"We were all ready to unleash ourselves on the public again. You know, record the album and straight back on the road, but it didn't work out that way because of the trouble with finding management and so forth? We've always been pretty self-contained but couldn't do everything ourselves. I mean it is frustrating when you do a spate of good gigs and you're left waiting for the next step, 'cos nobody has bothered working one out for you."

What happened to the second studio LP?

"We laid down 16 tracks enough for an album and singles. Then we played this Wordsworth gig at The Roundhouse and Chiswick were considering this live sampler of their acts...we thought of using some live stuff on our new album."

"Anyway the live stuff was so good Chiswick decided on putting that as an album on its own. Meanwhile, we've worked out that the next three singles from the studio stuff, which leaves us with three quarters of a studio album. That will be completed in the not too distant future."

Dave: "The album has been getting good reviews and the single (I Take What I Want, a Stax golden oldie given the treatment), has even been Kid Jensen's single of the week on Radio One. That took me by surprise."

"I think it is due to an R&B renaissance," Johnny philosophies. "New wave made fast music 'in'. Now fast moving and fairly hard rock can follow that and that is basically what we're about."

"It makes a change from this disco drivel," Dave adds.

"We enjoyed the live album. It was mixed in a couple of days an instant thing," says Dave. "That way you don t have time to get bored or bogged down in introspective things. I believe you'll be able to listen to that album in a couple of years time and realise it was a good night."

A CRITICISM of the band is the lack of visual identity put out by them live. How does that one grab 'em?

"We're not really maniacs you see. Except when where we're drunk," Dave suggests.

"We're not necessarily quiet either. We're into playing a good set first and foremost," Johnny emphasises. "You try playing good while leaping in the air. Like if you watch Wilko Johnson you'll see he does his best bits with is feet firmly on the floor. People say it is better now to jump and miss a chord, well I disagree.

"The visual stance evolves from playing. There are certain limitations. Playing comes first with us. Anyway I'm really too tall and awkward to leap about too much. And I'm certainly not going to bite chickens' heads off on stage."

"I'm too short and stumpy," moans Dave. "I used to go in for all that hi-heel boot stuff once. But what's the point? It's so false." So what happens next?

"Well we finally have a new agency deal being sorted out, so we can get down to playing gigs regularly again and bring home the bacon," says Johnny. "Mind you, we did pay three days in one week recently."

"I was beginning to know where every crack in the wall was," Dave chips in. "We should be writing new songs really, instead of sitting around talking and drinking beer. I really want us to do a lot of gigs."

"When we're not gigging inactivity breeds...(deep thought)...inactivity. We don't all live in the same house..?"

"Thank Christ," Johnny butts in and out. "...but we do see each other a lot. I don't think we'll have any problems once we get back up there and playing again. I don't think we've ever had any major problems once we've actually got on stage. It's getting on there in the first place that's been the problem." But what about the big one?

"We don't want to change the world through our political thoughts or ideals or anything." Dave suggests.

Johnny inevitably has the last word(s): "That's 'cause we're too stupid."

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