NORTH EAST WRITERS

SOUTH SHIELDS SCHOOL DAZE with former Westoe pupils Ian Taylor & Malcolm Jensen

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These recollections are from two former pupils who attended Westoe County Secondary School over 50 years ago. The South Shields school was on Iolanthe Terrace and closed down in the 1980s. It had a fearsome reputation amongst schools in the town.

MJ: You could walk past the outdoor toilets, get nabbed and have your head stuffed down the bog with the chain flushed. Plumes of smoke rose from the roofless toilets – I made a Prefect report on the smokers. I knew if I did, they’d kick my head in.

New boys could be thrown over the 6ft wall into the girls school next door. They were unable to climb back over as the girls would de-bag (pull trousers down) them and threaten them with used sanitary products.

Our most dreaded teacher had a bald head onto which he applied some strange lotion that left him wafting carpet cleaner as he went by. Pupils hidden at a distance would shout his nickname whenever he went by in the playground and he’d produce a little note book and jot in it pretending that he knew the culprit to be dealt with later.  

He was once seen kneeling in front of his desk as if it were a sacred shrine. He told the kids he had his hair pulled out in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during the second world war. Other teachers told us to ignore him.

IT: There was obvious staff room conflict regarding his sadistic attitude to the kids and over use of the cane. I recall our English teacher deriding him to us a few times. I remember teachers rowing with him in the dinner hall on a couple of occasions.

MJ: We had an equally dread teacher, when you went into his classroom you’d stay absolutely silent throughout. Although sober he was like an inebriated Oliver Reed on a live chat show, you were on edge from the start fearing his unpredictable behaviour as he’d make it clear from the start, behave or he’d ‘crease you’ or ‘ruddy do you’.

IT: He was a terrifying man, well built with little patience, and there’d be a sudden burst of anger to any pupil he perceived to be play acting – as if anyone would dare – or gave the wrong answer during the lesson.

He kicked my desk on one occasion and it lifted a couple of feet in the air. I was terrified when he started walking towards me and feared he would lay into me.

MJ: Then there was another teacher who’d top up his earnings as a taxi driver. After handing out maths books he’d write out 10 sums on the board complete with answers and get us to copy them out then tell us to do the next 10 on our own.

We couldn’t do any to save our life so when we handed our books in for marking he’d mark the first 10 as correct and the other 10 with a cross. If you dared go to his desk and ask for help in doing one of the remaining sums he’d look up from his newspaper and say ‘Go away – you’re barmy.’

IT: I don’t remember him ever smiling. He was a humourless man. Seemed to me to be just waiting for retirement.

MJ: We only ever went on one school trip early one Saturday morning, a coach trip to Fountains Abbey. From the moment we left we were rowdy and when someone threw a shoe out the window after 20 minutes the teacher had the coach turn round and that was that.

Whenever rumours went round in an afternoon that nearby school Ocean Road were coming round at home time to scrap with us we’d break legs off wooden chairs in preparation but they never once turned up. The teachers never understood why in the morning they’d find all the chairs broken.

We once got involved in an inter-schools quiz – a posh lot turned up as challengers. We thought we’d have no chance but they weren’t all that hot and somehow we had equal scores right up to the last and potential winning question.

‘What sport is played at St Andrews?’ An arm shot up from one of ours. ‘Football’. ‘Incorrect’ came back the answer, they answered ‘Golf’.

We didn’t know about golf at St Andrews only that Birmingham City’s ground was another St Andrews. We wanted our hands on the winners but they received a hurried escort out the building.

IT: The fact that there are no Westoe School class photos  spoke of the low value attached to schooling and futures of those in the lower education system. I reckon there must have been a Caning League mentality amongst some of the staff and a culture in which status was earned based on flair or disciplinary prowess. Maybe some had a City & Guilds qualification in caning. Perhaps the staff room walls were plastered with framed certificates.

MJ: When the school closed down I wonder if they left all their canes behind in a cupboard?

Ian Taylor & Malcolm Jensen

Edited by Alikivi   May 2025

AN EVENING WITH THOSE CANNY LADS OFF THE TELLY – JEFF BROWN & IAN PAYNE

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Jeff Brown & Ian Payne appearing at North Shields Exchange 29 April 2025.

Two of the region’s most loved television icons will be appearing in North Shields this month on their regional tour. Jeff Brown and Ian Payne who between them presented award-winning local news on the BBC and Tyne Tees Television for more than 30 years will be sharing the stage at the Exchange Theatre.

People will get the chance to learn about the interests and lives of these TV personalities who have been welcome guests in our living rooms for decades.

