AFTER all these years, Mick Foster and Tony Allen are still easy on the ear, touring once more in the wake of their new television series on Sky Channel 191and their autumnal new album, Gold And Silver Days.

The Irish duo of Foster & Allen, who have been performing together for more than three decades, took to their own studios in County Westmeath for six months to make their first "all new" album in more than a decade.

"We've been pushing the record company to make an album like this as the last few albums we did were concept albums with a theme, such as songs that went to number one," says Tony.

"We wanted to do a back-to-basics Foster & Allen album, and it's called Gold And Silver Days after the song by Phil Coulter, which he wrote a few years ago and I'd heard a few versions of it.

"Phil, who's from Derry, wrote Congratulations for Cliff Richard back in the day and a song called The Town I Love So Well, which was about his home town, and he also co-wrote songs in the Seventies for the Bay City Rollers by the way. "

Plenty of songs from the new record will be aired in York, along with such Foster & Allen staples as Bunch Of Thyme, Maggie, After All These Years and I Will Love You All My Life in a set that will provide a diverse blend of easy listening, folk, country, Irish and traditional music.

"On the album, we've done Working Man, a song by Rita MacNeil that was a big hit in Canada, and it was so appropriate to do because it 's about how people are not wanted when they're getting on and retire," says Tony.

"We've also recorded an old Glen Campbell song, Try A Little Kindness; Daydream Believer, the old Monkees number, which is such a lovely song, and a song called The Hug, written by a favourite songwriting family from Ireland, the Sands family. It's all about how we all need a hug first thing in the morning and last thing at night."

Tony and Mick picked songs they had wanted to record over a number of years.

"This time we had a freer rein, where we could choose what we wanted," says Tony. "Songs like Daydream Believer would have been a big hit when our audience were young – in the Sixties – as we know our audience will be aged 50 and upwards."

After 35 albums, next year will be a landmark occasion for Foster & Allen. "It will be our 40th year on the road and we'll try to get to work again with a few people we've met over the years, like Gloria Hunniford and Shane Ward," says Tony.

Foster & Allen play York Barbican tomorrow, 7.30pm, and Harrogate Royal Hall on November 14, 7.30pm. Box office: York, 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk; Harrogate, 01423 502116 or harrogatetheatre.co.uk

The Foster & Allen Show is shown on Sky Channel 191 from 9pm to 10pm on Tuesdays, 1pm to 2pm on Saturdays and 8pm to 9pm on Sundays.