GiggingNI.com

It's been a crazy few years in the life of Frank Turner. Gigging Northern Ireland talk to him about his previous project with "Million Dead", the tour with Gaslight Anthem and The Offspring, the Reading and Leeds festivals, his favourite bands of all-time and some new ones to look out for as well as what life is like on tour and the new album. All to celebrate his headline gig at The Stiff Kitten on Wednesday 14th October!

How did you go from fronting a punk/rock band, with your previous project "Million Dead" to being a folk rock icon with your solo career? What was the reason behind such a change in direction/sound?

There were a lot of different reasons why I made the switch. I guess I got older, and wanted to try something new - I'd been playing in hardcore bands for a long time before MD split. I also didn't want to be involved in a collective project like a band again straight away after the bad blood at the end. It was pretty weird, quite hard at first, but I put my head down and got on with the hard work, and right now it seems to be paying off. So, no complaints.

What bands/artists did you take influences from when you decided to take a change in direction musically?

Neil Young was a big one for me at the time. Bruce Springsteen has become more and more relevant to me as time has gone by. I guess the best way of putting it is to say that I became interested in songwriting as the main goal of what I do.

You've played Belfast this year already, haven't you? I think it was a sold out Auntie Annies with The Gaslight Anthem - how do you feel the Irish crowd compare to that of other countries?

The show at Auntie Annies this year was a headliner actually, it was a cool show, packed out. I really like playing in Northern Ireland, I have a lot of good friends there and generally speaking everyone's in for a good time. I think you guys are a little more raucous than most!

Are you excited about playing here again?

Yeah definitely, and I'm excited about bringing the full band over again.

It was at Reading and Leeds festivals in 2008 where your solo career really took off - this year you were invited back, playing on a bigger stage, how did they compare with one another?

They were both pretty special moments for me, personally. This year was the biggest crowd I think I've ever played to, so that was obviously a milemarker. I'm attached to Reading, it's the festival I used to go to as a kid. Last year was great because I was playing my old friend Mike Davies' stage.

Have you seen any new bands at this years festivals who you would recommend?

Future Of The Left, while not exactly new, continue to be the most criminally overlooked rock band in the UK right now. Everyone should be tattooing their logo onto their face, if there was any justice.

You've recently been on tour with Gaslight Anthem and The Offspring. How was that for an experience?

The Offspring shows were a little surreal, to say the least. Partly because I grew up listening to that band - Smash was one of the first punk records I ever bought - and partly because the shows were very big - arenas. But things went well, I had a good time and made some new friends. Gaslight are great, an awesome band and good touring buddies. I'm actually on their tourbus right now, in Oregon USA.

You seem to do nothing but tour, do you never get tired?

Sometimes, sure, but this is the lifestyle I've chosen and I love it. I hope to do this for the rest of my life, if I can.

When you do get a break from touring, what do you like to do in your spare time? Have you any hobbies?

I have hobbies I keep up on the road, mainly reading about history and politics. I don't really ever spend more than about 3 days in the same place (apart from when I'm in the studio) so I don't really have any stationery hobbies.

The new album, your third, "Poetry of the Deed" just reached #36 in the UK album charts in its first week! That must be a great feeling! Did you expect the album to chart so well or did you have higher expectations for it?

I was hugely flattered that the album did what it did in the first week. I try not to have too many expectations in life, just to get my head down and get on with it, and so it's always a pleasant surprise when stuff like that happens. It's a little surreal actually, when I stop and think about it, so I try not to do that too often, haha.

And finally - have you anything you'd wish to say to your Northern Irish fans ahead of your gig at The Stiff Kitten on Wednesday the 14th?

Everyone should get down early to catch Beans On Toast and Oppenheimer who are supporting!

Gigging Northern Ireland says Frank Turner will be playing the Stiff Kitten, Belfast, on October 14th with support coming from Beans on Toast and the mighty Oppenheimer!

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