LINDISFARNE

TOO FAR NORTH in conversation with Boldon author Ian Fawdon

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‘There’s been nationally recognised music scenes in Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Glasgow and Bristol but there hasn’t been one in the North East. So, I thought there’s a story to be told’.

Retired former Nissan worker Ian Fawdon decided to write a book about his passion. ‘Too Far North’ features over 30 interviews with musicians talking about what it means to be a musician from the North East.

‘I started talking to musicians like The Kane Gang and Lindisfarne drummer Ray Laidlaw, they were all fantastic to interview. White Heat frontman Bob Smeaton was a great storyteller and I found the Heavy Metal section really inspiring’.

‘John Gallagher from Raven and John Roach from Mythra were so enthusiastic – after all these years. When I met Robb Weir from Tygers of Pan Tang I took their first single to the interview I bought in 1980 to get autographed. Robb was more shocked than me!’

‘I start off looking at the 60s and The Animals. I talked to people from then, it was a really vibrant scene. Then I look at the folk scene and Lindisfarne, then punk and New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Then the Kitchenware record label and Sunderland bands Field Music and the Futureheads and finish off by bringing it up to date with Nadine Shah’.

‘Did I come across any unexpected stories? When putting this book together good management really stood out it really made a difference. Tom Noble at Tygers of Pan Tang went to MCA and got them a four album deal. Fist got an album deal but didn’t do as well’.

‘I talked to Keith Armstrong, owner of Kitchenware Records a really interesting guy. Until they came along there was only one choice for bands and that was to go to London. Kitchenware thought no, you don’t have to move we can do it up here. That for me was a refreshing attitude’.

‘They had four bands – Prefab Sprout, Kane Gang, Hurrah and Martin Stephenson and the Daintees. Keith got them all really good deals. Kitchenware still managed the bands but were licensed to the major companies’.

‘Prefab Sprout had already recorded a single and were selling them in HMV when Keith heard them. He went to CBS for Prefab and they asked him how much he wanted. ‘£100,000’ he replied. They made a quick phone call to their boss and agreed the price. He said he had ‘no idea where that number came from!’

‘He later went on to Editors and Jake Bugg. Keith could spot talent and he always hoped that each band recognised that he was doing his best for them’.

Lindisfarne at Newcastle City Hall.

‘Further interviews with Keith revealed that around 1982 there wasn’t much happening in Newcastle. ‘There was me and a couple of mates looking to start something. There was Viz, Trent House bar and a club called World Head Quarters. We wanted to put bands on in the town, there was plenty Heavy Metal gigs but nothing else’.

‘We got a few bands from Scotland like Aztec Camera and a few other nights started up. Our favourite band was New Order so we thought of getting them’. They phoned the manager up and he demanded cash on arrival, which they agreed to. Tickets sold quickly so they transferred the gig to Newcastle Mayfair, that sold out and set them up’.

‘The New Order gig money was enough to record singles in a London studio for Hurrah, and Martin Stephenson and the Daintees. One day Keith Armstrong, who was manager at Newcastle HMV, had Martin Stephenson’s Daintees busking outside the shop. But they were getting some grief so Keith asked them to play inside. He liked some of the tunes – that’s where he asked them about going down to London to record’.

‘Just every now and again you get people from the North East who have that drive, that ambition, and Keith was like that. He was just a young lad at the time, in his early 20s and a manager of a record shop’ said Ian.

‘Keith told me that he got hold of Malcom Gerrie who was the top boss at The Tube and said to him ‘you’re not doing much on the North East why not do something on Kitchenware?’ It wasn’t long till a segment on Kitchenware records was broadcast on The Tube. Keith was pushy with enough belief in the North East. He’s still active now and has Soul Kitchen Recordings and gets young talent from the North East to put records out’.

‘If you are looking for a sad story in the book I did an interview where I did feel sorry for those concerned. There is a lot of tales of woe. One of the bands in the punk section were from Durham, called Neon. I really liked them, they were so arty and interesting and played a lot in the North East. One of the famous gigs at the Guildhall in Newcastle was with Angelic Upstarts and Punishment of Luxury where a massive fight broke out’.

‘Punishment got signed by United Artists who were also sniffing around Neon. In an interview Tim Jones (vocals, Neon) told me there was a guy called Martin Rushent (Buzzcocks, Stranglers, Human League). He was a big name producer starting up a new label. He asked Neon to ‘come down to our independent label and we’ll put your single out give you plenty of attention’.

‘They went with them and started touring but the van was breaking down, the PA was knackered, there was just no money. They went to the studio where Martin was recording XTC and told him about the situation, he replied ‘What do you expect me to do about it?’

