Deacon Blue says artists must “wake up” as artificial intelligence threatens the creative industries.
Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh – two original members of the Scottish pop/rock band – have called for musicians to “take charge of their career” and for the music industry to protect songwriters as the British Government seeks to allow AI firms to use copyright-protected work without permission.
It comes as Kate Bush, Annie Lennox and more than 1,000 other singers hit back at the controversial proposal by releasing a silent album called ‘Is This What We Want?’ in February 2025, which Ricky was grateful for as they were “taking up the fight”.
The 67-year-old frontman told ContactMusic.com: “The silent album that came out, I think that was a really good thing.
“Musicians have got to wake up and fight back.
“When I started in songwriting and publishing, it was common then for publishers to have 50 per cent of royalties. We all fought back against these things.
“Things don’t happen by osmosis, you know.
“So it’s important for musicians to take charge of their career and for the music industry to look and see what the future is, and make sure that you’re protecting songwriters.
“So, yes, it’s really important stuff, and I’m grateful for people who are taking up the fight.”
A spokesperson for the UK Government said the planned changes to the legislation would “protect the interests of both AI developers and right holders [to] deliver a solution which allows both to thrive” – which Ricky and his wife Lorraine have cast doubt over.
Asked if AI developments could signify the end of bands like Deacon Blue making music, lead vocalist and songwriter Ricky admitted: “It’s a scary time across all these things, and it’s such a new world that no one really quite knows.
“I mean, there are some great things about AI, don’t get me wrong. I’m very excited about what’s going to happen in terms of medical stuff and so on.
“But, I think we’ve got to wake up and be quite strong.”
Lorraine stressed that AI needs to be regulated and not just simply be “unleashed”.
The 60-year-old singer said: “It has to be regulated, doesn’t it? It can’t just be unleashed, which it seems to be being.”
The band – which is celebrating 40 years of Deacon Blue in 2025 by releasing their highly anticipated 11th studio album ‘The Great Western Road’, as well as going out on two tours – has seen a “complete scene change in how music has been consumed” and how people have “lost so much of their potential income from record sales”.
However, Ricky appreciates the music business for doing “really well” to “claw some of that back”.
Despite that, he stressed: “We’ve got to be very careful.”
Deacon Blue release ‘The Great Western Road’ on Friday, March 21 2025.
Deacon Blue 2025 tour dates:
Sunday, March 30 – Edinburgh Usher Hall
Monday, March 31 – Bradford St George’s Hall
Wednesday, April 2 – Bristol Beacon Theatre
Thursday, April 3 – Cambridge Corn Exchange
Friday, April 4 – London Shepherd’s Bush Empire
Arena Tour:
Friday, September 19 – Liverpool M+S Bank Arena
Saturday, September 20 – Brighton Centre
Monday, September 22 – Birmingham Utilita Arena
Tuesday, September 23 – Leeds FirstDirect Arena
Thursday, September 25 – Bournemouth International Centre
Friday, September 26 – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Sunday, September 28 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Monday, September 29 – Sheffield Utilita Arena
Wednesday, October 1 – Manchester AO Arena
Friday, October 3 – London Wembley OVO Arena
Sunday, October 5 – Hull Connexin Live
Monday, October 6 – Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Utilita Arena
Wednesday, October 8 – Dublin 3Arena
Friday, October 10 – Glasgow Hydro
Saturday, October 11 – Glasgow Hydro