Interview: Ian Prowse of Pele talks about their Liverpool reunion

"It was around 1991 and we'd just signed to Polydor," explains singer Ian Prowse. "This night was like a celebration of the band and the fans that we'd been signed and they were all going bonkers in unison.
"Phil Hayes who runs the Picket came storming onto the stage half way through the show babbling like a madman. I stopped the gig to listen to him and he said we couldn't carry on playing, the momentum of all the people bouncing around together meant the floor was about to go through and the venue might actually fall down.
"We tried a few very slow numbers but the pack were baying for more full-on Pele.We had to admit defeat and leave the stage - and venue - intact."
They're hoping that their reunion gig at the o2 Academy runs a bit more smoothly.
"We've never done a reunion show, and I always said I never would, but then fans of my current band, Amsterdam, started asking if we'd do it," explains Ian. "I thought about it, and about how much fun we had, and I started ringing around the old band to see what they were up to.
"It's been like one of those lovely lessons in life. You spend an intense amount of time with the same people which brings with it joy and anger and then you don't see each other for 16 years so you all have a separate and interesting story to tell.
"All the rest of the band have become parents apart from me and they've done all sorts of diverse things since Pele so it's been lovely really.
The band were signed to Polydor, under the watchful eye of Lord Levy, later nicknamed Lord Cashpoint.
"Lord Levy was my boss at the record company," says Ian. "He was your classic 1970's record company exec with a leather throne and shag pile carpet, wall to wall gold discs and a quiff to die for.
"After we put out every single he'd get me in the boardroom for an hour and call me several harsh names laced with expletives and tell me how it was his money he was giving me and that I was useless because the single didn't get to number one.
"After an hour of abuse he'd then say 'Don't worry about it Prowsey I did this to Chris Rea for 10 years until he wrote Fool If You Think It's Over for me'.
"I already knew he was Tony Blair's best mate because he'd take his phone call whilst I was getting shouted at."
Pele split in 1995 due to a legal wrangle with the record company.
"A friend played me Supersonic by Oasis 6 months before it came out and I knew in my heart Pele was all over," laughs Ian. "The label had missed the boat and I ended up in litigation with them for two years unable to record or play."
But the band are all looking forward to the reunion gig.
"I don't think any of us are going to storm out of rehearsals to complain to the manager there isn't enough tequila on the rider," he pauses and chuckles. "Maybe some of them might storm out at the lack of Cow and Gate products though."
Pele play their reunion show at the o2 Academy on Saturday July 25.