Drummer Mark Holub admits Led Bib were probably not ready to win the Mercury Music Prize last year, but haven't ruled out having another shot at the title.

The unique jazz quintet were nominated for their third album, Sensible Shoes, but lost out to rap artist Speech Debelle's Speech Therapy, with many saying afterwards it was two horse race between the pair.

Despite not winning, sales of their album shot up by 120 per cent and they are still playing songs from it up and down the country nine months after it was released.

Holub says he never thought the band could win and having seen the scrutiny Debelle has been under in the press, he is a little grateful they didn't.

"Realistically, I didn't think we could win, just because of the sheer fact that a jazz band has never won before," he says.

"People have said it was between us and Speech Debelle and I don't know how true that is but is does make me think maybe we could have won, though that would have been difficult for us.

"When an outsider wins like Speech they are immediately hit with intense criticism and she has suffered a lot and people want to pick on her.

"But her music is radio friendly hip hop and it's not going to upset people whereas us winning possibly might and I think it would have been difficult after.

"But now, because we have been through all that and had a bit of publicity and know what would happen, it would be more possible for us to win, if that makes sense?

"We have got to make another record and win it."

Holub and fellow band members Liran Donin (bass), Toby McLaren (rhodes and piano ) Chris Williams and Pete Grogan (both alto sax) have started thinking about that next album and are not ruling anything out.

"We are working some new stuff and trying to get a new record together as we have been playing these tunes for some time now," he says.

"When we play live we have a little bit written before we go on but that's all and that gives us the freedom to do what we like when we are on stage.

"That is a hard recipe for the studio but we tried it with Sensible Shoes and I think it worked, though it was pretty tough going.

"There is a lot of talk about how we are going to do the next album.

"I want the same sort of live sound but we are not sure if that is the best way to do it.

"Maybe we will record a few gigs and use songs from those, we don't know yet.

"I don't think we will get someone to add lyrics but you never know.

"People have been asking us who we would like to collaborate with and it is an interesting idea but then it becomes something else.

"There is nothing wrong with that but then it is something different and we are doing something else to what we have been doing."

Led Bib plus support from Astrakan, Croydon Clocktower, Katharine Street, February 12, 8pm, £10. Call 020 8253 1030 or visit croydonclocktower.org.uk.