Roddy Woomble has always been drawn to the wild. Even when he moved to Edinburgh to study photography and then later Glasgow, he escaped to the wilds of what he calls the biggest small country in the world.

Now based in the Western Isles, the former Idlewild frontman couldn’t be happier, with his young family, his “wee band” and another album to share with the world.

“Well we’re in the Highlands at the moment,” he says, “and because you have to get a ferry from where I live, it’s still seven hours of travelling.”

And that’s just the northern part of his current tour.

From this weekend, Roddy and his band will be south of the border for a small series of gigs to promote Live in the Inner Hebrides, which they recorded in concert on the Isle of Mull in 2011 and 2013, and is only available at the gigs.

He will also be playing songs from his latest solo album, Listen To Keep.

Released last year, it follows his critically-acclaimed debut My Secret is My Silence and the Impossible Song and Other Songs, which like Listen to Keep was recorded on Mull with his band – Seonaid Aitken, Craig Ainslie and Sorren Maclean.

“For the past four years it’s just been me and my wee band,” Roddy explains.

“Trying to run this little cottage industry up here in the wilds of the Western Isles.

“We very seldom go into the studio these days.

“It’s all done at home and when it comes to gigs, we probably do about 50 a year. I try and be a maximum of ten days away from home at any time.”

Which is very different from when Roddy was in Scottish indie rock band Idlewild.

It was at university in Edinburgh that Roddy met Colin Newton and Rod Jones and formed the group, which went on to release seven acclaimed albums, two of which got to the UK top ten.

As their popularity rose, they ended up touring the world, as a headline act, but also as support to REM, U2 and the Rolling Stones among others.

“It’s all relative I suppose,” he begins. “If you’re someone like REM or U2, everything is done for you. All you have to do is turn up and play the songs, and that’s the best part.

“It’s all the other stuff that drags you down and the grind of touring does kill a lot of bands.

“For Idlewild, we all took a conscious decision to jump off that and we were very happy about it.

“This is a very different experience and what’s more there’s longevity in it as well.”

It also means a return to the Colchester Arts Centre, which Roddy previously played with Idlewild as a warm-up gig to Glastonbury in 2002.

“Oh I remember,” he recalls, “Steve Lamacq was there introducing us on stage. He was a great supporter of the band and actually came on the tour bus with us to Glastonbury.”

Roddy Woomble, Colchester Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester.

April 22. Doors open at 8pm.

£14. 01206 500900.

www.colchesterarts centre.com