DO YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK NOW?

Yes. We’ve been here a couple of years, and it feels like home. I fell in love with the place during the touring years with Razorlight, and now I’ve got a wife and daughter, I thought we’d come over here as a family and experience living here properly.

HAS IT CHANGED YOUR SONGWRITING?

No, not really. I can see why it might, but really I write the same way I used to when I lived in London. Walking around the city is obviously amazing, taking the dog out and things, and it’s an inspiring place to be, but I wouldn’t say it’s changed anything.

I wrote the music for The Snowman And The Snowdog here, and that’s all set around London, so I was thinking of home when I wrote that.

YOU’VE RELEASED A LOT OF MUSIC SINCE LEAVING RAZORLIGHT – TWO SOLO ALBUMS, A SMITH AND BURROWS CHRISTMAS ALBUM AND THE SNOWDOG SOUNDTRACK. ARE YOU FEELING PARTICULARLY PROLIFIC?

Don’t forget I played drums on an album by We Are Scientists, too, although I suppose that’s just turning up and hitting things.

Razorlight was such a huge deal, touring all over the world, big albums and so on, and when I decided to leave, because it was such a big decision to make, I felt like I could only justify it if I worked really hard after I’d left.

IS THAT HOW YOU FEEL NOW?

Yes, and I have done. I’ve only really been allowed to get to this awesome place I’m at now because of Razorlight. And I have to make the most of that and work with as many people as I can.

Since I left, although I haven’t done anything that’s been the same scale or size as Razorlight, I feel like I’ve done a bunch of things that I could never have dreamed of.

Without trying to sound cheesy, I’m slowly getting to a place that I always fantasised about. I don’t know where I’ll be, creatively, from one year to the next.

DO YOU FIND IT EASIER NOT BEING AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU WERE IN RAZORLIGHT?

Well, that’s one way of looking at it. When you’re part of a massive machine, you can’t just nip off and do whatever you want. Now it’s different.

But at the same time, the projects I’ve been part of haven’t been so small that I can just do what I like from one day to the next. It’s a funny level.

BUT IT’S MORE FUN NOW?

If you leave one brilliantly paid job, you’ve either got to go and get another brilliantly paid job, or go and get a few bar jobs. At the moment, it feels like I’m working in a few pubs, but having the time of my life. I want to build up a massive number of projects that I’ve been involved with. I feel very lucky.

YOUR FIRST SOLO RECORD WAS RELEASED UNDER THE NAME I AM ARROWS. WHY? AND WHY HAVE YOU NOW REVERTED TO ANDY BURROWS?

I think I was nervous, post-Razorlight. Also the guy who was A&R-ing my record was fired halfway through recording it. It all went a bit pear-shaped, and I didn’t know what I was aiming for.

It seemed to be full of drama and doubt. A couple of people also told me that no one would be interested in a solo album from me, and not to put it out under my own name.

I felt like I had something to prove. People think a drummer is the least talented musician in the band – I think it’s called Ringo Starritis – but that seems to be dropping off.

WHAT CHANGED?

I did a tour with Tom Smith of Editors as Smith & Burrows last year. We sold out all over Europe. But being out front and performing with Tom, who is, you know, an actual frontman, gave me all sorts of confidence, and made me realise that I really enjoy it. This time around it was more for the right reasons.

WILL THERE BE ANOTHER ALBUM WITH TOM SMITH OF EDITORS?

Yes, we’re going to do another album this year, although it won’t be a Christmas one this time.

TALKING OF CHRISTMAS, YOU PROVIDED THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE SNOWMAN AND THE SNOWDOG THAT CHANNEL 4 SHOWED IN DECEMBER. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

I was asked in July. My wife had been working with Ilan Eshkeri, the cowriter, for a year prior to that, and he came to me and said he wanted to work on it. It was a dream, I couldn’t believe it.

My daughter loves it, which is great.

She’s four, and you really can’t make a four-year-old like something just because you were involved in it.

But she genuinely enjoys it and loves listening to the songs.

ARE YOU GOING TO PLAY SONGS FROM ALL OF YOUR ALBUMS ON THE TOUR?

Yes, even some Razorlight songs, all of it. I like the idea of being able to change the set around.

IS THERE ANOTHER SOLO RECORD IN THE PIPELINE?

I don’t want to jump the gun, and I’ve been busy with this record, in Europe too. I’d like to keep this record going, but I am already writing for the next album, yes.

n Andy Burrows plays Wedgewood Rooms in Southsea on Tuesday.