The direction of that eventual record is, as with all of Against Me!’s material, up in the air, with Andrew believing that the band aren’t all that easy to define.

'It's just...I don't think we're an odd band...I don't think Against Me! was ever even a punk band. It's just...a band.'

Despite that, older fans have labelled them as 'sell-outs' for changes in style with New Wave (2007) and their most recent record, last year’s White Crosses.

'Against Me! has been getting the "sell-out" card thrown at them since they signed with No Idea,' Andrew laughs.

He points out that a defining feature of the quartet has always been that no two records will sound the same - there’s always an ambition to evolve and improve.

'It sounds like a cop-out answer, but it is what it is,' Andrew ponders, agreeing that the 'punk' influence is more in the band’s ethos rather than musical style.

He was quick to lay to rest any fears of a big departure in style.'We're not going to start making a dubstep record, or s*** like that. It's still going to always be Against Me!, but it'll never be the exact same thing.'

For Andrew, the sell-out debate isn’t something he even considers with other bands, providing the music is good.

He explains: 'I try to separate, and just enjoy the music sometimes. I get my politics and stuff from actual politics, real-world.'

Bands are becoming more open to licensing their music to adverts or films, something that Andrew agrees isn’t as evil or corporate as fans make it out to be.

'I will not judge bands for having to pay their mortgages and bills, because sometimes real-life gets in the way of a punk ethos,' he says.

He also points out a definite distinction in what the music is licensed for: 'If you sell your song to the US Army for recruitment...yeah, that's a bit too far. If you put it in a film by a director that you like...that's f****** awesome!'

As Against Me! begin to look ahead to their next studio album, the conversation shifts to the nature of the band’s songwriting, and whether it has become a collaboration over their career.

Andrew compared it to Creedance Clearwater Revival, which had John Fogerty as their primary song-writer  Tom Gabel comes up with the bulk of the band’s material, with everyone else offering their suggestions.

'There could not be Against Me! without [Tom]. Hopefully that doesn't make me sound like some weird hired gun or something,' he joked. 'I love being in the band, and I like the songs that come out of his crazy brain.'

So, would he ever consider a side-project? 'I could start a kick-ass surf band pretty quickly and be a one-man-band. There's no real temptation. Against Me! fulfills me.'

The future is definitely looking bright for the quartet, with a new album not too far away, if Andrew’s hopes are to be realised.

'The band's prolific. Something will happen - it won't take that long.' he says, knocking on wood.'I think the focus is to stay sane.'

FemaleFirst Alistair McGeorge