Jeff, 62, joined the BBC over 20 years ago, co-presented Look North with Carol Malia until he left in May last year. Ian, 56, joined Tyne Tees in 1992 from Nova International where he worked with Brendan Foster on the Great North Run. Ian has presented with Mike Neville and the much-loved Pam Royle. He now shares news anchor duties with Amy Lea.

Despite once being on rival stations they are good mates – having worked together at Tyne Tees for six and a half years in the 1990s.

The compere for the evening will be South Shields playwright Ed Waugh (Wor Bella, Hadaway Harry, The Cramlington Train Wreckers) whose play Carrying David transfers to Newcastle Theatre Royal in June. Ed explained “I’ve worked with Jeff and Ian at various times, especially at Sunday for Sammy. They’re both really entertaining and interesting lads. Whenever we get together it’s one long laugh.”

He continued “We put them together a year ago at the Lit & Phil in Newcastle and the Customs House in South Shields where it sold out twice at both venues. It went down a storm. They are both cultural icons of the region, that’s why we are touring to The Exchange in North Shields, Gala Theatre Durham, Bishop Auckland Town Hall and Gosforth Civic theatre.”

Ed continued “Ian was a top trampolinist in his youth and appeared on the children’s television show Blockbusters! He’s also a creative writer, a budding artist and loves music. Likewise, Jeff is a creative writer. His excellent play – The Bench – is touring the region in June. He’s also a canny chanter. I’ve seen him sing live with a band and he rocked”

“It’s a cracking show their stories are captivating and hilarious. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get to know Jeff and Ian better.”

An Evening with Jeff Brown and Ian Payne will be at: Durham Gala April 24, North Shields Exchange April 29, Bishop Auckland Town Hall May 12, Gosforth Civic Theatre May 16. Contact the venues for details.

April 2025

HADAWAY HARRY – in conversation with actor Jamie Brown

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Jamie Brown.

The incredible true story of Harry Clasper is set to tour the North East in February. The one man play ‘Hadaway Harry’ stars Jamie Brown who won a NE Culture Awards Performing Artist of the year.

Harry Clasper was born in 1812 in Dunston, Gateshead, at two year old he moved to Jarrow where he fell in love with the water watching ships coming up the Tyne. Education was limited for Harry, he couldn’t read or write and signed his marriage certificate with a cross. He started work at Jarrow Pit but unfortunately that didn’t work out so his next stop was an apprenticeship at Browns Boatyard.

‘That’s where he got clued up about boats. Harry revolutionized boat racing and boat design, innovations that became part of boat racing then are still employed in boat building today’ explained Jamie.

‘By shaving the boat they made a gun barrel shape instead of a square bottom and pointed the front of the boat. That increased the speed rather than drag through the water, and they made a scooped shape oar’.

‘It was like the time during the 2012 London Olympics when cycling became really popular, they had lightweight helmets, handlebars were shaped to create more speed – huge innovations just like Harry Clasper done for boating in the 1800s’.

‘Rowing was the main sport then, people would sit on the bank of the river and watch the race. Bets would be placed and there would be sponsors – even in those days. There would be stories of men employed to drill holes in the boats of opponents or tempt the oarsmen with alcohol the night before. There was even a case of someone’s food being poisoned. One of the first cases of boat tampering was with the part of the boat called the scull. The term skulduggery comes from that’.

‘The writer Ed Waugh has a desire to shine a light on people or events that have gone under the radar. We’ve done plays about North East musicians and singers Ned Corvan, Joe Wilson and Wor Bella about a ladies football team plus at the end of last year was The Cramlington Train Wreckers’.

‘These extraordinary stories about the working class, are told so they go unforgotten. There is a thirst for these stories, people responded well to them with standing ovations and sold out shows’.

pic. by Local Historian, Steve Ellwood

The Hadaway Harry shows in 2015 and 2017 eventually got Harry Clasper some recognition as a blue plaque was fixed onto the base of the High Level Bridge in Newcastle. There is also a pub called the Harry Clasper in Whickham, Gateshead.

‘He came from a big family – he was one of 14 and had 12 children himself. His ancestors are still around today, they’ve been to the shows and are very proud of his achievements’.

‘But his story wasn’t straight forward, it’s not looking back with rose tinted spectacles as he suffered personal tragedy and professional disappointments, there was plenty of hardship and personal dilemma’.

Later in life Harry became a publican in Newcastle but sadly died in 1870.

‘Over 120,000 people lined the streets for his funeral the procession was only a few miles but took over 12 hours. His coffin was put on a boat and sailed down the Tyne to Whickham where he was buried’.

