Frank Turner's Still Punk... Even With His Acoustic Guitar

British singer/songwriter Frank Turner's Poetry Of The Deed, his latest solo effort released last fall, revels in acoustic guitars and sturdy melodies. It's rich and sinewy, and has been garnering fans worldwide. Amusingly enough, though, it has also sent just as many reeling.

You see, Turner wasn't always a crooner. Until 2005, he fronted revered post-hardcore group Millions Dead. After they suddenly imploded, he opted out of the punk world, picked up an acoustic and embraced his folky side.

Despite leaving that punk world, he must still defend the decision to more vocal punk whiners, something of which he grows decidedly weary.

"The only place there was a dilemma about the transition was the U.K. because that's the only place I made a name for myself," he says candidly. "I never want to be down on my past because I did it and I should be proud of it. We were a good band.

"However, I'm excited about moving on. It's refreshing not to be answering questions about what happened with my last band. I can be judged on what I do now without reference to when I was 19. After a while, people may check out my past and get into it, but there's no expectation or preconception."

See, while claiming to be liberal, some factions of punk can be incredibly conservative and judgemental.

"Punk rock is like Catholicism. If it's in your life when you're young, it's in your life for good even if your only interaction is to be running away from it," he says. "[Punk] still governs a part of your psyche."

He notes punk still holds a very special place in his heart. Despite branching out into new territory, he says he will always identify with it. As long as it doesn't force him into an even tighter corner, that is.

"I love having grown up with punk and it will always inform what I do to some degree because it's where I come from, but I don't want to be the token acoustic guy on the punk rock scene," he says laughing nervously.

"Every time there's a punk show, there are a bunch of pop-punk bands, me and then more pop-punk bands. Now, I get variety and get to play more traditional places."

Frank Turner's upcoming North American tour dates:

Jan. 26 Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
Jan. 27 Toronto, ON @ Dakota Tavern w/ Ian Blurton
Jan. 28 Montreal, QC @ Chez Baptiste Sur Masson
Feb. 2 Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe
Feb. 8 Austin, TX @ Emo's
Feb. 9 Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 10 Houston, TX @ House Of Blues w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 12 Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 13 Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 14 Tampa, FL @ Ritz Ybor w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 16-17 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House Of Blues w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 18 Charleston, SC @ The Music Farm w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 19 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 20 Myrtle Beach, SC @ House Of Blues w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 21 Richmond, VA @ The Camel w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 22 Norfolk, VA @ The Norva w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 23 Baltimore, MD @ Ram's Head Live w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 25 Hartford, CT @ Webster Theatre w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 26 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 27 Boston, MA @ House Of Blues w/ Flogging Molly
Feb. 28 Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory w/ Flogging Molly
March 2 New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom w/ Flogging Molly
March 4 Columbus, OH @ LC Pavillion w/ Flogging Molly
March 5 Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues w/ Flogging Molly
March 6 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore w/ Flogging Molly
March 8 Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre w/ Flogging Molly
March 9 Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart's w/ Flogging Molly
March 10 St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant w/ Flogging Molly
March 12 Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Club w/ Flogging Molly
March 13 Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom w/ Flogging Molly
March 15 Newcastle Upon Tyne, England @ Northumbria University
March 16 Edinburgh, Scotland @ HMV Picture House
March 17 Manchester, England @ Manchester Academy
March 18 Leeds, England @ O2 Academy Leeds
March 19 Bristol, England @ O2 Academy Bristol
March 21 Birmingham, England @ O2 Academy Birmingham
March 22 Norwich, England @ University Of East Anglia
March 23 Portsmouth, England @ Pyramid Centre
March 24 London, England @ Roundhouse
March 28 Zurich, Switzerland @ Exil
March 29 Stuttgart, Germany @ Universum
March 30 Wiesbaden, Geramny @ Schlachthof
March 31 Hamburg, Germany @ Ubel Und Gefahrlich
April 1 Dusseldorf, Germany @ Zakk
April 3 Bremen, Switzerland @ Lagerhaus
April 4 Brussels, Belgium @ L'Ancienne Belgique
April 6 Utrecht, Netherlands @ Tivoli
April 7 Groningen, Netherlands @ Vera
April 9 Paris, France @ La Boule Noire
April 17 Indio, CA @ Empire Polo Club (Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival)
April 22 Brisbane, Australia @ The Zoo
April 23 Sydney, Australia @ The Annandale Hotel
April 25 Newcastle, Australia @ The Cambridge Hotel
April 28 Perth, Australia @ The Rosemount
April 29 Adelaide, Australia @ The Enigma
April 30 Melbourne, Australia @ The Corner Hotel
May 1 Hobart, Australia @ The Brisbane Hotel