AYNSLEY Lister has come a long way in the 20 years since he made his debut at East Lancashire's internationally-renowned blues festivals at both Colne and Burnley.

"It was on the back of one of those shows that I got my first record deal," remembers Aynsley who returns to the area next week with a date at Burnley Mechanics.

"I was 'spotted' as it were and recommended to Ruf Records in Germany and I was with them for close on 10 years."

Next month Aynsley releases his eight studio album. Eyes Wide Open, and it's a very different animal from those early days.

"When I started out there's no possible way I could have written this album," he admits. "But in a similar way the albums I wrote then, which are so very different, I couldn't write now.

"It's like any creative process, the more you do it, the better at it you get and the more you understand it.

"You change and you get more sophisticated the more you do. There's a certain naivety when you're setting out, you don't know any different so you just go with your instincts.

"Looking back the first couple of albums were very guitar led because that was, at the time, my strongest thing as I'd not been writing or singing for very long.

"Whereas now I'm much more rounded in terms of being a singer and songwriter so things are on a more even keel."

Aynsley has grown to become one of the leading figures on the British blues scene having won multiple British Blues Awards over the past few years. including being voted Songwriter of the Year in 2013 and Guitarist of the Year in 2015.

Now Eyes Wide Open looks set to open up a whole new fanbase with songs in a variety of styles which demonstrate his growing maturity and confidence as a songwriter.

"For me if you have an album of 10 or 12 songs each song should have its own thing," he said.

"Although I'm primarily blues guitarist, as a songwriter I listen to wide variety of music so there's a whole mixture of stuff on there.

"From a lyrical point of view it's me looking out at the big wide world and seeing what's around and considering people going through different situations. There is so much to write about it's good fun to pick out different things and themes.

"I'm really pleased with the way the album has come out. When I'm putting ideas together I want to try and take the listener on bit of a journey and that keeps your interest.

"My aim is always to create the kind of album that would I would want to listen to.

"When I listen to an album I want one that keeps my interest all the way through. I don't want to get to track four and think well I've pretty much heard everything."

One thing fans will appreciate is that Aynsley's guitar playing features prominently on the album.

"On the last couple of studio albums I got heavier into the lyrical side of things," he said.

"They were not 'singer songwritery' albums but although the guitar was there it was there to complement the songs.

"For this album I wanted the guitar to feature more prominently, make it more central to things.

"I wanted to have good songs, with good content and imagery and moods but I knew I was definitely going to have ripping guitar as well. So I suppose the new album has a bit of everything."

Aynsley Lister, Burnley Mechanics, Friday, September 30. Details from the box office on 01282 664400.