“IT’S a bit like a two-man one-man band,” says John Spiers.

He is talking about his shows with musical collaborator Jon Boden, in which the two will be returning to their folk roots.

They are perhaps better known as founding members of Bellowhead, the rambling folk-jazz-funk-punk monster that has been astounding audiences up and down the country.

But before Bellowhead there was Spiers and Boden, award-winning and critically acclaimed as one of the best folk outfits around.

Now, it seems, the general public are catching on, too.

John says: “The tour’s been going well — apparently it’s difficult to get people out in this economic climate, but we’ve not found that.

"We seem to be picking up a lot of people who aren’t traditional folk fans.

"I think they’ve heard what we’ve done with Bellowhead, and then want to poke their noses into what else we do, and they find that they like it.”

The folk club scene is one that John discusses with enthusiasm.

“It’s a unique scene. I can’t think of another genre that has such a strong local following week after week,” he says.

“They allow people to get into the mindset of performing for their peers, and many an act has been born out of that.

"It’s a very organic way of doing it.”

* Spiers & Boden play Bolton Rugby Club on Wednesday, October 20 and Carlisle Central Methodist Hall on Thursday, October 21.