Experiencing your greatest musical success when you are 60.
The old adage “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again” could have been written for Liverpool’s own Ian Prowse. The singer-songwriter has been in two bands, Pele and Amsterdam as well as maintaining a solo career, and while the bands did achieve some success they never managed to break through to the next level. However, this lack of sustained success has not deterred Ian Prowse from pursuing his dream of creating music, and now at 60, he is experiencing the level of success that eluded his younger self. While his successes over the years have come in fits and starts he has written what is now considered a truly classic song, ‘Does This Train Stop On Merseyside’, which has been covered by Elvis Costello and Christy Moore. That song is now 20 years old and the Amsterdam album, “The Journey”, that brought it into the world is set for rerelease in 2025. Ian Prowse has been opening for Elvis Costello in 2024, and his touring schedule includes his own Liverpool Christmas show on Saturday 7th December and dates with his six-piece band well into 2025. Americana UK’s Martin Johnson caught up with Ian Prowse to discuss all the celebrations he has planned around the song and the supporting tour dates. He also shares his passion for Bruce Springsteen as a performer and songwriter, who continues to be an inspiration even after all these years.
[Editor’s note – As well as being a super-talented musician, Ian Prowse has been a genuine hero on social media in recent years, not giving an inch to the bollocks lobbed at Corbyn supporters over and over. He made being on X worth sticking round for, for the time we did. I’d have him as PM over Starmer in a heartbeat.]
