NORTH EAST UK MUSIC

ALL IN A DAYS WORK with North East entertainer Howard Baker

/ Alikivi

37878883_2117337425003963_15456895808569344_n

What have you been doing since last year’s interview ?

‘Vicky Price and I took about five months to put together an old fashioned ’60s show band, The Blue Flamingos. We had all the backdrop’s made and all the props to make it look really good.

The first half of the show was British ’60s and the second half was all American ’60s. But ’60s song’s only last two minutes so by the time we had committed ourselves we thought we’d have to do 40 songs haha.

So, we got a video up on the back wall and do a bit of patter cos it was a two-hour show. We decided to go out of the way and try it somewhere new, so we looked at The Westovian Theatre in South Shields.

First night sold, so added the second night. People were singing along, yeah went really well’.

How did the gig at Westovians come about because it’s not known as a music theatre ?

‘That’s right I believe it was the first music show promoted there. It’s a small theatre that holds 260 and at first I was thinking of putting a rock show on there but I thought this ’60s show would be better suited.

So, we went down and paid the booking fee for 27th and 28th July. I was surprised how well it went down so we are taking it to The Phoenix Theatre in Blyth then hopefully moving it around the country.

We are in the process of doing that now ourselves rather than using agencies although Steve Lloyd Promotions, a big national agency have just picked us up. He said he can get us on festivals with bands like Gerry and the Pacemakers, Amen Corner and The Merseybeats. I said yeah go ahead and do it.

So he’s working on creating some national links for gig’s next year.

We are a revue band we aren’t a tribute band like a Bobby Vee or Billy Fury, although we sing those songs we aren’t trying to copy.

I still have the Howard Baker Band working with some really good musicians so really busy. We’re all older and wiser than before’. 

3

Can you remember any gigs when you weren’t older and wiser ?

’We – Warbeck – were on part of a tour with Argent in the early ’70s. I remember playing at The Locarno in Sunderland and Argent had just brought out their single Hold Your Head Up High.

I was watching them from the side of the stage waiting for this song, they eventually played it and it went on for about 20 minutes. Talking about stretching out the favourite haha.

I talked to him afterwards he was a really nice guy I think he wrote I Surrender which Rainbow recorded also God Gave Rock n Roll to You a Kiss number so yeah, he wrote a good few tunes.

When I was in Warbeck we were playing at the Marquee in London and were supporting a band called Upp. It was a project that Jeff Beck had put together. They were a sort of rock fusion, great sound – out of this world.

He came in the dressing room, he is only a small, slim guy, he said to me I like your vocals, good band, keep at it. I don’t remember much from then but that was good of him to say that’. 

What do you think about the current covers and tribute bands scene ?

‘I played support to a famous singer’s son – I won’t name him. But he sung in the style of his father, and he was so bad. You sort of recognise the songs, but they weren’t anywhere near his father – and he was probably on a couple of grand.

At that point I was thinking I must be doing something wrong’.

Is that the fault of the agent pushing them out when he should have more control over the quality ?

’Of course, but if your father is that famous it definitely has more clout. Karaoke singers might be good for a couple of songs but the agent tells them they have to do two sets at 45 minutes each. They say ’What I only know three songs’.

Some of them get out to the club’s and die on their arses.

Problem is some agents don’t go and watch them beforehand. I’ve had a few on with me and the agent say’s ‘What were they like Howard ?’

I’m like ‘Don’t go there with me mate, I don’t want to get loaded up telling you about someone. Get out there and find out for yourself’.

One girl was so bad she came off stage and said to us ‘I’m thinking off doing cruises you know’. Somebody under their breath said ‘Aye, Titanic’ haha’.

One night at The Latino in Sunderland a singer was on before us and some of the audience had been putting beer mats on the stage, with messages on.

The singer thought they’d say ‘We love’ ‘You’re great’ and ‘Can you do this song’ all that you know.

Well when it was our slot, I was in Warbeck then, I picked up some of the beer mats and they had written ‘Get off, you’re rubbish’ and ‘Don’t come back’ and a few others with shall we say choice language.

I remember doing a show with Tom Jones and his band The Squires, also Bobby Thompson now these people were real pro’s and you could understand why they were at the top of their game. It’s their calling in life, it’s their gift’. 

37890756_2117337551670617_5350621268959821824_n

How much work do you put into performing ?

‘In my repertoire I’ve got about four and a half hours’ worth of songs. In my head I can possibly remember 200 songs.

I done a lot of writing with Warbeck, Nightwalker, and for the cd I put out in 2016 The Paris Files I done a lot. The single off that was number one in the Reverbnation European chart, off and on for 44 weeks and the album got to number three.

I got an email from a band called Red Cadillac in Kentucky wanting me to go over their and play. Well that’s difficult to do that because at the time I had 22 shows in 29 days in the UK.

It would be great to go over there, but I didn’t want to drop the other musicians in the shit. They would have lost 22 days of wages which adds up to a lot of money. Yes, it’s a full-time job we gotta pay the bills’.  

Do you find it hard to switch off and rest your voice ?

‘It’s hard to do that. I’m lucky that I sing in three or four keys. So if I have a problem I can always change, if any the first thing that goes is my bottom end. My middle and top are no problem’. 

Is charity work something you do ?

’Not for the Cancer charities and the big one’s because they get a lot of donations and special nights put on for them, so I stick more local like Feline Friends who are struggling so need more help.

The owner Lynn works hard on it and she has a full-time job. It’s a really good cause’.

When do you have a holiday ?

‘My wife, God bless her. I’d booked to go to London cos my son lives there. I’d booked four days. We saw a couple of shows went for a few meals, but I get it in little bursts like that. I play a few weeks in Tenerife.

When I was recording in Paris, she’d be there for a few days but it’s no fun for her as I’m working. But she goes out with (producer) Eric’s wife so that’s ok but normally for holidays I have to book a year ahead.

Last real holiday seven days it was, we were in New York and went to this club, I ended up singing with the band haha’.

What type of artists come from the North East ?

‘Well you’ve had people like Marcus Brown keyboard player with Madonna, then the like’s of Sting, Johnna (Brian Johnson), Coverdale, Rodgers… it’s a bit like in the United States the North is more supressed than everywhere else, you know doom and gloom. Detroit and Bruce Springsteen the places that have a bit depression bring out the best in singers.

I remember going through Middlesbrough in the ’70s and you ended up with a film of red dust on the car from the chimneys in the chemical works. Hartlepool was similar, but now them places are picking up.

You had people like Chubby Brown, very controversial comedian lot of people didn’t like what he was doing, but it was a way out for him’.

Are you saying that they fight harder ?

‘Yes definitely, from here the rock bands like Raven fought like hell to get out and do something. Some sort of made it. Bands like Avenger look back and say at least I tried.

I had a band Nightwalker in the ’90s with Ted Hunter on guitar, Shaun Taylor on drums we done a few gigs in France we were a cracking band, great musicians again from the North.

The like’s of Ditchy (Dave Ditchburn) should of got further, I heard some of his original stuff – really good. Pete Barkley from Lucas Tyson, bands like Cirkus were all great players. They all had deals but it just fizzled out for one thing or another.

I could cry that some of these didn’t get the right platform. We – Warbeck -were in there, in the veins of the Whitesnakes who we supported, but it was down to managements screwing the whole thing up’. 

1

With the number of pubs and clubs closing down where can you see the work coming from ?

‘Basically, with the work the strong will survive. The good acts will always work. The work is really tight, and the good acts are moving further afield. You’ve got to be more diverse.

I do a full Irish show, a full swing show, full out and out rock, ’60s and ’70s and a ballad show. Luckily I saw that 15 year ago and that’s when I started diversing.

It takes a couple of years to learn those type of shows, to bed it down. So if you’ve only one type of show your pigeon holed.

Funny I done a solo show not long ago in Northumbria University and it was a ’60s night. 800 students came dressed in their tank tops, loons and wigs. Kids of 18-19 year old coming up to me asking for Herman’s Hermitts or Wayne Fontana haha’.  

How important is image ? ’

Style and image are very important. The main difference now is being either a great singer or a great singer and good showman. You’ve got to make the effort. If I go on it’s shirt, waistcoat depending on the show sometimes a suit.

Some people come into the club, set the gear up and go straight on stage. As a punter you should expect something a bit different from the artist, not the guy offf the street.

