Interview: Eddi Reader

She's playing a gig at the East Wintergarden next month as part of a short tour and she's looking forward to coming back to the area.

She said: "It should be fun. I do enjoy visiting London because it brings back a lot of memories for me. I played Canary Wharf before, about six or seven years ago at Cabot Hall, and was amazed by it. It's a pretty snazzy looking place."

Fans can expect the unexpected as Eddi rings the changes with every show.

She said: "I change the set every night. There's no formula, I just decide what to play on the spur of the moment depending on the atmosphere at the show. The band enjoy it as it keeps them on their toes. I can't imagine doing the same songs every night during a 40 date show, I'd go mad.

"People coming to the show will know what I do. I like to sing story songs about the human condition, so there's no need for smoke machines and flashing lights. The music speaks for itself."

Eddi, 50, has been singing since she was eight years old, learning a lot of her trade busking around Europe and playing the folk clubs.

Fairground Attraction, formed in the mid-1980s, topped the UK charts in 1988 with Perfect, but depsite winning three Brit awards the attraction proved to be short-lived, as Eddi explained.

She said: "We didn't really know each other and once we hit the big time that became a problem as we all wanted different things. We only lasted a year. I'm happy with what we achieved but I'm very happy doing what I'm doing now."

Unlike many artists Eddi is an advocate of free downloading of music, feeling it helps promote live music.

She said: "It's nonsense to say downloading is bad for music, it's only bad for greedy record company executives. The more people can hear music the better, especially if it encourages them to come to live shows. That's been missed in the whole argument.

"I've made a decent living from music for 25 years, and there's plenty more like me who have managed comfortably without having huge record sales. I'd like to see all music made free. After all, it was free long before record companies came along."

Eddi Reader plays the Acoustic After Hours at the East Wintergarden on February 17. For tickets visit ticketweb.co.uk.