It’s 1am and bassist Russell Pritchard is on the phone talking about their second LP and hectic touring schedule. The Zutons have just come offstage from a sell out show in Folkestone; a small town located on the south coast of England, and the band tonight are still buzzing from their post-gig high.

Currently touring in the UK for the release of their second album, the band will soon be gracing our shores for the second time this year, playing Splendour In The Grass and their own club dates. The Zutons have previously shared the stage with bands such as U2, Franz Ferdinand, Muse and The Killers. Not bad for a band that formed in 2002 in their hometown Liverpool. The second album, Tired Of Hangin’ Around is a tighter and more confident record; driven by meaty pop rock and catchy choruses inspired by girls on the road.

Russell explains the recording process the second time around “It was really good this time around because we were a lot more together musically and a lot more together as a band socially.” Surprisingly, the band felt less pressure after their successful debut which was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 2004. “With the second one we had the experience already and we knew how to get the best out of the studio and everything. There is pressure- but that makes you work harder as a band, that sort of thing. It makes sure we get the job done well.”

The hardworking attitude from the band is evident in the song writing process for the latest album. Russell explains how the song writing process for the band is generally a collaborative affair, with many of the tracks on Tired Of Hangin’ Around forming from jam sessions. The collective song writing from the band is testament to how The Zutons has evolved over the years, learning and understanding each other from the countless hours spent on the road together.

The band’s hectic touring schedule in 2004 did affect the mentality of individual band members and Russell admits that at times, it was hard to cope being on the road for months at a time. He speaks about surviving on the road, stating “You learn to get up in the morning and find the shower when you’re in this strange building. You just get used to it really, if you’re just doing it constantly.”

Their latest music clip Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love was filmed in Cuba and features the band dancing in narrow laneways with carefully a choreographed walking sequence. The filming of the video clip tested the four lads timing skills, although bandmate Abi Harding found the process quite easy as she had some knowledge in dancing during her college days. Russell explains “The rest of us were like these four skinny white guys dancing with all these Cubans. It was mainly about keeping in time, most of it was about keeping in time. We’re musicians though, so you’ve got to be really good at that.”

The Zutons first toured Australia right at the beginning of the year, playing at the Falls Festival in Lorne on New Years Eve. Russell recalls watching fireworks with his bandmates and tour manager despite being jetlagged, and making the most of his time in Australia during the festive season. “Yeah it was great- we really enjoyed ourselves. It seems like a place that really enjoys live music.”