JOHN Bramwell has gone from I Am Kloot to I Am Not Kloot, pressing ahead alone to release his debut solo album and launch his nine-date tour at Pocklington Arts Centre on Wednesday.

Released on mail order on November 3 and available digitally from next February, Leave Alone The Empty Spaces was inspired by the ex-Kloot frontman's travels around Britain and Europe, performing more than 300 intimate solo gigs, from little rooms above pubs to Second World War underground bunkers in Germany.

Touring in his VW Campervan with his dog Henry, Bramwell explored parts of the country hitherto unknown unknown to him, developed his solo sound and ideas, and met "an awful lot of interesting people".

The resulting album was inspired by the spirit of liberty, independence, adventure and solitude that he enjoyed on the road, as well as the diverse emotions that escape and travel can release, from sadness to exhilaration.

After ten albums since 1999, I Am Kloot's trio of guitarist Bramwell, bassist Peter Jobson and drummer Andy Hargreaves are no more. "There was no heavy break-up or anything. I just wanted to do something else," says John. "I'll never say never to getting back together but I was in I Am Kloot most of my adult life, but just as you can go to a great place on holiday year after year, sooner or later you want to go to somewhere else."

Somewhere else comes in the shape of working with two fellow Hyde musicians, Dave Fiddler on bass and his brother Andy Fiddler on cajon and guitar; Harriet Bradshaw, from Manchester, on cello; Alan Lowles, from Barnard Castle, on piano, and possibly Adrian Gawtry on pedal steel (you will have to wait and see).

"Anything is possible coming out of that line-up," says John. "They all played on the album, which we recorded at my home in Crewe, where I converted the garage, bought some decent microphones and some analogue tape players, and then combined that with an AppleMac desktop.

"I also did some of it in a mobile home in Cheshire, where I took all the gear for a couple of weeks, and I ended up recording two albums, as I had so many songs. The second one will be out next winter, but I'll play songs from both on this tour, as well as some rearranged Kloot songs."

John Bramwell plays Pocklington Arts Centre on November 15, 8pm. Box office: 01759 301547 or at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk