“We Rock Like Stink!”

Martin McAloon hopes there’s lobster on the menu.

Prefab Sprout: not a band you’d associate with festivals, are you?

(Laughs) You don’t know jack shit about us then. We can rock like stink if we need to (laughs). No, but you’re right, though. We played a few festivals in Europe about 10 years ago and that was it, really. We’ve never deliberately avoided festivals themselves, more touring in general.

What’s your favourite festival experience?

I’m thinking of one in particular in Paris. Don’t remember much about it other than the lobster on the menu beforehand. The menu was always great in Paris and I tend to get confused about which gig goes with which meal.

Will Paddy’s new beard help you ease back into the general festival vibe?

l have no idea, although perhaps it is a homage to those early festival experiences We’re on with B*Witched, I’m pretty sure none of them have beards do they?

Will you be unveiling anything new?

No, as song-wise there isn’t enough time beforehand to rehearse because we’re too busy; I do know what we will be playing – classics, great, rocking classics of our time. And there’ll be no new dance routines, either.

Any on-stage extravagances planned?

Actually getting us on-stage is an extravagance in itself.

Dancing Girls?

No, we did that in our twenties and learned our lesson.

Can you dance?

Yeah, I can actually. I think of myself as lanky but rhythmic.

What crucial piece of advice do you have for festival goers?

Leave at least 10 years until the next one