He'd like you to think he was as common as beans on toast.

But Jay McAllister, who is best known by his popular food stuff moniker, has one of those special musical talents that has been warming the souls of his fans worldwide.

Frank, direct, witty and thought-provoking yet unpretentious, he has conjured up untold amounts of poetic anti-folk songs that cover everything from Robin Hood politics, drugs and the environment to his disbelief that he gets to perform around the globe for a job.

Now 35, he has been touring pretty much non-stop since he was 16, when he opened up Glastonbury Festival.

He puts out an album every year on December 1, his birthday, and will return to Hebden Bridge Trades Club on May 15.

“I’m the one who’s most

surprised about how far I’ve come,” said Beans on Toast.

“The songs belong in the back of a pub but now it’s working for me.

“My booking agent got me my first Glastonbury gig on one of the fringe stages and it’s been the centre of my universe since then.

“I’ve gone every year, even when I wrote a song about how I’d not got the gig.

“Before then I used to try get on the chalkboards just by going along – people are going to respond to someone asking them in person way more than by email.”

Beans on Toast is also quick in naming his friend and cult folk-punk star Frank Turner for helping kickstart his career.

“I wouldn’t be doing what I am without Frank.

“He looked after me and took me with him on his coattails and I’m proud to say that.

“Without him I’d still be in the back room of the pub.”

Antifolk musician Beans on Toast, aka Jay McAllister

Last year he supported him on a massive tour across the USA with fellow folk act, six-piece

Skinny Lister.

“Last year was amazing. I went back on a recent tour with Skinny Lister to see how many people gave a s**t and it went well.

“People ask if our audiences over there understood what I was talking about.

“What doesn’t translate is my name, Beans on Toast.

“They have both beans and toast but they think putting them together is some crazy food experiment which was funny because that’s totally against the idea I was trying to create, as the name being something simple, basic, easy and English.”

With countless songs under his belt, Beans on Toast talked about trying to remember them all.

“I’ve been doing it for so long I just walk on stage and play what I feel like and what the audience want me to play.

“There are times when I start out on a song and realise that I’ve forgotten the words so have to apologise and move on.

“I tour and write 24/7 and my general rule is that the more songs I write the more places I end up in as I’ve always got new material and I get more ideas from going to these places.

“Releasing an album every year has created this circular plan for me with tours and then festivals in the summer, which works really well for me.”

Beans on Toast mused on his mostly upbeat and witty songs, which highlight everything, including current world problems.

Antifolk musician Beans on Toast, aka Jay McAllister

“What shouldn’t people be concerned about? It’s not that I think my opinions are correct – a lot of it’s my passing thoughts.

“There’s pretty obvious stuff people should care about though, such as looking after each other and the environment if they want a happy life.

“It’s hard not to be doom and gloom when writing about some of the really desperate problems at the moment, such as the environment, but I try keep things positive. I’ve got no agenda that I’m trying to push – people should think for themselves.”

He will soon embark on a small towns acoustic tour of England.

“I’ve toured a lot around England but wanted to go to places further afield that I’d not been to before.

I think it’s important to get to these places, especially because I come from a small town myself (Braintree).

“I’ve been to the Trades a few times before but wanted to include it because there’s something special there because it strikes the right balance between crazy and calm – that’s not to say I don’t like any of the other two though.”