Addio a Ian Bairnson

a cura di Francesco Ferrua
 

E' stata Leila Bairnson, l'amorevole moglie di Ian, a dare la triste notizia su Facebook nella tarda mattinata dell'8 aprile con le seguenti parole:

It is with deep sadness and regret that I let you know that my loving husband Ian Bairnson has passed away on Friday 7th April. Ian was the sweetest, kindest, loving husband I could ever have wished for and I take comfort that he is resting now up there in his very own piece of “Blue Blue Sky”. Although Ian has left us, his musical legacy stays with us and will continue to delight and brighten our lives, as it did his, forever. I would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Frimley Park Hospital, the managers and carers at Lynwood Care Home and our families and close friends for the love and support they have provided us during these challenging years of Ian’s long battle with dementia.
Una notizia che dapprima ha lasciato attoniti i fan di tutto il mondo e che subito dopo ha fatto sfociare la tristezza in una lunga serie di affettuosi ricordi e testimonianze di riconoscenza e devozione. Era da almeno dieci anni che Ian conviveva con una rara forma di Alzheimer, la quale aveva dapprima intaccato le sue capacità linguistiche, poi i ricordi e - infine - lo aveva reso tristemente incapace di badare a se stesso. La stessa carriera musicale di Ian aveva subito un forte contraccolpo ed era andata pian piano a scemare, nonostante le sue abilità alla chitarra siano state le ultime a cedere il passo alla malattia. Grazie al supporto e all'amicizia di David Paton, Ian era riuscito a prendere parte all'ultimo mini-tour dei Pilot in Giappone nel novembre del 2016 e in ambito discografico l'anno precedente aveva inciso la sua interpretazione di Comfortably Numb dei Pink Floyd per l'album curato da Richard Cottle con la Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. E proprio grazie all'aiuto del fidato amico tastierista, nel 2019 Ian era stato ancora in grado di offrire due assolo per l'album The Secret di Alan Parsons, chiudendo definitivamente la sua avventura musicale con un ritorno altamente simbolico al fianco di Alan. Moltissimi fan sapevano delle sue condizioni di salute e la scarsità di sue nuove collaborazioni musicali testimoniava la triste realtà. Alcuni erano anche andati a trovarlo a casa negli ultimi anni, consapevoli di quanto a Ian facesse bene prendere in mano la chitarra e sentirsi ancora una volta quello di sempre, perchè quando suonava - che fosse con l'acustica o con l'elettrica - la magia di sempre tornava invariata. E allora Ian era nuovamete il re indiscusso delle sei corde, l'artista capace di costruire intarsi preziosi nelle canzoni, cesellature in grado di creare motivi originali talmente solidi da acquisire una propria autonomia, quasi una sorta di canzone nella canzone. Perchè i suoi fraseggi così strutturali e fluidi, mai banali, erano incredibilmente capaci di colmare i vuoti con estremo carattere; ogni suo intervento alla chitarra era fattto di note scandite con una precisione svizzera che costringevano a cantarle una ad una, rimanendo stampigliate nella mente dell'ascoltatore e divenendo molto più di un semplice abbellimento. La sua chitarra diventava coprotagonista al pari del cantante, elevando il brano ad un livello superiore, spesso rappresentando il vero apice emotivo dell'intera canzone. Eppure lo faceva con una grazia e una raffinatezza tali da non risultare mai esageratamente sopra le righe o fuori luogo, mai frutto del desiderio di mettersi in mostra più di quanto non fosse necessario all'organicità della canzone, talvolta con poche note ma perfettamente scelte e concatenate, giocando abilmente anche con le pause ed i silenzi. E' così che lo stile chitarristico di Ian, il suo sound e il suo gusto musicale sono stati fin da subito parte integrante dell'Alan Parsons Project. Una musica che, a dispetto di quanto spesso si crede, si è strutturata molto di più sulle chitarre che sulle tastiere.

L'ultimo saluto a Ian è stato dato il 28 aprile con una cerimonia privata tenutasi presso la St. Michael's Church di Bray, cittadina della periferia londinese dove Ian abitava con la moglie Leila, e l'occasione ha visto molti amici e colleghi di vecchia data rendere omaggio all'amato Ian. In chiesa era presenti David Paton, Stuart Tosh, Andrew Powell, Lenny Zakatek, i fratelli Laurie e Richard Cottle, Neil Lockwood, Beverley Craven, Hazel e Sally Woolfson. Assenti Stuart Elliott, impegnato in tour con Steve Harley, e Alan Parsons, reduce da un secondo invasivo intervento chirurgico alla schiena al quale ha dovuto sottoporsi il 20 aprile. La cerimonia ha anche avuto dei toccanti momenti musicali, con l'interpretazione vocale di Neil Lockwood in Blue Blue Sky e Brother Up In Heaven, accompagnato nelle musiche da alcuni dei musicisti presenti, i quali - sotto la guida di Richard Cottle - si sono presi cura di tutti i commenti sonori dell'intera funzione religiosa. Anche Lenny Zakatek ha reso omaggio con l'interpretazione di un brano soul, accompagnato da Beverley Craven ai cori, mentre il feretro ha lasciato la chiesa sulle note registrate di The Call Of The Wild. Altri momenti emozionanti sono stati toccati con la lettura di alcuni ricordi di parenti e amici, tra i quali quelli di Alan Parsons e Kate Bush.

Su volontà della vedova, in memoria di Ian si possono fare donazioni in favore dell'Alzheimer’s Research UK o del Frimley Park Hospital.




