Lager, Lager, Lager: An Underworld Quiz

Answer: Trainspotting

'Trainspotting' was based on the book by Scottish author Irvine Welsh, about a group of drug addicts, and starred Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle. Its soundtrack also featured Iggy Pop, Blur and the Human League. Fittingly, 'Born Slippy.NUXX' is supposed to be an alcoholic's interior monologue, according to the band. Thanks to the popularity of the film, the song reached Number Two on the UK charts.

The Guardian called it 'the most experimental and sonically extreme hit of the '90s', along with the Chemical Brothers' 'Setting Sun' and 'one of the weirdest chart hits of all time'. ('NUXX' is a reference to a file extension.) The vocals for the song were recorded in one take.

Answer: Freur

Several years before Prince changed his name to a symbol, Freur had a graphic squiggle as their band name. However, their record company insisted they have a proper, i.e. pronounceable name, so the band picked 'Freur'. Their single 'Doot-Doot' charted at Number 59 on the UK charts. They also wrote the score for a horror film, 'Underworld', which gave the band an idea for a new name.

Answer: Underneath the Radar

In case you're wondering why 'dubnobasswithmyheadman' WASN'T the right answer, it's because that was the first album made by Underworld when they were a trio and had relocated from Wales to England. However, Underworld started out as a quintet; as well as Hyde and Smith, the band also consisted of drummer Bryn Burrows, and bassists Baz Allen and Alfie Thomas. 'Underneath the Radar' was the original line-up's debut, with 'Change the Weather' being their second. 'Edgeland' is one of Karl Hyde's solo albums.

Answer: Darren Emerson

Darren Emerson met Karl Hyde and Rick Smith through Smith's brother-in-law, after Smith and Hyde moved to Romford. The line-up of Smith, Hyde and Emerson is sometimes known as 'Underworld Mk II', to differentiate it from the original line-up. Emerson started his own label Underwater in 1994, which started off as a techno label, before moving on to house music.

In 2000, he left Underworld to go solo and focus more on DJing; the dance label Global Underground released a compilation of tracks compiled by Emerson, 'Global Underground 020: Singapore', based on a New Year's Eve playlist at the club Zouk in Singapore.

He also hosted an Underwater Records night at the Ibizan superclub Pacha.

Answer: Pearl's Girl

'Pearl's Girl' - which, incidentally, is my favourite Underworld song - was released in 1996, two months before 'Born Slippy.NUXX', and charted at Number 22. Karl Hyde said that the lyrics were inspired by a night out in Hamburg, when he had been to a soul night at a club on the Reeperbahn (hence the 'Reverend Al Green' mention), drunk a lot of Rioja (a Spanish red wine) and watched the boats down at the docks.

Answer: Greyhounds

The band got the names for these three songs after going to watch a greyhound race. The band had bet on one of the greyhounds, Born Slippy, who won the race. Pearl's Girl and Sappy's Curry were also competitors in the same race, and came second and third.

According to an interview in 'Select', the title of the album comes from a quote from Rick Smith's nephew Simon, when he was asked how he was doing at infant school: "Yeah, don't worry about me, I'm second toughest in the infants now."

Answer: Push Upstairs

'Push Upstairs' was released on 15th March 1999, and charted at Number 12 on the UK singles chart. The title is a reference to the practice of unwillingly promoting someone, or promoting them with an ulterior motive. 'Moaner' was only released as a single in Japan and Germany; it originally appeared on the soundtrack to 'Batman & Robin' in 1997. A long version appears on 'Beaucoup Fish'.

A notable feature of 'King of Snake' is that it interpolates the bassline from Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'.

Answer: True

For non-UK quiz players, this requires an explanation. 'Matthew' is a reference to Matthew Kelly, a former presenter of 'Stars in Their Eyes', a British TV show where members of the public go on stage impersonating their favourite musicians, with the aim of sounding like said musicians (and dressing up as them). As well as the much-impersonated likes of Dolly Parton, Elvis and Madonna, the show has also featured more unusual choices, such as Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker. Before walking through the doors at the back of the stage and emerging as their favourite star, the contestant would say, "Tonight, Matthew, I'm going to be [insert star here]."

Underworld realised that the reference might alienate non-British audiences, and changed the album title to the more succinct 'Beaucoup Fish'. The title comes from a sample used in the song 'Jumbo'.

Answer: Two Months Off

After Darren Emerson left Underworld in 2000, Karl Hyde and Rick Smith continued as a duo and released their first album without Emerson, 'A Hundred Days Off'. 'Two Months Off' and 'Dinosaur Adventure 3D' were the only two singles released from the album. 'Two Months Off' was released on 2nd September 2002, and charted at Number 12 in the UK singles chart. Part of the song's bridge was remixed for the lighting of the cauldron at the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony.

Answer: Rick Smith's mother

According to a Dutch radio station interview with Karl Hyde, the title of the album was inspired by a conversation between Rick Smith's parents when his father was dying. Barbara, Smith's mother, was upset about the thought of living without him, to which Rick's father replied, "Barbara, Barbara, we face a shining future." Hyde stated that when he heard about the conversation, he immediately thought that it would be a good title for the new album.

In the same interview, Hyde stated that he carried a notebook around with him for writing down random ideas, and that 'Barbara Barbara, We Face a Shining Future' was the first album where he and Smith had written everything together in the studio.