The band were devastated and not long after split up. Tim was shocked at the treatment and said ‘at first someone gave us the dream, then just dropped us. How could he treat a bunch of 18 year old kids like that? It seems we got picked up then they got bored of us’.

‘You want a funny story? Maybe not comical but the book has a number of incidents that occur around musicians and gigs. This one included top Hollywood film director Spike Lee’.

‘Believe it or not Spike has a brother who is a massive Prefab Sprout fan. A few year ago Spike wanted to develop a fairy tale animation based on the music of Paddy McAloon. Everything was going alright until they met in London and Spike had changed his mind because he had fallen out with his brother’.

‘Hurrah got the gig supporting U2 and found themselves in a big venue in Birmingham where they didn’t understand the scale. Their little curly guitar leads wouldn’t stretch across the huge stage’. 

‘They also told me they didn’t play the game. After gigs they didn’t go in the green room to rub shoulders with other bands and music biz people. They’d stay in their dressing room turn the light off and shout at each other while throwing their rider about, which was usually fruit. At one gig The Edge and Larry from U2 opened the door to someone shouting ‘bananas’!’

‘I spoke to Brian Bond and he told me Punishment of Luxury were on a European tour and the last gig was in Holland. The stage manager said why not do something special? So, on their last song Jellyfish he got a bucket of raw fish and threw it at the audience – who threw it straight back all over the guitars and amps. Brian said it was the worst thing he had done on stage he couldn’t believe he had done it and had to apologise to the band’.

Ian adds ‘I wrote the 400 odd page book in a positive fashion, I didn’t include stories about drugs and not everyone’s favourite is in but I favoured the North East bands, always loved them and saw plenty when I was younger’.

‘Too Far North’ on Tyne Bridge Publishing is out now for further information contact >

https://www.waterstones.com/book/too-far-north/ian-fawdon/9781739223342

Alikivi    September 2024

BANJO IN BOGOTA – in conversation with Tyneside storyteller & folk musician Tony Wilson

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Tyne Dock in South Shields was an interesting part of the town to live, with its churches, terraced houses and huge industrial Victorian arches next to the river. It was in the early 80s when a lot of the old housing stock was being demolished and in Porchester Street I watched Ascendency being filmed. Julie Covington of hit TV show Rock Follies was the star, not long after that The Machine Gunners was set in Porchester and filmed for BBC TV.

‘Up to when I was 7 year old I lived in Porchester Street. It’s not there now but St Mary’s Church around the corner is where I used to sing in the choir and the scouts’ said Tony.

‘Now I live on the Lawe Top beside the roman fort. It’s almost aspirational for someone who comes from Tyne Dock to wind up being a skuetender’ (native to the Lawe Top).

‘I’m proud of coming from South Shields and when you were young trips to the fort were absolutely mind blowing. The area it’s in is incredible, with the whole vista of the river and parks and beach nearby – we’re lucky here’.

Being a former Tyne Docker now Skuetender he’s not wrong there. Tony featured on the site back in May 2018 talking about storytelling and songwriting and what music means to him.

‘I turned back to folk singing in 2017 after the government education cuts made it too expensive for schools to have extra-curricular practitioners, like me, to come in. Before that I was storytelling in schools for 20 years covering hundreds of issues such as the steelworks when I was in Ebbw Vale, the Romans here in South Shields, the coal industry and iron stone mining in Teesside and Northumberland. It was an extremely successful time’.

‘Storytelling is very important, its communication, social history, emotional control, drama, its use of vocabulary. For me it was learning how to be a performer and developing stamina to be able to do four hour sets a day, then drive 100 miles to go to a hotel, get up next day and do it again’.

‘Cities like Manchester, Oxford, Cambridge, all over the UK. I’d stay in these areas year after year for a fortnight at a time and, unlike a music tour where you could be in Aberdeen one day and Bournemouth the next, I’d plan easy distances to plan a route back home – loved the life.’

‘Then around 2009 I got an email. The message was ‘would you like to tell stories in Argentina?’ I wasn’t sure it was kosher at first but I received a phone call a few weeks later confirming it was. I was given contacts of previous storytellers who recommended it’.

‘Me and my wife went out and ended up over the years going to about 15 countries for six weeks at a time. They were international schools where the kids had already learnt English but mostly from American cartoon shows and they wanted them to hear colloquial language, more English. With my accent, I knew I would have to speak a bit slower – and there’s nothing worse than a posh Geordie!’