Tutti riuniti nell'amorevole ricordo di Ian Bairnson. Da sinistra: Stuart Tosh, Richard Cottle, David Paton, Lenny Zakatek,
Andrew Powell e Laurie Cottle. Al centro seduta, Leila Bairnson.
(Immagine scattata da Anne Zakatek, moglie di Lenny, dopo la cerimonia commemorativa).



Nel seguito si riportano alcuni messaggi di stima e affetto che collaboratori e amici hanno lasciato sulle loro pagine web all'indomani della scomparsa di Ian:


I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my good friend and musical icon, Ian Bairnson. I have always considered Ian a musical genius. It was a great pleasure to have him participate on every album by The Alan Parsons Project and several other albums under my name since. He has played with many other talented artists as well throughout his incredible career.
He was a true master of the guitar - he knew every possible playable guitar chord and how to describe it - for example “G Minor Sixth Add 9” or C Sharp Major Ninth Add 13", but amazingly, he never took the time to learn conventional musical notation. Another indication of his incredible talent was when he picked up the saxophone and played it like a pro on stage with the British incarnation of The Alan Parsons Live Project, he had only spent a few short weeks of learning the instrument.
Another vivid memory I have of Ian - I was somewhat unenthusiastic about Eye In The Sky, when we recorded it in the early 80s, and tried to drop it. Ian however, thought the song was going to be a huge hit, and clearly, he was right!
He was a totally devoted husband to his wife Leila. It was "Love at First Sight". I know - I was there when they met! She tirelessly looked after him and was always by his side, during the good times, and the tough ones.
He was a great animal lover. His beautiful dog Gemma, a hugely bright and intelligent Border Collie, spent many happy days with her master at many of the Project and post-project recording sessions. I remember him once saying, “I’ve spent a third of my life with this dog”.
As if he needed to express his talents outside music, he was a local champion at the sport of Motor Bike Trials. I have a fond memory of riding alongside him on motor cycles in France during the recording of Eve. He could do unbelievable tricks on a bike!
I recommend anyone reading this to play “The Very Last Time" from the album The Time Machine. It’s a beautiful song and was written by Ian to commemorate the death of someone in his personal life. It was sung by Beverly Craven, with whom Ian played many concerts. It now seems incredibly appropriate as a musical obituary to all those who, like me, loved him dearly.
Ian will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.
- Alan Parsons -

It was with great sadness that I heard the news this morning that my good friend, colleague and collaborator Ian Bairnson had died last night after a long battle with dementia. My sympathies go to his loving and caring wife Leila, who supported him through thick and thin. I shall always remember his great sense of humour - you could rely on Ian to come up wth something to lighten the air if a recording session had got “difficult” - apart from, obviously, his superb guitar playing. Many of the records I worked on benefitted from his guitar-playing genius - I’m not only thinking of the well known ones such as his brilliant solo on Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights”, but also some lesser known ones - a particular favourite of mine is the solo he played on the Elaine Paige album which I co-produced with Tim Rice - on a Dave Townsend song called “Far Side of the Bay.” It’s a gem!
- Andrew Powell -

It is with great sadness I’m waving goodbye to another dear friend over the last almost 5 decades. Ian Bairnson my fellow band mate and studio sessioneer. Ian was an amazing guitarist. I’ve never known any guitarist who could play absolutely flawlessly in any and every situation. when I first played with him in 1976 on a session at Abbey Road studios I was absolutely blown away by his playing. I told Steve Harley we had to get him into Cockney Rebel. Unfortunately he turned us down and joined Pilot but I got to play with him on some fantastic records namely on the first two Kate Bush albums and thereafter with the Alan Parsons project in which Ian became an indispensable contributing member. His contribution to everything he played on went over and above the call of duty where his counterpoint melodies became an intrinsic part or in some cases the main and most memorable hook. The poor lad suffered for years but always had a guitar in his hand almost to the end. Goodbye old mate!
- Stuart Elliott -

I was very sad to hear the news about the death of Ian Bairnson. He was a very sweet man.
He was a huge talent and had a fabulous voice with an extraordinary vocal range but he was mainly known for his guitar work.
We lost touch after we worked together on my early albums but I remember he had a lovely, warm smile and he played the inspired solo on Wuthering Heights with a broken arm. He was still wearing the cast! He was in a lot of pain but soldiered on and like all great artists, he truly suffered for his art.
Making my first album was pretty daunting and I was working with people I’d never met before. Ian was kind and supportive and that meant such a lot. Thank you, Ian.
- Kate Bush -

Very sad to learn of the passing of APP guitarist Ian Bairnson, aged 69. Ian played on every APP album and his guitar solos were a great characteristic of so many recordings in the catalogue. Our thoughts are with his wife Leila, family and friends.
You can hear a selection of Ian's personal favourite APP guitar solos on this Spotify playlist.
- The Alan Parsons Project official -

We were saddened to hear about the passing of guitarist Ian Bairnson last Friday.
Ian was a regular fixture at Abbey Road in the ’70s and early ’80s as member of Pilot, the Alan Parsons Project and as a session guitarist for Kate Bush.
Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.
- Abbey Road Studios official -





Se noi tutti siamo stati stregati dal Project lo si deve ampiamente anche alla tua chitarra, caro Ian. Resterai immortale nelle tue note e nel ricordo della persona gentile, umile e profonda che sei stato. Ti vedo già fare jam session con Eric al piano e Chris alla voce... riposa in pace.