Not only are they still alive but they have just released what he deems their best album since Levelling The Land in 1991.

And you can hear for yourself, for The Levellers are headlining the first concert of Arundel Festival and will be playing about half of the tracks from Letters from the Underground.

"I didn't even know Arundel had a festival," said Jeremy. "I've never been to Arundel. Whenever I drive past and see that lovely view of the castle and cathedral, I have always thought to myself, one day I will go and have a look round.

"It's one of my mum's favourite places and she'll be in the audience. We're not usually allowed in places like that!"

There are plenty of people on the "enormous" guest list and plenty of Brighton fans will be heading to the historic location.

"We're doing about half the new album in gigs at the moment and all the live favourites – not necessarily the singles but the fast, loud and noisy ones that people like."

They will be joined on stage by Seth Lakeman and 3 Daft Monkeys, their support acts, for a couple of songs.

Jeremy wrote the lyrics for Letters from the Underground. "We were a bit disappointed with the previous album and felt we'd lost control of it, which is unusual for us.

"After coming to terms with that, we decided the next album would capture our lives as much as possible and the lyrics would be first and not last, like they were on the previous record.

"It took me almost two years to write the words. A lot of stuff didn't get used. In that time the rest were getting tunes together.

"Eventually I brought them 12 or 13 sets of lyrics and an album title and they went off to Ireland for a couple of weeks.

"Usually I am on hand or they phone me up and say they can't make it work and I tell them how to!

"We have our own studio in Brighton where we usually record everything but we decided to do the actual writing in Cornwall and Ireland to get away from the distractions. The main song writing was in Ireland."

Producer Sean Lakeman, whose brother Seth joins the band on stage at Arundel, spent a few weeks in Cornwall working with them and then they recorded the album in "about a week in Brighton – pretty much live".

Jeremy is very pleased with the result. "It's the most political record I've ever written, probably because I just get so angry about nobody else bothering.

"There are plenty of people who moan about things but it never seems to be reflected in what they do.

"We put it off for years but I thought these issues are so big – 9/11, the war in the Middle East – so big, much higher profile people than us would tackle them.

"We stayed cool but realised no-one had said anything about it. We give it a British perspective, so we talk about 7/7 rather than 9/11 and stuff like that.

"It's nothing like the last album, more like our very early demos before we even made an album. It's in your face and fast and angry – a punk rock record really."

Letters from the Underground, released on Monday, was in the top 20 from pre-sales orders alone and the band were hoping to reach top 10.
Jeremy also designed the artwork.

"When we started out we knew we were never going to have an image per se – we're not like a boy band where they wear the same suit and stuff. So our image is through our artwork – I worked out a symbol for us. It's been called 'iconic' by a national paper – I liked that!"

The Levellers formed in Brighton in 1988, when Jeremy and lead vocalist Mark Chadwick met in the Eagle pub.

Their name came from either a radically democratic faction of Oliver Cromwell's New Model Army, Brighton's The Level or a word chosen from the dictionary – take your pick.

Supporters of green anarchism, their first album, A Weapon Called the Word, was released in 1990, closely followed by Levelling the Land. Zeitgeist reached number one in the album charts in 1995.

From headlining festivals to intimate acoustic shows, they have perhaps become better know for live performances than chart hits, although still bringing out pop gems like What a Beautiful Day and anthems One Way, 15 Years and Just the One.

Their own Beautiful Days festival, held over three days at Escot Park, Devon, sees its sixth year this weekend.

Highlights of the 20 years for Jeremy include their first time headlining Glastonbury Festival, taking part in the "biggest gig ever" for the anniversary of Rock Against Racism at Victoria Park, London, in front of 14 million people and travelling all over the world and "seeing things you wouldn't normally see".

Their next big event is a semi-accoustic set at the Royal Albert Hall in London in September.

The Levellers are at Arundel on August 22. Gates open at 5.30pm and the music starts at 7pm, with a firework finale.

Tickets are £28 from Arundel Castle ticket office, IML Concerts on 01603 660444 or click here

Chance to win tickets

WANT to win the chance to grüve to some music whilst enjoying some scrummy chocolaty and fruity puds?

The gürus at Gü Chocolate Puddings and Frü Fruity Puds will be dishing out their püds at Arundel Castle festival on August 22.

At this year's festival, you're guaranteed an all-rocking, all-rolling evening with timeless party classics and, of course, delicious puds to keep you gü-ing!

They particularly recommend the new Gü Tiffins (bitesize cakes with a biscuity base topped with smooth caramel and chocolate) or the light and fluffy Frü Trifle with layers of strawberry and raspberry compote, vanilla sponge and rich, smooth Bourbon and vanilla custard.

One lucky winner will be offered a £25 voucher for Gü-licious chocolate puddings and fruity Frü puds, a pair of tickets to the Arundel Castle music extravaganza featuring the Levellers and Seth Lakeman, as well as some grüvy Gü goodies, including cool bag and apron. Runner-up prizes will also include Gü vouchers and goodies.

If you don't win, don't worry just go and see them and they will give ü some samples to try for ürself.

For more information on Gü Chocolate Puds click here

For more information on Frü Fruity Puds, click here


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