Much-like his tough, no-nonsense screen characters, Steven Seagal appears to prefer action rather than words.

Whatever the reason for his rushed manner, it’s clear from our brisk conversation that the one subject to truly spark his interest is that of his upcoming music tour.

Though forever linked with explosive martial arts action thrillers, he has nurtured a bold sideline in playing the blues. While for many stars this might seem little more than a vanity project, to his credit Seagal possesses a gravelly voice and rough-edged guitar style well-suited to the genre born in the deep Southern states.

His first album, Songs from the Crystal Cave released two years ago, was an intriguing fusion of rock, blues and world music and featured a cameo from no less than Stevie Wonder. Its follow up, Mojo Priest, sees him plough even rawer blues territory, with faithful covers of classic tracks such as Little Red Rooster rubbing shoulders with his own material.

Having played with some of the greats including BB King and John Lee Hooker, he is keen to explore the sounds he first heard and played in his Californian youth.

“I like the music more than my movies; it’s my first love and I have been playing guitar for about 45 years now. I am not sure where my love of it came from. It’s just something I grew up with - the music of the black people in my neighbourhood playing old Delta Blues.”

He says speaking from a hotel room in the former Spanish outpost of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

It’s a typically edgy setting for his latest flick, Once Upon a Time In The Hood, which he describes as “a tale of revenge, but it’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” he adds wearily.

Demonstrating he’s not afraid to send himself up, he recently starred in Orange’s quirky cinema trailers as an action hero touting an unlikely sensitive family man script.

To date, he’s averaging an impressive tally of around three movies a year that more than handsomely pay the bills. Though he may not have had a mega-blockbuster for a while, the Seagal brand is still strong across the globe.

When I venture to ask how he felt about his movies grossing a vast sum reportedly more than $600m in total, his response is as swift as one of his well-timed chops.

“I am not sure where you got your figures from but it was at least several billion worldwide and that was 10 years ago when I left Warner. The thing about Hollywood is that it’s a very clinical place. Today you’re its darling and the tomorrow they forget about you,” snaps the 55 year-old pony-tailed star.

But nearly 20 years after being spotted by movie executives in LA, he has amassed a catalogue of more than 25 films.

His biggest flick to date remains espionage thriller Under Siege which despite drawing heavily on Bruce Willis’s Die Hard series, brought him to the attention to a mass-market audience.

The movie was particularly notable for its marital arts sequences, showcasing Seagal’s impressive Aikido skills. His remarkable abilities have been honed over a life-time and is rated as a master, gaining a prestigious 7th Dan rating.

His passion for oriental culture took him to Japan with his first wife Miyako Fujitani.

There, he became the first Westerner to set up a martial arts training centre (which he inherited from his father-in-law in Osaka) and taught English.

“Japan is one of my favourite places,” he says of his time spent there in the 1970s which was hugely influential on his outlook. Though he was born to a Jewish father and Catholic mother, he converted to the Buddhist faith.

Does he feel playing violent screen characters is something that’s compatible with his religious beliefs?

“I am able to incorporate my philosophies into what I do” adds the broad-shouldered, 6ft 4in star with conviction.

When he returned to the US in the 1980s, he famously married actress Kelly Le Brock, with whom he has several children, though split from in the 1990s. Away from his manic schedule, he enjoys spending time on his cattle ranch and songwriting. The prospect of a debut tour of Britain is one that he’s looking forward to. Having been inspired by some blues luminaries in Albert King and Albert Collins, it’s no small surprise that he has carefully selected his backing group for the tour.

“The band with me are like a family, they are all black guys from Memphis, all really good blues men.”

As he explains, all he’s aiming to do is “help heal the world with music” which may be a lofty aim indeed, but with a little help from his friends, they might just spread a little joy.

Steven Seagal plays Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall on Tuesday, February 6. Box office 01892 530613. Tickets £28.50. and Gravesend Woodville Halls on Wednesday, February 7. Tickets £28.50. Box office 01474 337774.