I remember an agent called Andy Green I was doing the Jubilee Club for him, we were in a trio called Riff Raff. We were doing a 10 night run for him. Well Andy had been a Highland Guard or something, big strapping 6 foot 2 guy. He also used to put Wrestling events on.

Anyway this Welsh girl came in, we were all set up she was going on first and Andy said on the mic ‘Ladies and gentlemen put your hands together for this young girl from Wales.’ Then it was ‘whoa hold on, hold on get off and get yersel dressed you’ve had that on since you’ve got here’.

While the audience waited she had to change her dress and that’s what Andy was like. He only wanted really smart looking acts that looked the part because they are up on stage performing for the audience. And that’s what it should be’.

Do you listen to current music and how do you think the internet has affected music ?

‘No not really doesn’t really impress. Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran…couldn’t go and pay to see those guys.

I know old school people who like their vinyl or cd’s because they haven’t a clue about downloading. Some bands are limited if they only release downloads but their expense is much smaller not having to make the product but advertising still costs. You can lose a lot more on vinyl or cd than you can on download.

There is millions of songs out there on You Tube and young bands can use it as a calling card. The Amazons, Spotify’s, You Tubes are always making money and you might not – but that’s business’. 

Interview by Gary Alikivi 2018

Recommended:

Trevor Sewell, Still Got the Blues, 21st June 2017.

Howard Baker, Howards Way, 17th August 2017.

John Verity, (ARGENT): Blue to His Soul 7th November 2017.

Dave Ditchburn, Man for All Seasons 1st February 2018.

BECKETT , Music Matters, 9th April 2018.

 

WE SOLD OUR SOUL FOR ROCK N ROLL documentary on South Tyneside rock music.

/ Alikivi

DSC_0172

In February 2017 I transcribed interviews from the documentary and decided to put them out on a blog. I added some new interviews and updated the originals. Then more musicians got in touch.

The blog has snowballed from North East bands like Beckett to worldwide musicians like John Dalton in California. To date it has reached nearly 40,000 views.

But how did I tackle this documentary and pull it all together? Firstly, I talked to a few musicians who passed over some of their archive of demo tapes, videos and photos. Plus, I already had a number of photographs I had taken through the ’90s.

Then a lot of research was done in the Local Studies Library, South Shields. I remember during the ’80s reading a feature called Young Weekender in the Saturday edition of local newspaper The Shields Gazette. It featured interviews, releases by local and national bands, plus a list of gig dates around Tyneside.

The library had all the Gazette’s on microfilm. It took a few visits but in all it was a good start.

Then during May 2007 filmed interviews were arranged at The Cave in South Shields, formerly Tyne Dock Youth Club, where in the 1970’s some of the bands had rehearsed and performed as teenagers. 

I was surprised at the amount of people who turned up to tell their story, and what excellent stories they were. The title of the documentary is from a Black Sabbath compilation album and sums up the feeling I got when people were telling their story.

Some bands even got back together after 30 odd years. After working on a few other projects, finally in 2010 a 30-minute version of the documentary was screened in South Shields, it was shown a few months later at The Cluny in Newcastle along with a film about the New York Dolls.

In September 2011 a full version was shown at the Central Library Theatre in South Shields. 

‘We Sold Our Soul for Rock n Roll’ is on the Alikivi You Tube channel.

To check out other films why not subscribe to the channel.

Gary Alikivi  2018.

RUN FOR HOME with North East actor & musician Michael McNally

/ Alikivi / 2 Comments

RUNNING

How important are the arts in the North East ?

’Times have changed and opportunities in the Arts seem to have become more limited. The traditional route for actors, via drama school, now favours only those whose families can afford the expense of London based education.

As a result, far less working-class actors are breaking through.

Funding for theatre in education is almost non-existent and schools are encouraged to undervalue drama and music in the mainstream. Sad times in my opinion as young people need access to the arts just as much as they need access to health and fitness.

Without an outlet for our creativity, we stifle our imaginations and become frustrated robots’.

How did you get interested in music ?

‘The first year of my life, 1963, was spent in Gateshead but I always regard myself as a ‘Jarra lad’ because the next 17 formative years were spent in Jarrow. I was surrounded by music.

My dad who had served his time at Reyrolles and become a Pattern Maker (similar to a Draughtsman), was an accomplished singer, composer and musician.

During my early childhood, I would often wake to hear him return from night shift and start playing guitar, singing softly, sometimes Vincent by Donovan or one of his own compositions.

It may seem odd, but I looked forward to being woken in the middle of the night to hear this comforting sound. I don’t even know if he realised that I could hear him.

My dad was restless and would soon leave his secure and reasonably well-paid job at Reyrolles and take the risky step of turning professional, performing in a thriving North East, working men’s club scene.

The culture of most catholic families in Jarrow was for children to perform musical party pieces at social gatherings. My younger brother, Anthony, and I would sing songs my dad had written at such events, often performing the wrong lyrics accidentally.

I recall one occasion with everyone stifling their laughter in an attempt to protect our feelings when we sang the wrong word; instead of ‘parting’, we sang ‘farting’. We were only 5 or 6 years old. So my first and major musical influence was and still is, my dad, Michael’.

moobs

Who were you listening to ?

‘As a kid, there were remnants of the ’40s and ’50s hanging around like the Inkspots who were sentimental but tongue in cheek at the same time. I still like to listen to them.

Moving from the ’50s to ’60s, lots of rock ‘n roll, particularly Elvis, Buddy Holly, Eddy Cochrane and Roy Orbison. The Beatles were brilliant, particularly John Lennon.

I also felt a buzz listening to Hendrix, Free and The Doors. The ’70s were such a clash of styles. There was all that funk from the States, The Jacksons fronted by the remarkably talented Michael Jackson, the squeaky clean, coiffured Osmond’s, the second manufactured boy band after the Monkees, the Bay City Rollers etc.

Prog rock and YES with Rick Wakeman on keys, first experienced on the Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2 blew me away.

In the mid ’70s I heard Steely Dan for the first time and loved the albums, Can’t Buy a Thrill and the Royal Scam. Then there was Bowie!! I loved everything he did’. 

When did you play your first gigs ?

‘My first instrument was piano. I started lessons at the age of 6. I really wanted to be a drummer but my brother got the kit as he didn’t like piano lessons.

Ironically, he still ended up a better keyboard player than me! I play guitar and bass too but rarely these days.

When I was 17, I formed a band with my best mate at school, Dave Morton called Private Collection. We played school concerts and anywhere that would have us. Good times.

Between the age 10-18, I played the clubs with my dad and brother in Mike Mason and the Little People. You might wonder why the surname changed from McNally in the stage name.

Well, we toured Scotland every summer and played a lot of ‘Orange’ clubs. My dad had been advised by an agent, years before, to play safe with a name that wouldn’t arouse suspicions about our Irish heritage.

We toured as a headline act at the same time as Cannon and Ball, The Krankies and Little and Large haha!

1977 and the Sex Pistols changed everything. Popular music was being punched full in the face. Bands like the Clash, Undertones and Buzzcocks hugely impacted on young people, encouraging them to pick up an instrument and thrash it loud and hard with attitude.

Although I was performing what could be described as ‘cabaret’, this music and the emotion behind it really appealed to me. I think I found a lot of the mainstream music unctuous and superficial. Punk meant revolution and it was exciting!’

Who are you listening to now ? 

’I have continued to have an eclectic taste in music. I love classical music when I am chilling, jazz sometimes when I am travelling and hearing some of my son, Luc McNally’s Scottish Folk music.

I like the Killers, Arctic Monkeys and Vampire Weekend introduced to me by my daughter Ellen.

bobsmeatonACCOUNTS

Michael with Bob Smeaton on set of the 1983 film ‘Accounts’.

How did you get into acting ?

‘I left the family show at 18 to study. I started a Law degree in Newcastle. My plan was to be a solicitor but play in a band at the same time.

Having successfully completed my first year in 1983, I auditioned and was cast in a leading role for a Film on Four called Accounts, written by Michael Wilcox. Bob Smeaton and I played brothers in this beautifully written piece set in the Scottish Borders.

Bob has achieved some remarkable things in his career including Emmy awards for producing music documentaries. I took a sabbatical for a year to make the film but never returned to my studies.

Once the film was shown and well received, I was offered representation by London agents. I made a huge decision and moved to the Capital’.

corry

Early scene in Coronation Street.

