LAST year was something of a milestone for Frank Turner.

Yes, he performed at the Olympics opening ceremony, but he also headlined a sold-out show at the 12,500 capacity Wembley Arena.

The folk/punk “poet”

appears to be caught somewhere in between his underground background and hitting the big-time, but he says he will remain true to his roots no matter what size venue he plays.

Frank, from Meonstoke in the Meon Valley, said: “I don’t want to become an elitist; I don’t want to be something for the ‘cool kids’. I wasn’t cool or in the know and if my music became like that then I would be excluding my younger self.

“I get emails from people saying they don’t want to see me playing in a big space but if I only play small venues then the gigs can sell out quickly and lots of people who want to come aren’t able to. I feel I have a duty to people to do what I do in a way that everyone can come and enjoy.”

As usual it’s a busy time for Frank, who has started a small UK tour, already soldout, to promote his new album, Tape Deck Heart, out next Monday.

The album has been described as his most emotional yet and the singer himself admits it is a “break-up album”, which becomes clear after a listen to its first single Recovery, released today.

He said: “It’s a very raw and personal record. At the end of the day I did not think I’m going to write in a certain direction; I let the songs arrive in the manner of their choosing.

“I hope it’s a better record and I’m improving with age.

I’m very pleased with it lyrically; I think it goes deeper than before.

“There is a song called Broken Piano, the last track, and although I’m a traditional songwriter and not one to push the boundaries too much, this song steps outside my comfort zone and goes somewhere new and original.”

But despite his punk origins Frank declined to talk about Margaret Thatcher following her death last week.

He said: “After going through the mill on politics in the public eye last year for daring to express and receiving nasty emails and death threats I’m not touching that subject with a barge pole.”

Although Frank is not heading back to Hampshire on his current tour, he assured fans he was likely to be back later this year.