THE door of the trailer bursts open and Huey Morgan, lead singer of the 90s band Fun Lovin’ Criminals ambles out, muttering in his laconic, lower East side drawl about the cashew nuts that one of his band-mates has just thrown against the wall.

It’s hardly rock ‘n’ roll but that's Huey all over... a New York bundle of unfathomable idiosyncrasy.

Previously one of the 90s biggest hellraisers, Huey was behind some of the funkiest anthems of the decade.

The instantly memorable Scooby Snacks, the eponymous theme tune Fun Lovin Criminals and the cheekily penned Big Night Out – an ode to the many women that Huey and the band reputedly ‘acquainted themselves with’ in their early days of stardom.

A clunking Rolex Submariner weighing down his guitar wrist, his trademark goatee and rare vintage sneakers, Huey Morgan is one of the few men who can artlessly carry off ‘bling’ and ‘street’.

Consistently polled as 'one of the coolest men in the UK', does the label ever get to him?

“No-one’s ever gotten mean on me or anything so it’s all good...they're always like hey y’all and I'm like hey y’all. We really took off over here and it’s always been really positive.”

At 42, ex US Marine, Huey still carries a barely-hidden, mischievous sex appeal. The kind of man capable of both corrupting and charming with just the arching of an eyebrow – a ghetto Terry Thomas in limited edition trainers.

Does he still relish his reputation as a ladies man?

“I was raised by a feminist. A strong, strong woman. Sure we had some crazy times in the band, on tour, but I like to listen to women, I like to talk and learn, I work with a lot of women now, and you just grow and change.”

At this point, with impeccable timing, the interview breaks off for Huey to take a call from his wife. Now a doting husband, has this newer, more mature perspective changed the bands direction at all?

“I always knew that if we got the guys back in a room with their instruments, something would happen that was gonna be fun. It's kind of like that old movie, with Burt Lancaster about the safe crackers, you know when they’re all, “...hey we got a 580 22 ...and the guys are like okay well we gotta deal with that”.....We’re kinda like that bunch of safe-crackers... we’ve been doing these gigs for like 15 years now and you gotta keep up.”

In recent years, much like the band, their target audience has mellowed a little.

When I catch up with the band they are playing at the Ben and Jerry’s Sundae festival in Manchester and the combination of 90s music and free ice-cream has drawn a largely family crowd.

Head-nodding and arm cranking just like the old days but this time many of the ravers are wearing babies on their fronts.

With this gradual evolution have the band remained true to their original fan-base?

“When we first came out, people would put us up on the bill because we'd kind of hype it up but now we play a lot of earlier festivals because people and their kids gotta got their sleep...I want to go out there and shout ‘hey y’all it’s a Bank Holiday Monday let’s everybody take the day off.”

The last few months have seen the band taking in an astonishing number of UK cities and towns, but it would appear that the north west venues are among their favourites.

“We love coming up here...we’ve played Manchester and Liverpool many many times. People up here they get our jokes man and at first we couldn't believe that.

"I still have a lot of friends up here, and it feels like it’s one of those places that we're all in it together, no matter where you come from what you do, what colour you’re at. Who you are is where you're at.”

And how do people deal with his fame up here?

“Well, when we first started out we played The Apollo in Manchester and Mary who used to work in the pub next door, let me work behind the bar because I used to be a bartender. On the quiet I started pouring so heavy and she found out and started yellin and screamin’ get that kid outta here, he’s a liability- but make sure you get a picture of me and him first!”

And with a smile and shrug, Huey’s outta there.

  • Fun Lovin’ Criminals headline at the free Music Live event on Saturday, August 27 in Church Square, St Helens (12 noon – 7pm).