Veteran singer Eddy Grant is heading out on tour with UK UB40 and will also play some solo dates.

The 61-year-old, born in Guyana but raised in London, first won fame in the late 1960s with chart-topping group The Equals.

He had worldwide hits in the 1980s with songs such as Electric Avenue and I Don’t Wanna Dance.

WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED NOW IS THE TIME TO GO OUT ON TOUR?

It all started last year when I performed at a Mandela Concert, Glastonbury and Womad. As a result I decided having sold all of these records all of these years and not having played to a significant number of the people who bought them, I should really go out and make their acquaintance.

IS IT TRUE THAT, GIVEN ANY OPPORTUNITY, YOU’LL TALK ABOUT POLITICAL ISSUES?

Well, I’m one of the artists who formed the long line of protest writers, and it’s not something I actually promote, but that is the way I write — apart from the love songs.

WHAT ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU AT THE MOMENT?

There are many issues. But I don’t just write for the sake of writing. If something happens politically which upsets my sensibilities, then eventually that will come out in a song.

WHY DID YOU SWAP BAND LIFE TO BECOME A SOLO ARTIST?

Well, there were a number of things which promoted that. The first is if you’re one member in five, you have your own particular political thoughts and sometimes you want to air them, but it might not be the same beliefs of the other guys. I would see that as being slightly unfair to them.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MOVE TO THE CARIBBEAN RATHER THAN STAY IN THE UK?

Because I’d always promised myself if I had kids I’d like to see them educated in the Caribbean like I was, and to have that difference of lifestyle. So we moved out there in 1981. I left what had become my home country and decided to take my children and my wife back to Barbados.

HOW DID YOUR CHILDREN ADJUST TO THE MOVE?

They didn’t like the change at first. Once they’d made friends with kids at school it became the most natural thing in the world and they loved it and still love it today. They share my love with the Caribbean.

WHAT’S IT LIKE COMING BACK TO THE UK?

England has a special place in my life because half of my life has been spent here and half of my education has been here.

l Eddy Grant appears with UB40 at Manchester Academy on December 5