Bluetones Interview

About to release their Greatest Hits album, that standard record industry epitaph, Bluetones frontman Mark Moriss is insistent that his band have a lot of live left in their ageless musical frames.

He explains, 'We shelved the planned fourth album last year to concentrate on doing four quality songs for the singles album.' The first of these 'purchase incentives' is 'After Hours'. Released last Monday, it's arguably their best single yet and is the first great party record for the summer.

For all the magic and beauty of their music, The Bluetones have always been on the sideline of mainstream success. They've played with Oasis and seen through Britpop, yet have never fully succeed, commercially at least, where many lesser bands have.

Retracing their steps through the 'Best Of' record, you're reminded how many big fuck-off chocolate covered pears of songs they really have. 'Bluetonic', 'Autophillia', 'Solomon Bites The Worm', 'Marblehead Johnson' and of course 'Zorro', 'Mudslide' and the ever lovely 'Keep The Home Fires Burning'. 'If...' only radio stations weren't controlled by tasteless mongs, the maybe more good bands would succeed.

Thankfully XFM exist to challenge the norm, and we're gathered upstairs above the Sound Republic in London's West End prior to The Bluetones gig for said London radio station.

The Manics have continually said that they'd do a greatest hits record, another album and ten split, 'Let's hope they keep their promise!' remarks Mark Morris, the supernova in a galaxy of under appreciated pop-genii 'We're still going strong. The singles album's just a bookmark really, to show where we're at now. I guess we've got the seven year itch.'