Ian McNabb, Kenny Howes

From the venue:

Robert Ian McNabb (born 3rd November 1962) first rose to prominence with ‘The Icicle Works’ when they scored two major hit singles”Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream)” (Top forty US) and “Love is a Wonderful Colour” (Top twenty UK). Their eponymously titled debut album was also a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, achieving gold record status in Canada. ‘The Icicle Works’ released four albums between 1983 - 1988, all achieving top forty placing, until they broke up immediately after their swansong Blind. The other two members of the band were Chris Layhe (bass & vocals) and Chris Sharrock (drums), the latter now enjoying great success playing in Oasis. Ian went on to record one more album under the name ‘The Icicle Works,’ signing to Epic in 1989 and using session musicians in place of the now departed Chris’s. Permanent Damage was released in March 1990, but fared badly in the midst of the then exploding ‘Madchester scene.’ Ian comes from Liverpool! Ian split with Epic that same year and over the next few months he began preparing songs for what would become his first solo album Truth and Beauty. Self-financed, and released on Andrew Lauder’s new label ‘This Way Up’ in March 1993, the album was rapturously received by both fans and critics alike, finding its way into magazine end of year polls, and even making it into Q magazine’s ‘best albums released during Q’s lifetime’! Now on both a creative and commercial roll, Ian and his new record label knew they had to up the ante for the next release. Ian had written a song called “Fire Inside My Soul” which musically resembled the sound of Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Andrew Lauder had suggested to Ian that it might a good idea for him to record his next album with producer John Porter, who lived and worked in Los Angeles. Ian didn’t relish the idea of recording out of his native surroundings, undeterred, Andrew insisted his idea was a sound one. Rather facetiously, Ian suggested that if the services of Neil Young’s band could be assured, he would gladly make the long journey to California.