‘When we were in a Spanish speaking country, for the youngest ones, you’d have someone to explain the context of the story and then I’d still tell the story in English. Half of their lessons were in English, to make it an immersive experience’.

‘To accompany the lessons it was helpful to use British sign language, or borrow a guitar. I always took a banjo with me as it was such a different instrument for them to hear. Once the banjo was broken en-route and we found the only banjo repairman in Bogota in Colombia’.

‘It was hard work getting up at 5am, into a taxi for a two hour drive to tell stories to 3-400 children in ampitheatres – but what an experience! The last time we went over was Peru in 2016. We’d been to Uruguay, China, South Korea, all over – loved it. Sometimes I look back and think how did that happen – you’ve got to seize every opportunity’.

‘I’ve been songwriting for years and always have a songwriting project on the go. I write about 15 songs per year. Ideas can come from a book, a documentary or what someone says in a street… then I do a lot of research and add some ‘meat’ to the story. Songwriting can possess and obsess you’.

‘Recently I wrote a number of songs about Iron Stone Mining, the workers and how dangerous it was working there, although I do try to stay away from disaster. It’s not all ‘Grim up North’.

‘A friend of mine gave me a diary about his distant relation who had been captured by the Portugese and transported to Portchester Castle in Hampshire! Having lived in Porchester Street I didn’t know about this place. The songs can take you anywhere!’

‘I wrote a song with local playwright Tom Kelly about ‘the seven lads of Jarrow’ who, in the 1830s worked in the mines under diabolical conditions so tried to form a union with union organiser Tomas Hepburn. They ended up being brought up on jumped up charges – 10 were captured 3 escaped. 7 ended up in a kangaroo court and were transported to Australia never to return. It’s such an emotional subject’.

‘In 2019 I was planning to write autobiographical songs, one was about the day they tarmacked the cobbles in Porchester Street and as kids we could roller skate across the street. Another was the times walking through Tyne Dock arches with my dad and me being on his shoulders. Or another about my sister playing with her friends in the backyard in Porchester Street – then covid came along’.

‘I didn’t want to write about the pandemic or what happened around it, like being scared or having a feeling of waiting for death to come. I wrote nothing about that. I just wanted to write about the one’s I love and keep sane’.

‘All the performances I did in South America and all of the daily storytelling work I did in schools I now channel into what I present now as a musician. I still do regular open mics, folk club spots and am a paid guest in clubs and festivals throughout the UK’.

‘I love performing, it’s like an out of body experience. I’m not hippy dippy, mystical or spiritual but enjoy giving people enjoyment, sharing moments with people…and it beats the hell out of singing in the bathroom!’

Tony has placed all of the stories, CPD and instructional DVDs for parents and children on You Tube at ‘Tony Wilson Storyteller.

For further information contact the official website > http://www.tonywilsonfolksinger.co.uk

Alikivi   September 2024

NORTH EAST MUSIC & VIDEO with Hartlepool based VainGloriousUK

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VainGloriousUK are collectively known as Chas Groovy.

“There’s been some amazing music created in the North East which has never received the recognition that it deserved and there is always an emphasis on musicians from the southern end of the country” said Chas.

“Being mostly Hartlepool based we were well aware of bands like The White Negroes – who were immense in Hartlepool in the early 90’s – also Jimmy McKenna and Wendells Parlour”.

In the ‘80s Dave Emerson bought a video camera and started making recordings of local gigs. Dave realised that some of the videos he had might be worth sharing and the VainGloriousUK You Tube Channel was created.

Chas explains “We chose the name VainGloriousUK because all the North East groups went for glory but ultimately for some it was in vain. However, we realised later that the dictionary definition says that vainglorious means someone who is boastful, which is not what we mean at all!”

“We began seeking out, tidying up and uploading historic – and sometimes hysterical – video footage of music associated with the North East”.

Since the early 70’s there had been local TV shows such as The Geordie Scene and Alright Now. Many of these shows still exist in TV archives and bit by bit some interesting videos fell into their lap.

“The VainGloriousUK channel currently has up to 170 videos uploaded and its playlists also link to interesting videos from other sources”.

One of the sources was the late music journalist and broadcaster Ian Penman.

“Ian had undertaken work for Tyne Tees TV and, lucky for us, he kept a personal copy of many of the things he was involved in. It took a bit of arm twisting but eventually Ian let us use some of them”.

“One of these was the appearance of Brian Johnson’s first group Geordie. Recently we learned that our copy appears to be the only one still in existence when we were contacted about it being used in a forthcoming documentary about Brian” said Chas.

