Before Kingsbridge Music Festival got underway on Friday, I caught up with 69 Reasons Why and a couple of bottles of White Lightening in, ironically, Kingsbridge Town Hall...

Both yourselves and Punching Nuns won the first heat of the Phoenix BOTB and you're reportedly going on a UK tour with them. Isn't that going to be a bit weird - going head to head in the final with your tour-mates?

Jack: No not at all, they're good friends of ours. We get on well. AidanWe've played with them loads before, so it won't be weird at all.

What are all your personal influences?

Bal:My favourite band have got to be Yellowcard, although I'm unsure of who my actual influences are. Aidan:Rancid - immensely. In fact, I'm wearing a t-shirt signed by them right now (holds our his shirt with a proud little look on his face) Just, really, any outrageous band that have made a difference to the scene that we're in. Jack:Raggae. Punk. And..,um... Everything basically! Gareth:Punk i.e. emo. Favourite bands....MXPX, Face To Face...I think, as a band, Face To Face... Aidan:Yeah they're a big influence. First band we all saw together.

If you could name one local band who you'd love to do a tour with, who would it be?

Simultaneously: SLOT! Jack:I dunno, there's too many. A full band tour - Loggerhead, SLOT, Punching Nuns, Salt In Open Wounds... Aidan: Yeah, Salt In Open Wounds!

I thought you might say SLOT. So how come you pulled out of Andy's party then?

Aidan:Bal had a wedding to go to. Jack:Yeah he got married. Aidan:It was a shame actually, because with SLOT and everyone else it would have been good.

And how about a band you wouldn't mind castrating?

Aidan: Whole Truth. they all burst into a nasty rendition of Whole Truth song, Nazi Scum... Aidan:Nah, they're our mates; they're a brilliant band. We love them. Gareth:They'd be a laugh to go on tour with as well, I guess. Aidan:Yeah they'd be a laugh....Bernard shaves his ass, Ed shaves his pubes... Gareth:Jack dyed his pubes at one point...He just got like this handful of dye and went like this...hand on knob motion... Very funny!

Out of all of you, who can drink who under the table?

Jack:hand shoots up into the airMe! I can! Aidan:Idon't think you can! After half a bottle of White Lightening, you'll be gone! Jack:Bollocks...Bal just gets argumentative, and Gareth just cries!

What are your views on Bush? Are you like every other fashionable punk band at the moment and slag off George Bush every chance you can because it's cool?

Jack:Blair basically is just sucking Bush's ass. But we don't make such a big thing out of all that government hating shit. We're one of the only punk bands out now who admit to not...caring. We're not Whole Truth laughs. Aidan:I shave mine. after a moment of silence... Oh you mean George Bush!

And finally...busted or McFly?

Gareth and Jack:McFly! Gareth:But only 'cos it sounds like 'McFlurry'. Jack:I reckon the lead singer of McFly looks like the lead singer of Brat (Best of Enemies). But don;t say I said that. Do not say I said that. Aidan:Yeah but they are a great band...cos they're cool...and stylish...aren't they?

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Interviewed by Luce