I write from an internet cafe in Colorado. The first night of the Social Distortion tour went great, we made some new friends and had a good time with old ones. One thing – a few people missed my set and were disappointed. I’m playing first at these shows, so if you’re coming, get there early because we’re generally on at 8pm or so.

Talking of US shows… The show on Monday (18th) in Kansas City MO has moved venue (for reasons that are too dull to go into here). The show is still happening, but it will now take place at Crosstown Station. Doors are at 9pm and cover is $5. Spread the word.

Finally, two quick videos for you. My friend Jonny Awsum runs an internet show called “Born In The 70s“. I took part in a challenge recently, and you can see the results here. Secondly, I finally finished the Flogging Molly tour diary video. Check it out here. Right, back to the road!

So, my excuse is, right, that apparently, yeah, we’re a mile above sea level, right, so drinking goes to your head quicker, you know, and so, yeah, that’s why I feel like a pile of pants today. The good news is that I am absolutely stoked to be back in the USA again, touring over here is one of my very favourite things in the whole wide world. The band news is that last night got a little out of hand. Ah well. I live and never learn.

Show news! Social Distortion, in their infinite wisdom, have added another show to the tour, at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park NJ. Tickets can be found here. In other news for these shows, both Baltimore and St Petersburg have also now sold out! Next up, the stage times for The Fest have now been announced, you can see them here. I’m slightly surprised and very flattered to see me headlining my venue. Fun times! Finally, there are a lot of people asking about the show in Kansas City MO. The venue is not yet open (we’re playing the opening night), but it does definitely exist (421 Westport Road) and the show is definitely happening, and is free, and is going to be awesome.

Oh, also on the subject of shows, December stops in Aberdeen, Liverpool and Exeter are now inches away from selling out, and most of the rest of the tour is heading that way too. Madness, I tell you, madness.

Next up. My good friend (and excellent photographer) Graham Smith is currently selling some of his prints, including one of the live shot he took of me in Austin TX last year which is in the sleeve for Poetry Of The Deed. You can check it all out here and maybe get yourself one – I’d recommend it.

Finally, two quick interview snippets for you. First up, I did an interview with Isaac Graham recently, the man who graced the B-side of the Try This At Home single. We sort of interviewed each other. It was fun. Have a read. And then here’s another bit of yakking I did recently. Enjoy. For me, it is coffee time!

The video shoot yesterday went really well. Everyone looked fabulous, I combed my hair for the first time this century, and even got a small tattoo on set. A massive thank you goes out to everyone who came down, dressed up and danced around like loons. Thanks also to Mr Ben Morse for all his hard work. The video should be done in a week or two; naturally, I’ll post the finished item up once it’s done.

News, news, news. The Centrepoint compilation that I contributed a cover of “Build Me Up Buttercup” to is now officially available and on release (Prince William says so, apparently). You can go find out, buy a copy and help a good cause right here.

Next up, this Saturday sees the 5th annual Lexapalooza event at The Flowerpot in north London. This is the festival set up by my late friend Lex and continued in her honour, to rise money for the Breast Cancer Campaign. The show is free to enter (though of course you should be giving all your cash to the collection buckets!), doors are at 12pm and it lasts all day, and entry is on a first-come-first-serve basis. I sincerely urge you all to get down there!

Finally, my good friends at Strummerville have an awesome tour this autumn featuring Beans On Toast, The Supernovas and Rum Shebeen. The dates can be found here, and it’s well worth checking out. The tour starts next week.

Right, I’m off to put the finishing touches to the new EP, mastering in West London. Then a few more days of hectic insanity, and then Austin TX! Maybe I could get another tattoo while I’m there… oh wait.

The German run has come to an end – last night in Berlin was pretty crazy, but a great time. Today I’m heading for Poland for the first time in my life and I have to say I’m pretty excited. Full report here soon.