The collective had found a hidden treasure trove of recorded music so they created a website companion to the You Tube channel.

“This would enable us to tell the stories of the groups and artists and provide direct links to their specific videos, and most importantly, provide examples of their music to listen to with the opportunity for this to be purchased”.

“CDBaby, Spotify, Soundcloud, all of these companies charge a percentage for their services whereas 100% of any income goes directly to our artists. What we are doing is focusing on a particular geographical area which we passionately believe has been a hot bed of great music, we are doing it for fun – and the odd pat on the back”.

“Most musicians are flattered that we care so much about their music, some are a bit wary about how their historical musical legacy may now be viewed – what you thought was important at 16 is not the same when you are 56!”

Top of the hit list to trace was a band called The Mynd. Eventually contact was made with former keyboard player Billy Surgeoner, who was persuaded to put The Mynd music on to VainGloriousUK.

“Bit by bit that’s how it worked, we learn about an interesting artist, do a bit of homework and sometimes it works out nicely”.

“We would love to find the performance on Tyne Tees TV’s Northern Life programme from early 1977 by Newcastle group Last Exit singing ‘Don’t Give Up Your Day Time Job’ – whose lead singer went on to have a successful career in The Police”.

Early 70’s Newcastle glam/folk group Sandgate have been added to VainGloriousUK, including their appearance on the Geordie Scene.

“With Sandgate there is a great omission. The band comprised of two main line-ups, the first was formed and led by songwriter Fred Wheatley and they made some recordings. Then when Fred left the group the remaining chaps made further recordings which are the ones we have. We would love to locate Fred Wheatley and get our hands on the early Sandgate recordings”.

Vainglorious also have software available that can make a good job of reconstruction and remastering.

“Sandgate had two albums worth of really good recordings, they noticed that our efforts had improved them sonically”.

Songwriter Steve Thompson, who has featured on this site,  has had his work uploaded onto VainGloriosuUK leading to Cherry Red Records releasing it.

“Also, partly as a result of our pestering regarding making the music of mid 70’s group FOGG available again, their original record company has re-released their original album plus a second album of their singles”.

“We’re always on the lookout for interesting artists with a body of recordings. We’re open to ideas for future video uploads so if anyone has an interesting video, we would love to hear from them”.

Get in touch at  info@vaingloriousuk.com

Check out the official website at > http://www.vaingloriousuk.com for links to biogs, compilation albums and books.

Watch music videos at >  VainGloriousUK – YouTube

Alikivi   July 2024

DISTORTION new album by singer/songwriter Clive Jackson

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Former guitarist of ‘90s Newcastle band Greedsville releases a new solo album. The 12 track CD Distortion includes new single Too Far (link to music video below).

My new single was recorded in July and August 2022 at Sound X Studios The song is based around a guitar riff I kept coming back to. The lyrics reflected feelings I had to get out there. Like the heavy tone of the music, it’s about the rollercoaster journey into the uncertain aspects of future life both personal and global.

A quick spin of the song immediately turns my ears on to Black Sabbath’s track Symptom of the Universe.

Glad you like the song, genuinely, didn’t make the Sabbath connection at the time, but you’re dead right with the riff!

A couple of people have compared it to Rockin’ in the Free World by Neil Young and Bowie’s Rebel Rebel as well, I can see that too.

Did the songs come easy or did you have to work on them over a period of time?

​I had a burst of regular songwriting that started in the lockdown period and continued long after. I got to about 36 songs and thought I have to do something with them!

I came back from a holiday in Los Angeles in July 2022 and was totally energised by it, California has that effect on me. Too Far was one of the songs I wrote and recorded when I got back. 

As on previous albums Jackson played all instruments and recorded on a Mac Book Pro coupled with Apple’s high end Logic Pro X Software.

Yes, and I cherry picked what I thought was the best out of everything I’d written. Sadly, I had to delay anything to do with the album in the first few months of 2023 due to serious family issues. I finally finished recording in October 2023.

It was mastered by Jon Astley in November 2023 at Close to the Edge Studios in London. Jon was a producer on albums by The Who and Eric Clapton in the 1970’s and has remastered albums by tons of artists including Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones.

Have you any plans to play live?

I’m playing a gig in Newcastle at the singer/songwriter night at the Globe on the 18th May 2024. I hope it’s one of many to promote the album. I’ve applied to play for a lot of festivals, showcase nights and Music Industry events.

What are your hopes for the album?

I hope the album reaches as big an audience as possible via streaming and download through professional online promotion, this includes the music video for Too Far.

