Interview With Ian McNabb

Life Café, Liverpool

December, 1999

I recently managed to catch up with Ian during the interval at the second his two shows at the Life Café in Liverpool. The same night, in fact, that the world's media had descended upon the city to report on Sir Paul McCartney's lengthy 40 minute set at the reconstructed Cavern Club. There was only one gig in town worth seeing that night, but needless to say, the press had opted for the wrong one. It was their loss.

Despite the fact that Ian had played a two and a half hour show the previous night and was taking a well earned breather from another of similar length, he was still kind enough to give up his time to address the burning McNabb issues of the day.....

Could you begin by saying a little bit about your current situation, what you're doing with these gigs and what your plans are?

Well, I haven't got a deal, and I want to get somebody behind me that can spend a bit of money. I've got loads of songs, and I'm finishing off a new batch of demos to try and get a deal--which isn't going to be easy because they're not giving them away at the moment. I think the climate's got worse. It's pretty hellish out there if you've been keeping an eye on the charts and stuff. If you want to make a quick buck, the best thing to do is put a teeny band together, and I don't wanna do that!

Have you ever had thoughts about getting involved in that side of the business or managing local bands that you think are worthwhile?

No. I get asked to produce a lot of things, but I'm no good at it.

Your stuff sounds okay, and you produce that...

Yeah, but that's because I'm really into my stuff. When I produce other people I just tend to make them sound like me!

I'm hoping that I can record an LP and get. it released by the end of next year. I haven't made an album, a proper album - I think ....the Emotional Party is a great album, but it was done in five days - but I haven't made a proper commercial recording since I did Merseybeast which was October '95. It's very frustrating. I've got about forty demos.

You must be a good judge of your own material. How do you rate those demos? Are there any that you're particularly excited about?

I always think I've got good songs. I've got one which is called 'Living Proof' which I'm very excited about, and everyone that knows me thinks that it's the most commercial thing I've done.

Is that the new track that you played last night?

Yes, obviously the acoustic version doesn't really show you the full potential of it, but on the demo recording it sounds like a big Icicle Works track. It's very kind of....eighties really - big massive chorus and catchy verse.

When you're doing a pair of gigs like this, how do you go about coming up with a set list?

What I usually do when I'm doing a gig is to go through all the songs I did on the last tour - I always keep a list of what I did - and I just cross everything off that I don't wanna do. I do whatever I'm left with, and I might do a few new things, but I didn't really want to play too many new songs at these little gigs. I sort of see these as looking back, and it's that time of the year, the Millennium and all that bollocks.

Did you enjoy being back in front of an audience last night?

Oh God yeah! It's a weird feeling, whenever I'm playing in front of an audience I just think 'this is what I'm supposed to do.' It just feels so natural, and then I just get pissed off because I think that I don't do it enough. I've done nothing this year apart from write songs - which is great - but you can only write songs for a while and then you start to get fed up, and you need some feedback, and you don't get feedback off the wall that you're singing to, so doing a gig is great. Last night was really a great shot in the arm for me. It really made me feel good about what I do.

What are your thoughts on the McCartney gig down the road?

I think it's a masterstroke! Have you seen the coverage it's had? It's been on ITN Evening News and everything. His album hasn't sold anything so it's a masterstroke.

Are there any more older songs which you might re-record?

I'm not happy with the way the Icicle Works stuff sounds. A lot of it sounds dated. A lot of stuff from the Eighties sounds dated anyway, but I think a lot of those songs are better than the records that became of them. We never got a good recording of 'When it all Comes Down.' It's not what it should be. Maybe one day I'll record that properly, but maybe I won't. It just depends.

What about the re-release of Permanent Damage?

Yeah, that will happen! I know I keep saying that. The reason it hasn't happened yet is that I haven't acquired the rights to re-release it yet. The longer I leave it, the better deal I'll get for licencing it off Sony. There were thirty to thirty-five songs recorded for Permanent Damage, some of them came out as B-sides, but there will be a special edition of Permanent Damage more in the way that it was intended to be than the way it actually came out. The one that came out, one side was actually for the record company and the other side, the second side, was for me - that was all the drunk, out of tune stuff!

There have been rumours that the original Icicle Works might work together again, would you like to scotch those?

Chris Sharrock's in the big session man bracket now! I'm not really in touch with him, we speak, but we haven't been in a band together for like, years! I don't think you can ever say 'never again.' Looking back, I thought the Icicle Works were very much me and Chris Sharrock, although Chris Layhe did come up with a lot of very good ideas in the studio - he's very good at arrangements. I don't really know what to say about it. We were in a band. That's what we were, and as for working with them again, I don't know, maybe. The way things are going these days, maybe in ten years time we'll get together and do an album and a tour - who knows?

