From Jobcentre Blues to Cult Heroes:
How Sleaford Mods Became Britain’s Unlikely Voice
“All I want for Christmas is some peace and fucking quiet.”
By Fred Spanner
No one does angry, funny, and properly British quite like Sleaford Mods. Two legends from Nottingham, Jason Williamson spitting venom and Andrew Fearn bopping behind a laptop, turning rage, boredom, and banter into pure, filthy gold.
It’s punk without guitars, hip-hop without the bling, poetry with a pint in hand. They don’t sing about dreams or fame, they bark about real life: crap jobs, cold flats, and the general madness of modern Britain. It’s brutal, brilliant, and somehow still makes you laugh your head off.
Jason is chilling at home when we chat.
The world’s gone to shit, but how are you in yourself, mate?
I’m the happiest I’ve been for a long time. Yes, the world has gone to shit, but I feel a bizarre mixture of personal fulfilment and trying not to become too intimidated by everything else.
Can guys in our fifties suddenly connect with our emotions?
I think so. It’s a coming-of-age thing. I’m still under the belief that a lot of people don’t. I was fortunate enough to have that happen to me. So yes, definitely.
Looking at what’s going on in the world, especially with older males, do you think some people are looking for answers to their frustrations in the wrong places?
Yeah, I mean, if you’re getting up in the morning, still living in a shit-hole, and you’re still doing everything you can not to, you start looking for something to blame. If you’re in an environment where information, knowledge, and history aren’t given to you in their purest form, you’re susceptible to soaking up all of this propaganda.
It’s also a comfort to feel closer to people. For a lot of people, nationalism and racism, particularly in working-class communities, bring people together, bizarrely. Do you know what I mean? I’ve seen it first-hand. There’s an underlying, silent agreement with everybody that it’s black and brown people against them, when it’s just not the case.
Do you think this is the plan from certain political parties who stoke the fire? Are they building a gang who will then ultimately vote for them?
I just think the people responsible are just nasty bastards. I think people like Stephen Yaxley-Lennon are more guided by money than anything else. He talks a load of bollocks about it now, but initially, when he started out, it was easy money. Of course, you can say the same of Farage, Putin and Trump. It’s just a control mechanism.
They also believe in this ancient idea of being a warrior. Farage is like a really annoying traditionalist mixed in with all of the things that come with trying to keep hold of the past.
We hear people saying that they’re not allowed to say anything these days. What I think they mean is that you can’t say anything without someone responding to you, nowadays. Are people standing up for themselves a bit more?
There is a lot of bullying involved, especially on social media, but there are a lot of awakenings happening, too. There are people questioning old beliefs when it comes to the patriarchy, misogyny, and racism. Wars- and why they’re happening- is a big one at the moment. There are lots of things being thrown into the arena at the moment, and it’s chaotic.
I don’t think you should be allowed to say anything, especially if it’s going to hurt someone you’re directly talking to. But at the same time, there needs to be some balance. With the far-left, I find there’s this militant, feverish demand to think binary about whatever subject it is. So, ironically, that is almost the same as any far-right belief.
I recently saw a cartoon image of Paddington Bear putting up flags, being used by a fascist group. That was confusing, as he was an immigrant and refugee.
Yeah, he’s from Peru! It’s a bit like the far-right skinheads, back in the day, dancing to Desmond Dekker. I think it’s whatever suits at the time.
The lyrics to your songs are never disingenuous and are always reflective of where you’re at currently. Going back to the old days, what’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
I’ve done loads of shit jobs, but although they were horrible, I strangely liked the rhythm of them. Probably the worst one was a part-time job in a pub in Grantham. I got into a lot of trouble and had to go back to my mum’s to dry out. I ended up getting a job in this pub that was just full of dead-heads. I’ve had a lot of bar jobs, but that one just stung.
Sometimes the interviews are just as bad, especially if they’re in horrible places. It didn’t really bother me what I did, as long as I earned a bit of money.
You’ve done a bit of acting. Was that something you trained for?
I tried to get into drama schools. I’ve always loved acting, but didn’t have any luck at the schools. I only tried for a year, but for one thing, I didn’t have the money to pay the course fees, and also, I thought there was something missing about it. When the band took off, I was able to look at it again.
People started saying, “You’d be a good actor.” You put a few feelers out and lo and behold, you’re doing stuff.
You played the preacher brilliantly in the final episode of Peaky Blinders. When did you get the call-up for that gig?