‘I managed to survive a steep learning curve and found work in television and theatre. My first repertory experience was as the narrator in a musical version of The Piper of Hamelin at Liverpool Playhouse.

Next was Andy Capp at Newcastle Playhouse in ’85, and work at Royal Court and Royal Shakespeare Company. As soon as I finished a job there were always opportunities for the next.

Whilst playing Jacky Milburn in Wor Jacky at Newcastle Playhouse in 1989, I was invited to Tyne Tees TV to discuss a series which required a presenter. As a result, I got my first presenting job in a show called McNally.

I made 13 programmes and had a fantastic time being paid to do what I enjoyed most, meeting interesting people and having adventures’.

What does music mean to you ?

‘Music is an escape, a freedom from whatever ties us down. It can be the medicine we require to soothe or the motivation to move. Without it we are monotone, bland and sad’. 

What are you up to now ?

’Musically, I am playing keyboards in local band, The Moobs! We have a large following in the region and play songs that get crowds excited and on their feet.

Watch out for ‘The Running Show‘, which I will be presenting with Tony ‘The Fridge’ and others, coming soon!’ 

MOOOBS

On stage with The Moobs.

Interview by Gary Alikivi August 2018

WORKING MAN with North East UK drummer Micky Kerrigan

/ Alikivi / 1 Comment

18485968_107344239846490_7133504844790349806_n

Who were your influences in music ? 

‘I was inspired in my early years by classical and jazz, in particular big band jazz including Cuban big band musicians like Stan Kenton, also Louis Bellson, The Buddy Rich Big band and Billy Cobham.

My main focus was on Emerson Lake and Palmer, The Nice, Rush, Queen and Heavy Metal bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden and Slayer. I was also really fascinated by Liberty Devitto (Billy Joels drummer)’.

How did you get interested in playing music ? 

‘I guess, just listening to the sheer power behind Carl Palmers playing. Then late one night on TV I watched Jazz at the Philharmonic and saw Louis Bellsons drum solo. It just blew me away. Gob smacked and shaking. Also watching Liberty Devitto playing on Billy Joels concert from Leningrad was pretty special.

The more I listened to Rush and The Proffessor, made me really want to define what style I wanted to play as a rock drummer’.

When did you start playing gigs and what venues did you play ? 

‘I started playing around the age of 11 and played all throughout my teen years. But then joined the RAF at 17 and left the drum sticks behind. It was about eight years later I met a couple of musicians on the base, and we put a rock covers band together.

I came out of the RAF after nine years in 2001 and began to focus on music again, playing with a few local blues musicians from the County Durham area and attending a few jams.

Then I got the gig with The Force around 2002 replacing Franco Zuccaroli (Jack Bruce etc). I guess being asked to headline Newcastle City Hall with The Force was quite nerve racking and special.

We went on to play other huge crowds like the motorbike rally Storming the Castle. Although The Force played mainly local gigs, I decided to branch out and after parting from the band I put my own three piece Rush tribute together and more recently Deep Purple in Rock. At the same time I played with Iron Maiden tribute Maiden England’.

25498399_2216780235215725_4959560345025314673_n

‘At this time, I was asked if I wanted to audition for Blitzkreig I jumped at the chance. After recording Back from Hell, a couple of world tours and three years later we parted ways.

Last year (2017) I was asked to play a 55-minute set in Sao Paulo, Brazil with the brilliant NWOBHM band Tysondog which was surreal.

I was picked up from the house, taken to Manchester airport and flown to Sao Paulo via New York. Done the gig. Then back via New York and Atlanta to Manchester before being dropped off at home. All within four days.

Leading up to this point I had already played on a couple of European tours with Blues Hall of Fame musicians Sweet Suzi and John Puglisi from Long Island in New York. I continue to play in New York with various musicians and I’m a regular visitor. God I even pick up the accent ha ha.

I’m now a regular session player in New York and jam regularly with some of Billy Joels past and present band members. That’s pretty defining so far right….ha ha’.

18485932_107344313179816_8095816076171095846_n

What are your experiences of recording/studio work ? 

‘This is an area, I actually don’t have a great deal of experience in. I’ve recorded a few albums with local musicians but you would have to say my main recordings to date are live shows and The Back from Hell studio album, with Blitzkrieg’.

Have you recorded any TV appearances or filmed any music videos ?

’Im sure there are lots of bootleg dvds of Blitzkrieg. I wouldn’t know where any of those copies were though, ahem…. haha. There is a documentary on You Tube following part of one of our tours’.

Have you any stories from playing gigs ?

’Far too many to mention, but it usually involves silly behaviour and alcohol. My most recent one involves arriving at JFK airport from Sao Paulo en route to Manchester.

I had five hours, so I met up with a friend, who shall remain anonymous, who picked me up from the airport when I arrived at 08.30. I’d taken some miniature gins from the flight and something to smoke. It was great fun especially when her car runs out of gas on the outside lane of the southern state parkway, pushing it across four lanes baked was really funny.

My defining moment then after being rescued and going to a diner was thinking I was on a boat when we were nowhere near any water! Anyway, we parted ways, and I continued my onwards travel bound for Atlanta, Georgia.

Like I say I have plenty of great stories to tell, but we would need a few hours and a good bottle of Scotch to go on.’ 

Album-Stuckfish

What are your future plans in music ?

’I’ll continue to play in New York around the UK, and Europe with some amazing musicians I’ve met there. However, the big news is, I’ve just joined brand new Prog rock band Stuckfish who’s brand new album, Calling has just been released and has a great write up by Dave Ling of Classic Rock mag amongst others.

Calling features on the front cover of Prog Rock magazine next month (August 2018). The album is also at number two in an Australian rock chart. So, watch this space for tour dates’. 

Interview by Gary Alikivi    July 2018.

Recommended:

Brian Ross SATAN/BLITZKREIG: Life Sentence, 20th February 2017.

Lou Taylor SATAN/BLIND FURY: Rock the Knight, 26th February & 5th March 2017.

Steve Dawson SARACEN/THE ANIMALS: Long Live Rock n Roll, 2nd April 2017.

Martin Metcalfe HOLLOW GROUND: Hungry for Rock, 18th June 2017.

Jim Clare : Stormy Daze 2nd August 2017.

Tysondog: Back for Another Bite 5th August 2017.

WRITING ON THE WALL – in conversation with North East music journalist, broadcaster & producer Ian Ravendale

/ Alikivi

Me17Lawson5crop 

Ian Penman has been a television and radio presenter, researcher, producer and journalist for more than 30 years, generally writing as Ian Ravendale to avoid confusion with the Ian Penman formerly of the NME.

He returned to music journalism (and Ian Ravendale) seven years ago writing for Classic Rock, Classic Pop, Vintage Rock, AOR, Vive Le Rock, Iron Fist, Blues Matters, American Songwriter, The Word and many more.

Ian has interviewed literally thousands of musicians from multi-millionaire rockstars to local indie bands on the dole…

‘I worked in television for Border, Tyne Tees, Channel 4 and also ran River City Productions an independent production company based in Gateshead.

In addition to making lots of local programmes I also worked on national music shows including Get Fresh, Bliss and (to a lesser extent) The Tube. The Tube was shot at Tyne Tees Television’s Studio 5 on City Road in Newcastle. The site is now a Travel Lodge!

It was interesting going to the canteen on recording day for shows like shows like Razzmatazz and The Tube and seeing who was in. I remember standing behind Phil Everly as he got his cod and chips!’ 

‘The music programmes I worked on were mainly produced by Border Television in Carlisle. I spent a lot of time there in the 1980’s. At Tyne Tees I worked mainly in the Arts and Entertainment department. Anything different or off the wall it would usually be me doing it.

We produced a program about rock poetry, presented by Mark Mywurdz, who at the time was a Tube regular. For some reason Mark wanted to present the program just wearing a raincoat. Nothing underneath!

After we finished recording the show one of the camera men came up and congratulated me; ‘That was the biggest load of rubbish I’ve seen in my life!’  I did a lot of alternative stuff. Some was challenging but none was rubbish!’

Talking about alternative stuff, can you remember Wavis O’Shave ?

‘He had a number of names – Wavis, Fofffo Spearjig, Rod Stewart, Pans Person. When I was writing for Sounds he saw me as a way in as the paper liked the off-beat stuff. He was a great self publicist. And still is!

He once told me about getting £1,000 out of the News of the World for a tip-off about a forthcoming witches coven scheduled for Witton Gilbert-or wherever Wavis said it was!’ 

