Wells of creativity

After struggling for years in the rock underground, they clawed together $5,000 and recorded debut album Bright Idea, which went on to sell more than 600,000 copies worldwide. Most tellingly, 400,000 of those were in the UK.

The band quickly realised their new future lay far from the swaying palm trees of their native Hollywood, and much closer to the drabber, less fashionable, reaches of west London.

"Life is wild," laughs singer Jason Pebworth, at home in Shepherd's Bush.

"We came from America thinking we were going to be playing a handful of shows, but have ended up living here.

"We didn't set out to do it. No one plans to leave LA and move to London.

"It just happened. For whatever reason, this is where are core audience is. So we packed for a month's trip and never went back!"

Their follow-up album, Culture Vultures - containing single Ain't No Party sees more of the same cheery pop, but is louder, livelier and even more catchy.

Yet despite a fleeting impression of chuck-away pop, it repays repeat listening - revealing layers of depth and meaning beneath a deceptively cheery exterior. Which is why the band ended up soaking Noel Gallagher with Champagne after picking up Best International Newcomer at this year's Brits.

So where does it all come from: "I listen to stories and take it all in,"

explains Jason.

"My main interest is people and relationships and the way we interact. I just write about what I know. But it's seen as a novelty that Jason from Orson writes about a girl or his love life, as if it was a really novel concept - as if everyone else just writes about politics or being awesome!

"People think 'great - here are the guys who are going to bring a party to town'. But we have only written two songs specifically about parties. It's more to do with our bombastic chords and heavy-handed 'all's well that ends well' approach.

"But beneath the songs it's not always happy. Our music puts a happy face on something more searching and uncertain."

Despite the gulf between themselves and the tsunami of disposable pop, which has submerged the charts, there is no denying their roots.

"We are unashamedly pop," he insists. "Pop is a part of everyday culture, but the word does raise eyebrows, as if it lacks some kind of integrity.

"Yet there is so much garbage in indie. Indie just means a certain haircut, guitar sound or a pair of shoes. it's a corporate buzzword that keeps kids thinking something is happening.

"Bright Idea was our idea of what's happening to indie. Yet, there is no-one more indie than us! We have always been 'anti-what- is-happening'.

"We are not indie pin-up guys, like so many other lovely chaps, but are doing it for the music.

"We just make the music we love to make, and are taking measures to come up with something unique!"

Which brings us back to the question of why he left sunny, optimistic LA for cynical old Britain?

"The English love to pride themselves on living somewhere gloomy and dull!" he laughs. "I hate to burst your bubble, but it's the opposite. You have so much going on. In America everyone is in a car and they hardly talk to each other. They drive to work and home again without having to bump into another human being for months.

"But here it's chaotic. People are late, rushing to work and surviving. Then there is the pub culture and festivals, which are very community-based things.

"At least 200 festivals happen in the UK in one year. In America it's 10 - and they are big giant things. The UK is about being part of each other, but the US is closed off.

"We haven't tried to make it in the States. The Scissor Sisters, Killers and The Strokes are in the same boat. The biggest band in America is Nickleback! It just so happens that a lot of our favourite bands just happen to be from England.

"Just look at The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Blur and Oasis. These are bands that have defined where music is today."

Orson play the Oxford Carling Academy on Friday. Tickets are £15. Doors open at 7pm.