Why Ocean Colour Scene are going it alone

On The Leyline - the new album - is released on the band's own Moseley Shoals label, a brave step according to singer Simon Fowler.

"It's either the most inspired or immensely stupid thing we've done," he said.

"We were offered a worldwide deal by Universal to release the album but we decided against it.

"I don't think these days, with the amount of downloading, you require a label as much.

"When we were with major labels we ended up employing the publicity people anyway so we thought we would be better off this time doing it all ourselves."

On The Leyline is a collection of immediately accessible tracks which will delight long-standing fans and is already being compared with the band's most famous release Moseley Shoals.

I tell Simon that to me it sounds as though the band are really enjoying themselves on the new album.

"It's really interesting you think that," he said.

"We we really conscious that we wanted to record some songs that we would enjoying doing live.

"They are big electric songs I suppose and I think it's both for the people who come to see us and ourselves that we have some more songs that work live."

There's a clear '60s influence to the album, with some catchy choruses and pithy lyrics.

One song - For Dancers Only - was written by the band's long-time supporter Paul Weller.

"I had real problems singing that," said Simon.

"Because in my head all I could hear was Paul's voice.

Ocean Colour Scene - now a nucleus of Simon, Steve Craddock and Oscar Harrison - have been around for more than 15 years and have had 11 Top 20 singles.

For the new album and tour they will be joined by bassist Dan Sealey and guitarist Andy Bennett.

"The new album will feature prominently on the tour," said Simon.

"But we won't be dropping the back catalogue."

Ocean Colour Scene play King George's Hall, Blackburn, on April 26. Details from the box office on 01254 582582. On The Leyline is released on April 30.