Rou is focusing on the positives to take from 2019 – and how it’s inspiring the next incarnation of Enter Shikari…

How would you sum up your 2019, Rou?

“It’s just flew by. We did a shedload of touring, a load of festivals – the usual business. It’s an especially crazy one, because we’ve been writing the whole time. Even in the quieter moments, it was about knuckling down.”

You released your second book last year, Dear Future Historians. How did the writing experience change from the first one?

“It was awesome, because now I’ve got this archive, not just of the lyrics, but the intent behind them. It’s a relief that it’s all out of my head and there for anyone who wants to know more about the lyrics. There’s sort of a cool mystique about wanting to be misunderstood, but in this current political climate I think being understood is something to strive for.”

READ THIS: The 50 worst album covers ever

Last year you memorably performed five times across Reading & Leeds weekend. What were you thinking?!

“Because it was our first time back at Reading & Leeds for five years, we were like, ‘We’ve got to make up for it, we’ve got to play five times.’ There was a Reading & Leeds shaped hole in my heart for half a decade, so we thought we’d go in. Of course, by the end of it, I was thinking, ‘What the fuck? Why did we put ourselves through that?’ It was the craziest weekend of the year, for sure.”

You played under the Warming Stripes climate change chart. How important was it to spread that message in such a prominent manner?

“That kind of topic of conversation needs to be everywhere and at all points. We shouldn’t be able to get away from it – only then can you penetrate the whole of society. It’s more about pushing it out into the mainstream, to people who wouldn’t think about these things, then harness the pressure onto those in power.”