WITH his bands Pele and Amsterdam, Ian Prowse won a legion of fans for his anthemic, uplifiting pop songs.

Ian is from the seemingly endless conveyor belt of quality songwriters from Liverpool – which has produced the likes of Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds, Ian McCullouch of Echo and the Bunnymen, Ian McNab of the Icicle Works and Pete Wylie of Wah.

Now he’s embarking on a solo tour which will see him playing Chipping Village Hall next Sunday.

“I put out a best of album last year and toured it with the band,” said Ian, “but I have written some songs which are a more real, more suited to be performed as a solo artist.”

One of the reasons for Ian’s new ‘direction’ has been the birth of his daughter Rosalita, now one, who is named after the classic Bruce Springsteen song.

“She’s fantastic,” he said, “but having a child, the responsibilities of parenthood have blown my mind.

“She has affected my writing, as a songwriter I tend to respond to what is in my life.”

But fans of classic songs such as Does This Train Stop on Merseyside? and Home need not worry.

“I will still be singing stuff from the back catalogue on my own and then at the back end of the year we’re planning to go out with Amsterdam again,” said Ian.

Ian was part of the chart topping Justice Collective whose charity single raised money for the families of victims killed at the Hillsborough Disaster. “I was proud to be part of it,” said Ian.

“To me it has always been about conviction. Every time I have sung a song I have believed in it and I think an audience respects that honesty.”

Amsterdam were one of the first bands to use the internet to promote and sell their albums – something which has become commonplace. “We put out two albums via the website,” said Ian.

“I suppose we were the forerunners in a way. It has become a vitally important tool. “I can contact 5,000 people immediately via my site which is such a powerful thing for an artist.

“I just love writing songs and getting out there and performing them to people who appreciate it.”

  • Ian Prowse, Chipping Village Hall, Sunday, March 3. Tickets, contact 01772 866171.