“It’s basically a term used by some to describe the feeling on Tuesday after a rather large weekend. I guess it’s a look at our culture.” Calling his new album Suicide Tuesday might suggest Guy ‘Hyper’ Hatfield is a sensitive soul with Morrissey-esque pretentions though he’s quick to dispel the notion in typically robust terms.

“I reckon I’ve had as many suicidal thoughts as anyone; you know, when Lincoln City are third from bottom with three games to play and the local shops run out of Tomato Snaps,” he laughs. “I know a guy who works at Oxford University who studies suicide, a very nice, cheerful chap, and it’s an interesting subject,” he continues. “Apparently suicide rates are high amongst farmers because they have guns in easy reach, and probably ‘cos the supermarkets pay them nowt [nothing] for their milk, and it’s high in Russia because of their alcoholic culture.”

Chatting to Skrufff 18 months ago, the hard living producer dropped his guard, sobbing “put me on a balcony 10 storeys up and I’m in pieces clinging on to the rail. It seems to be the thought of throwing myself off that is the problem and not actually the height itself,” although today he disowns the sentiment. “That’s not a suicidal thought, that’s vertigo,” he corrects, “You’re misinterpreting what I said – and you, a journalist!’

Despite, or indeed partially because of his outsider status on Britain’s always somewhat cliquey breaks scene, Hyper’s career has progressively developed and thrived, notably when he formed a band with ex Prodigy members Leeroy and guitarist Jim Davies in 2004. New album Suicide Tuesday sees the band exploring their heavy rocking, electro-house hybrid still further, with impressive and exciting results; the result of painstaking efforts on Guy’s behalf, he points out.

“I’m writing loads and loads of ideas all the time and ditching the ones that don’t work, I think that’s the best way to go about it,” he explains. “Sometimes you start something that you think sounds good, go back to it a week later and wonder what you were thinking about and the same can be said for the other way around. Inspiration is definitely important, it means you go in there with an idea or vibe which kicks things off rather than sitting there saying what shall we do now.”

How much is Hyper nowadays you, and how much a group? How much do you discuss things like how the band is presented with the other musicians? Do you all sit around discussing ‘punk’, ‘breaks’ images etc?

Ha ha. No, not really. We Control was an album which came about from a need to experiment with different ideas after several years of myself and Ronnie just really making club tracks. Suicide Tuesday was inspired from taking the previous album out on the road and realising the songs we got off on (enjoyed) the most and then pushing that energy to a new level. This album is all about energy, which is a great thing to have with a band. We usually sit around farting and giggling, like most bands.

The title reminds me of I Don’t Like Mondays, how much were you a big Boomtown Rats fan? What did Sex Pistols have that Bob Geldof’s band lacked?

Energy, anger and no shower. I was playing in Tokyo once and a guy tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘I hear you’re into punk, I was in a punk band once.’ He turned out to be Johnny Fingers from the Boomtown Rats. I’m afraid I can’t take the Boomtown Rats seriously as a punk band, even though Johnny is a really nice guy.”

Your new biog also name checks Crass: one of punk culture’s most politically conscious players: how important are social issues for Hyper?

As a band I’m not hugely into ramming my political views down other people’s throats. As far as I’m concerned anyone can objectively watch the news and make up their own mind on world events and politics without me adding my two penneth. I like Crass’ music but don’t want to live in a squat. Away from the band, I’m an avid watcher of the news and Question Time and definitely have my own views.

It also says your last album We Control was a nod to the glory days of the ‘Punk Rock revolution’. What do you make of the youth of today, why do you think they’re less revolutionary than earlier generations?

I think probably because on the whole we’re a far more stable country than we were in the 70s. It seems strange to say that in these uncertain times but I don’t think there’s really enough to get that upset about. I think we’re still living through the last big musical revolution, which is dance music. I see it as the single most important movement since punk for impacting on culture.

What’s your take on the credit crunch: what impact do you expect it to have on DJing/music?

It will probably mean that more people will download their music for free.”

Already tracks from the record have ended up on key TV shows such as Ugly Betty, CSI:NY & Sony Playstation games: how lucrative are these placements compared to gigs?

None of your business.

The press release says Touch was an experiment in seeing what it’s like to work at 150 plus BPM. What interests you about faster music?

It’s actually quite a nice tempo to work at. It’s always just nice to try something different, I think. It’s not much fun writing all of your tracks at 125 or 130. You write differently because there’s not quite as much natural space there.

It also quotes you as saying ‘mellowing is not really in my nature. I’m still angry’: what makes you angry in particular?

Anything on any given day but patronising airport staff and jobsworth cabin crew (especially at BA) piss me off most regularly. You might think they would try to make a stressful event a little less so for their customers.

When was the last time you had a fight: or punched someone?

In the schoolyard when I was 14. Me and this lad from Columbia were playing football, he was much bigger than I was and we both went into a tackle really hard. We both jumped up and he threatened to punch my lights out etc. So I did what any real man would do and ran. He then started chasing me and didn’t stop until eventually I turned around and punched him in the face as he ran towards me and broke his nose. A complete fluke, I’m definitely not a fighter.

Were you ever bullied? Or a bully?

I guess I was both at some points at school as many are. I was definitely bullied as a younger child at secondary school and I was a nightmare to a couple of kids too when I was older. It was purely mental bullying and not something I’m proud of at all. Kids can be cruel.

Have you ever been harassed when performing? Over-persistent DJ requests?

Yes, I’ve had people waving bibles at me telling me I’m playing the Devil’s music, I’ve had people repeatedly ask for drum n bass/trance/ anything funky etc etc It goes with the territory.

Hyper’s Suicide Tuesday is out now, catch him at the following dates…

Fri Oct 24. Canberra, Academy
Sat Oct 25. Sydney, Chinese Laundry
Fri Oct 31. Melbourne, Brown Alley
Sat Nov 1. Perth, Ambar