Have you thought about an Ian McNabb Boxed Set and if so, what would be on it and what would it be called?

I don't know what I'd call it. I have thought about it. That will come out when I've really established myself. I still feel as if I've got so far to go. I feel I've got a mountain to climb. I've got so much stuff, and a lot of it's really good too!

What about your version of Scott Walker's 'Montague Terrace in Blue'?

We did that when we were doing Head Like a Rock, there's a mix of it knocking around somewhere. We also did a version of Pink Floyd's 'Astronomy Domine' during the Merseybeast sessions. There's loads of stuff, but I can't see it being released until such a time as the majority of people are going to be interested, instead of just my loyal following.

Which album should someone who is unfamiliar with your entire body of work but is 'McNabb curious' purchase?

There's an industry sampler knocking 'round that's really good! It's a new one with stuff off of ..Emotional Party. It's about seventy-eight minutes and an overview of all the albums - I haven't sent them out yet to be honest! To preach to the unconverted? I think probably Merseybeast is the most accessible. As an all round pop album, I think that's probably the best for a newcomer.

What was playing bass with Mike Scott all about then?

Well, I've always been a big fan, and I was going through a really slack period - it was when I got dropped by Island and I was very disenchanted and he wanted me to play bass, and I thought 'I'm not really sure....' - it was a bit of a challenge, I'm not a bass player, but I can play the bass, so I did it! He showed me the tour dates, and it took care of a lot of the year, and the money was good. It was the right thing to do. At that time it was very good for me. I could just stand at the side and not worry. I was just relaxed - it was great.

Did you get to meet Sheryl Crow or drink her bathwater when you supported her?

I didn't drink her bathwater but I got to meet Sheryl Crow. She was alright. She was a bit affected, you know, a bit snooty.

Which of your Liverpool contemporaries do you see around?

I see Ian McCulloch quite frequently. I always have a great time with Mac whenever I see him. He's a very very funny guy and a lot of his image is.....image. He's very witty, very dry. I like him a lot. [Pete] Wylie's here tonight. I've never met Julian [Cope]. I think he lives in Tamworth or somewhere. We don't all go 'round to each other's houses and stuff, but I get on great with them. I get on particularly well with Wylie.

What was the last album you bought?

The Foo Fighters. I think it's OK, a bit of a disappointment. The songs aren't that good, but it's very well played.

You've spoken of a tour with a band for next year - what do you envisage the line up will be at this stage?

No idea whatsoever. Before I get to tour with a band, I have to make an album. Before I make an album, I have to get a deal. It costs an awful lot of money to pay musicians, book hotels, a tour manager, vans etc., where as when I play solo, I actually make money! It's a tricky one. The mortgage has to be paid you know...

You seemed to be having a terrific time with Danny Thompson. How did working with Danny come about and might it happen again?

We just called him up. I knew that he would suit my acoustic album down to the ground, and we got lucky with his availability. He was only supposed to play on one song, but we got on so well and he worked so fast that he ended up on five! I would love to play with Danny again, and I'm sure it will happen at some point. He is a wonderful musician and a fine hang.

Now that you can look back to a degree, how do you view your first four solo albums, and how do they fit into the bigger McNabb picture?

I'm very proud of all of them, and I think they all have their own style and voice. I'm just pissed off that I could've made another one in the 90's but got let down and messed around. I'm always bothered that if anything unfortunate should happen to me, people won't have the full picture. I could easily make two albums per year, no problem. I think it's fairly apparent that Ian McNabb was better in the 90's than he was in the Eighties. Try saying that about my so-called contemporaries.

Are you likely to write with Ian Broudie again?

Who knows? Maybe now that his star seems to have fallen a little he'll come back to me! (People tend to hang out with me on the way up and on the way down. Somehow they have trouble seeing me from the top of the hill!)

Which musicians would you like to work with that you haven't done already?

Too many to mention, but they cost so much money! I'm not in a situation to pick and choose at this point. There are very few muso's who will play with you for a laugh. Plus the fact that I'm a pretty good all-rounder. With the exception of drums and gospel choirs, there aren't many parts on my albums not played by me that I couldn't have pulled off given a bit of time...

Have you been approached by any wanna-be collaborators recently?

No. Mike Peters is always trying to get me to do something, but I never liked The Alarm, and it would just look desperate. He has a concept for a "Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young" thing which is just terrifying. He is a lovely bloke though.

Have you ever thought of doing anything more diverse, obviously your body of work is already diverse, but film scores for example...

I would love to do some film stuff. It's exceptionally well-paid, and I know I'd be good at it. Once again it's very difficult to break into this area. It tends to be occupied by failed pop artists and obviously there are a lot of them. They are a secret society who don't like having the work farmed out to people like me who supposedly already have careers and don't look like we work in an off-licence. It's who you know.

