Interview: Charlotte Hatherley

IT'S not a good start. As soon as she picks up the phone, an apologetic Charlotte Hatherley tells me she's "a bit too tired to talk". She's in Paris and has been travelling all day. Fair enough. We say goodbye, and I am just about to call her people to try and re-arrange our chat when she calls back.

Laughing, she admits: "I'd rather do it now than have to wake up early tomorrow for it."

As we talk, it's clear that the 30-year-old is much warmer and more down-to-earth than her image perhaps suggests.

The former Ash guitarist, who will performing at The Bodega Social Club next week, thinks the preconceptions stem more from the cold rock chick stereotype than anything she has done.

"This is a very positive record," she says of her latest solo album, New Worlds.

"The last one was thoughtful and quite dark, but this is much more of a celebration. It's quite punk-pop, and all about bright colours, and creating art.

"And this one was recorded live. It's really in your face."

New Worlds is Hatherley's third solo album.

"It's a new beginning, and a much more honest record from me. I'm an older and wiser person."

She has had plenty of opportunity to grow as an artist of late, playing guitar for the likes of Blondie, Bryan Ferry and, more recently, Bat for Lashes.

"Bryan Ferry wanted some girls in his band. It was very glamorous, and I got to play all over the world, but it was very 'British establishment'.

"With Bat for Lashes it was just like being in a girl band. I like playing for other people – it makes me feel differently about my guitar playing."

That said, Hatherley does enjoy the process of writing and recording her solo records – particularly this latest one.

"The last one was a little indulgent. You can lose perspective during the long recording process, but this was completed in a week. When I'd finished I was really pleased with it."

Hatherley split from Ash in early 2006 and since going solo says she has learnt a lot more about the music business.

"I've realised I really don't want to be involved in that," she says of the traditional relationship between artist and label.

"I'm just so lucky to be doing what I'm doing.

"I just want to entertain."