George Bergel: Well, you’re back on the main stage again thisyear. How many years have you been at Reading?

Josh Morgan: This our 5th... I think.Each one is like a totally different experience as it seems to gauge how much we have changed as a band over the previous year. We are always trying to improve our performances, and it takes more and more effort to get the audience going, trying to be different.

GB: What do you think of the rest of the line up?

JM: Fantastic, best we’ve seen all year, man. The Automatic are on in a minute and I’ve been waiting to see them since I heard their new single. Unfortunately we’re gonna miss Rage [Against The Machine]as we always seem to be playingon a different day to them. The Killers, Biffy Clyro... I could list hundreds but don’t think I should.

GB: Since I last spoke to you we’ve seen the release of the long awaited 2nd album - how do you feel it’s been received so far?

JM: To be honest haven’t really had time to think - we’ve been touring constantly and it’s very easy to drop out of the rest of the world. This album peaked at 17th in the charts, compared with a peak of 32nd forthe first album. New bands are where the real buzz is.

GB: Maybe the 2nd album syndrome was extenuated by the long wait? Should we expect such a long wait for number 3?

JM: Ahhh... I really don’t know yet.The wait was unfortunate but benefitted us, we could work on the songs and take our time to finish them properly. I’m very proud of the final product.

GB: What was it like working with the legend that is Butch Vig?

JM: An amazing experience - maybe the happiest time of my life. We laughed so much. It was an absolute honour to watch him work... almost like an art. The passion he puts into his work, the subtle movements and flair on the mixing desk is like watching a great artist.

GB: The album shows a real shift in tone, with some really personal songs.

JM: Yeah, it was initially an emotional challenge for Billy and Charlotte [The long term fiancés split up during the recording of the album]. Lots of the lyrics were very personal to Billy, and there were times he was crying in the recording booth singing these words. We’ve aged as a band, and the lyrics have changed to reflect that. I’m not saying we are wise, but we are definitely wiser. Billy certainly is.The whole process made him grow up. The first album was perhaps a bit naive; we all made mistakes and are all working really hard to improve. We’ve naturally grown louder - Billy keeps on turning his guitar up a little bit. Charlotte’s bass improvisations have become a key part of the process too.

GB: How has this changed the group dynamic?

JM: Oh, they are best mates now. The relationships between the band couldn’t be better. We had sometime apart, I actually worked in a bar for a bit, which was a really grounding experience. Without that time off, I don’t think we would have been able to write real lyrics - we needed to get back to reality

GB: So what is the most ‘rock and roll’ thing you’ve done all year?

JM: I’ve gone anti-rock and roll mate, had my hair cut! [Laughs] Nah, our American tour was pure rock and roll. A complete disaster at times though, we had two crew members lose their Visas, a lot of kit got broke in transit between New York and Boston. We almost missed the Seattle gig waiting for our kit to arrive. The bus broke down, my drums were in a terrible condition...absolute nightmare. We have this reputation in America of being this crazy live band, and the lack of kit and all these problems gave our shows a really raw, punk vibe.

GB: Do you miss coming to festivals like this, being fans before you started playing them?

JM: Oh yeah, I do miss going to them, but I just love playing them so much that it makes it worth it. The thing about playing festivals as opposed to your own gig is that there is much less pressure for us. Not everyone is there just to see you; you can relax and have a great time, and perhaps make some new fans along the way .The community spirit of festivals like Reading is fantastic, a beautiful thing.

GB: I’ve had a few questions f rom mates: what’s with all of B i l l y ’s tattoos?

JM: [Laughs] Well he’s got so many. 156 on his tit is a song by Mew, he’s also got the Mew logo on his arm. YFE on the other tit standsfor Young For Eternity [The band’s debut album]. He’s also got an M for Morgan, the family surname, and Strawberry Blonde across his chest, from the song off our new album.

GB: Lots of your songs are cropping up in adverts - have you had to turn down any really weird requests?

JM: Nah, all the approaches we’ve had have been really cool - Rock & Roll Queen has been in both ‘Die Hard IV’ and the new Guy Ritchie movie [‘Rocknrolla’]. That’s pretty cool.