That was Charlotte (Hatherly, guitar)'s first proper gig after just three days of rehersal. She was shitting herself. Now she's more part of the band and we're all pleased with her fitting so well.

What difference is she going to make to the bands sound at this year's festivals?

Tims much freer to concentrate on vocals. Before with one guitar he had a lot of weight on his shoulders. Now we can have more dynamics like on the records. We're more relaxed and more powerfull.

Last time you toured for 18 months and suffered a near breakdown. How are you going to cope this time?

we're more chilled out and we're not going to accept two-hundred-week tours of Outer Mongolia.

You've been away for a bit, yet you're high up the bill. Scared?

We feel good but worried people are going to forget us. We hope people like the new material.

Whats it like?

It's hard to say without sounding like a prick

Try.

It's more diverse than the first record. There's no point in making the same song ten times like some bands do.

What festival had the most impact on you?

At T In The Park three years ago just before Girl From Mars Was released. It was a real momentary thing-looking into the crowd and I remember just thinking, " My God, we could be really big!" then at Reading '96 we went on before the Stone Roses and everyone came up to us and patted us on the back and said, "Well done for stealing their fireworks and upstaging them." the thing is, though, they were our fireworks...

Have Ash grown up? Will they still come on to the Star Wars theme or music from the piano? Will bassist Mark Hamilton remain in one piece? Questions, questions...