What can you remember about working on Get Fresh ? (kids 1986-88  morning weekend TV show produced by the regional ITV companies taking it in turns for Saturday and Border producing all the Sunday editions).

‘For Get Fresh and Bliss, Border’s 1985 summer replacement for The Tube, most of the guests came up to Carlisle the night before so I’d take them out. People like Rat Scabies and Captain Sensible from The Damned.

We’d go into the music pubs and clubs around Carlisle and people would love seeing them there. Rat got up a few times to play with some of the local bands. When I met him I said ‘What do I call you?’ (His real name is Chris Miller). (Adopts cockney accent) ‘Just call me Rat’. So I did. Nice guy.

At the time he was really hoping to get the drum job with The Who, as Keith Moon had recently died. Didn’t happen, unfortunately.’

me fringed jacket crop.

‘Bliss was presented by Muriel Grey and produced in Carlisle by Janet Street-Porter. We featured live bands, got them to play for half an hour, used two songs on the weekly show, then repackage the 30 minutes for a Bliss In Concert special.

There wasn’t that much going on in Carlisle at the time, so we had no problem getting local kids in as the audience.

One week we didn’t have a live band and I’d got an advance copy of the famous animated video for Take On Me by A-Ha, who at that point were totally unknown.

Graham K Smith, the other music researcher and I thought it was really good so I rang their record company to see if A-Ha were available and importantly if they could play live. A resounding ‘Yes, they can do it’ was the answer.

Bliss was aimed at a teenage audience so A-ha would have fitted in perfectly. Janet-Street Porter comes in and looks at the video and goes (adopts cockney accent) ‘Oh no, that’s art school stuff, it’s boring. Draggy!’ 

Border TV could have had half an hour of A-Ha playing live in concert for the first time in the UK. But no. The band she booked instead were King Kurt, a well-past their sell-by date punk band.

So up they come in their ratty old bus with dogs on pieces of string and a stage act that consisted of throwing slop at each other. We – or rather Janet – turned down what became one of the biggest bands of the eighties’.

When you were reviewing gigs in the early 1980’s for Sounds were there any bands that surprised you or were disappointed with ?

‘It took me a while to ‘get’ punk. I was never into the boring British blues bands and prog acts which still show-up on the BBC’s compilations of 70’s rock. With the exception of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band who I liked.

When punk came along it started to make more sense. I was also into what is now classed as Americana. Along with more-left field bands like Sparks and Be-Bop Deluxe.’

I’m reading the book ’No Sleep till Canvey Island -The Great Pub Rock Revolution’ the book mentions the early careers of Joe Strummer, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello…

’There were bands that were like a doorway between punk and the boring rock bands and Brinsley Schwarz, with Nick Lowe were one of them. I saw them play Backhouse Park, here in Sunderland. Dr Feelgood were another.

I saw The Damned support Marc Bolan at Newcastle City Hall and it was a short, sharp, shock. And I thought; ‘OK. What was that…?’

Phil Sutcliffe, my predecessor at Sounds did an interview with The Damned for Radio Newcastle’s Bedrock show that we both worked on. It was 30 seconds long and finished off with someone shouting ‘Oi! Who put duh lights out’!

16649218_1362483373810410_1559256840054276834_n

The big article you wrote for Sounds in May 1980 featured local metal bands Mythra, Fist, Raven, Tygers of Pan Tang and White Spirit. How did that come about ?

‘I was freelancing at Sounds, writing articles and reviewing gigs, some of which were of local bands. I was also working on the Bedrock program and one of my co-presenters was Tom Noble who was managing the Tygers.

I’d already written individual articles about the Tygers, Fist and Raven and Geoff Barton, the assistant editor at Sounds asked me to source a few more bands for a 4,000 word article. The North East New Wave of British Heavy Metal was born!’

NWOBHM had Iron Maiden in London, Saxon in Barnsley and Def Leppard in Sheffield….

‘Yes. As a reviewer I went as far as Redcar. A lot of the local bands I reviewed were from here in Sunderland, Newcastle and South Shields.

Sounds also had a guy called ‘Des Moines’, a pseudonym for a writer from Leeds called Nigel Burnham who is now an agricultural journalist and Mick Middles, based in Manchester. Between the three of us we had the north covered.

One time the Tygers of Pan Tang were supporting Saxon and I’d gone along. I’d previously written a review of Saxon which included something along the lines of ‘in six month’s time they’ll be back playing social clubs’.

At the gig Tygers guitarist Robb Weir came up and said, ‘Biffs lookin’ for you!’. Fortunately, he didn’t find me. Not yet anyway.’

Was there any conflict between watching a band that you weren’t a fan of and writing something positive about them ?

‘Geoff never said to me, ‘We’ve got a big metal readership here can you go easy on them?’ He never wanted me to do that. But I found metal bands easy to take the piss out of – and I did.

This stimulated very angry letters like ‘How dare Ian Ravendale slag off Ozzy. I’ve seen him and he was great’. I remember my opening line of a review I did of Ozzy, ‘What I want to know is how is Ozzy Osbourne so cabaret’.

I interviewed him a few times for Bedrock but my interviewees tended not to click onto the fact that ‘Bedrock’s Ian Penman’ was also sharp-tongued Sounds scribe Ian Ravendale.

One time a few years after the Sounds ‘cabaret’ comment I was working at Tyne Tees and on the Friday Ozzy was playing The Tube. The Arts and Entertainment office was next door and I saw him in the corridor looking lost.

So I went up to him and said ‘Hi Ozzy, The Tube office is just over there’. He thanked me and then said ’I’ve met you before haven’t I’. He still remembered me from the radio interviews we’d done’.

How did you get interested in writing ?

‘As a teenager I was a huge music fan and also into American comics. I wrote for a few comic fanzines then published some of my own which occasionally still turn up on Ebay. That gave me an insight into writing for public consumption’. 

Bedrock pic

The Bedrock team with Ian sitting on the right.

What about radio? You were involved in Bedrock for nearly ten years…

‘Dick Godfrey was producing a program called Bedrock for BBC Radio Newcastle which featured interviews from national and gave local bands exposure which was otherwise very hard for them to get at the time.

I had always been interested in the nuts and bolts of the music industry and how it all worked and listened to programs like Radio 1’s Scene And Heard.

Dick had a feature called Top Track where each week a different listener would come in and play his favourite track and talk about it. ‘Some Of Shellys Blues’ by Michael Nesmith was my choice. This went down well with Dick so I asked if he’d be interested in me contributing features. ‘Yes but there’s no cash involved’.

Nesmith was soon going to be playing in the UK and I was going along to the gig so I asked Dick if Bedrock be interested in me trying to get an interview with him. ‘Definitely’ replied Dick.

So I phoned a record label I’d heard Michael was about to sign to and they gave me his hotel number. As ‘Ian Penman from BBC Radio Newcastle’ I arranged an interview, which I did a couple days later in London, the day after the gig. That was my start in radio’. 

How did you start with Sounds?

‘Phil Sutcliffe, who was the North East correspondent for Sounds, was a friend of Dick Godfrey and also worked on Bedrock. When Phil moved to London he recommended me to Geoff Barton, Sound’s reviews editor, to be his replacement.

Phil wrote a lot about the Angelic Upstarts, he liked the music but also had a sympathetic ear to what they were doing. He wrote the first articles about them. Same for Penetration, Neon and Punishment of Luxury.

I’d also been involved in the music fanzine Out Now which Tom Noble had produced, so I was becoming pretty proficient at interviewing and writing reviews.

I was out at gigs four nights a week and was known enough to be able to walk straight into Newcastle City Hall via the stage door. This put me in touch with Tyne Tees TV and when a researcher vacancy came up, I applied for that, got it and carried on at Sounds for a short while.

I also wrote a few pieces for Kerrang, which Geoff Barton had moved across from Sounds to edit. I wrote the first article on Venom. Yes, I’m responsible for Black Metal (laughs).

Then as now, my attitude was regardless of whether I liked the music or not if I could write something positive about local bands, and it was entertaining. I’ll do that.

If you write something negative about a local band, you could do them major harm. Also, a person in Aberdeen doesn’t want to know whether a band from South Shields are crap. Why would they?’

For the work that you were doing how important do you think research is?

’Some writers think of an idea then write a piece in support of that. I don’t do that. For me it’s about the facts and information presented in an interesting way. Opinions and personal taste are what they are. Maybe you like a band that I don’t. That’s fine.  But facts stand.

