Following a recently released sixth studio album (their fourth to reach number one in the charts), the singing duo are warming up for a UK arena tour. The Club sits down with Ball and Boe before they hit the road to discuss some of their trips that came before…

What was your first car?
Michael Ball: A Mini Metro. My dad worked for British Leyland, you see. Back in the day, he’d launched the Mini and found himself back at the company in the ’70s when they launched the Mini Metro, so that’s how it ended up being my first car. 
Alfie Boe: My first car was a 1983 Ford Escort. It had more holes in it than a colander.

Tell us about your favourite road trip
AB: I drove across America once, from California to New York, in a van. I was moving furniture from one side of the country to the other. We were moving to New York at the time, and I remember it took five days total.
MB: My first job was in Aberystwyth, Wales, and I had an old Triumph TR6. I would drive up there from where I lived in Guildford on a beautiful day with the roof off along all the country roads. It was magic. 

If you went on a road trip together, who would do the driving?
MB: We would argue about it.
AB: There would be no argument. I’d just drive.
MB: I would drive.
AB: I’d drive.
MB: No, I’d drive.
AB: We’ll take two cars. (Both laugh.)

Are you both good drivers?
MB: I know I’m a good driver and I’m sure you are, Alfie, but I know I’m a better driver.
AB: There we are. That’s why I said we would take two cars.

What’s your ultimate driving song?
MB: ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ by Chris Rea.
AB: Presley’s ‘Viva Las Vegas’.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
MB: Mallorca. I bloody love it there.
AB: Anywhere in Italy, for me. I love the food, the culture, the music – everything about it.

What was your most dramatic driving experience?
AB: I worked with the Scottish Opera Company and we were performing an opera out of the back of a van in the highlands and islands of Scotland. One day we had a herd of Highland cattle stop in the middle of the road, and they were scratching the sides of the vans with their horns and butting them from side to side. That was quite intense!
MB: A similar thing happened to me! I grew up on Dartmoor, and I remember driving down a sunken country road and a sheep suddenly landed on our bonnet. My favourite, though, was when we were living for a while in South Africa and went to Kruger National Park. My Welsh grandmother was with us, and a pride of lions came and were around the car. One of them was literally licking the window next to my grandmother, who was having kittens. We got it on film, this lion just wanting to eat her face off. It was brilliant! 

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s new album Together At Home is out now. Their UK tour kicks off on 29 March 2025 in Cardiff. Tickets from livenation.co.uk

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This article has been tagged Adventure, Driving