Strop star Natalie Imbruglia's hit for Ben's Brother

May 10 2009 Billy Sloan

Ben's Brother singer Jamie Hartman feared the worst arriving at a songwriting session with Natalie Imbruglia.

The sexy Aussie pop star was in a foul mood after a bust-up with her PA... and his efforts to calm her flopped.

But Jamie used the spat to get the group's latest smash-hit single, Apologise.

He said: "Natalie has a reputation and was furious when one of her team had messed up.

"I'd started writing a lyric - about a girlfriend who'd really annoyed me - and the song evolved into Apologise.

"Natalie thought the sentiments summed up how she felt too. She wasn't sure if she wanted to use the track so I said, 'I'll have it'."

Apologise is lead track on Battling Giants, the follow-up to 2007 debut album, Beta Male Fairytales.

The new album title refers to Jamie's bitter split from EMI Records, which led to him financing it himself.

He said: "I felt if I was going to change things I had to do it fast.

"So I recorded 13 songs in just two days." Jamie was vindicated when the album was snapped up by Island Records - home of U2, Bob Marley and Tom Waits - which is celebrating its 50th birthday.

Jamie added: "To think I'm now on the same label as Bob Marley is fantastic." Battling Giants features his pals Joss Stone and Jason Mraz and Jamie was full of praise for the guest stars.

He said: "Joss's vocal on Stalemate is brilliant.

"She was filming a drama called The Tudors in Ireland so I went over and booked studio time.

"I just said, 'Sing the hell out of it.' That's what she did.

"Jason appears on the title track.

He recorded his vocals in a US hotel room." Ben's Brother play King Tut's, Glasgow, on Friday.