Are you likely to produce any more books after the success of your lyric book? Somebody suggested a guitar tab book....

I intend to write an autobiography at some point, probably when I'm in my fifties. I have no interest whatsoever in doing a tab book! Life's too short. People should be able to work out the chords for themselves, it'll do them good! I'm more interested in reading books than writing them...

You also seem to have been writing to several music magazines of late. Do you do this a lot and which magazines do you make a point of reading?

I have written to two music mags in the past two years. This is because I have been sufficiently moved/annoyed to put finger to key. It was also a test to see if the editors would print them or even knew who I was, seeing as they never write anything about me but are prepared to lavish acres of press on American singer/songwriters who no-one has ever heard of. This also applies to "Later with Jools Holland." I have been rejected outright for that particular show four times in a row. I read Mojo and Uncut. I don't bother with any of the others anymore. Q appears to have turned into a fashion magazine. I hope you're all happy with the multi-talented Melanie C.

Do you think that people's perception of Liverpool has changed/is changing? How do you see Liverpool today?

I really don't know or care. I see Liverpool as the place I live due to the fact that my mother lives here, and it's where my beautiful rock star house is. I could live anywhere. It doesn't matter to me. You carry it with you.

If you had to leave Liverpool, where would you choose to live?

God! London, New York, Paris, Madrid, Berlin, Stockholm... There are loads of amazing places. It would have to be a city of course... I'm a city boy, and I'm not "ready for the country" just yet.

What's bliss, and what gets your goat?

A great record, a great movie, great sex, great food, you know, the usual! Virtually everything from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed annoys me... I have to watch myself. Have you seen "Falling Down" with Mike Douglas? That's me! I really do think that people are stupid and the world is completely fucked. We're doomed! Let's party!...

Is the internet a good thing?

Whether it's a good thing or not is irrelevant. It's here to stay. I think it can be used to one's advantage. It's the people's machine. Time will tell. It's not the panacea that a lot of people would have you believe it is...

Did you purchase the Gram Parsons tribute album? What did you think and given the chance to contribute, which song would you have chosen?

No. I don't like tribute albums. How often does anyone listen to them? They're only of curiosity value and they're always hit and miss. I think Gram Parsons is over-rated. I bet you there wouldn't be anything like this much hoo-ha if he was still around, fat and bald! "Hickory Wind" is a great song, but I still think Gene Clark was a much bigger talent. While we're at it, I think Beck Hanson is the most over-rated artist in the history of pop music.

When the McNabb tribute album comes out, which bands or artists would you like to perform which songs?

I hope there never is one. I certainly wouldn't have anything to do with it. Paul Weller played on the Jam tribute album! Fuckin' hell!!! I hated the Jam.

If you could remove all trace of any song that you've written from history, which one(s) would it be and why?

Oh, there are a few. Mainly Icicle Works songs. People tend to think a lot of that stuff is better than it is because it reminds them of their youth. "All the Daughters..." is pretty terrible. Most of my solo stuff is still listenable. You change your opinion by the minute. Sometimes things sound shit for years, and suddenly everybody starts talking about an old track that fits the time. It's so organic you can't really put it into words. I don't care if I never hear "Travelling Chest" again.

What's your attitude towards taping/filming of shows both in general and with regard to your own work? Could you not make some extra money by filming a show and then selling it through your mailing list?

If people want to film or record my shows that's OK with me. I don't like the idea of them selling anything, but trading is an OK pastime. I'm just not interested in the 'visual' aspect of me. I don't think I'm ever going to sell any records because of the way I look. I hate watching myself on TV, always have. People should try it sometime! You always hate seeing yourself, and every time there's a new vid you just look older! The audio medium is much kinder. I can sound 17 on a record! I won't be trying to flog a video at any point, so forget about it.

Is Judith Riley still your Manager?

No.

Do you do the lottery? If so and you won a substantial amount, how would you use it to improve your life or work?

No, no, no, no, no!!! People use the lottery as a crutch. How depressing. If I came into a lot of money it would mean I could put out records regularly without having to go down on my knees to someone every year.

A thought for today.....

I'm a musician, I don't have to think.

What will it say on your gravestone?

I told you I was sick.

Have you a Christmas/Millennium message for your fans?

Buy my records and come to all my concerts. Please make sure you also buy lots of merchandise (don't be afraid of buying two copies of anything!) Oh, and thanks for everything... Without you I'm nothing. With you I'm nothing!!!

Many thanks to Ian once again for agreeing to this interview and for his time.

Received 21 December 1999. Posted 30 December. Minor editing 17 January 2000.
This interview Copyright © 1999, 2000, Alan Tonge. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. The right of Alan Tonge to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Photographs Copyright © 1999, Nigel Davis. All rights reserved. Used with permission.