I’d also love to somehow release the album on vinyl which is experiencing a deserved resurgence, it’s maybe seen as old technology but it still sounds bloody great!

Link to new music video for ‘Too Far’ >
https://youtu.be/YO4E3-mJoUA

Further info check the official website >
https://clivejackson8.wixsite.com/singer-song-writer

Alikivi   April 2024

STATS FANTASTIC – seven years & counting

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After 500 posts and over 370,000 views, WordPress (who run this blog) have sent their congratulations to the North East culture site after completing its seventh year, aye seven years, can’t believe how quickly time has gone.

From the first post in February 2017, the free site – without any ads, pop ups or clickbait – has gone from strength to strength picking up views not only here in the UK but worldwide, including USA, Japan, Brazil, Sweden, Ireland, Australia and European countries Spain, Italy, France and Germany.

First up were metal bands Fist, Mythra, Raven, Satan, Venom and Tygers of Pan Tang followed by music memories from bands including Beckett, Angelic Upstarts, White Heat, Lindisfarne, Lorraine Crosby, Wildhearts, Dance Class, Kane Gang and Southbound.

Searching the site, you’ll find interviews with authors and photographers, there’s also stories from recording studios Guardian and Impulse.

As well as theatre producer Leah Bell and TV actress Lesley Saint-John, by far the most popular post at 15,000, there are stories from roadies, radio presenters and TV production teams.

During the 2020 covid lockdowns people looked for something new to read so their views added to the regular readers, resulting in monthly numbers of 7,000 with a high of 9,700.

Now the site gets a steady monthly count of 4-5,000, I must say a big thanks to everyone who reads the posts – much appreciated.

How long will it last? Well, the phone’s still ringing and stories keep dropping in my inbox, so I’ll keep gaan until the juice runs out.

Alikivi   February 2024

HOME GROWN with Newcastle songwriter Bill Dodds

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Bill Dodds (pic. Sean O’Driscoll)

Hard working Bill spent 34 years as a railway driver and 20 years on Newcastle City Council. Being a keen cyclist, he is one of the few people to have completed an around the world bike ride.

“The highlight had to be the scenery in the Rocky Mountains, USA, the geysers, hot pools and volcanic activity in Yellowstone Park. I followed the Rockies for over 1,000 miles through Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Oregon with much of this being wilderness area”.

When the pandemic hit in 2020 Bill took solace in the music he loved. He attended songwriting workshops with artists he had been a fan of such as Beth Nielsen Chapman, Mary Gauthier, Gretchen Peters and Dan Whitehouse. When folk clubs opened back up after lockdown Bill stepped out to perform.

“I really enjoy playing local folk clubs where audiences are always attentive and often sing along. My favourite folk club is The Bridge Hotel in Newcastle which is the longest running folk club in England on the same premises. They’re a great crowd”.

Encouraged by this warm welcome, he spent 2023 honing his work with producer Dan Whitehouse and then recorded his debut album. ‘Closer’ is a delicate collection of heartwarming folk songs that tell political and historical stories as well as tales of love and loss.

“We recorded all the foundation tracks of vocals and guitars live in my living room in Gosforth”.

As well as producing Bill’s debut album, Dan also played lead guitar and added backing vocals plus several of Bill’s friends and family contributed to this intimate collection of songs.

French speaking Christine Durand reads poetry, Kathy Wesolowsk lends operatic vocals, Bill’s grand-daughter Chloe Weston is the lead voice on a song written by Bill on a songwriting retreat lead by Gretchen Peters and Mary Gauthier.

The recordings were shared with Gustaf Lljunggren (John Grant/Eddi Reader) who added Pedal Steel, Accordion and Rhodes Electric Piano from his Copenhagen studio.

“Dan Whitehouse had worked with Gustaf before. He introduced me to Gustaf’s music and once I heard him, I knew that he was the musician I wanted to have playing on a number of my songs”.

“Gustaf is experienced in working remotely – adding delicate overdubs, without overcrowding the musical landscape of my record”.

Cover art by Ruth Bond.

Next stop on the album’s journey was London…

“I’d a longing to add strings to ‘Fools and Princes’ – with it being based on Romeo and Juliet, I had a vision of a romantic string arrangement being effective, Dan suggested Alison D’Souza (The Little Unsaid) in London as he’d worked with her previously and what she played really brought my dream into reality”.

“Harriet Harkcom’s voice I knew from Dan’s own releases as she has sung on most of his albums, I was pleased when she accepted my invitation to sing on ‘Goodnight Vin’. I’d like to think if Vin was around he would love her voice on this song too”.