The North East has stories of talented people achieving great things – we talked about the footballer Paul Gascoigne, coincidentally also born in Dunston where Harry came from.

‘Before Association football the sport of the people was rowing and Harry Clasper has been likened to the David Beckham of the day. I think, as many people do, he should have a statue next to the river Tyne. His achievements were fantastic. Do you know he won the world championship 8 times in 12 years’.

‘It’s been a privilege telling his story, but sadly this will be my last time on stage doing the Hadaway Harry show. I’ve loved doing the show but in the second half of the play it is hard rowing and narrating the story as a one man show plus I’m 40 in February so it can be a bit exhausting’.

‘So, this is me hanging up my oars but the play will go on and maybe a younger actor will take on the role. This is why on the tour schedule after about three nights we have a day or two off where there is time for rest and recovery and then for the next show I’m ready to be able to give 100%’.

For information about tour dates and venues contact the official website >>>

http://www.hadawayharry.com

Thanks to Von Fox Promotions for the pix.

Alikivi   January 2025

TIME TRAVELLER – in conversation with Local Historian, Luan Hanratty

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46 year old Tynemouth resident Luan Hanratty has strong Celtic roots. His father was born in Jarrow with their family connections going back to Galway in Ireland and his mother originally from Rosyth on the east coast of Scotland.

Luan at Arbeia Roman Fort, South Shields.

‘Yes, the Hanratty name is Irish, however, a brief background to my employment story is that I worked the financial sector in Prague, Czech Republic, moved to Shanghai in China where I was employed as an English teacher. I even appeared on TV there and published some books. Education is strong in my background as my father was a Drama Teacher’.

‘After Covid in 2020 I came back to the UK and based myself in South Shields. I was looking for my next adventure when I came across some local history and got obsessed with reading the stories’.

‘With my business partner Gary Holland we put together a website called Penbal – which is a Celtic name for the Tynemouth headland – the site features articles on Tyneside local history, photographs, AI art, links to Maritime Trust, Lifeboats Brigade and Fishermen’s Heritage plus local products for sale – prints, postcards, mugs, t-shirts and more’.

The latest story has recently featured on BBC News >>>

Roman Stones Missing from Mill Dam Roundabout, South Shields – Penbal

Luan’s latest post on the site is about a long lost river which flowed from the Mill Dam in South Shields.

‘Beneath the busy modern landscape of South Shields lies a forgotten natural feature – a river called the Mill Dam Creek but also known as the Branin River. This flowed from Mill Dam, next to Customs House today, out to the sea near North Marine Park and the Pier. This effectively made the Lawe an island’.

‘The channel played a vital role in the development of the town, both as a waterway and a habour, and once it was dammed with ballast, the Mill Dam formed a bridge between the north and south reaches of the early town’.

‘So important then, was the creek as a resource that it forms the base of the first industrial activity in South Shields, with coal mining also evident on the south bank where the pit wheel now stands above Asda carpark in Coronation Street’.

‘If you stand on the long sloping escalator when exiting Asda and look out across the huge carpark, you really get a feel for the valley nature of the Mill Dam Pond. Imagine what it must have looked like all those centuries ago’.

‘Another twist to the story is that in the 19th century much of the eastern end of the creek was covered by Denmark Street, where the Denmark Centre is today. In the 1830s, while building the street, a Viking longboat was discovered beside what was originally the river bed’.

‘Maybe there is someone out there who has more information about this amazing find. We know it featured in The Shields Gazette in the 1980s’.

Viking ship article in The Shields Gazette 1980s.

Full story >>> The Lost Waterway of South Shields:  Mill Dam Creek – Penbal

Luan stresses that he has no plans to research any murders or the race riots that have happened on Tyneside.

‘So far, we have over 200 local history posts and we don’t look at any taboo subjects, I just like to paint a picture of our very rich heritage here on Tyneside’.

For further information contact Luan >>>>

Penbal – Messis ab Altis

Alikivi   January 2025

ALIKIVI BY NUMBERS

/ Alikivi

WordPress, who run this publishing site have a statistics page where all the viewing numbers, countries, dates and comments are gathered and crunched. A new addition to the stats is the percentages from what device the site is being read from – currently it’s mobile 63%, desktop 32% and tablet 5%. We are entering nerdsville territory so some people’s eyes will glaze over but stick with it, the stats can bring up some interesting surprises.

I remember back in 2017 posting an interview with former Angelic Upstarts guitarist Mond Cowie and noticing views from the Bahamas – who’da thought punk would invade the tropical paradise!

