A long way. I don't really think I was a songwriter as such back then - more a contributor to a project.

-You still perform 'Smiling At Strangers On Trains.' Is there something special about that song, compared to other Million Dead tracks like 'To Whom It May Concern'?

That song has a special place in my heart for various personal reasons, and it translates well into the solo setting. I've messed around with a few other MD tracks, but to be honest I'd rather spend my time and energy working on new stuff of my own.

-You announced a few months ago that you finally had a name for your band. What prompted the naming of them?

We've been looking for a name that everyone was happy with for a long time, and only stumbled across The Sleeping Souls after this record was finished (it's a lyric in "I Am Disappeared").

-You’ve got a lot of festival dates over summer, which of these are you looking forward to most?

Reading & Leeds Festival main stage is going to be pretty epic, I think. Also Blissfields, where I'm headlining. Good times.

-According to your blog, pre-orders for your album are doing as well as Arctic Monkeys’ new album. How does that feel?

They were for a while, haha, I think I've been overtaken now. It feels good, I still feel like an underdog in my music career to be honest so that kind of thing is pretty awesome. I'm still an independent artist and I'm proud of it.

-Are you looking forward to playing in Croatia for the first time?

Hell yes. Never been before, despite studying the history for a while. Can't wait.

-Once the album’s released, what are your plans for the rest of the year?

Touring and more touring really.

-When you finish an album, do you just begin work on the next? Or are you looking to focus on anything else once the next stint of touring finishes?

I just kind of keep writing all the time and every now and again marshall what I have into a record. I don't know what I'll do next creatively speaking - I have a plan to work on some side projects sometime soon, take a break from being "FT", but then I said that after the last record too, haha. We shall see.

-As an artist, you seem to be expanding and growing this year more than ever. Where would you like to see yourself by the end of 2011?

I'm grateful for whatever the world chooses to throw at me - I'm still just happy to be a full-time travelling musician, to be honest. So who knows. I'll take what comes.

-Best of luck with the new album. Do you have a final message for our readers?

Come say hi at a show sometime.

Female First - Alistair McGeorge

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