'It’s difficult to think about anything other than lockdown': Frank Turner tracks a ray of light during hard times

“It’s good to have it out there at a point in time when live shows aren’t happening. We’ve had the live tapes in the bag since the tour last year. We wanted to get them out later this year but things have moved on so we changed our plans.

“The point of the tour was to do something different. Most of the time the shows lean on the punk end of my music, it’s all about frenzy. But there are other strings to my bow.

“That tour was quieter, it was about storytelling in seated venues, which was really odd. It was a different thing. We documented that because I wasn’t sure if we would do it again. I’m very glad that we did and I’m pleased that the record is out.”

Frank Turner’s tour was emotionally challenging. There was a greater focus on the lyrics, an increase in confessional story-telling and maximum engagement between artist and fans. The tour ran for more than three months and Turner enjoyed it as much as his fans.

“I just felt like anybody who had seen me in the last five-six years would have seen me do one thing. So I felt quite proud of the fact that we did something else and the new record really represents that.”

Turner has been discombobulated by lockdown. Not only is he unable to earn a living by playing live to paying fans, it’s also a peculiar time to be creative with the music industry mired in uncertainty.

“Like a lot of people, at the beginning I said ‘no distractions’, there’ll be loads of time to write and I’ll get loads done. Then the enormity of what’s going on settled on my shoulders and I felt quite astonished.

“It’s difficult to think about anything other than lockdown. One of my main things has been writing and demoing for a new studio album, I was halfway through that.

“I’m allowing myself to have unproductive days. At the beginning of lockdown I would get angry with myself for doing so little. Now I don’t.

“There’s not a set formula to write. I write the bare bones on my own, with some of the records I take that to the guys in my band, sometimes with a producer.

“Right now I’m working up arrangements in my home studio. That was my plan anyway. It’s also my only option.

“There’s a level on which I feel quite bamboozled by the whole Covid-19 thing. There’s that whole curse ‘may you live in interesting times’. I feel like as though we are and I’m not sure that I like it.”

Turner hopes Covid-19 will be a catalyst for social change, with a fairer and kinder society.

He has observed people clapping from doorways in support of health and care workers and hopes we do not quickly forget the sacrifices made. He’s also been surprised by the number of people who think it will quickly pass, when it has been apparent that Covid-19 is a life-changing era.

“There’s a lot of people talking about it as though it’s a blip, as though we’ll go back to normal. We never will. This is a once in a lifetime or generation change. As I say, there’s plenty of opportunity for us all to live better lives.

“I think that there’s been a greater appreciation of the health service, of jobs that were thought of as unskilled or unpaid. They’ve kept our society from falling apart.”

Turner is synonymous with kindness – the final track on his album is Be More Kind – and he hopes that philosophy becomes more prevalent.

“On the one hand there’s been some great stuff coming out about people being neighbourly.

“I live in London and nobody knows their neighbours. I know them better now because we’ve been pitching in together – there’s been people helping.

“But there’s people where I live who don’t care about lockdown and that’s difficult. There’s people breaking into businesses. The whole thing of people being snitches is disturbing to me too.

“I guess I try to lean on the positive and hope good things come from this.”

Good things may come, though Turner’s goal is to be back on the road. It’s his passion and provides both a living and a sense of validation.

“I’m trying to be zen about not playing live but I miss touring enormously. It’s the one thing I am possibly good at. It’s how I make my living. Right now, when I will make a living again is anyone’s guess.

“In the long run it’s a pretty worrying thing for me, playing live is how we pay the rent. I miss it a lot.

“I hope that we all get back to a place where festivals and shows are able to happen again, I’m not wildly optimistic that it will be any time soon though.”

So, for now, we have Turner’s live album to enjoy. It’s a ray of light in hard times.