I do my absolute level best to write as accurately as possible. It’s really important for me to do that. Sometimes information comes from two or three sources. And if the information is contradictory, I’ll say that’. 

Any memorable incidents in your career ?

’I interviewed Debbie Harry at Newcastle City Hall when Blondie had just broken big. We were in one of the really small dressing rooms. It was tiny. The record rep said ‘Ok Ian you got seven minutes’.

He introduced me to Debbie who was standing with her back to me. She was leaning on a shelf writing stuff down. I said ‘Writing out the song lyrics ?’ She replied ‘Yeah, well I don’t really know them from the new album yet’. It felt a bit awkward.

I literally spent the next three minutes just watching her writing with her back to me, stunning in her jumble sale collection of clothes. Eventually she sat down and off we went.

All of this was fairly new to her, she had just been playing CBGB’s (small club in New York) and now it was to gigs with 2,000 fans like the City Hall. She was trying to get used to all this Debbie-fever that was going on around her.

By minute seven we were finally getting somewhere, and she was opening up when the record rep walked in ‘Right Ian. Times up!’

I did actually interview the solo Debbie on the phone for Get Fresh nine years later and she was much more forthcoming.  (The  City Hall interview is on Rocks Back pages if you fancy a listen. RB is a pay site but there’s lots and lots of great stuff up there).

For more information contact : http://ianravendale.blogspot.com

Interview by Gary Alikivi July 2018.

PIANO WORKS – interview with North East singer & songwriter Jen Stevens

/ Alikivi
Pic. The Shields Gazette.
Pic. The Shields Gazette

You played at the South Tyneside Summer Festival this year how did that go ?

‘I was supporting Pixie Lott and it went really well. There were around 12,000 there. Also played there in 2012 supporting Scouting for Girls with a similar sized crowd.

We had just brought out an album then and that gig definitely helped sales and local recognition.’

When did you get into music ?

‘I started playing piano when I was four, my dad and my brother where both playing at the time. And I sang in the church choir.

I had piano lessons by two doddery old women who charged 40p per lesson and if I got it wrong they used to whack me over the knuckles with a metal ruler!

Singing lessons at school and college followed. Then at Uni I studied Jazz and Contemporary music. When I was young, I listened to what tapes my dad was playing in the car. Bob Dylan, Queen, Eagles and Dolly Parton.

As I got older, I wasn’t really into to boy bands, and Fleetwood Mac are my favourite’.

What is your process of song writing ?

‘I’ve got a massive list of song ideas on my phone. I can overhear a snippet of conversation on the bus, or I’ll sit at the piano and put a few chords together, it changes song to song where I get ideas from. Sometimes I write using another character or a lot of imagery and metaphors.

After my mum died in 2012 we found some poetry that she had written. Really good stuff mixed with swearing and the odd fart joke ha ha.

But I took inspiration from it all. I wrote a song Child of Earth for my mum’s funeral, it’s an uplifting song with words taken from bits of poetry that she wrote in the hospice.

Some people have said the song calms down their kids when they are throwing a tantrum. Mum would of loved that. A song she had a part of writing in, calming kids down – because she loved kids – a real mother earth.

More recent songs tend to be based around mental health issues and bereavement. Recently a guy got in touch and said he liked the stuff I was doing around mental health and he really opened up.

He told me that he has made an appointment with a doctor to talk through his problems. Well that’s amazing – if somebody feels they can seek help after listening to my music…that’s a pretty good feeling’.

cfbfa7_a0ff29ad72ab4a7e8173c3b1a2bc6ab7~mv2

‘I have a song based around mental health called Gravity. After my mum died my whole world went tits up. My marriage broke down and I quit my job teaching due to stress and anxiety.

If I was depressed, Mum would be the one to get me through it. I relied heavily on her, but now she was gone.

Everything came to a head when one night I went to the beach, very much alone. My phone rang and it was my dad. He didn’t know how down I was. I never told him why I was there. But we had a talk and put the world to rights.

He said at the end ‘Right, little one, are you ready to go home?’ And I was. So, Gravity was a turning point were, yes, I’ve been through a lot of crap, but I’m still here.

The main chorus lyric is ‘Would a rose still smell as sweet without the darkness of the street,’ meaning, would I be the person I am today if I hadn’t been through that?  I wasn’t going to be pulled down again. I’m on the up. It was a real turning point. 

Gravity was originally a piano ballad on my album Little One, but the band re-arranged it. (Tony Pottinger, bass, Adam Barnes, drums, Aaron Dixon-Cave, guitars).

We put a video together with our friends holding up cards with quotes on about their personal journey through mental health.

As the song progresses they hold up more positive quotes, followed by embraces with their nearest and dearest. We didn’t let them know beforehand that they’d be getting a cuddles, so the responses on camera were genuine.

There are some really lovely moments in it. When we watched it back there wasn’t a dry eye in the house’.

cfbfa7_3c92f7a74d694e63ada02779e30d605b~mv2_d_1365_1365_s_2

Would you consider selling your songs to another artist ?

‘If you asked me five years ago, I would have said absolutely not. I’ve always been precious about my songs. But I look at other well-known artists and find they were songwriters at first selling their songs.

So yeah, I think it would be a viable way to go. Once I’ve written, recorded and played a song, it’s out there. People listen to the words, maybe like the music, but it’s gone, it’s out there.’

What do you think about crowd funding ?

‘As a kid I wasn’t allowed to go trick or treating or carol singing because my parents saw it as begging. So I’ve grown up with this thing in my head that you should sustain yourself.

But music is changing because of downloads, Spotify, You Tube bringing out a new platform, i-tunes changing next year. So, less money is going in the pocket of the artist which results in less money to put into future production.

So now crowdfunding is a sort of viable way to go in as much as it’s just a different way for an audience to give back. I’ve been thinking about it for the next album.

I am lucky that I have access to a grand piano and my other half is an excellent producer – he worked on the last album.

There’s less demand for physical product now, with streaming and downloads taking over. So obviously these things keep costs a little lower, but it’s necessary to put a lot of money into advertising etc. the way things are in the music industry right now.

But I still prefer to have the physical product of a CD or vinyl. I grew up buying cassettes at Woolworths, pouring over the lyrics and notes on the bus on the way home.

I love listening to a record as opposed to something on Spotify in the background’.

What does music mean to you?

‘Everything. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for music. I can turn around a bad day by sitting down at the piano for a couple of hours. Music has saved me’.

For more information, music and live dates contact the official website: 

https://www.jenstevens.co.uk 

Interview by Gary Alikivi    July 2018.

Recommended:

Dave Taggart, Music Still Matters, 15th April 2018.

Tony Wilson, For Folks Sake, 10th May 2018.

Ben Hudson, Bees & Bouzoukis, 24th May 2018.

Celia Bryce, Folk Law, 1st June 2018.

VINYL JUNKIES – Gary Payne, 7 songs that shaped his world

/ Alikivi

The love for vinyl has always been there and many stories are attached to it. There are whispers in some quarters that vinyl is back, and they are getting louder.

Not in the same numbers that it was in the pre-cd days of the 70’s and 80’s, but the records are up on display shelves of record shops. There are hundreds of reasons why we like a certain song. Vinyl Junkies is looking for the stories behind them.

Promoter/Manager/Label owner/Vinyl collector – just all-round music lover Gary Payne got in touch…

thumbnail

‘Back in the ’80s I co-edited a punk fanzine Still Dying with my friend Will Binks, and along the way managed a few bands here and there.

I recall my sister buying me a copy of Lonely this Christmas by Mud for a present. It had a ‘to’ and ‘from’ printed on the front sleeve, which my sister actually filled in with biro.

Being someone who progressed onto collecting vinyl, this heinous act of defacing a picture sleeve should surely be worthy of a lengthy spell at her majesty’s pleasure. 

By early ’78  and ’79 , myself and my friends were becoming increasingly attracted to the many bands emerging on the punk scene and I think we could all sense there was just a different feel to what we had been into previously.

In the days when the local cinemas always featured a supporting film to the main feature, a trip to see Ray Winstone in Scum was preceded by the short film Punk Can Take It, which was basically the UK Subs in concert.

The flame was lit and burned brightly as we meandered our way through many bands that were emerging onto the scene. 

