"I don't want to be known as the ball man forever," Jose Gonzalez knows it was THAT advert which brought him international recognition, although, like any self-respecting musician, he would rather people banish all thoughts of colourful bouncy balls when listening to his music.

The song, Heartbeats, eclipsed the item it was meant to be advertising - a Sony Bravia TV - and went top five, as did the album, Veneer. Sales figures for the TV are as yet unconfirmed.

Now on a sell-out tour of the UK, Jose admits the advertising link-up was all part of the masterplan but will be happy when the hype dies down a little.

"Everything that's happened over the last few months has been amazing, although it's difficult to grasp.

"The record label tells me the sales figures but I don't really feel it myself."

A shy man, whose perfect English is spoken in barely more than a whisper, Jose's sudden rise to fame is something he doesn't yet feel comfortable with.

"When I was a teenager my dream was to be star. Now I'm okay with being anonymous as a person - although I still want people to know my music.

"My plan is to stick around for a long time but that doesn't mean I have to sell this many records. I'd be happy on an indie label."

But for the time being, he's mainstream, having even appeared on Top Of The Pops: "It was funny," he giggles. "The audience were standing in a circle, waving their arms."

Twenty-seven year old Jose, already a star in his native Sweden, is a musician who has gone back to basics, relying simply on his own eloquent classical guitar and bewitching voice.

His style has evolved from mixing bossa nova, flamenco and classical with modern styles from the likes of The Beatles and Joy Division.

It was Jose's dad, an Argentinian folk singer, who introduced him to this broad range.

"He really wanted me to play his favourites. One summer he gave me a thick yellow book filled with Beatles' chords and another with bossa nova classics. I spent the entire summer picking out songs."

Jose even spent time in a punk group as a teenager before moving onto a hardcore band, strangely called Only If You Call Me Jonathon. "People are surprised when they hear I was in a hardcore band. I would be too," he admits.

Despite the melancholy tone of his music, Jose says his live shows are an upbeat affair. For the first half, he performs on his own, before he is joined by two percussionists and backing singers.

He promises a few surprises and audiences can expect a couple of interesting covers - previous live shows have seen him play Massive Attack's Teardrop, as well as Kylie's Hand On Your Heart.

"Even though the album can make them feel sad, people tell me they come out of my shows feeling happy."

Starts 7pm, tickets cost £9.50 (sold out). Call 01273 673311