It’s not every day you pick up the phone and get asked to join a Beatle’s band but that’s what happened to Scouse tunesmith Ian McNabb.
“It was amazing and came about because I’ve been friends with Ringo Starr’s family for a long time, and particularly his son Zak.” recalls Ian.
“Zac said ‘Me dad’s putting together a few daft charity gigs, and he doesn’t want the rigmarole of putting a massive band together. The only thing is that we have enough guitar players so would you play bass?’ I said yes, its two strings less!”
“We went out to Monaco and played in the big stadium on the beach for Prince Albert. It was a very high faluting affair, and a very snotty audience, but it was a real gas to play Beatles songs with a Beatle. Ringo was so charming and friendly to me, and a top guy.”
But back on Planet Earth the former Icicle Works front man is playing his first gig at the Trades Club in Hebden Bridge.
“I’ve got a new album ‘Little Episodes’ so I’m on the road to play some stuff and just play cos that’s what I do. It’s by and large an acoustic album, but it’s not particularly mellow, and quite different from anything I’ve done before.
“I haven’t written anything new for a long time, but I just wrote these songs over a period of two days and went into the studio, and I think I’ve 11 or 12 good ones.”
The good news is Ian will be delving into his rich back catalogue on this tour.
“As far as I’m concerned when I play I want to do lots of songs that people want to hear so I’ll play some new stuff, and old stuff as well. If I’ve paid money to go and see someone and they don’t play songs I want to hear, then I get a bit narked.
“I’ve never been precious about my back catalogue cos I wrote them.”
The not so good news is there no plans to record a follow up to the Mercury nominated Head Like a Rock he recorded with rock royalty Crazy Horse.
“Well, if you do that then it will cost an enormous amount of money, lots of hassle, lots of travel, and really it is all down to the songs at the end of the day.
“Doing that album was more difficult than the moon landings and the financial backing to do that again doesn’t exist.”
Ian benefitted from 80s nostalgia when the mighty ‘Love Is a Wonderful Colour’ was picked as the wedding theme in Gavin and Stacey.
“That was a hit for the Icicle Works nearly 30 years ago but people in positions of power in TV are like my age, early 50s, and they remember all that stuff cos we were kids when it came out.
“I’m made up if one of my songs is on something because people get to hear it, and I might earn a little bit of money which is always appreciated. I’ve just had a song in the new Julia Roberts movie because the director of photography was a fan and he put it in.”
- Ian McNabb plays the Trades Club, Hebden Bridge on Thursday 9 December. Tickets available from www.thetradesclub.com or Jumbo Records.