Tim Hughes catches up with Mark Morriss, frontman of Britpop survivalists The Bluetones BACK in the hazy days of 1994, a new band called The Bluetones were being touted as ‘the next big thing’.

‘Yeah, right’ we probably muttered, before getting down to more Whigfield, East 17 or Chaka Demus & Pliers.

Yet, not only did this cheeky four-piece put a rocket up the fledgling Britpop scene, blazing a trail for a legion of imitators, but they are still here today.

With their contagious combination of fiery guitar hooks and whimsical vocals they soon amassed a vast fanbase. And, like their idols, they have kept the faith – still turning out for gig after gig.

Those fans will be delighted to hear that, after a year off, the band have got their collective act together, are back on the road, and have gone back to their roots with a show which sees them playing their cult debut album Expecting To Fly in its entirety.

“We have stuck together for 14 years now,” says frontman Mark Morriss.

“There are probably only us, Supergrass and Super Furry Animals who are still around with the same line-up.

“It’s not like we broke up and just get together to jump on the nostalgia bandwagon. We’ve been lucky. It’s the animosity between us that has kept us together. Nobody wants to be the first to blink!

“We've always been ploughing away in our lonely field, throughout all the changes in the record industry. We are a cult now. But I’ve been playing music for 20 years now, and it’s too late to stop!

“We still enjoy ourselves, though, and have a lot to offer ourselves as well as the audience.”

Now a 37-year-old dad-of-one, living out in deepest Kent, The Guide caught up with former died-in-the-wool Londoner Mark, and his baby son, down in Tunbridge Wells, before heading out on the road.

“I'd like to think there’s a certain humour in what we do," he explains, trying to sum up the band’s enduring popularity.

“There’s also a certain melodic sensibility that has struck a chord with a lot of people. It’s not all laughter and pretty tunes, but something else we’ve cottoned on to.”

And the fanbase? “We’ve built up a relationship, of sorts, with them, and it’s very rewarding. But we’ve also noticed a younger element of people too young to have seen us the first time.”

While the band have stuck together, the past year has seen them explore their own diverse side projects.

Mark has been working on an acoustic solo album, guitarist Adam Devlin is trying his hand as a songwriter, drummer Ed Chester is studying osteopathy, and Mark’s brother Scott, who plays bass, has started an apprenticeship in animation (expect a slew of animated Bluetones videos with their sixth studio album later this year).

But they are glad to be back together.

“The hunger is still there,” says Mark.

“It’s good to have good experiences outside the band, but this is our priority.”

The decision to play their debut album all the way through – with tunes Bluetonic, Cut Some Rug, A Parting Gesture and the anthemic Slight Return – will go down well with fans, he admits. But this is not a band that is exclusively dining out on past glories.

“There’s a growth and progression in our music,” he adds. “We still feel challenged by what we do. When that stops we’ll try different things, but that hasn’t happened yet.”

So has fatherhood changed him?

“Yeah, I have calmed down a bit. But I wouldn’t want it to be any different. There’s something tragic about those guys that carry on getting wasted all the time. It’s like they don’t want to get off the roundabout.

“I'd like to think we’ve all wised up a little bit.”

The Bluetones play the O2 Academy Oxford on Sunday. Doors open at 7pm.