Aged 16, myself and my cousin made the trip to Newcastle Mayfair in an attempt to see the UK Subs. The night suddenly took a turn for the worse when an overzealous bouncer refused to believe that I could be 18 and therefore wouldn’t let me in.

Soon after, we took in our very first gig, Buzzcocks at Newcastle City Hall, although we couldn’t help think that the singer of the support band was a right miserable bastard! Still, I suppose Joy Division, and Ian Curtis in particular, had their well documented demons.

I recall standing at that gig commenting to my mate how sad it was to see there were two fella’s next to us who must have been in their 50’s. Today, as a regular gig goer, I still wonder if the younger attendees look at me and my mates with the same level of disdain.

In true punk rock style though, I don’t care what they think, but in years to come they will hopefully come to know that punk is like a favourite toy you just can’t put down.

I grew up with a new found air of independence and took on the mantle of organising our trips around the country to see a few of my heroes. Highlights would include Dead Kennedys in Liverpool, with Jello in magnificent form, as well as The Clash at Brixton Academy.

A few memorable trips were also on the agenda, namely Chron Gen at Preston and Vice Squad at Worksop, the latter of which made us known to the late Dave Bateman, Vice Squad guitarist and all round decent bloke.

To add to that, I could have died a happy man after the night we interviewed The Ramones for our fanzine at the Thistle Hotel in Newcastle, just after their Mayfair gig.

Their were lots of gigs that were brilliant along the way, but I especially recall the Christmas on Earth festival at Leeds as being a fun day out, not to mention us being chuffed to bits that the aforementioned Dave Bateman actually remembered us as we passed Vice Squads merch stall.

It seems ridiculous reading that back, but to a fan, it meant, and still means everything, perhaps more so as he is no longer with us.

I had a lot of friends who turned their hands to playing in various bands, but being blessed with the musical talents of a goat, I had to find some other outlet for my enthusiasm. It was soon after when I decided to put my organisational skills to great use by managing a local band called Public Toys.

Comprising a few of my friends, I would like to think my efforts went some way to raising their profile and their guitarist Robby remains a close mate to this day.

My next foray into management saw me take the reins for a band from Peterlee called Uproar. On hearing them, it was hard not to realise that they were a cut above the rest, and several ep’s and albums went some way to confirming that.

We endured a long and partly successful partnership over the coming years and again, the band and the punks in their local area remain some of the finest people I have ever met.

In the mid ’80s, I coincidentally timed the lull in the punk scene with meeting my beautiful wife and starting a family, although my love for all things punk never waned.

In the ’90s, a host of punk bands seemed to be reforming and over time, the scene became as vibrant as it ever was. I still had the urge to contribute to the scene in some way, so I started my own label Calcaza Records.

I started a free website and advertised for any interested bands to send me recordings or demos and all would be considered for inclusion.

I have never been money orientated and my only aim was to get as many unknown bands heard by more people. It was important to me that I included a booklet with all lyrics and full contact info for all bands as this would be a starting point hopefully, should anyone discover a band they might like.

Maybe it was seen by some as naive, but those that know me will know that I just love being involved in music, so if I made money, great,.if I didn’t so what.

Most bands who appeared on the two cd’s I released took on board my intentions, but one band in particular, who shall remain nameless, were as unhelpful as they could be and had no interest in anything but themselves. 

After my two cd’s, I turned to promoting, and put on a few gigs in the North East, again, with no real intention other than to put good gigs on, and hopefully not lose too much money in the process.

A John Cooper Clarke promotion made me a fair bit on one occasion, although on the whole, I probably lost more on my other gigs.

My main aim was that bands were paid fairly, and no one took the piss. Two criteria that a lot of promoters seem to overlook these days.

In the last few years, my son, a very talented musician in his own right, has been in several bands, all of which I seem to have fallen into managing, and I have genuinely loved being involved. Charlie Don’t Dance, for me the best of them, were very poppy, but very, very good, and even though they were a world away from punk, they were pure quality.

It all just goes to prove that there are thousands of excellent bands out there, many of whom we will never get to hear, so it’s good that there are folk in this world to give them a helping hand in whatever way they can. 

As I creep past my mid 50’s, I still attend punk gigs and I still get the same buzz I always did and hopefully that will never change.

Recent bad health meant I have to take things a bit easier than I used to, but I must profess to joining in with my mate Will Binks during a recent Skids gig and doing the Jobson kick in the middle of Into the Valley. In all honesty, a lie down afterwards would have been appreciated!

On a recent trip shopping with my daughter, I spied a young chap with a Dead Kennedys t shirt serving behind the counter. I was tempted to stay quiet but couldn’t resist almost bragging that I had seen them back in the day when they were at their finest.

The lad in question, who must have been about 20 years old, looked me up and down and said, ‘Do you know what it is mate? Old fella’s like you make the scene what it is!’ Cheeky young git, but you know what? I kind of like that comment.

So, to you all, like what you like and never apologise for it. For me, it will always be punk rock, and that is something I am especially proud of’.

Here are 7 songs that shaped Gary’s world.

1. Sex Pistols: Bodies (1977)

‘Being a punk in those days still upset a lot of people and we embraced the fact that it was fun being differently dressed to the majority of other people. With my tartan bondage trousers, Pistols t shirt and occasionally a chain and padlock around my neck, I revelled in the glory of it.

One day we were at my mate’s house and we spied the Jehovah Witnesses doing the rounds in the local area. Mischievously we tried to come up with a way to get rid of them.

The plan was to have the chorus to Bodies playing on full volume just as the guy knocked at the door. Anyway, my mate Geoff answers the knock and as the guy begins talking, the volume was cranked up, and the obscene chorus to Bodies kicked in.

Behind muted grins, we revelled in the profanities coming from Johnny Rottens mouth and we felt sure the fella would move on to his next person. To our surprise, he stood back and said ‘Ah, the Sex Pistols….great band!’  We just stood there open mouthed whilst the fella just laughed and walked off’.

2. B Movie: Nowhere Girl (1980) 

‘Like most people, I have never given up hope that one day I will discover a hidden talent that will enable me to play in a band, and when that day comes, I will write a song just like this one by B Movie.

My love of punk steps aside to find one of the catchiest pop tunes you will ever hear. I must stress that it is the 12″ extended version that captivates me, and I have always advocated a song going on and on…and on, if it is catchy.

The way the song starts with a simple tune and then just builds, and builds is a work of pure genius. It is a song I will never tire of’.

big-country-chance-1983-18

3. Big Country: Chance (1983)

‘My love of The Skids endeared me to the talent that was Stuart Adamson and after their demise. I followed his next band Big Country with high expectations. I was not to be disappointed, and their first album The Crossing was magnificent.

Stuart took the reins on lead vocals and guitar and kept me enthralled until his sad passing several years later. One song in particular showcased the raw emotion of the band and it was Chance.

Watching them play live always was an awesome experience and to hear the crowd take over the chorus of this song at every gig never failed to move me. It is still a song I find it difficult to listen to for emotional reasons,but it is pure quality’.

4. The Boys: First time (1979) 

‘I bought my first ever compilation album, 20 of another kind, with a spikey, yellow haired punk on the front, which instantly grabbed my attention. It contained several classics, and amongst them was this song by The Boys, which remains one of my favourite songs of all time.

Aged 16, I never really got what the song was about, but years later I did ! It cemented my love for pop punk and that is something that has always stayed with me’.

5. The Stranglers: Always the Sun (1986)

‘On meeting my future wife in 1985, I persuaded her to join me in my passion for collecting 7″ singles, although a lot of the punk bands I liked had temporarily called it a day, which meant we bought quite a lot of poppier stuff.

Artists such as Status Quo, Madonna and A-ha took up residency in a red vinyl singles box under the bed, but the jewel in the crown was my copy of Always the Sun by The Stranglers. Since the release of the brilliant Golden Brown years earlier, The Stranglers were showing themselves to be a lot more commercial, and this song is just wonderful.

Even at recent gigs, you will be hard pressed to find a better performance of any song in their sets, and to hear the crowd singing the chorus just goes to confirm that’.

jah_7_side1

6. The Ruts: Jah War (1979)

‘The Ruts debut album The Crack, showed them to be a cut above a lot of the other punk bands around at the time. Fusing punk with reggae was never gonna be easy, but they made it look so.

Documenting the vicious attack by the police on a black friend of theirs, they produced one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Malcolm’s vocals are sorely missed and never bettered than on this recording.

