Reformed rockers THE VERVE are refusing to sign a new multi-album deal after hitting number one on the European charts with FORTH - because the "treadmill" of releasing albums and touring marked the beginning of the end for the band a decade ago.
Bassist Simon Jones admits tensions were high enough after the band recorded hit album Urban Hymns and the thought of touring commitments proved too much.
Now, 10 years later, the Bittersweet Symphony stars have agreed to put family first and not sign on for lucrative, but demanding, album deals.
Jones explains, "We're not that type of band and we're not gonna go straight back in and do another record. For one thing Richard's got commitments as a solo act - he's got to do one more record for Parlophone and that suits us fine.
"I don't want to be on that treadmill again where you're in a band and you're signed to four albums and you have to fulfil that commitment. It's a joy to just sign for one record.
"I don't know if we're just sensitive guys and we can't handle the pressure - it's just turned out to be that way. After Urban Hymns (came out) we were looking at calendars with months of touring and just being at the start of it and going, 'F**k, we can't do that.' That's how it started."
But Jones tells WENN he feels the bandmates should just have taken a hiatus, rather than split. He adds, "We should have just said, 'F**king time out, let's have a couple of years off. We've been non-stop record, back to back, touring...'"
