The Hoosiers on New Album 'Compassion,' Toxicity & Finding Joy Again (#287)

In this episode of the XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar is joined by Irwin Sparkes and Alan Sharland from The Hoosiers to discuss their new album Compassion, the toxicity that inspired it, and how the band found joy, self-belief and purpose again. The band first broke through in 2007 with their debut album The Trick to Life, featuring huge singles including "Worried About Ray" and "Goodbye Mr A." But this conversation is not just about looking back. It is about where The Hoosiers are now — creatively, personally and emotionally. Irwin and Alan talk about making Compassion, the ideas behind the record, rediscovering joy, holding on to self-belief, and what it means to meet the world with more humanity after years of change, pressure and experience. They also reflect on friendship, survival, the band's journey, the lessons learned along the way, and why this new chapter feels so important. The full video version of this conversation is available on the XS Noize YouTube channel. The XS Noize Podcast is an independent, long-form music interview series hosted by Mark Millar, featuring in-depth conversations with artists, songwriters, producers and cultural figures about the stories behind the music. Listen/watch and follow XS Noize: Website: xsnoize.com