Ian Bairnson is a Scottish musician, best known for being one of the core members of The Alan Parsons Project. He is a multi-instrumentalist, who has played saxophone and keyboards, although he is best known as a guitarist. He is also known for preferring the sound of a sixpence to a plectrum.
Bairnson was born in Lerwick, Shetland Isles, Scotland. He grew up in Levenwick, in Shetland, before his family moved to Edinburgh, Midlothian, when he was nine years old, following the death of his father.
He was a session guitarist before joining up in 1973 with former Bay City Rollers musicians David Paton and Billy Lyall in the band Pilot and contributed the harmony guitar parts to their hit single, "Magic." During this time with Pilot, he first collaborated with Alan Parsons, the record producer on their debut self-titled album. It was this relationship that helped incorporate most of the band's members (bassist/lead singer Paton and drummer Stuart Tosh) into the Alan Parsons Project. He played the distinctive guitar solo on the track "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" from Parsons' I Robot (1977) album.
As a guitarist, he has been featured on every Alan Parsons Project album, including the 1984 side project Keats.He has played on Kate Bush's first four albums The Kick Inside (1978) (notably playing the guitar solo on "Wuthering Heights"), Lionheart (1978), Never for Ever (1980) and The Dreaming (1982).
He has also played with the band Bucks Fizz for whom he co-wrote two of their Top 20 hits, "If You Can't Stand the Heat" (1982) and "Run for Your Life" (1983).
In 2009 he appeared on the album of the German bass player Chris Postl, Parzivals Eye. Chris Postl played in RPWL, a German band.
Bairnson lived in Spain from 2003 till 2013, where he had a recording studio and continued working as a session guitarist. He has toured with a number of different bands, the latest being Junk (Bairnson, Pau Chaffer, Sarah Rope and Ángel Celada). Along his session career he has played on more than a hundred albums in different styles. For example: Yvonne Keeley, Joe Cocker, Jon Anderson, Chris DeBurgh, Mick Fleetwood, Neil Diamond. He played live with Sting, Eric Clapton, Beverley Craven and many more.
After moving back to UK in 2013, Bairnson got together with David Paton and produced an album called A Pilot Project where they paid a homage to Eric Woolfson’s legacy. In November 2016 Paton and Bairnson got together again, touring Japan with a Pilot revival and some Alan Parsons Project songs as well.
In 2019, Bairnson added guitar solos to two songs from Alan Parsons' new album, The Secret, specifically the tracks "Years of Glory" and "I Can't Get There from Here".
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Some of their strengths
Ian Bairnson has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Imaginative, Loyal, Confident, Passionate, Intelligent, Honest, and Creative.
Bold and Confident
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Ian Bairnson is someone who is a bold, confident, energetic, and optimistic person, who is able to combine personal warmth and charisma with intelligence. A person who looks for jobs that tend to reflect their identity.
Passionate and Intense
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Ian Bairnson well know them as someone who can be passionate, proud, and intense, like the sun or a blazing fire.
Imaginative and Sentimental
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Ian Bairnson as someone who is imaginative, sentimental, and in touch with emotions.
A person who has extremely good memory and analytical skills, likes to make sure that everyone gets along, enjoys all kinds of situations and people, has a talent for travel and languages, and who makes lifelong friends.
Justice-seeking and Insightful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Ian Bairnson is someone who tends to be intolerant of unfairness in life, and who has an uncanny ability to reveal the truth in any situation.
They are also someone who is intuitive, imaginative, and an agent of change, and who is always dreaming of life's great possibilities and partnering with people to try to achieve those possibilities.
Creative and Leadership-oriented
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Ian Bairnson tends to be someone who is a natural leader, with determination, motivational powers, and who takes obligations seriously. Who has charisma, a sense of humor, and who tends to attract attention.
Some of Ian Bairnson's challenges
While Ian Bairnson has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Ian Bairnson can be Stubborn, Sensitive, Arrogant, Status-seeking, Idle, Emotional, and Standoffish.
Arrogant and Status-seeking
One of Ian Bairnson's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as arrogant and status-seeking.
Ian Bairnson must also exercise caution as they can be short-tempered and aggressive.
Irritable and Moody
Ian Bairnson is someone who can be irritable and moody, have a tendency to experience self-doubt, be too secretive, can take too many risks, and who can have an extreme approach to managing personal finances.
Domineering and Stubborn
Finally, Ian Bairnson also can be too rebellious, not respond to criticism well, and be too emotional and extreme about things.
