RON Sexsmith, the Canadian singer songwriter, is playing the North-East next month as part of a tour marking 20 years since his debut on a major label.

Sexsmith will perform at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle on June 26.

He spoke to Matt Westcott ahead of the gig. For more details visit http://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/

Matt: You’ve a smile on your face on the cover of the new album? With respect, it’s not quite the image we are used to?

Ron: I smile all the time, but I'm terrible with photographs. This one was a happy accident.

Matt: Carousel One is named after an airport luggage conveyor. Was the title penned with affection or disdain as someone who must spend much of his time on one plane or another?

Ron: Affection. I don't like travelling too much, but I do love going to LA to record which is where I got the idea for the album title.

Matt: You’re a man that doesn’t write for the sake of writing. Is it important that you have something to say before starting work on an album?

Ron: It's important that I keep writing. I'm always gonna be in a different phase naturally and that will inform the songs. Matt: Does it bother you that you have not had the outright commercial success of some of your peers or is your longevity – 20 years and counting – its own reward?

Ron: Longevity is all that I ever wanted.

Matt: Have you changed in that time as a person and as an artist?

Ron: Oh yes, but not always in good ways. I think I've gotten better as an artist though, especially as a singer.

Matt: The latest album was recorded in a matter of days, what do you think this has lent to the finished product?

Ron: It feels very fresh to me. All the basic tracking was done in five days but I did a week of overdubs and a week of mixing too. So it took about a month.

Matt: With songs that are intensely personal in nature, how are you when it comes to performing them to an audience for the first time?

Ron: I'm fine with it - the hard part is writing them.

Matt: When you consider your career to this point is there any one achievement or memory that enables you to say ‘this is why I do this’?

Ron: Yes, playing Massey Hall in Toronto and playing The Royal Albert Hall in the UK.

Matt: You are playing Newcastle in June. What can you fans expect from the show?

Ron: I'll be playing songs from throughout my whole career as well as the new album. I love playing for the Geordies. Newcastle is a music town. I’m looking forward to tucking into a stotty cake and drinking a bottle or two of brown ale.