The shoulder doesn’t hurt so much any more, but all these muscles are just crushed, so there’s a general throb and it’s starting to ache more and more.  We had about two weeks at home in September and, it sounds totally Sylvester Stallone or something, but I spent the entire two weeks just doing push-ups.  I haven’t had the time or the inclination to do more while on tour.

And have you seen Pete Yorn since?  (The injury was sustained when Fairchild, perhaps not entirely sober after partying on the Pete Yorn tour bus, fell out of the bus and under the wheels of an 18-wheeler carrying the band’s equipment. Fortunately, he “only” sustained two broken bones in his shoulder; if it had been another 18 inches closer – it doesn’t really bear thinking about.)
I saw him a couple of days after when the tour ended, but I haven’t seen him since.
Musicforthemorningafter is a great record, one of those rare albums that just knocked me sideways when I first heard it.
It is a great record.  He’s a real Anglophile, really into The Smiths… that was actually right before I got run over, we were watching a Smiths DVD on the bus – so the soundtrack to my broken shoulder is Shoplifters Of The World Unite.
Didn’t that make you feel even worse?
Yeah! (laughs)  But I love the Smiths – even some of Morrissey’s solo stuff. The first track of 'Your Arsenal' – (hums the opening bars) – ‘Now My Heart Is Full’, yeah. One of my favourite songs ever.
But when you tour so much and when you’re playing music for a living, do you actually get time to listen to new music yourself? 
Yeah – it’s so weird though, being on tour – I become a really poor musician and a really un-avid music fan.  When I get home then I get a stack of records and catch up, but there have been some great albums this year.
Any spring to mind?
The Super Furry (Animals) newest one; the Calexico record was fucking banging!
I heard a rumour that you recorded an “alternative” album for the label…
Yeah; it was actually before The Sophtware Slump.  We’ve put it out on our own label; it’s called Sweat Of The Alps and we renamed the band Arm Of Roger.  We got thinking that it’d be pretty fucking hilarious to make a really bad but funny fake record and give it to them when the real one was done, and let them squirm for a few days.  We sent it to them with a personalised note that said “looking forward to working with you guys”, and they were reasonably freaked out.
Do you get frustrated with the comparisons with other bands – the Neil Young, ELO, Flaming Lips comparisons, for example?
I think the Neil Young one is kind of cheating. I have the greatest respect for him as a person and musician, but it’s because Jason happens to sing most comfortably in that register…
Do you feel any different for turning 30?
No, not really.  Well, I guess I drink a little bit less, but I’m still pretty much drunk every night! I still feel capable as ever to go out doing what I like to do – skateboarding, playing music…