Alex Lloyd plays the Nambour RSL on April 8 and the Arena on April 9.

“I went swimming this morning for the first time since I broke my arm,” Alex Lloyd enthused prior to heading out on his current Aussie tour. “It seems to be holding up all right. It’s just got to build up the muscle, because when I was in surgery they cut through it all.”

Without going into gory detail, Alex managed to stack and break the upper bone in his right arm earlier this year, resulting in surgery and a metal pin to hold things all together.

“It kind of snapped in half, so it was pretty serious, but I think it was a good thing in a way, because it kind of made me slow down and take a look around, and I kind of enjoyed that. I got to lay in bed all week, and I was on so many drugs that no one bothered to try and talk to me,” he laughs. “It was good.”

“It’s weird to say that, obviously I’d prefer it didn’t happen, but there was something good about it as well. Sometimes I think things like that can happen just to let you know you need to chill out.”

Despite his injuries, Alex still managed to tour, albeit in a vocal only capacity, and with the assistance of a touring guitarist. Also on the agenda was the release of the third single from his Watching Angels Mend opus, Green. I confess I was expecting to see him up to his next in plaster for the clip…

“The clip was done after (the injury) and it was quite painful. I never had a cast, and it was quite boring for a while. I’ve been playing guitar again for the last few weeks, and I did a show in London that went quite well.”

Were you the kind of guy in the past who would just habitually pick up a guitar and noodle around?

“You know I was, but I haven’t been doing that lately. I’ve got a studio upstairs at home, and I think I’ve been working more on my production skills as well. I’ve written about five or six songs, so I sit down when I have a specific idea in my head, and I have to sit down and get it out.”

Is that how song writing usually works for you? Does something just materialise in your head that you have to get down?

“Sometimes I go over a song for about three weeks in my head before I even touch an instrument. I’ve usually got all the lyrics as well and eventually it just culminates.”

“If I’m relaxed and just chillin’ sometimes I’ll pick up a guitar and stuff comes out, but I don’t usually work like that. There’s not really a set format for me.”

Not one to do things by half measure, Alex’s current tour takes in a month of shows, some of which were sold out weeks in advance. Despite the obvious kudos, Alex remains centred about the experience.

“It’s nice to know people are actually interested in coming out to seem me,” he muses. “This record has been good, and it’s a really live sort of record. The show I did in London sold out a couple of weeks in advance as well.”

London, of course, always has that ex-pat Aussie contingent who ensure Australian performers get a good reception.

“Yeah, but I do actually get quite a few English people at the shows these days. Black The Sun did OK in England and Europe, but God bless the ex-pats. You just get all this support and it’s fucking great, man. It’s very cool”

Is there much from Black The Sun that still makes it out in the live set?

“I pull a fair bit out. There’s a lot of stuff on Black The Sun that I haven’t played in ages, but I’m thinking of pulling some more out again. People that come to the shows regularly, I like to try and keep it interesting for them and for myself. It gives a better vibe to keep the show fresh. I’m actually going to break my rule and do a cover this time around on tour.”

Can you let us know what it will be?

“It’s a surprise,” he teases. “But it’s a good song. I’ve never really done covers before during the whole Alex Lloyd thing. The only song I’ve ever done was Mystery Train, the old blues standard, and only when I did acoustic shows.”

Without question, much of the material on Black The Sun and its successor lend themselves to an acoustic format. I ask if Alex is sitting around the campfire at heart.

“I’m a big fan of the campfire vibe, man,” he laughs. “There’s nothing like getting home at three in the morning and picking up the acoustic guitar and playing a few songs with your mates. That’s how I got into music.”