“I haven’t been in Dublin since the news broke but apparently a lot of people are upset, which is rather humbling,” Odlum reflects on the blower from France where he’s working on the Gemma Hayes LP. “The past year has seen me become increasingly torn between my outside pursuits and The Frames, which isn’t good for either of us. It’s reached a point not where I want to operate outside of a band

situation.

“As I’m sure anyone who knows me will realise, it’s got nothing to do with money,” he continues. “I’ve never had any problem with being short of cash or sleeping in vans. We’ve been offered a number of lucrative deals that I agreed should be turned down because they weren’t right for us artistically. By the same token, if the lads end up going top 10 in the States next year, I’ll be the first to cheer them. I wish them – and the fans – only the best for the future.”

As for his colleagues’ feelings on the matter, Glen Hansard reflects that, “He’s always been moving towards being a producer of records much more than a guitar player in a band, and now as the stakes get higher for all of us, it’s time to decide… and he has.

“I’m very, very proud of his decision. It takes a lot of guts to leave a good situation. He’s been offered a job that he couldn’t turn down and I say ‘go for it’. I could get into this a lot more but to be honest I’m a little tender now and would rather spend next week licking my wounds and preparing for the tour. Dave will play the Irish dates with us and then depart proper.”

You can bid farewell to the boy Odlum at The Town Hall Theatre, Galway (October 27th & 28th); South, Waterford (29th + Bonnie Prince Billy); Vicar St., Dublin (November 1st to 4th); Limelight, Belfast (8th); Spirit Store, Dundalk (9th); Nerve Centre, Derry (10th); University, Limerick (13th); and The Savoy, Cork (14th & 15th)