New Found Glory: Spear Heads.

New Found Glory plays the Vans Warped Tour at the Gold Coast Parklands on Friday.

The Britney Spears references on New Found Glory’s debut album are not exactly thinly veiled. There’s the Crumpled Britney concert ticket on the cover of their self-titled debut album for starters, and then there’s the guitar case on the discs back cover. It’s owner Chad Gilbert gives the inside line.

“It’s mine, but basically Ian, our bass player, is just in love with Britney Spears. It’s his obsession. We always want to try and put things into interviews or pictures on magazines. He really wants to meet her. He’s just hoping that maybe one day she’ll just stumble upon it and she’ll hook up with Ian.”

Britney’s relationship with Justin Timberlake seems to have come to an end. Is Ian moving in for the kill?

“I’m going to be a jerk and go behind his back,” Chad laughs. “I’m movin' in, man. It’s just fun to joke around. Ian’s obsessed, I couldn’t care less.”

“The main reason I put it on my guitar was, when your band is on tour, the main way to know your gear is your gear is to pain the bands name on the case. We’ve been playing shows with other bands, and because I’m stupid and it amuses me, I put Britney Spears on it. We pull up and unload all this gear an people are like what?”

There’s little chance of mistaking New Found Glory’s frantic punk for Britney’s saccharine pop. And we doubt you’ll be catching the pop princess at the Vans Warped Tour.

“I don’t know what to expect in Australia, and I hate not knowing,” he jokes. “We’ve never been there so I don’t know what to expect, I hope people know who we are. If anyone’s reading this, go buy our CD so you’ll know the words when we’re there…”

Nothing like a little shameless self-promotion, eh kids? Nothing quite like an audience sing along either to get the juices flowing.

“I don’t want to play the show and have no one know the words. I’ll just feel stupid. It’s a great feeling being on stage and have people know who you are. There’s a lot of bands that are here today and gone tomorrow, and hopefully we’re going to be around a bit longer. As long as we’re touring, I’m just feeling totally fulfilled.”

While their second record may well into production, the band have been spending upwards of nine months on the road each year promoting their debut disc.

“I love being on the road. I’m home now, and we’re done recording the new album and I just don’t know what to do with myself, you know. I’m used to getting up, getting something to eat, doing a show, going out, sleep, get up again, soundcheck, you know what I mean. I’ve been sitting at home going crazy.”

“I’ve taken up a sport. It’s called PlayStation 2. It’s a sport over here. Great exercise, you should feel how strong my thumbs and my fingers are. My fingers are thick. I’ll challenge anyone out there. I’ll take you.”

You can tell people you’re just working your fingers out for the next time you’ve got to go out and play live again.

“Hey, that’s it,” he enthuses. “I’m using that.”