He’s back!

After spending much of 2013 exploring Scandinavia and Belgium, Tall Dark Friend has returned to Tilbury Town...and he has much to talk about.

Tall Dark Friend, aka Jordan Gray, 25, carved a name for himself in Thurrock with his quirky songwriting, self-taught piano talent and sharp, dynamic voice for three years.

On Thursday night he is performing a set at Las Iguanas in Lakeside, less than a year after announcing he was taking a break.

He will be in Las Iguanas on the penultimate Thursday of every month but tonight’s show is his first since taking a break to write a novel and travel the length of Sweden, Denmark and Belgium.

“To go travelling was the best decision I made.” Jordan told the Gazette ahead of his comeback show. “I got more work from it - I was working at a western horse show in Sweden. I was staying on the ranch, so to earn my keep I worked on the farm and I played the after parties for a couple of the big shows they were doing there.”

And aside from meeting various people, including US record label owner who has shown interest in Tall Dark Friend’s hugely melodic repertoire, Jordan wrote a book called Dog Bless the Day - which he is now touting to publishers - and came up with a string of other creative ideas.

His focus has returned to music and a new album is in the pipeline. Some of the songs from that new record will be played for the first time at Las Iguanas, as will several new covers, including a hit by Pendulum.

Jordan has also recently shot a video for More Than Mates - a single from his sixth and most recent album - which featured another face familiar to the Thurrock music scene, Arthur Walwin and which was produced by Thurrock Film Festival winner James Kavanagh.

Jordan said: “The new album will be a double album and is inspired by Bob Dylan, with an electric side and an acoustic side.

“I’ve really put the effort into coming up with a killer set list for Las Iguanas. There will be a couple of classics, but there will be plenty of new songs and covers, too.”

**Catch Tall Dark Friend in Las Iguanas at Lakeside from 8pm on Thursday**