THE thousands expected to attend Blackburn's free Arts In The Park festival can be guaranteed a vintage performance from Saturday's headline act, The Lightning Seeds. We caught up with mainstay Ian Broudie ahead of the show on July 22.

"It will definitely be a greatest hits package that we will be performing," said Broudie.

"I like festival gigs like Arts in the Park because not everyone there is a big fan of the band and I think they are surprised by how many of our songs they actually know."

For over 15 years Broudie has been releasing albums and hit singles with the Lightning Seeds as well as finding time to work as a producer for bands ranging from Echo And The Bunnymen to The Zutons.

Hits with The Lightning Seeds have included The Life of Riley, Sense, Pure and Lucky You but it is perhaps the song he wrote with comedians Baddiel and Skinner which Ian Broudie is best known.

Three Lions, released in time for Euro '96, has become the unofficial anthem of the England football team and has been sung at matches by fans around the world.

"Actually Three Lions is in the set list and we probably will play it in Blackburn," said Ian.

"I think it will probably be one of the few times when I actually feel comfortable about playing it.

"Seeing that the World Cup has only just finished, it is sort of appropriate."

For fans of the Lightning Seeds, next Saturday's gig could be one of the last times that they get the chance to see the band and hear the hits.

"I don't really envisage any new material with the Lightning Seeds," said Ian.

"We have just got a Greatest Hits album out and the shows we are doing this summer will be promoting that.

"But then I'd like to do a second solo album which is a bit more upbeat than the first one (the critically acclaimed Tales Told)."

Ian is also likely to be producing The Coral and his studio skillls are constantly in demand.

"The fact that I can go from performing to songwriting to producing is one of the things that I really like," he said.

The Lightning Seeds headline Arts in the Park at Witton Park, Blackburn, on Saturday, July 22.