Frank Turner
The folk singersongwriter praises the loyalty of Scottish audiences
A Wee Blether With…
You seem to be on tour almost constantly. What drives you to keep performing live?
Playing live is one of the one things in the world that I’m sure I’m reasonably good at, and it’s what I always wanted to do. It’s still as exciting to me as it was when I thought about doing it as a kid – I just love it.
Do you enjoy touring in Scotland?
I love playing in Scotland, it’s always fun. This is generalising, obviously, but Scottish audiences tend to take their time in deciding whether they like you, and if they do then they’re very loyal, and I appreciate that.
You’ve just played some big venues – do you prefer those or more intimate gigs?
It’s nice not to have to choose as each has its own appeal. The punk rock answer is to say I love playing little sweaty clubs, but it would be dishonest to say that walking out in front of thousands of people isn’t going to feel great.
Do you ever get apprehensive?
I get excited rather than apprehensive – the only shows I get nervous about are when I don’t know what to expect. The most nervous I’ve been was when I played for my seven-year-old nephew’s school class. Terrifying!
You’re playing the Big Burns Supper – have you ever been to a Burns Night celebration?
Not a proper one. I’ve played gigs in Scotland on Burns Night with my old band, Million Dead, but from memory all we did was get a whole pile of Buckfast
– I’m not sure that was quite in keeping with the occasion.
Are you planning anything else to honour Burns this year?
Am I right in saying I’m meant to declaim some Robert Burns poetry on stage? The problem is that I’m not just an Englishman but I’m a southern Englishman. Me trying to do justice to Burns – it could be an absolute car crash. I don’t want to disrespect the people of Scotland by massacring their national poet on stage.
When you’re home in London do you manage to take some time off?
I’m getting better at taking a bit of time off. I got engaged this year so my partner is excited about me taking more time off and hanging out with the cat and switching my brain off – watching television and drinking some wine.
What was behind the name of your latest album Be More Kind?
It’s a nod to a poem by Clive James, who’s one of my favourite writers, and who is terminally ill. He wrote, “I should have been more kind. It is my fate. To find this out, but find it out too late.” When I read that, it devastated me. If that’s good advice to take at the end of your life, it’s good advice to take now.
Frank plays the O2 Academy, Glasgow, January 29; and the Big Burns Supper, Dumfries, January 31