The site kicked off in February 2017 with first year views of 15,478 quickly rising to 79,850 in 2020 with most people staying at home during the Covid pandemic. It was March of that year that hit the highest monthly views with 9,700.

2021 reached 77,259 with a high of 8,400 in February that year with a small dip back to a total of 51,482 in 2022. This year has experienced a sharp upturn in numbers, so after eight years you can say ‘it’s daein’ canny’. For non Geordies and Mackems that means ‘it’s doing fine thank you very much’.

2024 has hit over 53,000 views with nearly 3,000 this month. December readers from the UK and USA are high with an unexpected spike in numbers from Belgium. So, yep its daein’ canny. All the best for 2025!

Alikivi   December 2024.

THE NAME OF THE GAME with Writer & Theatre producer Alison Stanley

/ Alikivi / 1 Comment

‘2024 has been an absolute rollercoaster. I’ve met and worked with some truly amazing people and for that I’m very grateful’ said Alison as she reflects on a productive year.

Alison (3rd from left) nominated at the North East Culture Awards 2024.

‘I started working with Laurels Theatre in Whitley Bay as their Director of Participation and that has brought new opportunities and challenges. Based on the Glasgow version, I started a new initiative called ‘Play & Pasty’ – it’s really took off’.

‘It was to encourage people to walk through theatre doors and see new writing. Every week actors have a script in hand reading and everyone gets a drink and a pasty from our favourite bakers Greggs’.

New writing is important to keep theatre fresh and encourage new audiences. Also, in these times when people are looking to come together the Play and Pasty initiative is providing an important and vital service.

‘These events have become firm favourites with people meeting friends and seeing theatre. This project is really helping not only increase theatre footfall but also combat social isolation and provide a safe, warm space’.

Dealing with challenging subjects is something Alison doesn’t shy away from to a point where her work has been recognised by the North East Culture Awards and organisations in the public sector.

‘I’ve been proud that my play ‘You Need to Say Sorry’ is being used by Social Services and the Police in their domestic abuse training. It’s amazing that something I wrote is in a small way helping in the fight against domestic abuse. I’ve also made the Culture Award’s 2024 finals as writer of the year with this’.

‘With fellow directors Maggie Martin and Polly Brennan I’ve also set up a community interest theatre company called Stanley Creatives. This has enabled us to produce theatre and music events bringing productions into the heart of the community’.

‘Stanley Creatives are also launching the Women We Are project. It’s a great project where we go into community centres and use drama as therapy with women who have experienced trauma through domestic abuse or cancer’. 

Alison is fully determined to bring people together and use creativity as a positive driving force, with that she feel’s next year is shaping up to be a big year on the Stanley calendar.

‘I’ve some amazing stuff lined up. ‘Living the Life of Riley’ written by myself and Leah Bell is doing a UK national tour. I’m really looking forward to touring with this as we have former Coronation Street actress Vicky Entwistle starring plus my son is in the play. I also have my new play ‘Tits Up’ debuting February 18th to March 1st at Laurels Theatre, Whitley Bay’. 

‘Film production is another avenue I’m interested in getting into so we’ve been working on a short film for a festival entry, it’s based on my stage play ‘Hard’ – I’m really looking forward to doing this’. 

‘Our film ‘Bonny Chip’ with Lesley Saint John (Auf Wiedersehen, Pet) Deboa Meki and Rosie Fox – is still sweeping the boards at film festivals, we’ve had great nights at the film awards, plus of course the ABBA Girls with Kelly Lofthouse is going well – that train is still rolling’. 

Alison with Kelly Lofthouse in ‘ABBA Girls’.

Alikivi  2024

HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE? #7

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How’s the stats so far this year? Numbers from the UK and USA with regular hits from the European block of Spain, Italy and Germany plus a sudden spike from Ireland.

So, it’s big thanks to readers taking the total views over 410,000 since knocking out the first post in February 2017 which was an interview with one of the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands Mythra.

This post features another batch of North East stories from this year with links to the full interviews at the end. First up are Hartlepool based VaingloriousUK who got in touch in July.

‘We began seeking out, tidying up and uploading historic – and sometimes hysterical – video footage of music associated with the North East. The VainGloriousUK channel currently has up to 170 videos uploaded’.

‘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’.

‘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 66!’

Full interview >  NORTH EAST MUSIC & VIDEO with Hartlepool based VainGloriousUK | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

North Tyneside Actor & Theatre Producer Alison Stanley got in touch and talked about her latest project ‘Tits Up’.

