I wouldn't say I'd forgotten about you but it feels like you've been off planet rock 'n'roll for ages where have you been hiding?
We've been recording some new tracks that we did earlier on this year in America which are on this best of album (Together) which we've got coming out in January.

You decided to retreat to Devon for a few months in the summer - were you feeling a bit burnt out?
Absolutely! It was time to sort of gather in a little bit and ask ourselves are we all happy with what we're doing? And are we really adding anything musically at the moment? We had a beautiful time down there but we were addressing a lot as well. We're fired up again after going a bit dark!

It must have been great to be away from your timetable and able to write and jam together...
Yeah, I think a lot of really good music comes out when you're just letting it come out - I think the magic comes out, the words come out and feelings come out. We were really letting go in a place where you can as it was so remote down there.

For me it was a good place - it was by the sea, very green and quite wild and it felt quite special down there. We'd go surfing and then come back with all the gear set up, plug in and drink some cider.

The break has spawned some new songs - tell us about them.....
It's a harder sound, like when we first came out - a deep sound, heavy, I really like that.

What's your favourite track?
I like the song Talk To Me which is one of the new ones - we all ended up writing it. Me and Gary started jamming and it just came out, it was cool we were just sparking off - so that's a good one. And I like Naked off the first album, it's a good Reef track, I just love the way it's loopy and dancy and headbanging at the same time with good words - it's the best of both worlds!

Can you believe that you've been together for nearly 10 years - it's like a marriage...
Yeah! It's been a funny old time. It's a funny life and we've had a wonderful time, we really have. When you're touring and you've got your other life as well it can be a testing time too. We've had our periods when we've been right down in the bottom of the pit. But we're still together so there's got to be a reason for it! I'm pleased that we are because I'm really looking forward to doing these gigs.

What's been the band's highlight so far?
It must be playing Glastonbury which is local to where we live. And I think for me the travelling - seeing places like Australia and New Zealand, I probably would have gone there because I'm a keen surfer - but to have gone there a few times and to have experienced places like Japan has been wicked.

What's your most prized possession?
My health.

What would you be doing if you weren't in a band?
I'd hopefully be living a similar life to the one I lead now - it's fulfilling. I surf when I can and I love art, I love drawing sometimes, it's just the simple things.

Do you get any strange stuff chucked at you when you're on stage?
Lots of shoes. When the kids bundle each other about in the crowd they end up on stage!

What are you doing for Christmas?
I'll probably be in Somerset and for New Year I reckon I'll be surfing down in Cornwall. I just want to be writing music at the moment but I will be seeing my friends and family like everyone else.