FROM the hits of Amen Corner in the Sixties to touring with the likes of Eric Clapton and Roger Waters, Andy Fairweather Low has been part of the musical landscape for more than 45 years.

On Monday he makes his annual pilgrimage to Darwen’s Library Theatre with his band The Low Riders.

“It’s just a fabulous little venue,” he said. “It’s perfect for my kind of music.

“There is just the right amount of people in there that you can touch the whole audience.

“I’ve played arenas and football stadiums in the States and when you stand on stage looking out on all those thousands of people I always find it quite bizarre.

“I think all musicians have certain venues which are special to them. I have played the Royal Albert Hall 107 times and that is a great venue. But in its own way Darwen is equally special.”

Andy played Darwen when he embarked on his first solo tour for 26 years and has visited the town every year since.

He even shot a live concert DVD at the theatre.

Andy is the guitarist other musicians have turned to to help them on live shows.

He was part of Roger Waters’ band for 24 years and spent 12 years with Eric Clapton.

“It always amazes me watching someone like Eric play massive venue,” he said.

“Somehow, in spite of there being thousands of people there, he had them in the palm of his hand every night.”

He recently went to watch the great man in concert.

“That was a very different experience,” he said.

“I’m used to being on stage with him.

“He didn’t have a replacement guitarist with him — if he had I think I would have been asking to get up on stage with him.”

Andy has just released a live album, Lively, and is putting the finishing touches to a new studio album.

“The live album is really in response to the fans who come to the shows and keep asking where they can hear the songs we play,” said Andy.

“They aren’t on any previous albums and it’s not really an attempt to be commercial, it just represents what we do live.”

Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders, Darwen Library Theatre, Monday, October 21. Details from 01254 706006