With recording completed, final mixing and mastering of the album was by John Elliott.

“My hopes for the album are that it will allow me to reach a wider audience, commercial success has never been my main aim. Like any other singer-songwriter I just love sharing my songs with people”.

For the near future Bill has no plans to tour the album…

“I sing in local folk clubs twice a week and I’m happy being involved in this local musical community. I prefer small intimate venues packed with friends and other singers”.


The album is available to order now on CD and digital via bandcamp >

https://billdodds.bandcamp.com/album/closer

March 15th is the release date for Spotify /Apple / Amazon.

Contact Bill on his facebook artist page >

https://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Dodds-Music/61555902894513

Alikivi   February 2024

A GEORDIE EVENING with Ray Laidlaw, Carol Malia & Ed Waugh

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Ray Laidlaw, Carol Malia & Ed Waugh.

Marden High school in North Shields will host an evening of stories told by three Geordie voices. Founding member of Lindisfarne, Ray Laidlaw, BBC local news reader Carol Malia and international playwright Ed Waugh. Each have a connection to Monkhouse Primary, North Shields, so it’s fitting that all proceeds from the event go to the school.

As well as finding international fame with Lindisfarne, North Shields lad Ray Laidlaw is producer of Geordie institutions Sunday for Sammy and Christmas in the Cathedral. Ray was recently part of the creative team that won a Royal Television Society Award for the brilliant BBC 4 documentary, The Alan Hull Story.

Born in Tynemouth, Carol was a former Marden High school pupil. A regular on our TV screens since 1997, Carol has lots of funny stories to tell, a real Geordie institution.

Ed Waugh has produced 21 professional plays including Dirty Dusting (co-written with Trevor Wood). In January it’ll be performed at Whitley Bay Playhouse and his self-penned play Wor Bella will grace London and Newcastle Theatre Royal in April. Ed also writes comedy sketches for Sunday for Sammy and Christmas at the Cathedral.

Ed Waugh said “In April 2022 my lovely daughter in law Rachelle died aged 34. The school has been brilliantly supportive of my two grandchildren who have attended Monkhouse Primary. It’s an excellent school which thrives on developing the children and giving them new experiences either via extra-curricular activities like football, gardening and archery to name just a few examples, or encouraging them in school time to be active in the arts. I just wanted to do something as a thank you. Both Ray and Carol immediately said yes, which was brilliant of them. It’ll be a great night.”

The event will be held on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 @ 7.30pm at Marden High School, Hartington Road, North Shields, NE30 3RZ.

Tickets are only £10 and available from >

Register on Eventbrite

Alikivi   November 2023

PROFESSOR ROCK with Sunderland computer scientist & music blogger Peter Smith

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Does a day go by without listening to music? It runs through yer veins. Addiction to music is a feeling everyone reading this site knows, and the person who this new post is about has it bad.

‘I’ve finally come clean and admitted to myself that I’m totally addicted to going to rock concerts. I’ve also realised that all attempts at treatment are futile, and anyway I don’t want to be cured!’ said Peter.

‘This blog is part of my treatment, creating a permanent record of gigs that I’ve been to. I try to remember as much as I can about them which is difficult as my memory is not good these days’.

‘It takes me back to the late 60s early 70s and includes concerts by Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, T Rex, Kate Bush and events such as Reading Festivals, Donnington Monsters of Rock and Live Aid. I’ve attended around 2000 gigs since 1969’ explained Peter.

The music blog started in 2011 (link below), and includes great reviews and stories as well as being illustrated with a collection of Peter’s ticket stubs.

First, a bit of background to Sunderland born Peter Smith. Peter graduated in Computing and Mathematics from Sunderland University in 1978, by 1981 he completed a PhD.

He went on to hold a number of positions at the University spending 11 years as a lecturer before being made professor in 1992. Not stopping there he became Dean of Computing and Technology from 1999 until 2007.

Peter has written hundreds of academic papers and books as well as speaking at conferences worldwide. In 2012 he retired from the University and was made Emeritus Professor.

Despite a severe spinal injury in 2016, Peter continued his life’s work and being a massive music fan, also found time to publish numerous papers and books on music venues, classic rock and punk bands.

In July 2022 Sunderland University commemorated his contribution to academia, awarding him with an Honorary Doctorate of Technology. Is that enough for ya’?

I started listening to music in the ‘70s and going to gigs in the ‘80s – they were great times and I know how lucky we were to see fantastic bands. Who do you consider your most memorable gigs?

