Haven't done this for yonks - in fact, the last time we had somebody in to do a track-by-track insider's guide to the platters that matter, it was Therapy?'s Andy Cairns. He was talking us through Troublegum, which went on to sell a million copies and copped a Mercury Music Prize nomination into the bargain. Let's see what happens to this album - it's the debut from The Hormones, led by Dubliner Marc Carroll, and astonishingly good it is too.
Just some external stuff to get out of the way first: the four-piece band who dabble in hybrid areas of power pop, trad, folk and general guitar-driven, harmony-enhanced tunes were, as you know, picked to showcase one of their B-sides in that sitcom thing; another of their B-sides is being used by Sky Sports to play over its football coverage for this season; Shane McGowan is interested in covering one of their songs; they're one of s favourite bands and Eric Bogle (who wrote Walting Matilda The Green Fields Of France) is a big fan. But pride of place in The Hormones's living room is a given to a signed letter by Brian Wilson's manager, saying how much Wilson loved a track on the album about him called Mr Wilson.
There's one letter worth framing, if ever there was one. Enough of that: here's lead Hormone Marc Carroll talking us through the album called Where Old Ghosts Meet.
1. Stay Ahead: I wrote this for someone who helped and encouraged me to move on and get out of a hopeless and lifeless situation. I hate being bored. It's about having self-belief in your life, no matter what you do. Positivity.
2. Don't Let Them Get You Down: I loved my youth (as painful as it was), it was fun. I miss the innocence of it. I was very angry (still am in many respects) and when I was a teenager I rebelled against everything - teachers, parents, authority - all the usual things. I felt they were all "old and useless" people who didn't understand what or even who I was. It's pretty straightforward really.
3. This Is The Sound: "Why brave your heart to the one that will you part with/in the morning you'll smashed love number five" - I have a tendency to tell people things and then proceed to regret what I told them in the first place. I always felt stupid. It's happened too often and it must stop. I don't trust that many people. I've always been good at ranting, raving, screaming and raving, though.
4. Radio Stars: I used to lie awake in bed and listen to a certain radio show where lonely, nay very lonely, people would phone up the DJ and proceed to share their entire life with him. It didn't happen just once but every single night I would hear the same people on the air. I can't believe people can go through the day wanting to speak to a complete stranger who I'm sure takes the piss and think that they have some sort of social bonding with. Then again, why did I listen in every night? Ha, ha.
5. Mr Wilson: Our record company plastered BBC Radio 1 with horrible postcards of Harold Wilson and Bob Wilson as some sort of "teaser" to get our record played on the radio. I felt like a commercial prostitute as it had nothing to do with the love and joy I was sending to the great man himself. It is a tribute song that was written a few years ago after listening to my vast Beach Boys collection with a bottle of plonk. One thousand promos of the song were sent out over the Internet to fans and they said it was a great tribute to Brian Wilson. Our a cappella version of the song is superb, I think. And no, Radio 1 never played the song.
6. A House By The Hill: It's a dream I had where I remembered certain characters around where I used to live. It was sung in one take and nearly had our producer, Steve Power, in tears. I don't think I'll ever sing this song live.
7. All We Thought: Back to my youth again. This is for my friends (how I hate that word). As you get older, things always change and people go their own way; but thankfully I have kept in touch with some of my best mates. Friendship is important to me.
8. Did Like Merry Hell: I was drunk when I wrote the words, drunk when I sang them and drunk when we recorded it. I wanted it to sound like The Ramones having a party with The Dubliners. Shane McGowan nearly sang on it, but he wanted paying. Now I truly love McGowan; but he's a tight bastard, and he's not getting a penny from me. Ha, ha.
9. Someplace Somewhere: This is about when I first went to London in 1988, I was only "16, clumsy and shy". It was a very hard time in my life. I hated it and was lonely - but I did have my brother, who saved me. I don't mind London so much now because I'm lucky I don't have to work in a shop five days a week. I prefer rock'n'roll, actually.
10. The Kisser: I haven't a clue what this is about. I think it's about not having a clue.
11. Feel Alright: This is the first song I wrote when I came to London in 1995. I was glad to be away from a boring situation and equally boring and tedious people who were giving me shit all the time. I'm not bitter, just wise.
12. Where Old Ghosts Meet: I'm sure there is a place after death where great artists go and hang out and rest in peace, away from the daily grillings, the praises, lies and ridicule - "where nothing matters and where living is the easiest thing" - I had several people in mind when I wrote it but I won't say who because that doesn't matter. I know it exists . . . I just know.
Where Old Ghosts Meet by The Hormones is out this week on V2 Records.
