FORMER Icicle Works frontman Ian McNabb is back on the road with his new band After Life.

And the man described by respected pop writer Colin Larkin as 'England's most under-rated, natural lyricists' is promoting his new albumZMerseybeastZwith a stop off at Manchester University tonight.

When I asked McNabb about his almost cult status he laughed. "That means people have heard of you but never buy your records," he said.

"Luckily though I've got a hard core fan base out there who will buy anything I produce, God bless them."

McNabb has an obvious bee in his bonnet about Radio 1. "Radio 1 do not play my records. Nowadays they only cater for the 15 to 25-year-old age group and 30-somethings like me are just completely ignored.

"Because of that it's hard to know how to get you records across. I'm sure there's loads of music out there that I would be interested in buying but I never get to hear it." He mused: "I'm at that sort of age where I'm too old to be the hot new thing but too young to be on Radio 2.

"I know there's a lot of people my age who aren't quite ready to roll over and listen to Simply Red and Tina Turner but there's no outlet for the music. And that's my point - there's no radio station playing me!"

Which may explain why he's been described as 'under-rated'. If nobody's hearing you, they can't appreciate what you're doing.

Liverpool-based McNabb's last solo album Head Like a Rock was nominated for a Mercury Prize in 1994 and he will no doubt receive a stream of accolades for his new album which sees him at his varied best.

The tracks range in attitude from black comedy, full-on gospel spiritually to soul ballads and charming pop songs.

"A spewing force of all the influences I've been subjected to," he explains. "The reason I'm so eclectic is because of all the music I've absorbed over the past 20 years. So what I am is this total mongrelisation of all the music that's come to the Mersey, and I'm the product of this stuff, The Merseybeast, for better or worse."

McNabb says the album is a sign of coming back to his proverbial roots. The last album was produced in the States.

He says: "The title is a play on words and hopefully quite funny. I think my lyrics contain a lot of humour but not everyone seems to get it. So I've been a bit more obvious this time." So has Mr McNabb improved on the brilliant legacy of work he left behind when he abandoned the Icicle Works? "I think theoretically that you should improve. Some people are really great when they start but I think I've got better as I've got the hang of it."

Recently McNabb collaborated with Neil Young and his band Crazy Horse and after this current tour he has plans to work with Mike Scott of The Waterboys.

"I think you learn a lot from other people and I always try to work with musicians who know more than me so I can pick their brains."

If McNabb can improve on the products of his past then we're all in for a real treat - and more's the pity that we won't be able to listen to it on Radio 1.

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