THERE are some things in life you can be sure of – like night follows day, the taxman wants his dough and Paul Carrack will play an annual show in Bournemouth.

This year he arrives at the Pavilion Theatre on Wednesday (November 3) with his band that now includes his son Jack on drums.

“Yeah, he’s been playing in bands for a few years but he needs to go up a notch and see what it’s all about,” says his proud dad.

“My home life is very un-rock and roll. We’ve got four kids and wanted them to do well at school and go into normal careers where the rewards are directly related to their efforts because we all know how flakey rock and roll can be.

“It looks like one slipped through the net! I hope he gets something out of it then goes off and finds some kids his own age to play with.

“On the other hand, he might think, ‘This is easy, I don’t know what the old man was going on about!’”

Paul Carrack has had the kind of career that musicians his son’s age dream about.

He has been making records for 40 years, notching up hits with the likes of Ace (How Long), Squeeze (Tempted) and Mike and the Mechanics (The Living Years).

He has also carved out a very respectable career as a session musician playing for the likes of Roxy Music, B B King, Carlene Carter, John Hiatt, The Smiths, The Pretenders, Roger Waters, Elton John and Ringo Starr.

He has written songs for Diana Ross, The Eagles, Tom Jones and Michael McDonald among many others.

It looks like he plotted the right path.

“Well, it wasn’t plotted I can tell you that! I’ve been very lucky – with a lot of hard work and determination as well, mind – but I’ve made music my living.

“I had the support of my family, which is key.

“You know, I had to make sacrifices when the kids were young, but then they had to sacrifice things for me as well.

“All those times I headed off on tour there was no complaining from the wife or kids – they just accepted that was what I had to do.

“So, yes, it looks good on paper, but that’s spread over a lot of years.

“I certainly couldn’t have got by just on the session work.

“Also, I’ve always had a little bit of success come along just at the right time – whether it was Ace or Squeeze or whatever, it’s kept the wolf from the door.

“And it’s not over yet, I’ve still got to get out there and work.

“There will come a time that people won’t want to hear me, or I won’t be able to do it – but until then I’m still working.”

His latest album, A Different Hat, finds him indulging his love of orchestral popular music as sung by the likes of Nat King Cole and Ray Charles.

“When I’m not working I don’t listen to a lot of music. And when I do, it’s nearly always that soothing music of, say, Nat King Cole.

“It’s music you can have on that doesn’t want to grab your attention and shake you – when you’ve brought up four kids you’re glad of a bit of peace and quiet!”

Paul talked about it with friend, producer and former Van Morrison drummer Peter van Hooke, who contacted arranger David Cullen, and he, in turn, got the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on board.

“I’ve always wanted to do an album like this,” says Paul.

“I was inspired by Joni Mitchell’s album Both Sides Now in which she reinterpreted her own material in an orchestral setting – so that was the mood I was going for.

“We booked the studio. I took a back seat, because I was out of my depth. The orchestra came in, got their dots and did their stuff.

“We did the whole thing in four three-hour sessions. It sure beats spending weeks in a pokey basement studio fiddling around with a drum machine!

“It’s how they used to make records. Even when I was in Ace – how can I mention Ace in the same breath as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra?! – our album took two weeks to make, mainly because we were playing football all the time!”

A Different Hat rounds up standards like Moon River with originals (It Ain’t Over, I Live On a Battlefield) and easy-listening gems like Randy Newman’s I Think It’s Going To Rain Today.

“It was a challenge, and I’m really pleased we did it.

“To be honest, I don’t write songs very often because I’m always looking for something new in the songs I play all the time.

“Whenever I do How Long I never know where it might lead me.

“I mean, we’re talking the very subtlest of things, such as a change in the phrasing, or how I start a line.

“That’s how I keep playing my old chestnuts – so, interpreting other people’s songs is an extension of that.”

Paul’s different hat fits him well and he’s clearly invigorated by the experience of making a record outside his blues and soul-based pop comfort zone.

It could be the first of a series.

“I really hope we get to make more records.

“Maybe next time the hat will be a Stetson or a sombrero. I could go Latino. Who knows?

“There’s a lot of hats to try out!”