Action Group

For a band that have spent the past year producing their début album and are "absolutely skint," suggesting corruption and mainstream radio go hand in hand may seem like shooting yourself in the foot. But over a swift half with The Skinny, the liberal tongued Action Group pull no punches.

"Big stars, say Britney Spears, are marketed heavily. There's a lot of money being sent to radio stations to play this song a certain number of times. It's not what people like, but it's played 20 times a day. There's that song in my head, it's shite, but it's part of my brain," insists the refreshingly honest Pete Boggon.

His point is grounded on a solid notion of what makes a good tune. Greed has just been released on iTunes and after a lot of toiling to bring it to release, are the band pleased with the end product? "There's been a strange feeling," says Mark Donnelly. "It's taken a long time to get to this point. A year down the line you're like 'what's going on?' There's a difference between going 'did I try hard enough?' and saying 'fuck, I actually couldn't have done anymore!'"

What they did, incidentally, was rather good. Unwilling to dawdle in one place, Greed justifies the time spent recording. With such diversity, then, it's no surprise that it's a conscious decision to try new things in recording. "If I've got three chords going round, I turn into a psychopath. I can't handle it if it's been done before," says Boggon. Donnelly continues, "I seen an Edinburgh band on Youtube, all about 40, still doing the early punk thing. That's dead in the water! Open up to the idea of change!"

Where does the influence to change come from? Dylan Mitchell suggests "there's no way anyone can listen to the same music all the time. What binds us together is that we listen to such an eclectic mix, that comes across in our music." And asides from music? "I like things that take the piss. Anything with a bit of humour. Not everybody has to try to save the world."

"I have something against something too earnest," adds Boggon, "Like Springsteen... I can be earnest myself, on my own. Any band that goes walking with a banner... Awh!" At this stage the band's faces contort into a look of contempt. They're an unassuming yet opinionated bunch, unafraid to voice concern at aspects of the industry. With the eco-friendly rock star a fashionable commodity these days, Action Group are happy to go against the grain. Mitchell admits he'd "rather eat his own shite" than perform at a Live Earth style, back-slapping extravaganza.

They have little time for those who subscribe to such events and other strands of "tabloid culture." Mitchell explains his hatred of "morbid fascination." "Well you got Lily Allen... posh bird, music's pish, her father's obviously like 'there you go, have a record deal for Christmas'. It's a loada shite!"

It's not just Lily Allen; Donnelly insists that too many bands "have a template of music which they repeat because it's mildly acceptable. There's an abject fear of being derided for changing." With a stellar début under their belts, let's hope Action Group stick to their guns for round two.