Pete Morton is returning to TwickFolk for a headline show on January 30. The singer-songwriter will be previewing tracks from his latest album, Economy, and he took some time out to chat to Will Gore ahead of the gig.

Will Gore: What have you got planned for TwickFolk? Pete Morton: A collection of newly recorded songs. My latest CD Economy is released this month and so I’d like to give these songs a good airing, as well as a few of the older ones.

WG: Tell us all about your new record, Economy. PM: I am really pleased with this one. Of course, I probably say that everytime, but I feel the songs are stronger and came from a good place. Its my first CD of original new songs for three years. It’s on a new label (Annson Records) and they have been involved in the production too, which I feel has treated the songs well.

WG: Is TwickFolk a good night to play? PM: Twickfolk is a great club and really well run. It’s an established venue for acoustic music in west London so it’s always a pleasure to be invited to play there.

WG: What inspired the record? PM: Living at the beginning of this new century and its challenges, I think. There are love songs, social rants, anthems and bit of people watching. There is definitely a theme running through the album, but I just pick what I feel are the best songs.

WG: When and how did you first get into folk music? PM: I was about 17. I heard a Buffy St Marie album when I was round at a friends' house. His dad was playing this folk album and something drew me in. The voice and the lyrics. I had never come across folk music really before this. Next I heard Dylan, and then some Woody Guthrie.

WG: Is the folk scene in a healthy position at the moment? PM: I enjoy the folk club scene, and hope it won’t die away. I think the music itself is very healthy. There is lots of good stuff out there – contemporary and traditional.

Pete Morton, TwickFolk, The Cabbage Patch, Twickenham, January 30, 8pm, £8 (in advance), twickfolk.co.uk.