Ian Parkin

Ian Richard Parkin (18 August 1949^[1] – 1 July 1995^[2]) was an English musician who played rhythm guitar with the first incarnation of Bill Nelson's Be-Bop Deluxe.

Parkin was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, where he befriended Nelson when both were attending Ings Road Secondary Modern School. They made their musical live debut at a school Christmas concert, as a guitar duo. Later, they formed The Cosmonauts, which later became The Strangers.^[3]

Later, he and Nelson founded Flagship, later to become Be Bop Deluxe.^[4] However, Parkin played only on the first album of the band, Axe Victim, released in 1974, quitting shortly afterwards.^[5] He continued with the music business, married and had three children.

He died on 1 July 1995, aged 45.