Jukebox Chatter: Future Of The Left

What's the most obvious example of a plot against common sense that you see operating at the moment?

Take your pick - the race for the Republican nomination in the US (and the attendant marketing spend), Vodafone's tax 'deal', McDonalds co-sponsoring The Olympics, Ed Miliband as a viable prime ministerial candidate, the Academy Award Nominations, the FA's appeals procedure, Paris Hilton as a rode-model ... there's a lot of straight-faced bullshit out there.

What memory springs to mind when you think back to recording the new album?

Frustration. We knew we had something special on our hands and just wanted to get the damn thing finished.

Sometimes albums come with those PARENTAL ADVISORY stickers. If there was a warning sticker on the new album, what would it read?

'MAY OFFEND FAMILY OF SEBASTIAN COE' or 'ALL LYRICS TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY YOU FUCKING IDIOT'

FotL have beaten some pretty tough times, but you're still here making great music. What's the trickiest ordeal the band has overcome - and did you learn anything from it?

The actual being in a band stuff, whatever anyone (including me) tells you is actually a piece of piss, it's the finding and then holding down of jobs in the interim which is the real challenge. Did I learn anything? Have rich parents or partners - not so much a lesson as a fervent prayer.

Finally, you have one credit on the jukebox - what's it gonna be?

Let's go for something by the Afghan Whigs, 'Gentleman' or 'Fountain and Fairfax'. They've just reformed but they're the Afghan Whigs, so we'll let them off.