The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Getting to know you
Singer-songwriter, Deacon Blue frontman and radio presenter Ricky Ross brings his solo show to Pitlochry Festival Theatre tonight, but not before stopping in for a chat...
Q Which musicians inspire you?
A There are so many, it’s impossible to know where to start but I think I would have to say the Beatles.
Q What was your plan B career-wise?
A I didn’t really have a plan A or a plan B. I didn’t think that I would be a working musician and I am very grateful for that.
Q Your house is on fire, what one item do you save?
A Nothing would matter – you just want to be safe. I don’t like clutter, in a literal and a metaphorical sense.
Q Last meal on earth?
A I don’t know what it would be, more who it was with and that would be with all my family.
Q Favourite holiday destination?
A Recently many of our favourite holidays have been in Scotland, last year we did the North Coast 500 and we love the East Neuk of Fife and Nethybridge in the Cairngorms.
Q What was the last book you read?
A I usually have a few books on the go at once but I have just finished Six Minutes in May by Nicholas Shakespeare. It’s about the time that Churchill became Prime Minister which is interesting in the context of how things are now.
Q What was the first album you ever bought?
A I can’t remember which was the first but it was either The World of Marianne Faithful or Rolling Stones’ Get Your Ya-Ya’s Out!
Q What makes you happy?
A When your family are spread around the place, it’s being together because you don’t have that all the time.
Q What makes you sad?
A As you get older you miss people. People disappear from your life that you don’t see and you want to see.
Q If you could go back to any point in history, what would it be?
A I’ve often thought about this and I think it would be just before I was born (in 1957). I would like to live through the war to see that things were really like for my parents. I would love to walk past the house I live in now.
Q What is the best advice you have ever received, and who did it come from?
A I was really fed up with music and the music business and Michael Marra, who was a really good friend said to me, “No-one can stop you making music.”
Q What do you do to unwind?
A I like to run, I’ll hopefully get out for a run before it gets dark tonight, and I do yoga once a week but my favourite things are probably going to the theatre and going to the football with my son.
Q What are you proudest of?
A I’m very happy with my children being happy and fulfilled, going to higher education and on to work. I’m proud they are doing their own thing.
Q Biggest regret?
A I try not to go down that road.
Q Who do you admire most?
A There are so many people, but usually people others wouldn’t know. I have been lucky enough to meet Jean Vanier who is still so alive and thinking in the most exceptional way.
Q And who do you detest?
A I try not to dwell on it. Part of what we are going through at the moment is the polarisation of people.
Q Hardest thing you’ve had to give up?
A I had a lovely old car but I realised that I was no use at having a lovely old car! It was a British racing green jaguar but every time I went out the battery was flat.
Q Could you save someone’s life?
A Oh, no! You don’t want me in that situation! I would be good at calling the ambulance.
Q What keeps you awake at night?
A When I am going on tour, it’s remembering song lyrics, it both helps me to sleep or keeps me awake if I can’t remember a line.
Q Who is your biggest critic?
A My biggest support is my best critic and that is my wife Lorraine. She is my biggest critic in terms of being honest – she’s great for that and really great at listening.
Q Where would you rather be right now?
A Nowhere, I’m in Glasgow and it’s a really beautiful autumnal day.