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.