For all the Supergrass fans that were bummed about the band's split last year, Gaz Coombes is almost done with a solo album. Its all written, he's halfway done with recording, and expects it to be released later this year.

Some recent headlines about the past and future:

Supergrass split up via email.

The 'Pumping On Your Stereo' group shocked fans by announcing they were disbanding out of the blue last April, and frontman Gaz Coombes has given more insight into the reasons behind the split, revealing it was he who suggested that they part in an email.

Gaz exclusively told BANG Showbiz: 'There were a lot of arguments at the end, but I think we all knew it was the right thing to do, because we weren't connecting. There's no point pushing through something mediocre.

'I just sat down one night and just wrote an email out to everyone, saying we should call it a day and I kind of want to put my effort into something that I'm going to get immediate reward from and excitement.

'I didn't feel like we were challenging each other in the right way, or things just weren't coming out the way they should.'

Supergrass - which also included Gaz's keyboardist brother, Rob Coombes, drummer Danny Goffey and bassist Mick Quinn - split up at a time when many other 90s Britpop groups from the same era, such as Ocean Colour Scene, Suede, Pulp and Shed 7, were reforming - but Gaz said he can't see any reason for his former band to get back together in the future.

He added: 'I can't speak for other bands and why they get back together, I'm sure they have perfectly valid reasons for doing it - even if that's just to get a couple of million each or whatever - but I want to leave Supergrass the way we were and for people to remember us for what we did.

'I don't want to soil over that by entertaining any idea of reforming.'

Regarding his solo album he said, "I just really wanted to make it. I had a really productive couple of months, after the split. There's a lot of songs that came from frustration, that feeling of ants in your pants, just a lot of energy blasted out."

As to what his solo material would sound like, Coombes hints, "It's upbeat in many places, mixed with driving beats, in a cinematic, sort of psychedelic way. Will it scare Supergrass fans? I really don't know."

The record is being co-produced by Sam Williams, who was behind the desk for the first Supergrass album 'I Should Coco,' and features Coombes playing all the instruments.

He explains, "When I started out, I was recording it on my own in my own time and doing a lot of the drums, and basically just playing everything, how I could hear it. I suppose through years of playing different instruments I'm able to do it. I feel quite lucky that I can do that. If I've got an idea, I can just do it quickly.

"It just ended up being that way and I surprised myself in so many ways. A lot of the drums are different odd cut up beats and weird things which I love. I need to do those things, get them out quick and spontaneous. That was the idea, spontaneous quick expression of my basement world."

As for why he decided to make a break from the band he'd been in since a teen, Coombes explained that he just felt that something was missing.

He said, "I think we felt it just wasn't connecting. We were wanting different things, or we didn't know what we wanted. There were a lot of clashes. We're still really good friends though. But the three of us just weren't connecting the way we had done before so, there was no point doing it. I just felt everyone should go on a little adventure."

Gaz is presently putting the finishing touches to his as-yet-untitled debut solo album, which is expected to be released before the end of the year.

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Supergrass will "probably" reform at some point in the future, bass player Micky Quinn has revealed.

Bursting onto the British pop scene while still in their teens, Supergrass became one of the country's best loved acts. Festival favourites, their singles collection is a fine example of three minute guitar songs.

After years of slowing down, Supergrass finally called it quits last year. Saying farewell to fans with a lengthy British tour, the band brought out the hits including 'Alright' - which they have long since disregarded.

Going on to have solo careers, singer Gaz Coombes is appearing in a high profile British TV advert right now. Set to move back into music, the band remain on good terms despite the split.

Speaking to the BBC, bass player Micky Quinn revealed that a Supergrass re-union could well happen. "I'm still on good terms with the rest of them and I'm confident we would probably reform at some point," he said.

"People just wanted different things out of the record and eventually that's what split the band," he revealed. "You can't put a gun to people's heads and get them to do what they don't want to do.

"Everyone needs to be happy when you're making a record. Otherwise it's not a band, it's a solo project."

Meanwhile, Micky Quinn has formed a new group named dB Band. Working with drummer Mikey Dean-Smith and bassist Paul Wilson the trio are planning to unveil new material this Spring.

"It's great to play with other people so I'm just playing it by ear at the moment," said the one time Supergrass star.

dB Band are due to release new material this Spring.

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Gaz Coombes has said that songs from Supergrass's aborted seventh album Release The Drones are not likely to be heard in the near future.

The band's ex-frontman claimed that he would rather concentrate on his solo work than return to the record, which was left uncompleted when Supergrass split last April.

Asked if material from the sessions could see the light of day following a number of online campaigns, Coombes told DS: "No, not now. Not at the moment. My head's not really in that at the moment.

"I'm making this record which I'm really excited about. I feel like it's the best stuff I've written for years and years and years. I feel really up about that. Why would I put myself back into that place?"

He added: "I totally respect that the fans want to hear something and they're kind of gutted that it ended halfway through a project, but it would be strange to dwell on that and put some of that out. It just doesn't seem right."

Coombes added that he could not imagine Supergrass reforming, though bassist Mick Quinn recently implied that a comeback was likely as the band remain on good terms with one another.

Gaz Coombes is currently starring in an advert for the Toyota Yaris:

Awesome, can't wait to check it out.