Reunited Rockers Go Down A Storm
...Thanks To Their Kids  The Daily Record 20th April 2001

SCOTS rockers Deacon Blue made a triumphant comeback on Wednesday night - thanks to their lead singers' own Real Gone Kids.

Ricky Ross and Lorraine Mackintosh's children have cottoned on to the fact that dad is a songwriter - and are taking every opportunity to help him out.

Ricky, 42, reveals: "Emer - one of my wee girls - came up with the idea for one of my songs.

"She gave me the title of a song - and we agreed I would go away and write about it. It's called My Girl Going To Town and I've recorded it as a solo track for my own album."

But he laughs: "Emer was disappointed by it - I think she wanted this Steps-esque tune."

Lorraine, left, adds: "Emer thinks all she has to do now is pull a name out of a hat and dad will write a song about it.

"And our other little girl, Georgia, wants in on the act now, too. She asked me yesterday ... 'Mummy, do you think The Sunshine's All Gone is a good name for a song?.

"I said ... 'Yes dear, but I think it's been done already'."

Five of the original Deacon Blue line-up - Ricky, Lorraine, Dougie Vipond, guitarist Graeme Kelling and keyboard player Jim Price - played King Tut's in Glasgow for an exclusive gig sponsored by Virgin Radio.

The band split up in 1994 after scoring 17 hit singles and six top 10 albums, so there were a few nerves beforehand.

Drummer Dougie, who now presents BBC's Sportscene, said: "I am a bit nervous about the gig, but we have had plenty of rehearsals. We have a lot of new tunes and this is their first outing, but we have had plenty of rehearsals and I am sure we will be fine."

He was right. The band wowed the fans at the intimate venue with old favourites such as Dignity and Fergus Sings The Blues, as well as performing their new single, Every Time You Sleep, live for the first time.

An album, Homesick, will be released on April 30 and a tour begins on May 10, with dates pencilled in for Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Part of the entourage will be Ricky and Lorraine's son Seamus, who was born in December, but Emer, eight, and six-year-old Georgia will be left behind.

Lorraine says: "They'll stay here and granny will come to babysit. There's no way we'd take them out of school for two weeks at the end of term."