WILL Varley learnt a lot from his time at Abbey Road.

But the first piece of advice the musician would pass on from his experience at the world famous London studio, adopted by the Beatles, would be not to walk in looking like John Lennon.

The singer-songwriter went to Abbey Road to have his album, Postcards From Ursa Minor, mastered by Frank Arkwright, who has worked with the likes of Arcade Fire, The Smiths, Joy Division and Biffy Clyro.

But Will was almost turned away when the man at the front desk thought he was playing make-believe.

He said: "I’ve got these little round John Lennon-style sunglasses

"I hadn’t thought about it but I was wearing them when I went to Abbey Road and I’ve also got quite long hair so I think the guy at the office assumed I was some big Lennon freak.

"He rolled his eyes his eyes at me and wouldn’t believe me when I said I had an appointment. I think they must get a lot of guys dressed as John Lennon walking in.

"He was pretty shocked when my name was on the list and he had to let me through the door."

Will caught the attention of Abbey Road thanks to his ‘one man and a guitar’ format mixed with social commentary, politics and wry humour.

Now he has joined the likes of Pink Floyd who used the studio's innovative recording techniques to develop their sound in the 1960s and 70s.

The 29-year-old added: "We put the album through their beautiful vintage mastering gear. They are the same machines that have been there for decades. It was amazing day."

Will is in Warrington on July 29 when he opens for The Proclaimers at Parr Hall.

He met Craig and Charlie Reid last year when he shared a stage for 13 dates of their tour.

And he admitted it felt surreal as he had only just been born when they were recording their worldwide hit, I'm Gonna Be.

"I’m a big fan. I have been for a long time," said Will.

"I used dance around to I’m Gonna Be. I still often drink to their album This Is The Story so it is music that has followed me throughout my life.

"And here I am opening for them so it is an absolute pleasure.

"They started recording I'm Gonna Be three days after I was born and it’s still as potent as it ever was.

"It shows the quality of the songwriting as well because it’s still so relevant and powerful. It’s sliced through ideas of time and as the decades have gone by it’s still retained every word.

"That is what you are aiming for as a songwriter."

So what has it been like working with two veterans of the music scene?

"It’s been great," Will said.

"They’re really nice chaps. I had the opportunity to hang around with them and they’ve given me a lot of advice.

"It’s been incredible to get an insight into touring on that scale. Doing that kind of gig every night is an incredible experience for someone like me who has done most of their shows in rowdy bars.

"To be able to play in these beautiful, old seated theatres every night is amazing."

Will, who has played at The Royal Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust, also has a packed summer of festival dates in the diary.

The day before his Warrington gig he will performing at one of his favourite events, Cambridge Folk Festival.

Will, who runs his own festival called Smugglers in Kent, added: "I’ve got soft spot for Cambridge Folk Festival as it’s an event I used to hear about and see on TV when I was growing up so it’s really nice to be playing that this year.

"The first time I was at the festival was in 2011 when I went with a band called Cocos Lovers smuggled me in as their ‘harmonica player’.

"I wasn’t really playing the harmonica for them so I was roaming around and ended up playing on one of the open mic spots."

Will knew he wanted to be a musician when he found himself distracted at school.

"I always wrote little poems and made up tunes and silly little songs," he said,

"I guess that’s still what I’m doing. It doesn’t feel all that different to when I was first interested in it when I was eight or nine.

"But I remember going to see people like John Otway and Bill Bragg and the Rolling Stones with my dad and seeing this other element to it.

"Acts like that made me want to go out and try it myself so as soon as I could get into a pub with a fake ID I did.

"I think it’s the shared experience. When you’re on stage in front of a group of people you’re leading them through a shared experience.

"When it’s done right and it works, everyone in the room is on the same page together and there’s no feeling like that in the world."

- Will Varley joins The Proclaimers at Parr Hall on July 29

DAVID MORGAN