Rob caught up Aaron Barrett and Dan Regan from Reel Big Fish before their headline show at Birmingham Academy 2 to talk about working on their next album, their current tour and much more.

You have been going as a band for 20 years now, did you ever think when you started up that you would be as successful as you have been and still be together as a band 20 years later?
Aaron: I thought we would have been a lot more famous and I’m very disappointed (laughter) but at the same time I feel very lucky that we’re able to do this as a job. It’s pretty amazing, we think about it all the time about how lucky we are to have this as our only job.

Have you got anything special planned for the 20 years?
Aaron: That was last year

Dan: I look back at all of the unsatisfied ladies and I think it feels more like 40 years (laughter)

Aaron: This is our 21st year, don’t listen to Wikipedia, it’s full of shit (laughter)

You are currently back in the UK on a full length tour how has it been so far?
Aaron: It’s been awesome so far, it’s always really good in the UK. The shows we’ve played have been sweaty, crazy, more sweaty, sticky!

You seem to come back to the UK quite often, what is it which makes you want to keep coming back and playing shows to the UK fans?
Aaron: They keep coming to the shows, which is weird so we keep coming back, that’s how it works.

Dan: Right around Christmas time we just ache for kebab (laughter) so we just have to make it work somehow.

Aaron: There’s a lot of love in the UK for us.

Dan: That there is.

Aaron: We try to play everywhere in the world at least once a year.

Dan: It’s like a never ending tour for us, we’re definitely touring all the time.

How have you found touring with Orange and The JB Conspiracy so far?
Aaron: So far so good, they haven’t pissed us off yet but it’s still early (laughter). We’ve watched them both nights and they sound good so it’s great to have them out.

You have a massive back catalogue of your own songs and cover songs which must make it difficult when it comes to putting a set list together for your tours, how did you find putting the set list together for this tour?
Aaron: See this is the problem because everyone wants us to write a new record too but there isn’t enough room as it is.

Dan: There are too many songs already (laughter)

Aaron: Over the years we’ve pretty much found out which songs people like the best, which get the best reaction live and we just try to play most of those

Dan: People are always saying you’ve gotta play this song because it’s my favourite song and we play it and then they’re just staring at us.

Aaron: We stick to the tunes where you can see a reaction.

Matt: It’s different regionally right? We play different songs here than we do else where

Aaron: No (laughter)

Matt: Monkey Man for instance everyone here knows it

Aaron: That is true; some places know certain songs more. Overall we try to please the crowd as much as we can

After this tour you head out to play some shows in mainland Europe, what do you have planned after this?
Aaron: After this tour when everyone is home and back from their vacations we’re gonna start making a new album.

Dan: That’s the truth; it’s actually gonna happen this time. We’ll learn them and then record them (laughter)

When it comes to creating new music what influences you and how do you go about it?
Aaron: I listen to a lot of old Reel Big Fish (laughter) I don’t know, we listen to all kinds of music.

Dan: I drop acid and listen to Dubstep (laughter)

Aaron: He’s under the influence (laughter)

Can we expect to see you back in the UK during the summer to play some of the festivals?
Aaron: Yeah we’ve been invited to a couple although I don’t remember which ones.

Dan: Yeah I wish we could be more informative about that.

Aaron: We’re coming back for at least two festivals this summer, that’s all I can remember.

Dan: Not Reading and Leeds

What is your opinion on the whole anti-piracy thing that is going on now?
Dan: You mean through the governments?

Aaron: Yeah

Dan: It’s a really touchy subject for a band like us. We would probably stand to lose more than a bigger band or a smaller band. A smaller band benefits from the exposure where as a bigger band can absorb the losses. We’ve kind of at that level where we need the money and we don’t really need the exposure (laughter).

Aaron: We could be making money from album sales but we never have because we were on a major label and they just absorbed all of the profits.

Dan: If ensures that kids come to the shows and stuff and buy a t-shirt then it all evens itself out.

What are your views on the ska scene at the moment and are there any new local bands you would recommend?
Aaron: The Ska scene is still going strong, it’s awesome. JB Conspiracy are rad, that’s why we brought them with us. There’s loads of bands out there that are great. Find them yourself and tell us about them (laughter)

Dan: There’s a band called Streetlight Manifesto that we’ve been playing with that are good.

Where do you hope to see Reel Big Fish in a year’s time?
Aaron: Still in business, still on tour.

Dan: Each one of us with our own private bus or at the kebab shop (laughter)

Aaron: We just want to keep doing what we’re doing hopefully

Dan: We would love for it to blow up and us to be the biggest band in the world but if that doesn’t happen we’re just happy doing this.

One last random question that we ask every band, if you could be an animal out of a Zebra or a Giraffe which would you be and why?
Aaron: I’m on the zebra basketball team in Cincinnati.

Dan: They’re going all the way this year. I think I’m going to go for zebra.

Aaron: They make the funniest sounds and they run pretty fast.

Matt: Do giraffes run fast?

Aaron: I think so. Compared to us anyway

Matt: I’d be a giraffe because you don’t see lions taking them down.

Aaron: They have long black tongues.

Matt: Imagine what I could do with a long black tongue (laughter)

Thanks for your time is there a message for your fans reading this?
Dan: We love you and thank you so much for supporting us and letting us do this job and entertain you. If you keep coming we’ll keep coming

Everyone: yeah (laughter)

Dan: And buy an automobile, fiat all the way (laughter)

Interview by Robert Lawrence