More about: The Charlatans

A few months ago, Tim Burgess tweeted James Corden asking to play the Late Late Show. Tonight, The Charlatans are set to do just that. Corden's exact response, in fact, was, "Yes!!!! But can you play 'North Country Boy'?! " - and who could argue?

They've got a fantastic new album in Modern Nature, and a lot of the tracks sit on the level of greatness that older hits such as 'The Only One I Know', 'Weirdo', and 'Tellin' Stories' do.

Their greatness isn't isolated in their ability to write hit singles, though. Their entire back catalogue is incredible, they can smash it live, and 26 years on from their formation they remain one of Britain's best bands. We caught up with Tim Burgess as he was getting ready for his TV appearance. Here's what he had to say.

(Photo: Thanira Rates)

Gigwise: I really have enjoyed the new album. 'So Oh' is possibly the best thing I've heard on the radio this year. How do you feel about the new album now you've had the chance to tour it?

Tim Burgess: "Glad you like it - lots of people seem to love 'So Oh' and 'Come Home Baby'. 'Let The Good Times Be Never Ending' is a real favourite at the gigs too. We played it at Latitude and it was greeted like one of the classics. It can be a bit scary putting an album out and wondering what people might think but we loved recording Modern Nature so much, and it was everything we wanted it to be so there wasn't much trepidation.

It was a difficult album to make because it was our first after Jon [Brookes, Charlatans' drummer] died, so it was about how we felt as much as how people would take to it. The gigs in March were so good that we put a short tour together for December too - that's how much we enjoyed playing the songs live. We played a show at Castlefield Bowl in Manchester in July and lots of fans who had been around since the start were saying it was maybe the best gig we've done. I certainly felt that it was something very special."

What can UK fans expect from your set in December?

"Definitely no Slade or Wizzard covers. There's definitely lots of the classics in there but we have such a big back catalogue, we like to switch it round a bit. We also get lots of people coming to three or four shows on a tour so we vary it with maybe an old b side in there. Lots of people tweet me with suggestions - sometimes it gives us a nudge of what should go in the set."

(Photo: Thanira Rates)

How do you feel subcultures in the UK have changed? Do you feel there's a movement existing that's exciting or is everyone disenfranchised compared to the 90s?

"When I was a kid, there were much more definite choices about what tribe you belonged to - a uniform if you were a punk or a mod or a skinhead. There was maybe some overlap of what music you listened to but there was a definite feeling of 'the alternative' and the mainstream. Now I'm not so sure it so clear. Maybe you have to be part of if to know but there's so many more inputs and influences - it used to have a lot to do with what records your older sibling had or your Mum and Dad - now, in under 5 minutes, you can hear a band, watch footage of one of their gigs, download some of their songs and go off them, all in the time it would've taken to listen to an album.

"Your investment in something now isn't necessarily as big as it was - not financially but emotionally - the internet is some kind of rabbit hole where a kid now can listen to everything Nirvana ever recorded and make a call on whether it's for them or not. I suppose there's a movement towards anyone and everyone being able to record and get something out there - lots of people say that music has lost a political edge but you only need point them toward Sleaford Mods for some of the most potent commentaries on where we are at as a society.

"Things change and that's what's happened with subcultures - it's a tragedy that London is being homogenised and becoming too expensive for anyone but the richest people to live there. Places like Camden and Shoreditch were places that became hotbeds of creativity due to the fact it was cheap to rent a rehearsal space and lots of like-minded people were in the same spot. That's being prevented by nobody being able to afford to live there and it'll disappear unless the Russian oligarchs start forming bands."

A lot of your tracks take a rave element. Would you say that taking ecstacy when it was strong in the 90s had a real influence?

"There was that so-called second summer of love thing in 1988 and where we went out seemed to at the centre of it. Bands that looked towards C86 for influence now wanted something else to go with their jingle jangle guitars - everything went a bit pschedelic and ravey. We lived an hour from Manchester so a night out there was a big deal for us - it was a fairly sleepy backwater where we spent most of our time. A lot of that scene was changed by ecstasy and the line between bands playing live and club nights, blurred quite a bit. Songs were allowed to get stretched out a bit more - you can hear the influence of drugs like speed on bands like The Clash and you can almost smell the weed.

"When you listen to Jefferson Airplane. Ecstasy was a big influence on what people listened too and even what they wore - in some ways though, that then had a knock on effect that labels were demanding dance remixes of any song and rave culture eventually gave us acts like Scooter. There's always some kind of comedown, so there's lows that go with the highs."

Watch The Charlatans' Gigwise interview below

What's been your favourite album this year?

"Not quite there yet with an absolute definite but the Julia Holter album is in with a shout, the Carter Tutti Void album is definitely in the top two."

How was working with The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe. Has he mellowed out since he was the subject of the documentary Dig?

"Working with Anton is always a pleasure. He has definitely mellowed since Dig - he's lost none of his passion but he deals with things differently. I stopped by his studio in Berlin to record a song with him and he's done some brilliant remixes for us. He is genuinely one of the most talented musicians there is and we've always said that a few Charlatans & Brian Jonestown Massacre dates would be cool, we just need to work out when and where. Dig was a moment in time and I'm not sure anyone could carry on doing it how they were. I saw them a few times on their last tour and spent some time with them - they are like completely different people. Maybe except Joel, he always just been the coolest man in the room."

Your label has had some interesting signings. Who would you recommend we check out on it?

Hot Vestry and Tear are well worth a listen - Hot Vestry are in Europe supporting new order and then they're playing a few shows with us in December. They gave Lauren Laverne a CD and she played their song the next day. I love it when stuff like that happens. We have something special lined up for Record Store Day which is a 5 track vinyl EP of Howard Marks reading Dylan Thomas's poetry, it's powerful stuff.

If you could sign anyone right now and money was no object, who would you put out?

"Justin Bieber and then never release anything else by him."

Are there any collaborations in the pipeline?

"I'm just working with Peter Gordon, he based in New York. A brilliant composer and an amazing person - he was in Arthur Russell's band and put out records as Love of Life Orchestra. We've maybe got 4 songs at the moment but we're working on stuff all the time. I got sent some music by someone this morning too - asking to finish off the song. Can't say who it is but is very exciting - maybe I can tell you more next time but top secret for now."

What's been the happiest point of your career?

"It's hard to separate career and your personal life when you're in band because one has so much influence over the other. My son was born just over two years ago and much of what he brought to our lives is in the songs on Modern Nature - I'd have to say Modern Nature."

What's been the saddest point thus far?

"We lost Rob [Collins] in 1996 and Jon [Brookes] in 2013."

What are you looking forward to doing the most right now?

"Eating this pineapple."

The Charlatans will be reissuing Modern Nature on vinyl on 4 December. 

The Charlatans kick off their UK tour in December. Take a look at their dates below and click here for tickets and more information.

Tue December 08 2015 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Wed December 09 2015 - CARDIFF Tramshed
Fri December 11 2015 - NORWICH UEA
Sat December 12 2015 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy Birmingham
Mon December 14 2015 - EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Tue December 15 2015 - DUNDEE Caird Hall
Thu December 17 2015 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 Academy Newcastle
Fri December 18 2015 - LIVERPOOL O2 Academy Liverpool
Sat December 19 2015 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton

More about: The Charlatans