‘Best gigs were Live Aid in Wembley Stadium 1985, I have so many great memories of that day. Queen’s performance is often rated as the greatest live performance by any band. Freddie certainly commanded the crowd that day’.

‘U2 weren’t far behind them with Bono showing how great a front man he was. For me, however, the highlights were The Who and David Bowie, as I was, and remain, a big fan of both acts’.

‘There was Led Zeppelin at Sunderland Locarno in 1971. I remember Zeppelin came on stage quite late, and the crowd immediately rose to their feet and surged to the front, forming a terrible crush’.

‘I remember a guy trying to take a photo of Robert Plant and the bouncers waded into the crowd to get his camera. Robert intervened, and told the bouncers to leave off the guy to a great cheer from the crowd’.

‘I was right down the front close to the band. I could almost touch them, the atmosphere was electric’. 

‘I also remember great gigs from the Sex Pistols at Whitby in 1975, David Bowie at Newcastle City Hall in ‘72, Rolling Stones at Newcastle in ‘71, The Who played Charlton football ground in 1974 and Abba at Stafford in 1979’.

On your blog you talk about seeing North East bands Geordie, Angelic Upstarts, Brass Alley, Lucas Tyson, Penetration and Tygers of Pan Tang.

There’s a review of a gig by Punishment of Luxury at the Dunelm House, Durham, what can you remember of that night?

‘This gig at Dunelm House came quite early in their career before they had released any recorded material, and was probably one of the first times I saw them.’

‘I do recall seeing Punishment of Luxury several times in 1978 including a packed gig at Newcastle University canteen, and supporting local punk heroes Penetration at the City Hall’.

‘Punilux as they were often called, were quite quirky and unique in their approach. Although their music undoubtedly grew out of punk, their spiky staccato art-rock had much more depth to it, and their performances were very theatrical, strange and in some ways scary, with use of masks and dance’.

What other North East bands have you seen?

‘Last Exit, Sting’s first band, were excellent, Penetration the best North East punk band, I found Prefab Sprout quirky and great, Lindisfarne always magnificent and now we have Sam Fender who is exciting, plus many others’.

What changes have you seen in the live music scene since attending your first gigs and now ?

‘The growth of custom-built arenas. Sadly fewer concerts are held in small venues. However, my hometown Sunderland now has its own great venue The Fire Station’.

For  live reviews including Slade, Queen, Genesis, The Clash, Van Halen, Sex Pistols, The Who and zillions more check out Peter’s excellent music blog at: https://myvintagerock.com/

Alikivi   September 2023

SLICE OF LIFE part 2 with musician Clive Jackson

/ Alikivi
Clive Jackson (2019).

It’s 1996 and Greedsville were splitting up after the five years that I’d been in the band. I was exhausted cos I had a day job as well plus I was getting interested in just song writing rather than being in a full-on band all the time.

Me and Pete the singer lived in the same flat and we had discussions about it not working anymore. We felt we had taken it as far as we could and our manager Sue Wilkinson had exhausted herself.

So, I wasn’t going off behind anyone’s back when I went to the studio and recorded a few songs looking at trying to get a publishing deal.

Fred Purser ex Penetration & Tygers of Pan Tang (1982)

The studio was Trinity Heights in Newcastle run by Fred Purser (ex guitar Penetration/Tygers of Pan Tang) who I love, he’s great. I was in three days playing all the parts with keyboards by ex-Greedsville man Mark Burton.

(Check the interview ‘Square One’ with Fred Purser 30 December 2018).

Sue agreed that she would be point of contact for the demo that I’d sent to a number of record companies. After only a few days Sue called me and said that Chrysalis A&R were interested.

They liked the songs but they wanted a band not just singer-songwriter. So, after a few phone calls I got in Ed Box who was guitarist and Gary Foalle who played bass in XLR8R, keyboardist Mark Burton was already in.  

I also got Graham Hattam in on drums – he was second Greedsville drummer – when I formed the first version of the band. We called it Arch Stanton, a name featured in the great Clint Eastwood film The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

Arch Stanton publicity photo (1998)

To put two songs together we went into Sams Studio in Newcastle because Trinity Heights was booked. Sue sent the tape to the A&R guy but we never heard anything back! The Chrysalis receptionist told us it’s on his desk. Still nothing. This was all annoying after the money and time spent.

This was all in the summer of ’96, we wrote a few more songs and done some gigs. Nothing was happening really apart from our manager Sue Wilkinson applying for a National Lottery grant. (Check the interview ‘Making Plans’ with Sue Wilkinson 25 March 2023 link below).

