Deacon Blue star Ricky Ross: I'm so nervous playing solo that I can hardly go on stage
Daily Record 24th May 2013

The frontman is set to star on the main stage at T in the Park this summer but admits he feels more pressure performing as a solo act.

Ricky Ross has revealed he was almost too nervous to take the stage on his solo tour. The Dundee-born star is used to playing to sold-out arenas with Deacon Blue and will perform on the main stage at T in the Park this summer. But playing intimate venues with sixth solo album Trouble Came Looking almost knocked the 55-year-old off his stride.

He said: “I get really nervous now, more so as I get older. “I supported Wet Wet Wet doing a solo gig at Celtic Park years ago and wasn’t nervous.

“But on the first night on this tour, playing in Milton Keynes, I was almost ­overcome with nerves. "My manager had to reassure me for days after it that it was OK but I was overtaken with the weight of the thing. “I was thinking, ‘Can I ­actually do this?’ It’s such a mountain to climb every night. It’s easier once you get into it with the band but with this it’s emotionally draining. You give a lot of yourself.”

Ricky will perform solo at this year’s Glastonbury, before playing T in the Park and V Festival with Deacon Blue. His UK tour was filmed by BBC Alba for an hour-long music documentary and road trip to be screened on June 8, in which Ricky played across the Highlands and islands. He even made a special performance at Barlinnie prison in Glasgow.

He said: “To people who think prisoners have it too easy, I say to them, go and see for yourself. “People have done things wrong but I think you have to give them the possibility of starting again.

“There was a great ­connection at that gig. Two guys got up and sang stuff they’d done in music workshops afterwards.” Paul English