FORMER Icicle Works frontman Ian McNabb is set to Join the team of a Wirral radio station.

The Liverpool-born Mercury Music Prize nonimee's first show for 92.1 FM will be next Friday, June 20.

Starting at 10pm, the show promises two hours of premium rock 'n' roll, super opinionated banter, superb guests and live music.

One of the great singer-songwriters to emerge from the 80s Liverpool music scene, Ian was the founder and lead singer of chart toppers The Icicle Works.

He has also performed on stage with some of the biggest names in music, including Neil Young's band Crazy Horse and Ringo Starr.

Famous for the UK and US Top 40 hits Love Is A Wonderful Colour and Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly), he has gone on to enjoy a critically-acclaimed solo career.

He was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize in 1994, for his album Head Like a Rock, which he recorded with Crazy Horse and picked up a gong at the Liverpool Music Awards in 2012 for his album Little Episodes.

Looking forward to his first show for Wirral Radio, Ian - who lives in the Newsham Park area of Liverpool - said: "I am a lover of radio and always listen to a few hours of it every week in the hope that I will hear something I've never heard before and learn something new.

“Being given this opportunity to have my own show on Wirral Radio is a real thrill for me, especially as I have no brief from anyone about what type of music I can play.

“I have a free hand and it will basically be a night round at mine for a party. I can't wait! I will also feature a guest every week and we will have acoustic music live. I will play some of my own stuff too of course”.

Ian’s show is being produced by Graham Robertson from Bebington. He has worked for BBC Radio London for over 12 years, producing the likes of Robert Elms, Danny Baker, Gary Crowley, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins, Paul Ross, John Inverdale, Jeremy Beadle, Jono Coleman, Joanne Good and Danny Kelly. He also helped the station to pick up Gold and Bronze Sony Awards.

Graham said: "Ian’s a natural, funny, great raconteur who knows his music inside out and it turns out, a pretty good interviewer too. I think we can make something interesting here and if he plays his cards right he could be the next Parkinson".

The weekly what's on guide for the show will be provided by music publicist Lisa Southern from Claughton, who has worked for Island Records and Avalon Television.

Ian's first special guest is the hotly tipped Mossley Hill musician, Thomas McConnell, 21, who became a worldwide internet hit after recording a cover of Sir Paul McCartney's single New on the day of release.

A video of Thomas performing the track was shared by Paul himself on his official Facebook and Twitter pages, which led to Thomas meeting his idol at Paul’s intimate gig at Maida Vale last October.

Thomas has also become one of the youngest musicians to be endorsed by Hofner Guitars and recently performed on stage with Squeeze co-founder Glenn Tillbrook.

Thomas said: "I'm very excited to be the first guest on Ian's new radio show. He's supported me a lot over the last few years so I really appreciate being invited on".

Ian is playing the festival circuit this summer and supporting Neil Young at the Liverpool Echo Arena on Sunday, July 13.

His new album Eclectic Warrior. Updates are from www.ianmcnabb.com