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The Defects are an hour outside of Canberra when Kingsmore checks in with Time Off, and the drummer's in a chipper mood. It's been three decades since the snarling Northern Irish lads first moved to London and really established themselves, but it's the band's first visit to our shores, be it to play or simply look around. He admits that the whole experience is a bit surreal, and rightfully so. After all, the quartet didn't play a gig together for over 25 years.

“What happened was the Rebellion Punk Festival in Blackpool, I put the feelers out to see if they would have us there and the boys said, 'Yes, you can play next year',” he recalls. “So we rehearsed that whole time to get ourselves ready, did that gig, and it's just gone on from there. We played it the year after and now we're playing it next year too. We've ended up in Amsterdam, done a tour in France. We've seen quite a bit since getting back together in 2010.”

But don't think for a second that their return to stages around the world is simply for nostalgia. Kingsmore confirms that the guys have written and recorded a new album that is scheduled for release in early-2013, if all goes to plan.

“We've got a new album coming out in the new year,” he reveals. “It's already done and dusted, and we're supposedly signing a contract with a Canadian record company and then hopefully we'll take off out there. I don't know if you've heard of a band called The Mahones? They play that good Irish punk music and they're a great band. We went and toured around Ireland with them a few months ago. They want to sign us to their label. The music's all done; we've just got to ink the deal and hand it over to them.”

Through his thick Irish accent, the drummer throws praise towards the local crowds that he's connected with on The Defects' southern Australian dates, explaining that the unity he's seen in Australian audiences is refreshing.

“The older punks around Britain, the ones that have been punks since they were young; they're all in their forties now and they obviously haven't got the same energy they once did, but it's good to see they're all there,” he regales. “It's hard though getting the younger punks to gigs as they're all off doing their own thing instead of doing it all together. I've noticed it's different over here though. There's a lot of the young punks in with the old punks, but back home it's not like that; there's an old scene and a young scene, different bands, different everything. It's a lot more integrated here – it's good.”

Although they're pushing 50 now, the band are feeling as solid as they ever have on stage. Obviously that energy is tangible, though, as people are still getting Defects tattoos, a situation that Kingsmore can't help but laugh off as a bit strange.

“I suppose the Internet has really sorted everything out hasn't it?” he reasons. “It's made the world much smaller. But there's a lot of people coming to shows with the old albums for us to sign, stuff you can't find anywhere, just nowhere, which is good to see. And then the people singing the songs in the front row of the stage, it's like 'Fuck, how do they know them songs?' I'm surprised that's it's carried so far, and it's still carrying, the music [that is].”

The Defects will be playing the following shows:

Wednesday 17 October - Lismore City Bowling Club, Lismore NSW
Thursday 18 October - Surfers Paradise Tavern, Surfers Paradise QLD
Saturday 20 October - Prince Of Wale, Brisbane QLD