Milburn

You could never accuse Milburn of dawdling. When the Sheffield scamps release their second album These Are The Facts later this month, it'll be less than a year since their debut disc hit the shelves. Axl Rose, we hope you're hanging your head in shame. We collared singer/bassist Joe Carnall to discuss the band's developing sound, why northern audiences are "mental" and the "cracking" lyrical ability of George Michael. Klaxons fans who suffer from high blood pressure might want to look away now.

The new single 'What Will You Do (When The Money Goes)' is quite biting. Is it about anyone in particular?
"It's kind of directed at someone we've met and we've grown to dislike over the last few years - someone in the music industry. It's inspired by a certain person, but everyone knows this sort of person, I think. Everyone can relate to it."

How has your sound progressed from your first album to the new one?
"I think it's a lot broader. We're more willing to incorporate different sounds and elements. We've got an organ on the album, and there's a big, long electric done on 'What Will You Do (When The Money Goes)?' If you'd have asked us to do that sort of thing first time around, we'd have probably told you to f**k off."

So did you make a conscious effort to develop your sound?
"We do want to get away from that kind of Sheffield sound, and we want to move away from the Monkeys thing too. In general, though, I think we're maturing as songwriters. We want to try new things; we want to sound different. It would have been too safe just to have had two guitars and a vocal, like on the first album."

Are you sick of being compared to the Arctic Monkeys?
"Yeah, completely. You won't get much out of me on that one!"

What influenced you on the new album?
"There's an old sixties album called Nuggets, which is just full of psychedelia. That had a big impact. In general, we've been harking back to sixties stuff like Motown for inspiration, but we've also been listening to a smattering of contemporary stuff. A few of the Scouse bands that are knocking about - The Coral, the Dead 60s - have had a big influence on us."

On your MySpace page you credit George Michael as an influence. How has he affected Milburn's sound?
"Ha ha! I don't think some of the other lads were too happy about that, even though it's quite tongue-in-cheek. He has got a really good voice, though, and the line "Guilty feet have got no rhythm" is just a cracking line."

Can we expect a cover of 'Careless Whisper' on the new tour?
"I've never really considered that before, but we'll have a think. You never know - it could be done."

Are you excited about going on tour again?
"Can't wait. We haven't been on the road for a fair while, so we're just excited about getting stuck into it again."

Where's your favourite place in the country to play?
"I think the further north you get, the better it gets. That's not a dig at London, because we always have good gigs in London. It's just that we've always had great gigs in places like Glasgow, Newcastle and Aberdeen. We always get a really mental crowd. There's just something in the water up there - they're all crackers."

Your Sheffield gigs must get pretty rowdy, too...
"It's mayhem, but it's fun. It's guaranteed to be a great night every time we play. We see one or two of the same faces in the front row every time we go back - avid fans. We do have one or two big stalkerish fans."

Do you have a lot of problems with obsessive fans?
"We just tell them to f**k off generally. We've got no problem with posing for pictures, and we'll generally chuck them a bag of crisps and a Milky Way, but we're not into this having fans in the dressing room thing. We're always up for talking to fans, but the dressing room is our space, you know. Unless, of course, they're female - that puts a completely different slant of things!"

What do you think of Klaxons' Mercury Prize victory?
"I think it's a load of s**t to be honest. I can understand that they're coming out with a nu-rave scene and trying to create something, but I don't think they're very good at it. Everyone was slating the live performance they did. I've seen them live a couple of times and I think they're terrible live. To be fair, I can see why people have got into them, but I have respect for bands that are good live and good in general."

So why do you think the judges voted for them?
"Maybe it were a fashion statement. Maybe they just jumped onto a scene - the nu-rave scene. I'm not into all that, but there you go. I think Klaxons were a band that had the name before they started a band, do you know what I mean? They kind of did it the wrong way round for me. But that's just my humble opinion and I've not been nominated for any awards. I think the Monkeys album was better and Amy Winehouse's album was better, too."

'What Will You Do (When The Money Goes)' is released on September 17. The album These Are The Facts follows on September 24.