Two short things today. First of all, my good buddy Jon Snodgrass (with whom I made a record in two days) plays in the magnificent Drag The River. They’re going to be hitting Europe and the UK shortly for some shows and I said I’d pass the information on because they fucking rule. The dates:

• 07.10.10 D Gießen – AK 44
• 08.10.10 D Aachen – Musikbunker
• 09.10.10 D Münster – Gleis 22
• 10.10.10 D Cologne – Underground
• 11.10.10 B Ghent – Decadance
• 12.10.10 UK Brighton – Prince Albert
• 13.10.10 UK Bristol – The Croft
• 14.10.10 UK Leicester – Academy 3
• 15.10.10 UK Glasgow – The 13th Note
• 16.10.10 UK Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
• 17.10.10 UK London – Windmill Brixton
• 19.10.10 D Hamburg – Logo
• 20.10.10 D Hannover – Mephisto
• 21.10.10 D Kiel – Roter Salon @ Pumpe
• 22.10.10 D Leipzig – Conne Island
• 23.10.10 D Zwiesel – Jugendcafé
• 24.10.10 AT Vienna – B72
• 25.10.10 H Budapest – Könyvtar Klub
• 26.10.10 SLO Ljubljana – Metelkova
• 30.10.10 ESP Alsasua – Squad
• 31.10.10 ESP Madrid – Sala la Pequeña Betty
• 01.11.10 ESP Valencia – Loco Club
• 02.11.10 ESP Barcelona – Sala Rocksound
• 03.11.10 F Toulouse – El Camino
• 04.11.10 F Besancon – La Cour des Miracles
• 05.11.10 D Trier – Exhaus
• 06.11.10 CH Basel – Kaserne
• 07.11.10 D Munich – 59 to 1
• 08.11.10 D Berlin – Lovelite
• 10.11.10 D Bad Hersfeld – Zigeunerkeller
• 11.11.10 D Schwalmstedt – Bunker
• 12.11.10 D Dresden – AZ Conni
• 13.11.10 CZ Prague – Akropolis
• 14.11.10 D Wiesbaden – Schlachthof

Jon and Chad put on a great show and are all-round swell guys, so check it out. Speaking of swell guys, I finally got round to editing together some of the tour diary footage from the Flogging Molly USA tour back in the spring. Here’s part one. Enjoy.

I write from Karlsruhe, Germany. This tour is going swimmingly, thanks to everyone at the shows. Germany is the best. Today I have two exciting pieces of news. The shorter one first: my cover of Bad Religion‘s “My Poor Friend Me” can now be found on my myspace – go check it out!

Secondly, well, it’s that time again, and thoughts have turned to shooting a video. We have a plan (a good one!), it’s for the song “I Still Believe”, but the plan involves a crowd. This is where you, potentially, could come in. We’re looking for people who can fulfill the some or all of the following criteria:

1. We need a crowd with a decadent, 1920’s / 1930’s kind of look. Girls in gowns, classy dresses, slightly burlesque kind of feel, elbow-length gloves, that kind of thing. Guys in sharp old-fashioned suits, fedoras, and so on.
2. We need people with tattoos – interesting tattoos, cool tattoos, bonus points if you have a tattoo with my lyrics on it.
3. We need people who are free to film next Tuesday (5th) afternoon in south London.

If you think you fit any or all of these (all is better, haha), we’d love to hear from you! In order to check that we’re all heading towards the same goal, it would be very helpful if you had a picture of yourself in your intended outfit and / or of your tattoos. No stress if pictures are a major hassle, but they will help. Please volunteers with or without photos by emailing video@frank-turner.com. From there we’ll get a crowd together and have an ace video! And as always, many thanks in advance for your help.

I’m pleased, today. Not just because I’m in Germany, which is always nice – and the shows in Hamburg and Giessen were both great fun. Today I am mostly pleased because the album I made with my good friend Jon Snodgrass is now available for pre-order! Yay! To recap (for those not paying attention at the back), Jon and I wrote the 10-song album one day and recorded it the next earlier this year. The record is on 10″ vinyl and you can pre-order a copy right here – it’ll be shipped at the start of November. At the moment, it’s being pressed and released in the UK. We are looking to get a US release organized in the very near future, but for now you can get in at the link above. Exciting times!

