Officers – On The Twelve Thrones
I don't see them as my spiritual offspring. If whether any of my lineage is part of their thinking I really don't know. I get sent a lot of stuff and on this tour now I'm going to getting an armful of CDs that people think that I might like or bands trying to get off the ground and that's all part of it but to be honest, and from my tastes, 99% of it is just dreadful. So when things are sent to you, you don't always have a lot of high expectations; you listen to the first track and then you bin it.

I was recommended the Officers album by Eddie Temple-Morris from Xfm and he said, 'I've just had this band in the studio and I'm sure you're gonna love it.' I wasn't really expecting that much and sure enough it turned up in the post and I put it on and it blew me away.

There's a lot of new music out there and you read a lot about these new bands and you listen to them and say, 'Hmm. Suppose it's alright' but it's nothing that has a big effect on me. And that came along, I listened to the first three of four tracks and called my wife and said, 'You've really got to come along and listen to this! This is brilliant; the best thing I've heard in years.' It's a real mixture of dark and heavy but not screaming and shouting but thoughtful and well put together and for a debut album I think it's amazing.

So I got in touch with them and asked them to do the tour. I'm just really proud to be involved with them and I genuinely think they're one of the best new bands around, certainly the best new band for my taste. I love them. They've got a fantastic attitude; they really work. They're having to work and do the band because they're not pro yet and it's always difficult for them and touring with no money. It's really hard yet they've got a great attitude. They've been one of the most popular supports I've ever had. I'm convinced that if they don't go somewhere then it'll be a fucking travesty. I'm glad to help out in any small way that I can and I'm proud to be involved because it's nice to part of something that you genuinely feel has a got a really big future and is offering something and that other people like.