It upset me greatly when he died prematurely and I still recall a friend telling me the news whilst at college doing my apprenticeship, ironically wearing my Ruts t shirt that very day. I immediately went home and put this song on’.

Unknown

7. Flux of Pink Indians: Neu Smell – Tube Disasters (1981)

‘I used to visit my local record shop, Callers at the Nook shopping centre in South Shields, and I would often buy most of the new punk stuff they had bought in each week.

Yes, I ended up with the odd rubbish single, but boy did I hit lucky with this one. I have never been a massive fan of the many bands that affiliated themselves to the anarchist scene, but this song by Flux of Pink Indians just has it all.

Angry vocals integrate with a catchy beat that just sucks you in. It is a song I still play regularly and love. Whenever I play it now for some reason I feel the need to text my mates and rave about how good this song still is. I’m sure they’re all sick of me, but I’m still gonna keep doing it !’ 

Interview by Gary Alikivi    July 2018.

Recommended:

VINYL JUNKIES:

Will Binks July 7th 2017

Martin Popoff July 12th 2017

John Heston August 3rd 2017

Neil Armstrong August 11th 2017

Colin Smoult August 29th 2017

Neil Newton September 12th 2017

Tony Higgins October 11th 2017

Vince High December 11th 2017.

GUARDIAN RECORDING STUDIO #3 with songwriter & producer Steve Thompson

/ Alikivi

Gaurdian Sound Studios were based in a small village called Pity Me in County Durham, North East UK. Pity Me features later in this story by Steve Thompson, songwriter and ex producer at NEAT records.

There are various theories on the origin of the unusual name of the village – a desolate area, exposed and difficult to cultivate or a place where monks sang ‘Pity me o God’ as they were chased by the Vikings.

Whatever is behind the name it was what happened in two terraced houses over 30 years ago that is the focus of this blog. They were home to a well-known recording studio.

From 1978 some of the bands who recorded in Guardian were: Neon, Deep Freeze and Mike Mason & the Little People. A year later The Pirahna Brothers recorded a 7”. 1979 saw an E.P from Mythra and releases in 1980 from Hollow Ground, Hellanbach and a compilation album, Roksnax.

From 1982 to 85 bands including Red Alert, Toy Dolls, Prefab Sprout, Satan, Battleaxe and Spartan Warrior had made singles or albums. I caught up with a number of musicians who have memories of recording in Guardian… 

STEVET

STEVE THOMPSON: (Songwriter) ‘I had quit as house producer at Neat Records in 1981. I had begun to realise that I was helping other people build careers whilst mine was on hold.

I was becoming bogged down in Heavy Metal and whilst there’s no doubt, I’m a bit of a rocker, I really wanted to pursue the path of a songwriter first and foremost.

Production might come into it somewhere along the line, but I wanted that to be a side-line, not my main gig. So, I set about composing the song that is the subject of this story, Please Don’t Sympathise. This is what happened.

I had just cut a single with The Hollies. Bruce Welch of The Shadows was in the production seat for that recording in Odyssey Studios, London.

I signed a publishing deal with Bruce and remember signing the contract at Tyne Tees TV Studios in Newcastle, Hank Marvin was witness. Bruce had heard an eight song demo of my songs and selected four favourites from it.

He asked me to make some more advanced demos of those four. I could have gone into Neat/Impulse Studio but I still wanted to carve new territory so I went to Guardian Studios in Pity Me, County Durham.

I played bass, keyboards and guitar on the session with Paul Smith on drums and I brought my old mate Dave Black in to do vocals.

I spent two full days on those demos, Bruce Welch was paying, and he really wanted me to go to town on the production. Then a producer called Chris Neil entered the story.

Chris had worked with Leo Sayer, Gerry Rafferty, A-Ha, Rod Stewart, Cher and others. Chris and I had just had a massive hit with his production of my song Hurry Home.

Chris was by now having a bit of a love affair with my material. Chris had asked Bruce to give him first dibs on any of my new songs that came along.

He picked up on two from the four songs I’d just demoed in Guardian. One of them he sang himself under the band name Favoured Nations. But the recording pertinent to this story is his production of Sheena Easton’s new album Madness, Money and Music.

He recorded my song Please Don’t Sympathise for that album. The album did very well. It went top 20 in the UK, peaking at 13. It also charted in several other countries and did particularly well in Japan’.

gaurdianadvert copy

‘About a year later Celine Dion also recorded the song in French Ne Me Plaignez Pas. It was a huge hit single in Canada and certified gold status.

The album it was featured on sold 400,000 copies in Canada and 700,000 copies in France. I never did go back to Guardian but that is a lot of action from just one demo session.

Interestingly, the literal translation of Ne Me Plaignez Pas is Please Don’t PITY ME ! Spooky huh?’

https---images.genius.com-96154d6659dc8c7eee478cd010b12e91.300x299x1

‘These days I’m doing this song and many others that I wrote for various artists with my own band. I’ve uploaded a video collage here https://vimeo.com/266141205. It starts with the Guardian demo with Dave Black singing.

The demo doesn’t sound that sophisticated after 37 years but that’s where it started. Then there are clips of the Sheena and Celine versions and then my band doing it live.

Sadly, Dave Black is no longer around to sing the song as he did on the demo, but Terry Slesser does a fine job of it. Jen Normandale comes in on the bridge in French ala Celine!’  www.steve-thompson.org.uk

ST_01

If anyone has information or recorded in Guardian studios it’ll be much appreciated if can you get in touch.

Interview Alikivi   July 2018.

Recommended:

Steve Thompson (NEAT Producer) Godfather of NWOBHM, 27th June 2017.

1980: The Year Metal was Forged on Tyneside, 11th February 2018.

ROKSNAX: Metal on the Menu, 9th March 2018.

NEAT BITES – Making Records in Wallsend

/ Alikivi

NEAT advert

Neat Records were based in Wallsend, North East England. The label was established in the late ’70s by Dave Woods, who was the owner of Impulse Studios.

It was notable for releases by Venom, Raven and Blitzkreig who are acknowledged as major influences on American bands Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax.

Songwriter and producer Steve Thompson helped set up Neat and produced the initial recordings…

‘One day Dave Woods came in and said there’s a band who are making a bit of noise out there why not get them in and sell a few records? So, in came Tygers of Pan Tang to cut three tracks.

Incidentally it was to be the third single I’d produced for NEAT. Now we know it is known as the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and the tide was coming in that very evening haha’. 

tygers-of-pan-tang-dont-touch-me-there-1980-3 copy

ROBB WEIR (Tygers of Pan Tang) ‘In 1979 we recorded, Don’t Touch Me There. It had a release number 003 so we were in at the beginning of the Neat Record label story. We were the first heavy metal band to be recorded in the studio. So, I’m very proud of the Tygers giving the Neat label a direction.

Impulse studios took a chance and pressed 1,000 copies, that was a lot for a small independent label. Don’t Touch Me There was reviewed in Sounds newspaper which made a massive difference, so the next pressing was 4,000 !

Then studio owner Dave Woods was approached by MCA record company, they wanted us! So Dave did a deal, essentially selling the Tygers to them. So MCA pressed around 50,000 copies of the single!’

BRIAN ROSS (Blitzkreig) ‘I remember the first time in Impulse Studio was great we made it feel like our second home.

It came highly recommended as Tyne Tees TV used it to record their jingles there and we recorded a jingle Hot n Heavy Express which Alan Robson used on his radio show. It went well so we extended it into a single. NEAT put it out on a compilation EP.

Now this studio was the label to be on, and I mean in the country not just the North East, I’ve recorded many tracks there as Satan, Avenger and Blitzkreig. It’s a shame it’s not there now’. 

ANTONY BRAY (Venom) ‘Conrad was tape operator at NEAT doing a few days here and there and he bugged the owner Dave Woods about getting spare time in the studio for the band. He kept asking him ‘can my band come in on the weekend ?

Woodsy got so sick of him he just said ok, just do it, but pay for the tape. So we recorded a three track EP and we thought it might get a little review somewhere.

I was still working at Reyrolles factory then and one morning I wandered in, and someone had a copy of the Sounds. Couldn’t believe it, there’s a two page spread about our EP, f’ing hell look at this.

When Woodsy saw it he thought, I hate the band, think they are bloody awful – but kerching!’

KEITH NICHOLL (Impulse studio engineer) ‘With Raven, their playing was always intensive but there were loads of stories and quite a few laughs. I think they simply wanted to do a better album than the first and then again, the third. Any band would. Can’t remember if there was an official tour but they did loads of gigs. Good live band’.

