Sleaford Mods' Jason Williamson on Planet X, cultural decay, and the evolution of the band (#264)

In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Jason Williamson, the fiercely articulate frontman of Sleaford Mods, to explore the band's most ambitious and unflinching record yet: The Demise Of Planet X, out 16 January 2026 via Rough Trade Records. Created with long-time collaborator Andrew Fearn, the album expands the Mods' sound both musically and emotionally, featuring rare and inspired guest appearances from Sue Tompkins (Life Without Buildings), Aldous Harding, Liam Bailey, and Nottingham grime MC Snowy. Their single "The Good Life" introduces a striking new dimension, with Gwendoline Christie (Wednesday / Severance / Game of Thrones) and Midlands duo Big Special lending their voices to its escalating inner monologue. Blending vivid sonics, acerbic storytelling and pitch-black humour, The Demise Of Planet X imagines the end of the world not through catastrophe, but through the creeping mundanity and absurdities of modern life. It's a ferocious, witty and deeply human response to cultural collapse across 13 tightly wound tracks. Jason discusses the album's creation, the increasing paranoia and vulnerability in the new material, and the band's most varied musical palette to date. He reflects on the collaborations — from Aldous Harding's feather-light touch on "Elitest G.O.A.T." to Sue Tompkins' beautifully raw presence on "No Touch", from Liam Bailey's soulful turn on "Flood The Zone" to Snowy's razor-edged bars on "Kill List." At the centre of the conversation is "The Good Life", where Andrew Fearn's tense production meets Williamson's rapid-fire delivery, while Christie and Big Special voice the inner turmoil triggered by Jason's own outspoken moments within the music world. "Planet X isn't a concept — it's the world we're living in." — Jason Williamson A bold, biting statement from one of Britain's most vital bands, The Demise Of Planet X captures Sleaford Mods at their sharpest and most emotionally exposed. Join Jason Williamson as he takes us inside the making of The Demise Of Planet X — the chaos, the craft, and the catharsis — exclusively on the XS Noize Podcast.