In other release-related news, the EP recording went swimmingly. We’re just tweaking mixes now, and we’re on track for a late November release.

Next up, show news. We’ve added a headline show in Toronto, at the Horseshoe Tavern on October 22nd. I’m excited to be heading back there. That’s the last show addition for the fall run in North America. Speaking of which, both the DC and Minneapolis shows are now sold out. As, for that matter, is the Berlin show next week. Huzzah!

Finally, two bits of plugging for you. First of all, I was recently part of a photography project called “A-Z Of London Singer-Songwriters”, shot by Dylan Walker. The project is being exhibited at City Hall from September 28th to October 15th. Worth checking out, I think. Also, my friend Jon Spira (who shot the “Photosynthesis” video) has recently finished his documentary about the history of Oxford music, which features interviews with Nigel and others. You can view the trailer here. Enjoy.

I write from day 3 in the studio, in North London. We’re recording 5 new songs for an EP, to be released in late November. We’re working with the lovely Mr Tristan Ivemy (who mixed Love Ire & Song) and everything is going swimmingly. I’m really, really pleased with how the new material is sounding, and I hope you will be too when it hits the streets. For the record, the tracklisting for the EP will be: “I Still Believe”, “Pass It Along”, “To Absent Friends”, “Rock & Roll Romance” and “The Next Round”.

In other release news, I’m pleased to say that you can now pre-order the CentrePoint “Key To Change” album right here. It’s a charity covers compilation, featuring me and many others, and the proceeds go to young homeless people in London – a worthy cause, I’m sure you’ll agree. I contributed a cover of the classic Foundations tune, “Build Me Up Buttercup”. While we’re on the subject of releases, I’m pleased to say that my record with Jon Snodgrass is edging closer to the public domain – I should have more news on the release date very soon.

In show news, we have added a couple more shows to the Social Distortion run – a headline show in Albuquerque NM (October 12th) and a show with Lucero in New Haven CT (November 3rd). Check the gigs page for more information. That’s nearly it for added North American shows – though the people of Toronto should look out for an update in the next few days.

Finally, I have no idea if people really are using the Ping thing on iTunes 10 just yet, but I have myself an artist profile on there, and as of yet precisely zero “friends”. I’m crying myself to sleep every night, really. Come say hello?

I’m back in Winchester, after a great few days on the West Coast of the USA, and one in Dekalb IL. Good times were had by all. Right now I’m working on two different piles of new material: firstly, there’s the EP, which we’re recording next week in London. It will feature “I Still Believe” and 4 other new songs, and will be out on CD and vinyl at the end of November – watch this space for more information. Secondly, I’ve been thundering through new songs and demos for the new album, which I’ll be recording in January, for a release next spring. I’m feeling very positive about new songs right now, so it’s fun to be at the grindstone, tracking out new arrangements, swapping words around and so on.

A few pieces of business. First of all, merch for the UK. As many people noticed, when we inaugurated the new merch store last week (see below), there was a teething problem with delivery prices to the UK. This is because the warehouse is based in Germany. After much humming and haaing, here’s how it’s going to work. For the time being, UK customers can enter the promotional code “FTHC” to get a £5 discount on the (overpriced) shipping. This will stay in effect until we have properly sorted the situation. Apologies to anyone who got annoyed at all of this, we’re working to try and rectify things as fast as we can.

Next up, a new show and a new country as well, huzzah! On October 3rd I’ll be playing a solo show in Poznan, in Poland, at Meskalina. Tickets are on the door. Spread the word, and I’ll see you there for my first ever Polish show.

