THE latest tour of folk-rockers Steeleye Span celebrates their 35th anniversary as a band - though to them it must sometimes seem as though they haven't been off the road since they formed in 1969.

The band are one of the most influential names in British roots music. Their early years were dogged by battles with the folk set, who wanted to keep their music pure as the driven snow, and those who wanted to stay true to its roots while reinterpreting it as they went along.

They've been through quite a few members, too, but the current line-up of vocalist Maddy Prior, fiddler Peter Knight, bassist Rick Kemp and drummer Liam Genocky has some claim to being a classic - even though until last year the four hadn't shared the same stage for 16 years.

Maddy Prior, who's been singing with the band for 30 of their 35 years, said: "Steeleye Span is like a bus. It goes along, and people get on and get off it.

"Sometimes the bus goes along the route you want to go, and sometimes it turns off, so you get off.

"People do seem to come in and out of Steeleye. There's been a few people who've been in, gone out, come back in.

"We don't ever actually have a plan. Whatever the material does, that's where we go."

Steeleye Span play the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury at 7.30pm on Monday and Tuesday.

Tickets are £14.50 from the box office, 01684 295074.