Peace return with their second album Happy People on February 9 and have already sold out three nights at Newcastle’s Cluny on March 5, 6 and 7. What’s On spoke to frontman Harry Koisser

You have a huge tour coming up, playing in lots of tiny venues

Yes, we haven't played in venues this small for a while, with the exception of one tiny fan show we did last year in Inverness. That was really the reason we wanted to do this, it was so much fun we said when we first toured the new album we'd play a couple of nights in tiny venues, rather than one in a bigger place.

How is it different to a bigger show?

Well there are three sorts of buzzes really; supporting someone at a massive arena like Earls Court, which is one thing, playing a big headline show of your own, and then this, playing to 150/200 people in a tiny room full of mad fans. All great for different reasons. Fortunately we've got loads of people around us that help us do whatever we want.

When did you start on the new album?

November 2013. I was bragging to the record label about how we'd got all the songs and that we just needed to record them, but that wasn't really the case, as it turned out. We thought we'd have it done in two weeks, but it actually takes quite a while, recording an album. We went on tour twice more, did more writing and went on holiday and realised it takes as long as it takes. But sometimes it doesn't have to be a Jamie's 15-Minute Meal, this album is a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, falling off the bone.

What does that mean?

It's delicious.

Who produced it?

We did seven tracks with Jim Abbiss, who is my favourite person to be in a studio with. He did our first album too. And we did the other three tracks with Duncan Mills, who we've also worked with before. We recorded in a lot of different ways on the album so it was good to have that continuity.

What different ways?

As a band all playing together, in isolation, in the countryside locked away from everything, in the city, with samples, all sorts really.

How do you work best?

When we're locked away. If you put us in the countryside, like when we went to Rockfield in Wales, then we will get loads done, but if we're in the middle of London we'll just find loads of ways to distract ourselves.

How was Rockfield? Lots of famous records have been made there

I don't know what's wrong with me, but I don't get sentimental about anything, and I'm not going to say I could 'feel' all the music that had been made there before. Having said that, the first time I saw the piano that Freddie Mercury used on Bohemian Rhapsody I did think that was pretty cool. I tried to learn to play it, but couldn't, so I'd just play Tiny Dancer by Elton John and dedicate it to Freddie, which seemed to annoy everyone. Especially after the 50th time...

Any other stories?

The guy who runs the studio told us about the night he woke up to see Liam Gallagher trying to break down one of the bedroom doors with a cricket bat, which was a great story. It did make me wonder why we're not that rock and roll. But it's cool to be around somewhere that has so many stories. And let's not forget it's an amazing studio.

How hard is it making a second record?

Well you hear it's supposed to be difficult, but when we were doing it, at first at least, I thought it was really, really easy. But then as we went on, I realised it's harder than the first. After six months of experimenting we went back to working how we know. Doing new things is always harder than doing things you know how to do. But you know, with a second album you want to change everything, but at the same time change nothing, so you set impossible tasks.

What happens for the rest of the year?

We're touring in the UK until March, then Europe, then festivals, then some other places, and then I imagine we'll tour in the UK again. I don't normally get told what we're doing because I just blab, so there are no doubt plans afoot but no one would tell me anyway.

Go to peaceforeverever.co.uk for more information