Bloc Party guitarist Russell Lissack will perform with Ash on their upcoming UK tour, which begins in Southampton on April 19.

Lissack has revealed that he was approached about joining the group on the jaunt by frontman Tim Wheeler.

"As soon as they called me I was really excited," he told NME.com.

"I guess the only weird part would be spending so much time with people I don't really know. I'm not sure how that will work out, but we seem to have got on well so far."

As previously reported, Lissack's Bloc Party side-project Pin Me Down release their self-titled debut album on April 19.

Tickets for Ash's UK tour, which also includes dates in Birmingham (April 22) and Brighton (May 1) are on sale now.

Ash's UK tour dates are:

• Southampton, University - April 19
• Cambridge, Junction - 20
• Norwich, Waterfront - 21
• Birmingham, Irish Centre - 23
• Leeds, Metropolitan University - 24
• Newcastle, Academy - 25
• Glasgow, ABC - 27
• Manchester, Academy 2 - 28
• Bristol, Academy - 30
• Brighton, Concorde - May 1
• Oxford, Academy - 2
• London, Electric Ballroom - 4

(by Jason Gregory)