A lot of bands have the enthusiasm kicked out of them by playing really dreary pub venues that just churn bands through.

I think in the world of indie music there's this sort of false modesty.

The Beatles were huge for me, ... I used to jump around the room to the red album, the one with all the early hits on it. It made you feel euphoric. It was a sensation I couldn't get from anything else, whether it was playing football, swimming or even seeing 'Star Wars.'

You can't write for the cultural environment - if you do that, by the time it comes out, that cultural environment has passed. You have to be aiming for something that's original - that's the only way you can have any kind of impact.

You're letting such a fragile side of yourself out when you're creating or writing music. To do that with people who are almost strangers would seem very strange to me. I think that we're very lucky that we're quite close. To us, it's almost like the band is the grandest possible adventure you can go on with your friends. It's really really exciting.

No matter what you do, if you're trying to create something new, your environment has a massive impact on you.

I have always been fascinated by the concept of the villain and the hero being in one person.