We spoke to lead singer of North London band Penny Mob, Jamie Quinn, ahead of the band's gig at Proud Camden tonight (Oct 28).

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a little post-industrial working class town called Coatbridge, which is just on the outskirts of Glasgow. They sometimes call it Little Ireland as it has a huge history of Irish immigration.

How did you all meet?

We met at a method acting school in London, the Drama Centre. The same place that Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender went to. It was a real mad and intense place to go. The teachers there were just as crazy as the students (and the students were pretty crazy let me tell you!).

It was a place that very much encouraged the idea that all artists should be rebels, who should always go out their way to challenge and ask questions of the society we live in, and above all else - tell the truth. That's something we've carried over into our band, and will always try and do in our music, no matter what style the song, no matter how successful you become, write about how you feel, and tell the truth.

How long have you been together?

About a year and a half. I'd started writing songs long before that though. I always had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to be in a band with Mullan, because he had real soul.

One day, it just clicked, we got together in a room, started jamming, and that was it. We made a pact there and then, to go on and try and be the best rock n roll band we can possibly be, and make a difference... and maybe banish Simon Cowell in the process.

Describe your music

I'd say we're genuinely alternative, a lot of our songs sound very different, and we like to play around with different styles, not just from song to song, but within each particular song.

If I had to describe us in one sentence I'd say: Anthemic raw Indie, laced with pure guitar pop & the spirit of punk coursing throughout. 

What have you released?

Earlier in the year, we put our first few demo tracks online, one of which was a track called War On The Streets, which is about a guy who's caught up in a violent world, living a hedonistic and extreme lifestyle, which he wants out of but can't, because it's all he's ever known really, it’s a part of who he is. There's a lot of guys like that in our society, who are looking for a way out of a certain kind of life. The tracks garnered quite a lot attention for us, and got a great deal of radio play and attention online and in the press. It started to grow from there really.

Tell me about your new single, Love Not Hate

Love Not Hate is almost the opposite of War On the Streets. In style, in its statement, in everything. I wanted to write a positive rock ‘n’ roll song, that wasn't scared in being so, that was straight down the line in what it was trying to say.

It's an unapologetic pop/rock anthem, that projects a clear, and distinct message - that at the end of the day, when push comes to shove, the one thing that we all have to do if we're going to evolve in this world, the one thing that truly matters, is to love and not hate. So do it! Sort it out man!

Tell me more about your acting career

At the moment I'm starring in a few BBC comedies on network TV - Still Game which is on BBC One right now on Friday nights, and Two Doors Down which the 2nd series will be airing on BBC Two in November time.

I'm also playing a small role in Michael Winterbottom's new docudrama On The Road with the band Wolf Alice.

If you had to choose between music and acting what would it be?

Both. I love acting, but I also need to write songs and be in a band, there's no choice in the matter, it's a part of who I am. I'll be making music till the day I die... and then when I get to heaven...I'll be jamming on a ukulele with the angels!

Any other info?

Come along and see us live, and join our Mob! We're playing at Proud Camden, tonight, October 28, 7.30pm.

Details: 020 7482 3867