"IT'S PRETTY HARD FOR US TO DESCRIBE WHERE WE COME FROM, BECAUSE A CERTAIN RIFF MIGHT HAVE COME FROM SOME WEIRD AFRICAN GAMELAN SONG, BUT IN THE END WE SOUND LIKE ORIENTAL JAZZ. SONGWRITING ISN'T SOMETHING YOU DO, IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS."

From humble beginnings in Doncaster, the Neon Plastix’s have taken their brand of day-glo power-pop and paraded from coast to coast whilst becoming regular fixtures in discerning DJs' record boxes the world over. The Plastix - Patrick, Danny, Robsynth 98 and Kate - make music that doesn't so much seek to revolutionise as it does to hurl you around the disco with a mix of dance floor friendly beats and sleazy riffs. The band is set to release their next double A-side single 'Dreams' / 'On Fire' (Blow Up Records) this September.

Was there some inspiration for the single 'Prick Tease'?
I guess it would be wrong of us to divulge such accusatory statements, but her name rhymes with 'Mickey Dee.' Ha ha.

You also run a club night called Club Plastix up in Doncaster. How long's that been going on?
Since last summer, in one form or another. It was called 'Club o' Doom' at one point. Now it's at a venue called 'The Priory'. It's a reet laugh; we get free drinks and we DJ all our favourite tunes: dance; electro; house; punk etc. We've had bands such as the Flesh , Black Wire and The Klaxons play, to name but a few.

What's the music scene like in Doncaster at the moment?
Its pretty dire and always will be, but it's the best it's ever been, which is just slighty better than dire! There are a few good bands trying to weasel their way about the country. I'm sure it's better than I'm making out; it's just Doncaster is the kind of town that sucks all the enthusiasm out of you till you're an empty vessel. There are lots of empty vessels!

Is there an album on the cards?
Yeah, of course! I can't wait to pop an album out. I'm mostly looking forward to the artwork. We have to do something a bit odd or it doesn't feel right. I don't think a band is really fully fledged until they have an album out anyway.

Why did Phil Neon leave the Plastix?
I think he was in a different place than us and he just lost heart in it when he realised just how much hard work it can be. It was kinda sad losing him, as he was part of our unit!

Have you found a replacement yet?
We've tried out a couple of guys, but we're also toying with the idea of just staying as a four-piece. We're all quite tightly knit and it feels more comfortable that way.

Who's the mastermind behind the Neon Plastix sound?
We wouldn't be the band we are if we all didn't throw our own bricks in the wall.
You say you like to make music that 'holds hands with both the rock and dance kids'. Has it worked so far?
Flippin eck yeah! As long as people are bopping up and down, we have fun. We use live drums and even though we have keyboards, everything is played live - no special DEMO buttons on our synths!
In 'Death to Disco', you take some old rave samples and drop them in out of nowhere.

Are there any other samples from the rave scene you've dropped into your songs?
No, but we'd like too. Although we'll probably just get pinned down as Klaxons rip-offs. The thing is, half of our band did the whole rave thing first time round. So technically, we were 50% there first. Hahaha. The crowd cheers and air horns are just a bit of fun, I think.

How would you describe The Neon Plastix sound?
I really don't know at all. I hate this question. You write a song with another song you like in mind, and it ends up sounding nothing like the inspiration. It's pretty hard for us to describe where we come from, because a certain riff might have come from some weird African gamelan song, but in the end we sound like Oriental jazz. Songwriting isn't something you do, its something that happens.

What was the show with the Test-Icicles like?
They were reeet nice guys. They really did put 110% into their live shows. They were really sharp and witty with the crowd and got everybody going. Inspiration for us all! Far too many bands are just so dull these days. Surely if your gig can be like a party, you're doing something right?

What's in the pipeline for The Neon Plastix?
Well, definitely another single. Everything looks geared up quite nicely after that, so things are gonna get intense!

'Dreams' / 'On Fire' (Blow Up Records) is released September 18.

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