It was from a friend who knew Cillian. I just emailed him, and it turned out he was a lovely man. He gave me a part in it, and it was a great experience.
I’ve just done a film called Game with Geoff Barrow and John Minton. I play quite a big part in that. It’s being rolled out in cinemas next month.
You have a new album -The Demise Of Planet X- coming out in January 2026. I believe it’s based on a nightclub in Nottingham you frequented back in the 00s?
Yeah, sort of. The title comes from lyrics in a song called Chop Chop Chop, which was pre-Andrew Sleaford Mods. It talks about this nightclub in Grantham called The Courted Llama and the people inside it. It almost reminded me of the end of the world.
Also, it’s an example of how things don’t just blow up and go away. The demise of a planet and civilisation is slow. It fits with the mood and energy of that nightclub, which was fucking terrible. It was full of nice people and horrible people. It was a good place to go and get drugs and get fucked up. It’s not the basis for the album, but it also kind of is.
The opening track, The Good Life, features Gwendoline Christie from Game of Thrones.
She followed us on Instagram, and we followed her straight back. She’s kind of an outsider in that world. She’s English and she’s got that classic Hollywood appeal. She introduced herself to us in DMs and asked if she could work with us. I knew right from the off she’d be perfect for it. We just let her go, and she was bang on.
She wanted to be directed. She wanted to be told when and where to do things. She put her imprint on it, and it worked. She’s so massively talented and very professional. She did it in one take, didn’t question anything, and we just spent the rest of the time listening to her amazing stories.
In the video for Megaton, you guys head down to Speakers' Corner and draw quite a crowd. Whose idea was that?
It was Nick Waplington, the artist and photographer. We loved his work and asked him if he fancied getting involved. He suggested we go down to Speaker’s Corner as it connected with what the song’s about: people arguing with each other in this eternal, impossible debate. It was perfect.
I’ve had a bet with my mate that in the next five years you’ll release a Christmas song. Imagine my delight when I saw Bad Santa listed as one of the tracks. No offence, but it needs a few more jingle bells.
Haha, yeah. Well, it’s about MAGA and toxic masculinity. It touches on Andrew Tate and all that bullshit. It’s Trump, really. He’s the bad Santa, and you have all these people around him pushing the cause. I wanted to try and paint that kind of picture.
Did I hear The Magic Roundabout theme in the title track?
Yes, but we didn’t rip it off completely. I wanted to get something that reminded me of ‘Old England’, ‘cause that’s what the song’s about. I’m Shirley Valentine, and I’m running away from- not domestic misery- but detractors online. The song talks about how English people are so susceptible to non-thought and ignorance.
I’m sure it’s the same the whole world over, but in England, it feels so suffocating when you arrive back from abroad. Everything seems so narrow and closed. I wanted to bring that feeling into the song.
When did you get the call-up to support Blur at Wembley?
They were looking for someone when Slowthai dropped out. It was pretty much them getting in touch with us, then us getting in touch with them. It was really good, I enjoyed it. I didn’t get to meet Alex, but I met the other three and they were all sound.
Is going out just for young people?
To be honest, I’ve no interest in going out. I like to go out with my wife and have a meal, and occasionally socialise with a bigger group of people. But I don’t drink any more, and I associate going out with that. If I’ve got to network, then I’ll go out.
So we can’t keep the party going, then?
No, I’m really sorry, haha.
Your lyrics tend to be based around what’s happening in the world at that particular moment. What do you think you’ll be writing about in five or ten years? AI possibly?
Maybe. AI is more annoying and frustrating at the moment, but in the background, there’s a lot of good that it does. It’s an instrument that has to have a positive use. I try not to use it. I didn’t need it before, and I don’t need it now.
Whatever happens, I think it’s important to go with it, not to worry, and learn from it. The worst thing to do is to fear it, ‘cause then you end up doing nothing, and I don’t want to do that. There has to be an intelligent ending to it all. I still believe in the good side of the human spirit. There has to be an outcome that enables us to flourish, rather than destroy ourselves.
All of the people in charge, making all of these stupid decisions, are a couple of decades ahead of us. They won’t be here in twenty years.
What’s your go-to Christmas Song?
Oh, you know…the one that goes, “Da, Da Da”... I Believe In Father Christmas, by Greg Lake.
What do you want for Christmas?
All I want for Christmas is some peace and fucking quiet. And some decent face wash. When you get older, your face starts going red. Something to take the redness out.
The Demise of Planet X is out on 16th January 2026. Check out tour dates at Sleafordmods.com