Speaking of shows, in the UK ticket sales for December are motoring along healthily. The shows in Sheffield and Aberdeen are nearly sold out now, and the London show isn’t too far behind either, so if you’re planning on coming down and don’t yet have a ticket, I’d do something about that sooner rather than later. Further afield, the Social Distortion shows in Asheville NC and Cleveland OH are also sold out. Incidentally, if you’re coming to one of those shows to see yours truly, you’d do well to get down to the show early as we’re first on.

Next up, something a little more serious. I’ve been in touch recently with a group called The Belarus Free Theatre Company. Belarus remains an oppressive communist dictatorship, under the aegis of President Alexander Lukashenko. All media is state owned, opposition parties are harrassed and intimidated (if they exist at all), and strict artistic censorship pervades all levels of society. This group are trying to do something about that, very much in the mould of Havel in Czechoslovakia in the late 1980s. They take real risks with what they do – they’re banned in their home country, and have recently had friends dying in suspicious circumstances.

There are a few reasons I mention this. Firstly, they’re working on coming to the UK to stage a production next year sometime, and I’d like to help spread the word. Secondly, more generally, they deserve international recognition and support; they are fighting the last vestiges of the plague that enslaved Europe for half a century, and are braver people than you and I. Freedom is something we often take for granted in this country; let’s try and help spread the love. (Incidentally, everyone should read this for inspiring and heart-breaking tales of liberation).

Finally, I’m selling some shit on eBay. Check it out.

California is fun, although it’s slightly cold and overcast here right now, which slightly makes me want to ask for my money back.. I mean, sunshine is the whole point of this place, right? Right?

…

Joke. Anyways, nice to be here, and I’m very much looking forward to the Trouadour show tomorrow.

In slightly more relevant news, I’m very pleased to announce an overhaul of my online merch store. The good people at Kings Road merch are now looking after me worldwide, and to celebrate we have a selection of new designs, available everywhere. Please do take the time to head to www.frankturnerstore.com and see what’s there. Things should run much more smoothly from now on.

Next up, I’ve been doing a bunch of covers work recently. Today I finished off a Bad Religion cover (“My Poor Friend Me”), that will be part of the Spin Magazine 30th Anniversary Tribute record. Also, I did a cover of a Fake Problems song from their new record, which you can check out right here. I’m pretty proud of it, they fucking rule.

Finally some friends of mine are still doing their firetruck-round-the-world thing, and they’re still awesome. You should check them out, and help with the fundraising thing if you can. Just saying.

Right, bed time, thence to Los Angeles!

A pit-stop of a day today – back from holiday, to Winchester, for some frenzied shopping, laundry, accounting, unpacking and repacking for different continents with different currencies and plug sockets, that kind of thing. A collection of bits and pieces that seemed worthy of mention accrued in my inbox, so here’s a slightly directionless blog post. Hurrah!

Firstly, the whole NOFX thing. It was awesome, I still can’t quite believed it happened, but guess what, there’s video proof – here, for example. There are other versions floating around on YouTube, I’m sure you can find them if you want to.

Secondly, I’ve been trying to keep the tattoo gallery that I have on my myspace page up to date, but I keep catching glimpses of other ones that I haven’t seen before. So, if you or anyone you know has a tattoo using any of my imagery or lyrics, well, first up you (they) fucking rule, and secondly, it’d be great if you could email me a picture sometime. Thanks.

Thirdly, I did an interview with some new friends I made in Colorado recently, and I really like how it came out, so go have a read of it here. The whole website is well worth a gander.

Finally, I’m pleased to say that the people at the BBC have deemed me worthy to be included in Reading Festival highlights, to be broadcast on BBC2 tonight at 11.50pm. Alas, once again it’s UK only, but for those of you here, turn on, tune in, convince your granny I’m real, etc. etc.

Next up, I’m off to the west coast of the fine American continent once more, and I have to say I’m really looking forward to it. The Los Angeles show is nearly sold out now, so if you’re planning on coming along, I’d get tickets ASAP. See you there.