Matthew from one record company office to another, singing in each.

"It was a weird way to get a deal," remembered Matthew. "It was intimidating for them, almost. Some of them really didn't like the intensity. It's quite confrontational, isn't it? You probably don't want someone singing to you and the sound of two people clapping is not an attractive sound!"

A deal was struck with Food Music to release six albums. Two EPs came first, Four Songs and Friendly Fire, followed by Draw.

The album was well received and an extremely nervous-looking Matthew played the television programme, Later... With Jools Holland, although the singer said he doesn't get nervous - it must just be an expression he makes.

Album is two is prepared under the working title of Chisel, because it's a bit harder than Draw, Matthew joked.

"It's bit more Beatles orientated with a bit of hip hop, r'n'b and a little bit more punky, which is what I've been listening to, a lot of West Coast hip hop, like Dr Dre, Snoop Dog, Eminem, Li'l Kim, Notorious BIG, and what Puff Daddy did in the early 90s," said Matthew. "I rap sometimes. There will probably be some on the album.

"I'm not trying to do much with my image but I'm thinking of wearing leather trousers. I just want to know if I can pull them off or not!" What a guy.

* Matthew Jay plays the Barfly, Cardiff on Thursday September 6 with JT Mouse in support. For more info dial (029) 2066 7658. Tickets are £5.