‘It was triggered by a Fellini-esque woman who pulled a knife on someone’: how the Only Ones made Another Girl, Another Planet

‘It’s relentless’ … from left, Mike Kellie, Alan Mair, John Perry and Peter Perrett. Photograph: Fin Costello/Redferns

Peter Perrett (songwriter, vocals, guitar)

This song was triggered by meeting someone who had started hanging around our rehearsal rooms in King’s Cross, London. She was very Felliniesque and looked as if she had stepped out of 8 ½. She was an extremely eccentric character and one day she pulled a knife on another girl who was there. I was fascinated by her, not in a romantic way, but to observe, as a curiosity. At that age, 25, I was still into exploring the world and meeting different people you find fascinating or fall in love with. So in the song I used the analogy of exploring the universe. At the same time, I was exploring other things, but the song is not about drugs.