Piano man Chas Hodges talks to us about being back in the limelight after an appearance with The Libertines and gigs at Glastonbury.

What came before Chas & Dave?

I started in a skiffle group as a teenager and first played bass guitar, then I was on the road with various groups before joining Jerry Lee Lewis in 1963. I learnt to play piano when I was with him. When I hooked up with Dave I gave up the bass to concentrate on the piano.

Where and how did you both meet?

I'd known Dave in the early 60s when we were both bass players in different bands. I met him when I was thumbing a lift home from a girlfriends house and he was in the mates car that picked me up.

You've labelled your music Rockney can you explain what that is?

In short it's Rock & Roll music sung in our own accents and featuring everyday situations we know from our own lives. People always sing in American accents but at last we can see other groups catching on too. For instance the Arctic Monkeys sing in a Sheffield accent it sounds so much more honest. Everyone should do it.

Does your UK fanbase consist of mainly Londoners or do you find your appeal stretches over the North/South divide?

We appeal completely across the board now. Our record company did a survey to find out which records were selling most where when they released our back catalogue and surprisingly, we were selling the most in central Scotland.

What's the funniest thing youve ever written about?

I suppose Rabbit was the most tongue-in-cheek thing we did. It's us saying to a woman you're lovely, but please keep your mouth shut, you talk too much. We knew it would kick up a bit of fuss but it was all meant to be fun. Some took it far too seriously though. We did a live Radio 1 show from a university and beforehand a group of feminists threatened to stage a protest and disrupt it. Just in case, we also recorded the show in the afternoon so we had footage to broadcast in an emergency. As it turned out, only about half a dozen turned up, we did Rabbit in front of 700 students and the whole roof lifted off.

You've seen an impressive return to popularity in the last few years and have done everything from share a stage with Pete Doherty to playing to an immense Glastonbury audience. Why do you think you're popular with a younger generation?

The Libertines thing all came about because Pete Doherty named us as one of his musical influences as a kid. We supported him at Brixton Academy and suddenly we had a whole new audience. Our music doesn't date as it was never trendy in the first place. It's simply good music.

What's been the highlight of your career?

My best memories are of playing Glastonbury because at last people could see us for the great musicians we are. We're not just about good entertainment we can really play our instruments. Real people see the music content they dont see us as a novelty.

What was it like playing Glastonbury?

It's all it's cracked up to be and more. It wouldn't be right without the crowds and the rain. We've played there for the last two years and love it. Plus the crowd reaction is fantastic.

Your collection of songs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of VE day in 95 went to number two in the album charts, second only to Take Thats farewell album. Was that a proud moment for you?

To be honest it never bothered us who we were up against in the charts. And the VE day thing, well I was born in the war and back then my mum was a great piano player, so we understood the spirit of the time. Only we could put those songs down properly as we mean them when we play them. We enjoyed doing it and were proud of it.

Radio play of one of your tracks propelled to success in the States 25 years after your initial success what was that like? Did the Americans get you?

Of course they get us. Ain't No Pleasin' You was a great hit over there. One of our biggest fans is the main producer at Sun Records Jack Clement. He said that Elvis would have loved Chas & Dave. Some of rocks founding fathers Johnny Cash, Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis they all got their start at Sun Records. It's a big compliment.

Your songs are a commentary on normal, everyday things such as hangovers and nagging partners are they all autobiographical?

Yes. Take the song Gertcha, that was just something we said to each other in the studio. Then we wrote a song about it. There is a serious side to Chas & Dave though. We might sing about a situation thats happened to a close friend and we didn't even realise it when we were writing the song. For instance Ain't No Pleasing You was about my brothers situation when he was splitting up with his missus. They're all about experiences and love affairs.

Who are you most proud to have met or played with in your career?

I'm most proud of playing with Jerry Lee Lewis. I saw him when I was a kid then I went on tour with him. He quotes me as his favourite bass player of all time. I swell with pride at my hero paying me such a compliment.

Who are your musical influences?

Jerry Lee Lewis but a close second has to be guitar players such as Les Paul, Jimmy Bryant and Martin Taylor.

Favourite Chas & Dave track and why?

It's got to be Ain't No Pleasing You. It was a serious ballad and got to Number 1 in the Melody Maker chart and Number 2 in the BBC chart. Plus it was sung in my own accent.

What do you like about playing Butlins?

It's a good mixed crowd thats young and vibrant. Plus they love the music of today, not just of the past.

Whats in the pipeline for Chas & Dave?

I'm writing my own album and playing everything on it myself. I wrote a book called Chas Before Dave but the company publishing it went bankrupt. So now another publisher is involved and I'm turning it into the Chas & Dave story with Chas Before Dave as the first half.

Whan can you see them?

Catch Chas & Dave at the Skool Reunion Weekender, Bognor Regis 29 February.

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Name That Tune

Chas & Daves old favourites include Snooker Loopy, Ponders End Allotment Club, Gertcha, The Sideboard Song, Rabbit and Ain't No Pleasing You.

Their latest album Country Pies, Black Claws & Oily Rags (The Early Years of Chas & Dave) is out now on their website or at www.amazon.co.uk

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Not a Lot of People Know That

• Chas & Dave wrote the theme tunes to 80s TV hits Crackerjack and In Sickness & In Health
• Eamonn Andrews presented them with his Red Book on This Is Your Life in 1985
• They were offered the chance to perform the theme tune to Only Fools & Horses but were unavailable. They did however sing Down to Margate for an episode of the show.
• US singer-songwriter Tori Amos is a fan in fact, shes covered both That's What I Like Mike (The Sandwich Song) and London Girls

For more Chas & Dave news and facts visit www.chasndave.com