Knowing that Frank Turner was appearing in Exeter on his March UK solo tour, I was keen to get in touch for a catch up. I received another email to advise that he was playing The Cavern in Exeter on January 30th as part of Independent Venue Week, this added yet more questions to the list.

We chatted about the varied lineup for his Lost Evenings IV festival that takes place in Berlin, the need to support local music venues and a very colourful chap that he bumped into when in Sierra Leone recently, read on for all this and more!

I wanted to ask if you got any interesting maps for Christmas?

Ha, not for Christmas this year, though I'm having something of a wall-hanging space crisis at home, so probably for the best.

Where did you end up seeing in the New Year?

At home in North London with some friends and my wife.

Any New Year’s resolutions (that haven’t already been broken! I have vague plans to run a half-marathon this year. This may be totally rash.

You’re playing THE CAVERN in Exeter on 30th January as part of INDEPENDENT VENUE WEEK, tell me your thoughts about what this great organisation is doing for indie venues up and down the country?

IVW is a wonderful thing, something I'm always happy to support. Our culture needs a setting in which to exist, thrive and evolve - without small venues, there will be no underground music, and no proving ground for bands who go on to bigger things. I first played there in 2002, and have gone back many, many times since. It's a special spot for sure.

This will be the first time that you’ve played The Cavern in Exeter since they had the fire, are you looking forward to it?

Very much so. Pippa (manager of the Cavern) is an old friend, and I'm very happy they're up and running again so seamlessly.

it’s IVW in the USA from 6th to 12th July, can we expect to see your handsome mug popping up Stateside with your guitar anywhere?

Probably not this year, I'll be doing festivals in Europe around then. But my spirit is with them!

I read your blog post about your recent trip to Sierra Leone, did the ‘New Obama’ join in singing along to any of your songs? (Frank and his team met a very interesting chap who referred to himself as ‘the new Obama’ amongst other titles)

Haha he did not, after shouting at us quite a lot he drifted off, our non-response seemed to disappoint him. The rest of the Ferry Junction crew were into it though.

Looking at your ‘live archive’, it won’t be long until you hit show number 2500 (by my reckoning, you’ll be in Gothenburg, Sweden, supporting THE DROPKICK MURPHYS) – This sounds like a recipe for one hell of a party!

I will likely celebrate in my own way. On some levels it's meaningless, just numbers on a dial ticking over. But it does represent some small achievement on my part, and I'm proud enough of it to put it on my website, so it's an excuse to have an extra tequila.

I recall chatting to you about your punishing tour schedule in the past, has this calmed down now you’re a married man or is it just as crazy?

We have slowed down a little in recent years. I got married, a house and a cat; quite a few of my band and crew have children now. So we collectively decided to pick our battles a little more judiciously. Apart from everything else, we're all in our late 30s or 40s now, and the physical toll of touring is more noticeable, so we all enjoy a bit more time to relax between runs.

You play so many different types of shows, arenas, stadiums, festivals, secret gigs, front rooms, which do you prefer and why?

I like to play a room that's full and that's connected. That could be 20 people in a sitting room or 15,000 in an arena - either is fine with me. I'm lucky that I don't have to permanently choose one or the other.

LOST EVENINGS IV is taking place in Berlin this year and you are joined by some incredible acts including the one and only HENRY ROLLINS, how did you manage to get him on board?

The short answer is, my agent and I asked! He was surprisingly and wonderfully receptive. I'm over the moon about it - he's someone I look up to enormously, so it's a huge thing to have him there. The rest of the bill - announced and still to come - is also awesome.

I’m not familiar with TURBOSTAAT – what am I missing out on?

They're a German punk band, and they're awesome. It was important to me to have some locals on the bill, I don't want to just swing through town with all outsiders, I want to represent and support the German scene too.

In March, you’re off round the UK once again with MICAH SCHNABEL & JESS GUISE and I see that you’re playing Exeter AGAIN (Mr Turner you are spoiling us!) are there any UK venues or towns/cities that you’re really excited about playing?

There's a few spots on that run which are new to me, which is pleasantly surprising after this many shows. Boston, Croydon and so on. And then there's the Barrowlands and Rock City, which will be a joy, as ever. Very proud of the lineup too.

Your live show listings only go as far as May, are there any Summer festivals that you can tell me about?

There are summer festivals for sure, but I'm never quite sure which ones I'm allowed to mention! They'll get announced in good time.

Lastly, I need some new music to check out, please name a few bands or artists that I should be listening to….

Recently I have been lost in Chris Wood - he's one of the best songwriters I ever heard. And Nova Twins kick arse as well.

We’d like to thank Frank for sparing the time to chat to us and we wish him all the best for 2020. I’ll be at the IVW show at The Cavern in Exeter on, probably stood at the back watching the kids get hot and sweaty! We’ll also be covering his solo gig at THE LEMONGROVE in Exeter in March.

Keep up to date with Frank’s happenings at his WEBSITE

Interview by Steve Muscutt