Set to play this year's 1-2-3-4 Festival in Shoreditch alongside the likes of Becoming Real, Dam Mantle, Zombie Nation, to the Fair Ohs, Autokratz and The Raveonettes, Atlanta-bred off-their-rockers Black Lips will be returning with their garage punk vibes. We speak to the guitarist of the band, Cole Alexander, about his festival tips and the future of their sound.

Dazed Digital: You're playing the 1-2-3-4 festival this summer- what are your festival tips?
Cole Alexander: If it's outdoors drink lots of water. If doing drugs, keep within moderation, and always have protected sex. Doesn't sound very rock'n'roll does it? I don't give a shit.

DD: You've been making music as a band for a while now, has your sound changed in any way since you started?
Cole Alexander: Yes when we first started we were more of beat group kind of purist to the late 50s early 60s. Now we have evolved to incorporate different sounds and genres to give it a more eclectic feel.

DD: Any dream collaborators and why?
Cole Alexander: On our next album would like to have John Cale produce it. He is so legendary and had made so many great projects like Stooges, Dream Syndicate, Nico, and Velvet Underground. I'm surprised more young indie bands don't seek him out.

DD: Having had such legendary live shows, what do you hope to achieve with your performances now?
Cole Alexander: We are always improvising and coming up with new hat tricks we will be getting better and better. I think it would be cool to commit suicide on stage. But it would be a big commitment.

Black Lips are playing THE1234 Festival, Shoreditch on Saturday 9 July, 2011