Well things were fizzling out and the other guys went back to XLR8R until I got a call from Sue ‘get the band back together’! The Lottery grant had been successful and we gathered a four piece band with me, Ed Box, Gary Foalle and Mick Robson on drums and wrote some new material.

Then we went into Trinity Heights and recorded four songs and it was the best feeling, it all just clicked. The lovely Sue got us loads of publicity in the media, TV slots on BBC Look North, cable, radio and newspapers.

The timing was great for the band, we all felt good about it. With the Lottery grant we didn’t need to worry about how much the studio would cost – we could relax into it you know.

Greedsville & Arch Stanton manager Sue Wilkinson

Then the BBC contacted Sue and said they were coming up to Newcastle to film us for a National Lottery show and it was going to be a Spice Girls special! A camera guy came up and filmed us miming in Fred’s studio (Trinity Heights).

Along with Sue I was going to be in the TV studio on the night, live TV, millions of people watching. Night before leaving for the Lottery show Sue called and said the BBC have been in touch and they want a girl singer on because it’s all about girl power with The Spice Girls on. There was a female vocalist in a band from Sunderland who also got a grant so she got the gig instead!

On the night it was broadcast I had a ticket to see the comedian Bill Bailey so my mam video-taped the live show. To be honest when I watched it back it didn’t look good with a video montage of Newcastle, Tyne bridge, Ant & Dec that sort of thing you know.

The 10 second shot with us in Trinity Heights studio didn’t have our name on, or music, or any other bands who were awarded grants. But it was memorable for the night that Geri left The Spice Girls.

For the record, I found the BBC Lottery clip on YouTube, the girl who ended up on the show, instead of me, was called Lara – least that’s what I think they said! Her band was called K9. I heard the backstage gossip was you could cut the tension with a knife (laughs).

The whole point was that the grants were awarded to help bands, but none of us were mentioned. Audience was around 12 million – one of them could have made a difference to any of the bands, but it wasn’t to be.

We, Arch Stanton, carried on for another few year playing gigs at venues like The Riverside, and we recorded a seven track album in Fred’s Trinity Heights studio which was eventually released in 2015.

Also a further five songs were recorded in Sam’s Studios and Octopus Studios. This made up the twelve tracks that were released as an album The Stanton Files in 2015, this was also the year I released my first solo album Life Off Line.

Fred Purser (2021).

I was employed at Trinity Heights, by Fred Purser as a video editor/production assistant, with some assistant sound engineering as a second role. The first music videos I worked on were for what become the album Square One by Fred Purser and Jon Deverill – both ex Tygers of Pan Tang. 

When the band The Cockney Rejects were recording their album in Trinity Heights, Out of the Gutter, they asked Fred if they knew someone who played harmonica, he said yes, there’s one sitting upstairs doing some video editing!

I had met them when they came in, great bunch of lads, and ended up playing harmonica on the track Collar Felt Blues. The video for this song was shot in the studio with me in it, it was broadcast on MTV Europe at the time.

Evan Dando of The Lemonheads, UK, 1994. (Photo by Denis O’Regan/Getty Images)

Arch Stanton had split by 2000, and that’s when me, Ed Box and Gary Foalle ended up in New York. We were on holiday and our friend Elizabeth from Newcastle lived there as she was engaged to Evan Dando from The Lemonheads. She was a model in London, Paris then New York where she met Evan. She started off by winning a competition in the Newcastle Chronicle.

We were invited to their wedding in New York and we met a few celeb’s, one of them was Anthony Langdon from the band Spacehog. I first met Anthony – originally from Leeds – in March 2000, when I first went to New York City.

We were hustling around passing our demo to people but nothing really come of it. Evan came over to the UK and played the Wylam Brewery in Newcastle in 2017 where I supported, it was a great gig.

Evan Dando & Clive Jackson at the Wylam Brewery (2017)

With the experience working on video at Fred’s studio in 2004 I set up my own company, Automatic Films, where I went to New York to film Evan in a Day in the Life documentary called One Day in New York.

Chanel Four were looking at it but never took it up but this led me to working on other film projects like short films, music video, comedy and entering them into film festivals.

What am I doing now in music ? I ‘m just completing a new album called Distortion and hopefully release it by September 2023.

For more information/albums/photo’s check out Clive’s official website :

ABOUT | singer-song-writer (clivejackson8.wixsite.com)

Interview with manager Sue Wilkinson :

MAKING PLANS in conversation with former BBC/Generator/Evolution & Honorary Geordie, Sue Wilkinson | ALIKIVI : NORTH EAST UK (garyalikivi.com)

Alikivi   June 2023