Talking Shop: Raygun

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The video for Raygun's debut single, Just Because

Fresh from supporting pop star Pink on her European tour, British band Raygun have trained their sights on the top 40.

Their debut single, Just Because, is a catchy rock/pop hybrid, featuring the sort of monster chorus their pop mentor would kill for.

The video (see above) takes its inspiration from Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, while hip-shaking frontman Tobias "Ray Gun" Ratcliffe has been likened to Mick Jagger.

Talking to the BBC, Ray spilled the beans on Pink's drinking habits, the worst hotel in Paris, and getting the sack.

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Your single has been playlisted at Radio One - how does that feel?

I am pretty excited, but you know what? I don't really listen to the radio and I don't really watch television.

Why ever not?

There's so much junk on television. I like comedy and good documentaries, but a lot of the time it's just Peter Andre and Jordan. I'd rather be out meeting people and drinking and talking and soaking up what's going on in the world.

The group plan to release their debut album later this year

You've just toured Europe with Pink. What was she like?

Very sweet, actually. If you'd watched her videos, you'd think she was going to be angry all the time but I only saw her lose her cool about things that were happening on stage - which is only natural if you're doing a show with trapezes and pools of water and acrobatics. You have to get it right, there's no room for any mistakes.

To us, she was lovely. She was like: "Come and hang out and have a drink!"

Is she a hard drinker?

No! She wasn't allowed to drink a lot on tour because it was too dangerous with her doing all these acrobatics. But when we had a couple of days off there would usually be a big cocktail party. It was very weird - like having Pink in your front room.

She's just got back together with her husband, Carey Hart. Was that happening while you were on tour?

Carey turned up once in a while. People were constantly trying to find out whether they were together again but I wasn't allowed to say I'd seen him. I am now, of course.

How does the tour bus of a puny support act compare to that of a globe-straddling megastar?

Our little van that we drove around in was horrible! I'd love to be in a coach with a double bed and going to a nice hotel.

We were literally spending £20 a night on hotels. Paris was the worst. It had bunk beds and a pod with a shower and toilet together. You could go to the toilet and wash your feet at the same time. Oh dear.

One newspaper said Raygun would only "work" in front of a massive stadium audience, otherwise there was no point. Discuss.

I would disagree with that. We would never say die. We are the kind of band that would keep on doing what we do even if the record label dropped us.

Ray's sculpted cheekbones have seen him likened to Mick Jagger

How did the band come together?

Me and the guitarist, Adj, met about eight years ago at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. Adj saw me playing with another band and thought I was great.

So why did it take eight years to get from Guildford to London? The train only takes 40 minutes.

We decided Guildford wasn't really the best music scene, so we moved down to Brighton and made our way around the clubs. But there was a long period where it fell apart because we had no money and no jobs. I gave up on music for two years.

So it was quite a struggle?

It was very unusual. I was working in the distribution room of a record label called Tru Thoughts. I had one tape - an old, 1970s James Brown compilation - and I would spend my days packaging records up and sending them to Japan while doing the splits.

They gave me the sack. They said I wasn't really focussed on the job.

Did that give you a kick start?

It was a low point, actually. I didn't have any money and I was constantly going down to the job centre. But it was a good thing because it made me quite angry about life. I realised that I had to get off my arse and do something.

That energy seems to have carried over to your stage show. I've seen you do unspeakable things to a theremin. Is that anger or passion? Or lust?

All of them at the same time! I don't know if you're aware of an artist called Clara Rockmore? She was a famous theremin player; she played it like a classical instrument. I'm the opposite. Mine is just for a bit of rumpo.

Alison Goldfrapp used to do a similar thing. Maybe you could perform a duet in the future?

I absolutely love Alison Goldfrapp and if there's any opportunity to do that, I would be straight in there.

Ray was talking to BBC News entertainment reporter Mark Savage. Just Because is out now on RCA Records.