Interpol frontman Paul Banks has called his former band mate Carlos Dengler an “a-hole”.

But in the same interview the singer also went on to label the bassist a “genius”.

His comments came after he was asked how he had coped with Dengler’s decision to leave the group last year.

"I'm the kind of person where, if I think someone is a genius, I'll put up with tonnes of crap from them,” Banks told Australian radio station Undercover.fm.

"If you're in the presence of someone who you think is a genius then you think, 'I'd rather deal with them being an a-hole than not’.”

He added: “It's a more rare treat, a more rare treasure, their ability. Carlos is that."

Dengler was involved in the recording of the band’s latest self-titled album but left before its release.

(by Jason Gregory)