Fresh from releasing "Comb The Breaks", the John Peel favourites speak to Becky Ross.

Derrero must be in the lead for the title of "World's Most Patient Band". While their contemporaries such as Super Furry Animals and Catatonia broke through in the Nineties, the Welsh-based psychedelic popsters were left trailing behind in indie obscurity.

Undeterred, Derrero kept on their own surreal pop adventure, content to let others gain commercial success. But surely it must have been galling to watch other bands rise to the top of the pop world?

"I guess we make off-kilter records that are never going to be conventional. When you're intentionally as arty as we are, the commercial element is bound to suffer..." says Derrero's Andy Fung.

"Also, we are not one hundred percent `rock star` in our attitude. We all have other interests outside the band. Mine is art - I'm studying part-time for an MA in art at the moment."

Derrero released their latest album "Comb The Breaks" in March 2002 to critical success, but - perhaps inevitably with songs containing quality melodies and thoughtful lyrics - chart success remained illusive. Not that Andy is especially bothered: as long as a certain legendary Radio One DJ approves of Derrero, he'll be more than content.

"We met up with John Peel at "One Live in Cardiff". I'm chuffed that he likes us. He was lovely, standing there like your dad with a big glass of red wine," gushes Andy. "He is amazing - he plays all that mental music and yet he's so down to earth. I don't know how he keeps sane! I couldn't talk to him - I was just staring at my feet the whole time."

In spite of critical acclaim, and being played by Peel and Mark Radcliffe, Andy was not altogether content with "Comb The Breaks", and is already thinking of the future:

"I felt that all the songs were just about one mood really. This time around we want to do something different."

Andy remains tight-lipped about the tracks they've demoed so far, but he admits that "...we're still working on those melodic pop tunes. We also want to add some weird rhythms - why not experiment?"

The band may have finished the new album in time for a release date next year, but in the meantime they will release a single from "Comb The Breaks".

Last year saw a change of label from Big Noise to Betws-y-Coed's Sylem. But if you imagine the band would be tempted by the major labels with their offers of huge wads of cash and swanky limos, think again.

"We like to retain creative control," he says. "we've had a fair bit of being courted by the majors, but er're too much of an odd band for most of them. We don't have an obvious frontperson and we enjoy having a free reign over what we do. We'd be happy to put our own records out on a DIY basis, even."

In this current stifling music climate of mega sales and media manipulation, it's refreshing that such an old-skool indie-spirited band like Derrero exists. Poised in the wings while every other Welsh-based band basked in glory, it would be a crying shame if Derrero never got their turn in the spotlight.

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