Absent-mindedly switching on the hotel room TV during a trip to the US, Chris Difford was rather startled to hear an all-too- familiar tune drifting out from the speakers.

“I realised [much-loved Squeeze song] Tempted was being used in a beer commercial. I had no idea. Nobody had asked our permission and it was a genuine shock.”

The plot thickened when Difford – who with co-writer Glenn Tilbrook has served up a stack of clever, gorgeously crafted pop songs over three decades – discovered that their music was entirely the “property” of their label.

“We’d have to go to the City to buy them back, which would be impossible. I’m angry about it – if I had a plumbing business or something sensible, I’d have something to pass on to my kids when I die, but I can’t do that with my songs.”

It’s not the first time a group of bright-eyed young lads have found themselves lost in the machinations of the music industry as older men (and it’s unlikely to be the last), but the silver lining for Squeeze fans has been a redoubling of the re-formed band’s efforts. They’ve re-recorded some of their best-loved tunes by way of asserting their ownership of them, organised sold-out tours of the US and Britain (they reach Brighton Dome on Tuesday, December 7) and the Difford/Tilbrook partnership has even planned a jaunt to the warmer climes of Italy to get some new songs together. They’ve been able to capitalise on both their place in the heart of a generation who loved Up The Junction and Black Coffee In Bed the first time around – Difford likens the tour to a travelling museum at one point in our conver-sation – and their appeal to newer fans like pop princess Lily Allen.

“It’s been amazing the attention we’ve had recently … rejuvenating in a way that I never thought would happen. I’ve just found out we’ve been given a Radio Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, so I’m going to have to start writing my speech. And the band is really sounding better than it ever has.”

Born and raised in south east London, Difford grew up next to the river (he says living close to the Channel in Brighton has given him something of a surrogate Thames) and after a childhood absorbing The Beatles and The Sound Of Music, began writing lyrics for the band he’d formed with pals Tilbrook and Jools Holland.

He readily admits that his lifestyle has been one of “arrested development”.

“I’ve always been in a gang,” he explains, perpetually as deadpan as his vocal for Cool For Cats.

“When I was a kid I had imaginary friends, then I became a skinhead and I had real people, or so-called real people around me. Then I formed a band when I was 16, 17, and that band became my gang. Here I am at 56 years old and I’m still in a gang and I still feel like I’m 26.”

It’s not all been knockabout fun, however; Difford and Tilbrook have done better than most songwriting partnerships in weathering the storms of continual touring and the oft-cited artistic differences, but they’ve had their hairy moments down the years; their mutual irritation reached a point where they couldn’t bear to be on-stage together. Difford speaks warmly of Tilbrook today, and acknowledges that their – ahem – rather more advanced years have helped.

“Although we’re two very different people, we’ve learnt that if we observe and respect each other’s independence, we’ll end up being closer together, rather than being further apart. It’s a learning process – any good relationship is based on a bit of separation.”

As he chats over a coffee in Bill’s (a favourite destination of his) he’s visibly enthused at the idea of writing with his songwriting partner again. But then, putting the past firmly in the rearview mirror seems to be something Difford is good at. He’s remarkably candid about his gargantuan, reckless spending when Squeeze were at the height of their fame, but is quick to add that “there’s no point in regretting anything”. What were his principal weaknesses?

“Anything over £40,000! But it was cars, mainly. I think I overdosed on cars, and I’ve had some beautiful cars in my life. Many Maseratis.”

He’s about to take delivery of a new Audi with a 19-speaker stereo – not quite the Italian supercar of yore, but an indication perhaps that he’s not an entirely reformed petrolhead. It was the twin temptations of drink and drugs that took the heaviest toll on Difford’s personal life, however, paving the way for a tenure in rehab he put behind him 18 years ago.

“Addiction never leaves you. It’s a spiritual cloud that hangs over you that you deal with on a daily basis. And to do that you need to have enormous faith and stand back, see how heavy the cloud is and try to keep on the sunny side of the street.”

Difford’s experiences have led to his involvement with The Providence Projects in Bournemouth, a charity that recognises addiction isn’t solely the preserve of the rich and famous.

“Everybody finds their own plimsoll line in life, I think, and the idea is to raise money to assist people who can’t afford to go into rehab, because the Government and insurance companies won’t pay for people who find themselves in a downward addictive spiral.”

Difford’s own success in breaking the cycle has coincided with a nifty little sideline coaching aspiring songwriters in a series of workshops. He loves the regular retreats and says they’ve produced “great songs and great friendships”, but he’s keen to acknowledge that workshops will only take a would-be Dylan so far.

“You can’t teach it, really. A lot of people want to write a song, and they’ve got some words but they pick up the guitar and they hit a brick wall. You can tell pretty quickly whether it’s something someone’s going to be able to do or not – you just have to hope you can empower people to do what they do best.”

The move to Brighton six years ago to be with a girlfriend was a good one, if Difford’s new record Cashmere If You Can is anything to go by. It has a wonderful, sumptuous sound and brims with the kind of lyrical storytelling with which Difford made his name.

He plans to follow it up with a more spare record, inspired by the minimal warmth of Chet Baker Sings.

“I had mixed feelings about moving here, but it’s very much home now.

I’ve always lived out of a suitcase, so Brighton’s just a bigger suitcase now,” he explains.

“I like the fact I can sit on the beach and gather my thoughts and that there are people here from all over the world. It’s small enough that you even know all the drunks walking around … there but for the grace of God go I.”

* Squeeze play Brighton Dome on Tuesday, December 7. Call 01273 709709 for tickets.

* Cashmere If You Can is available now via Saturday Morning Music Club. Visit www.smmcmedia.com for more information.