Almost a year on from his move to from the big smoke to Tunbridge Wells and Bluetones frontman Mark Morriss is anything but disgusted.

As he sits looking relaxed in a town centre coffee shop for our interview, it seems he’s plenty of reasons to be cheerful right now.

Not least of these is the completion of a successful jaunt round the UK alongside his old Hounslow housemates Dodgy, which served as an ample reminder to all that they are very much alive and well.

It may be more than a decade since the heady days of Britpop from which both bands flourished, yet Mark’s outfit has weathered its fair share of media indifference to emerge with the dignity.

They’ve certainly nothing to complain about given a track record including three top 10 albums and half a dozen top 20 singles for starters. Yet as much as he’s proud of their achievments it seems he’s not one to be overly nostalgic.

"I don’t look back at those times in the 90s all misty eyed. We were very young at the time, we enjoyed ourselves and were quite unquestioning about our success," explains the amiable indie star.

"I guess now we’re older we are more cynical and suspicious about things. The paycheques may not be so big these days but I’m enjoying making music just as much," explains Mark, who is enthused by the prospect of finally getting the chance to release his solo album, Memory Muscle this week.

Packed full of his winning way with a melody, there are some timely reminders of what was so special about the Bluetones the first time around.

There’s a added maturity to his individual material these days which deftly side-tracks the obvious pitfall of sounding overly indulgent.

"It was great fun to record the solo album, I got to work with some different musicians which was interesting as I’ve been playing with the Bluetones for the best part of 20 years now. My brother Scott joined me on bass which was really good.

Some of the songs on there I’d written four years ago and others are from an EP I did and I’ve been influenced by certain records that I remember well from my childhood like Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours."

As for his new surroundings, Kent is agreeing with the 36-year-old quite nicely by all accounts. The smart cafe and restaurant culture of Tunbridge is something he’s quite at home with. It’s most certainly a strong contrast to his roots in the comparatively hard-edged yet cosmopolitan Hounslow, West London.

From our conversiation it’s obvious he has a genuine fondness for the place which spawned his group, yet he’s glad to escape life in the city.

"I love it here in Kent, there’s the best of both worlds in that you have some lovely countryside about and are only 45 minutes from London. There’s a sense of community here which I like and am getting to know the area as I’m taking driving lessons now."

Uppermost in his mind is the prospect of becoming a father for the first time and it’s something which he is greatly anticipating, though he admits to loving the touring lifestyle.

"It’s going to be a massive shift in my life but I’m embracing it and have spent quite a bit of time going to anti-natal classes.

"If you’d have asked me a few years ago if I was going to have a child then I’d have run a mile. But getting out of London has really changed by perspective on that. I think I’ve grown up a bit.

"My other half Maggie is in television production and we are very supportive of each other’s work which really helps is the way it should be."

Before their youngster arrives, he’s been trying to maintain a strong gigging schedule, which includes a date at this summer’s Glastonbury Festival.

More locally, he recently tested out his new album at the Tap n’ Tin in Chatham which went down particularly well. He has also played his new home town last summer, the day before moving into the area at the Forum which was equally memorable.

Though there’s no danger in the demise of the Bluetones, the chance to let off some steam with his sideline project is doing no harm at all.

"It’s a completely new chemistry with the band I’m playing with for my own material.

I’m excited about playing the Sellindge Festival as there

are less egos backstage at these more intimate events and it should be really good fun. Sometimes it’s good to bring the mountain to Mohammed and get out to places like this in the country."

Mark Morriss headlines the Sellindge Music Festival on Sunday, June 8.

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