HARRY HILL (Fist) ‘The first single we put out was Name, Rank and Serial Number and You Never Get Me Up in One of Those on the b side. We done a lot of rehearsal and prep work, so we were tight, ready to record.

When we done Name, Rank we were on Northern Life TV. The cameras came down filmed in the studio that was 1980. Strangely the only piece of vinyl I have is our single The Wanderer. We started putting it in our set so yeah, went in and recorded it.

Status Quo released a version a couple of months after us but honestly thought our version was better haha’.

GARY YOUNG (Avenger) ’I worked in the Shipyards near my hometown but for about a year before that I worked at Impulse Studios in Wallsend which was where Neat Records were based.

Due to this I was involved in a lot of recording sessions and some of them for what are now landmark albums like Venoms – Black Metal and Ravens – Wiped Out.

I had my first experiences of recording there with my own bands and helping people out on random recording sessions. They were great times’.

DAVY LITTLE (Axis) ‘I remember Fist guitarist Keith Satchfield was in when we were recording. He was always track suited up. Getting fit and going on runs in preparation for a tour.

I had met him a few times when I was younger, I used to go and see Warbeck and Axe. Always thought he was a cool musician and writer. Plus, a nice fella.

We were very inexperienced and new nothing about studios. He gave us advice on how to set up amps. Was very supportive I never forgot that.

Also, when we were in there a very young moody boy was working there. Making tea, helping get kit in. Always drawing. Asked to see some of his drawings. All dark, tombstones, skulls, flying demons…nice kid tho’ said he didn’t think we were very heavy metal. I agreed.

He said, “one day I am going to have the heaviest band ever”. I met Chronos years later in a club in Newcastle when he was fronting the mighty Venom. A nice lad’.

STEVE WALLACE (Shotgun Brides) ‘There was a kid called Richard Denton who grew up in the same area as us and he was working A&R at Impulse records in Wallsend. He persuaded the owner Dave Woods to take us on.

We went into Impulse Studio and recorded the track Restless, that was engineered and produced by Kev Ridley in 1987. The b side of the single was Eighteen.

We recorded the song bit by bit, tracking it up. Unlike a few other bands it wasn’t recorded by playing all the way through and off you go add a couple of overdubs, no it was fully tracked. It eventually ended up on a NEAT compilation album’.

PHASSLAYNE NEAT

MICHAEL MAUGHAN (Phasslayne) ‘In the summer of ’85 Phasslayne were approached by Neat Records. Dave Woods was the main man there.

What happened was we recorded a demo at Desert Sounds in Felling which they really liked so the label asked us to record a live no dubs demo in their studio in Wallsend. On hearing that Dave Woods signed us to do an album.

But just before we got our record deal our singer left and everyone looked at me so that’s how I ended up doing the vocals. I think Keith Nichol was the engineer. For guitars I used my Strat and Maurice Bates from Mythra loaned me his Les Paul. We called the album Cut it Up, it’s on vinyl’.

KEV CHARLTON (Hellanbach) ‘We got a deal with NEAT records to record our first album. That was the best time. After rehearsing for months getting the new songs together, we recorded the album which is a very proud moment in my life. Now Hear This came out in ’83 and was produced by Keith Nichol.

I remember getting the first copy of the album, taking it into work thinking this might be me leaving the shipyards. It was one of the weirdest times of my life because it came out to amazing five-star reviews and some of the big bands weren’t even getting five stars.

I remember sitting in the toilets of Wallsend shipyard reading the reviews in Kerrang and Sounds, thinking this will be the last time I’ll be in the shipyard. But it wasn’t !’ 

51n2cdL69DL._SX347_BO1,204,203,200_

To read a comprehensive story of NEAT records get a hold of the book Neat and Tidy by John Tucker.

It examines the history of the label, its bands and their releases including interviews with many key players in the Neat Records’ story such as label boss David Wood, producer Steve Thompson, Raven’s John Gallagher and Jeff ‘Mantas’ Dunn from Venom.

https://www.johntuckeronline.co.uk/neat-and-tidy-the-story-of-neat-records.html

Interviews by Gary Alikivi     2018.

Recommended:

Brian Ross, SATAN/BLITZKREIG, Life Sentence, 20th February 2017.

Harry Hill, FIST: Turn the Hell On, 29th April 2017.

John Gallagher, RAVEN: Staring into the Fire, 3rd May 2017.

Kev Charlton, HELLANBACH/BESSIE & THE ZINC BUCKETS: The Entertainer, 23rd June 2017.

Steve Thompson (NEAT Producer) Godfather of NWOBHM, 27th June 2017.

Richard Laws TYGERS OF PAN TANG: Tyger Bay 24th August 2017.

Robb Weir TYGERS OF PAN TANG: Doctor Rock  2017

1980: The Year Metal was Forged on Tyneside, 11th February 2018.

Guardian Studio: Defender of the North 3rd May 2018.

ROKSNAPS #5 with Paul White

/ Alikivi
Motorhead1979

Lemmy, Motorhead 1979.

Roksnaps are fan photographs which captured the atmosphere of concerts on Tyneside during the late 70’s and early 80’s.

It was a time when rock and metal bands ruled the city halls up and down the country. On Tyneside we had the main venues of Mecca in Sunderland, The Mayfair and City Hall in Newcastle.

The gigs were packed with tribes of mostly young lads from towns across the North East. T-shirts, programmes and autographs were hunted down to collect as a souvenir – and some people took photographs on the night.

ThinLizzy1980

Thin Lizzy, 1980.

One fan who kept his photos and shared them on this blog was Paul White…

20170929_110031

‘The pics I’ve managed to dig out here are scanned from my original prints as the negatives went walkabout many moons ago. Here’s what you’ve got. Whitesnake – Trouble and the Lovehunter tour. Thin Lizzy – Black Rose tour, Motorhead – Overkill and Bomber tour (I think). Enjoy.’

David Coverdale, Whitesnake.
Gary Moore & Scott Gorham, Thin Lizzy 1980.
Motorhead.

‘I went to my first gig in 1975. Status Quo’s On The Level tour. What a night. Back then when a band like that played, the first few rows of seats would be ripped up immediately the band came on.

Along with Glasgow Apollo the City Hall and Mayfair were the best gigs in the country for touring bands.

If there was a band like AC/DC on at the Mayfair, you could be lifted off your feet by the crowd and pushed from side to side. You certainly had to know how to use your elbows.

The exhilaration when the lights suddenly went down, and a massive cheer would go up. Nothing like it.

At some point I realised we had an old Minolta SLR lying round the house that nobody was using. With only a rudimentary understanding of how to use it, I bought some film and took it to a gig. The Scorpions first Newcastle gig I think it was.

I remember, because the gig tickets were white and loads of people had photocopied a mates and applied a perf with a needle, including me. The staff on the doors never had time to properly check tickets back then, it was easy peasy. That happened more than once I have to say.

The photos were crap though. I had no flash and was wary of the staff taking the camera. Worse, I was on the balcony and didn’t have a great view. No idea what happened to those shots. Just as well. I was luckier from then on’. 

Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy.
Scott Gorham, Thin Lizzy.

‘Next time it was the Whitesnake first tour to promote Trouble which had just been released. Better seats meant better pics. A few times I queued overnight for tickets and got great seats.

One time in a blizzard for Rush’s Hemispheres tour. The weather was so bad it made the local TV news. I just remember waking up under a foot of snow.

Queuing overnight wasn’t always a good idea though. One time me and a mate got the last bus from Blyth to Newcastle to queue for Rainbow tickets only to find a sign on the doors saying ‘Rainbow tickets will not be on sale’.

Unfortunately, the last bus home had gone, and we couldn’t afford a taxi. We kipped in a doorway of the Civic Centre and got the first bus in the morning. Wouldn’t swap those days for anything though. Happy days indeed.

The list of great bands we saw is hard to believe these days. Tell some young kid that you saw AC/DC or UFO at the Mayfair and their mouths drop open. We were blessed for sure’.

Phil Lynott, Thin Lizzy.
Lemmy, Motorhead.
Mick Moody, Whitesnake.

Interview Alikivi   June 2018.

Recommended:

Steve Thompson (Songwriter & NEAT records producer) Godfather of NWOBHM, 27th June 2017.

1980 The Year Metal was Forged on Tyneside 11th February 2018.