Having built a worldwide smuggling operation this is a man who managed to play the system, almost untouchable by the most exclusive secret services of the world. For Howard this was a ‘lifestyle choice’, a career built into his ideals that smoking cannabis shouldn’t be illegal. Things couldn’t carry on in such a manner though and he was finally arrested in 1990 and sentenced to 25 years in prison in the USA. He was then on parole after serving only 7 years of his sentence and extradited back to the U.K.

What do you do after such a career ends, well you write about it of course. Offered £100,000 to write his autobiography in 1996 ‘Mr Nice’ was published. Still an international bestseller and soon to be released as a film starring Rhys Ifans ‘I promised him over 13 years ago that he’d be the one to play me’. Since then he’s also written for Loaded, the Observer, Time Out, GQ and the Guardian.

As we meet it’s easy to see why he has such a reputation for being so, well nice.Not romanticising his previous line of work, it’s apparent how he succeeded mainly on charisma playing the role of the friendly, celebrity drug dealer telling me ‘it really was all down to supply and demand, you can’t force someone to smoke it’.

For the interview he offers to take us up the road for a curry with musician Kav Sandhu from KAV. They’ve recently released a single ‘Mr Nice’ together. ‘Leicester has some of the best curry houses in the country’ he tells me, however I think he sees the look of concern in my eyes as I imagine a 25 year experienced smoker with a bad case of the munchies ordering an Indian banquet, and believe me he’s on top form tonight. So instead we graciously settle for a Jack Daniels backstage and a leisurely chat.

How did you and Kav meet?

Through Shaun Ryder, we were DJing one night and Kav found us in a state of giggles. We were having difficulties getting it together and he quite liked some of the tunes I had, we found out we liked a lot of each others music. We became friends and that was it. Then he decided to use my voice for his latest musical release, which was a great honour and compliment to me and we’ve done some touring together now. Kav’s done a lot of work in America and of course I can’t go there.

One of your desires is to travel to places such as Australia and China. Have they still got issues with you trying to get in?

Australia hasn’t said I can never ever go there but they really are not keen. I’d like to go because of the Melbourne Literary festival. I was annoyed as it was looking like a visa was ok and I didn’t get one, and then Snoop Dog and Cheech and Chong got granted one! If they got offered one I thought I had a chance. I’m glad they did but they still won’t let me in because I assume it’s some sort of threat to the order there. America of course, I’m fine about not going there.

Would they ask for a drugs test if you wanted to go there?

I offered to give one and be under police guard all the time, I offered anything. It’s a pain these days because wherever I go I get a full body search.

Where did you record the single?

KAV: In Leicester, the same studio as Kasabian.

Did you enjoy being on tour together?

Yeah we had a great time, it was hilarious. It got messy. I can’t even remember where we played in Cardiff.

You’re getting quite involved in the music scene. Did you fall in love with music before you fell in love with drugs and sex?

Yes, definitely first rock and roll, then sex and then drugs. That was the chronology of it, the three strong passions. Love seems to be the proper word for it, it was my first love. I’d always wanted to appear on some sort of rock and roll single when I was a kid, sharing common recreational activities with musicians.

You’ve also quite a record collection, although you’ve switched to downloading now?

I find lumping vinyl around too heavy. I used to collect a lot of records but during the years as a fugitive I kept losing collections. For a long time I was piling them up rather than listening to them, so now I try to listen to more and end up owning less.

You’ve recorded with other artists haven’t you?

Yeah. When I was released from prison there was a lot of publicity about it and Super Furry Animals wrote a song about me. They asked if I minded being involved. I wanted to hear them so I went to meet them and at the same time I met Rhys Ifans strangely enough.

He’s playing you in the film that’s coming out this year.

Yes. Perfect choice, I wouldn’t have anyone else. Rhys and I promised this would happen 13 years ago. I said no to everyone else, he’s always said he would do it. (Smiling) I think he finds it rather disturbing.

You’re in the film aren’t you?

No not now, it’s gone on the cutting room floor. Rhys spent all this time learning how to be me, so we thought if I’m suddenly there, then one sees that he isn’t. It dilutes what he’s doing.

Was there anyone when you wrote the book that said don’t put me in it?

I assumed there would be such people when I wrote Mr Nice, so I was careful not to embarrass them or drop them in the shit. But I only got complaints because I haven’t included them. I introduced you to him not that other guy whose name you made up. But yeah I didn’t think it was sensible to mention that. So there were complaints from people that had been excluded from it!

Why did you turn down the offer of a ghost writer?

They gave me the opportunity to write the book not for my CV of writing but for the content, so there

was a debate to use a ghost writer or not, which is normally settled by writing a chapter and seeing what they think. I wrote the first chapter and they said yeah go ahead.

You’re quite an avid writer, you’ve written for Loaded magazine, the Guardian?

Yeah. Being a jailor’s lawyer and teaching English grammar exercised all that. I didn’t realise I had the ability to write. I also forgot to mention that you pay a ghost writer 40%. The carrot of money was dangled in front of me, so I got paid to get reflective.

You’ve written another book since then.

It’s mainly about my travelling; I thought I’d write a book about travel rather than about drugs. I was worried about losing fans though so I stuck a few chapters about growing weed in there, still that dope sort of message.

They’re re-releasing your book with an extra chapter as a result of the way the film ends?

It’ll hardly be any different. I’m sure no one will buy it just for the extra chapter. The film will reach people that haven’t read the book.

I think you underestimate it. A lot of people have said they’re excited about seeing you tonight.

Really? Don’t you’ll make me feel nervous now as well as hungry.

And with that I take the hint and wrap up the interview so that these guys can get off for that curry and Howard can go and perform, something else which it turns out he’s pretty good at.