Photography: Megan Holmes

What was the favourite show you played this year, and why?
"Bowery Ballroom, NYC, March. Sold out two months in advance. Our first time headlining the Bowery was perfect. The energy was huge and I felt like I couldn't have made a mistake if I tried. Plus, the sound and booze quality was excellent."
Did you play with any other great bands this year? Rep for your friends!
"Oh hell yes. We did a few weeks with our old bros The Hold Steady, which was a debaucherous blast, naturally. We had toured with them back in 2004 - they actually opened for us back then, if you can believe it. We hope to flip this, and then see it flipped back again, etc."
"We also did a ton of shows with The Cribs, whom we just adore. They're really just the sweetest fucking guys, and we got to play so many huge shows all throughout the UK. Shrag was on that tour, they're smashing as well. I think they may actually be more debauched than The Hold Steady. Beautiful people just leading a proper filthy rock’n’roll lifestyle."
What's been your key mode of transport in 2007? Introduce us to your tourbus.
"We have a 2002 Chevy Express 3500 van. It's white, and looks like yr typical work van that could likely be filled with enough cow manure to blow a federal building sky high. The seat is caving in on me as I write this. I can feel my ass cheeks going numb."
Where's the best place you've visited this year?
"We went fishing in Tromso, Norway in July. I didn't catch anything but a light buzz. The sun never set! What a trip. Later that day we played a festival between The Hives and Turbonegro. That was interesting."
And where would you most like to play that you haven't so far?
"Personally I'm dying to go to Japan or South America. There are many other countries I would also like to visit one day when our government stops bombing them/supporting their fascist regimes."
What's the absolute worst debauchery that you've seen the road reduce someone to? the worst illnesses and injuries, self-inflicted or not?
"Lord, I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend. I've seen a poisoned rat die at my feet in a public toilet as I shat diarrhea standing up. I've seen (and ingested) drugs I had only read about in textbooks from the Fifties. I've seen a merch girl ride her nose down a flight of stairs. Good God I've had "breakfast" with The Hold Steady in Columbus, Ohio on St. Patrick's Day, under a giant tent of denim baseball caps. Still, nothing tops touring with SHRAG! They can polish off two bands worth of beer, that's before soundcheck. There's no illness or injury when you've got a crew rolling like that, though. Cribs, Thermals, Shrag? We were fucking invincible."
(Hutch Harris)