‘A couple of years ago a young friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer, people think it’s older people who develop this disease, so I wanted to raise awareness of this’.

‘Last year I found a lump and experienced the process of going to the breast clinic. Fortunately, my lump wasn’t anything of concern but it did make me think’.

‘Even though I was fine I began questioning my own mortality and spent nights wondering what would happen if I had cancer? What would’ve happened to my son who is autistic?’

‘I went along to Live Well with Cancer in North Shields where the ladies were kind enough to share their stories with me.’

Full interview >  TITS UP – New play from Alison Stanley | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

In June we had a severe Heed Case – musicians Newts Newton (ex Angelic Upstarts guitarist) and Si Cadelik (Northumbrian Psych rock bassist) filled yer in about their new album.

‘The new album explores gaslighting, narcissism and entitlement. All three elements feature heavily in populism and identity politics. Social media allows this to flourish, elbowing aside balance, objectivity and critical thinking. This emboldens extremists and those who seek to radicalise people with their brand of hateful rhetoric’.

‘Rather than tackle the causes of problems, the trend is to scapegoat. This should be a worry and concern for everyone, not just two people in a band. One day, that scapegoat might be you!’

‘We’ve been involved in music since our late teens, so that’s approximately 40 years and counting. In some ways it feels like forever, in others, like only yesterday’.

Full interview > HEED CASE release debut album ‘All the Rage’ | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

In July playwright Tom Kelly talked about writing a number of musicals including the work of Tyne Dock born author Catherine Cookson.

‘Tom & Catherine had its premier at South Shields Customs House, it was really exciting. All the team were really nervous on the opening night but when the overture began, we all felt it was going to be a success. And it was. It had a ‘sold out’ run. A measure of its success was that me mam wanted to go every night! And she was not a theatre-goer. She loved ‘Tom & Catherine.’

‘The play was first produced in 1999, and again 2001. In 2006 there was an outdoor performance at Bents Park, South Shields in which Jade Thirlwall (Little Mix) appeared, and most recently in 2019’.

Full interview > WALKING MY STREETS – New Poetry and Prose collection from Jarrow born Tom Kelly. | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Got a story to add to the site? Just get in touch .

Contact | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Full list of hundreds of interviews >

About | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Alikivi   November 2024 

HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE? #5

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Since starting in February 2017 hundreds of stories have been posted on this site. The last few months has seen a mix from the navy, radio, folk singers and a magician. Here’s a taste.

First up is Tyneside comedian & magician Robert Reed…

‘Being an outcast gave me more time to focus on myself, to perfect my act. I’m glad I never fitted in at school, cos this has worked out well for me in the long run’.

‘A person to take me under his wing was a teacher called Mr Obee at St Joseph’s. Every break time we would talk about magic and jokes, he would loan me magic books, then he would show me a different trick each time which I would perform for the other kids’.

‘His motto was ‘work hard and be nice’ which I’ve always followed. It was helpful propaganda about putting the hard work in. He told me that every hour you aren’t working on your dream someone else out there is’.

‘I stopped sleeping 8 hours a day and cut it to 6 so I could get extra hours at work. It became all about maximising the time I could work it out. I became obsessed with it, it’s the most important thing in my life – I want to be entertaining people’.

Full interview > READ ALL ABOUT IT – in conversation with Tyneside comedian & magician Robert Reed | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Northumberland Radio presenter Keith Newman talked about his passion for music…

‘The show not only gives me the chance to play the music I love but to meet my heroes. The one that got me really nervous was with Marky Ramone. I first saw the Ramones in 1980 at Newcastle City Hall and bought the t-shirt from the gig which I never took off’.

‘Next day I was going to a corner shop to get me ma’s tabs – yep we could in those days – and I could see a coach outside. As I got near it pulled away. I went in the shop and the assistant said ‘eeh see those lads on your t-shirt – they’ve just been in here. They were Americans asking for milk and cookies’. I couldn’t believe it I ran outside but the coach was away up the street’.

‘For years I wondered if it really was them so when I talked to Marky I asked him about it and he told me Johnny Ramone had OCD and after every gig he had to have milk and cookies’.

Full interview >  HEY HO LETS GO RADIO – in conversation with radio presenter Keith Newman | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Another story came from Tyneside based Karen Taylor who remembers her time in the Royal Navy…

’The Falklands war was on when I was based at HMS Vernon in Portsmouth in 1982. I remember when the first ship was hit on 4th May. We were in a disco and everybody was up dancing when the music suddenly stopped and an announcement was made’.

‘I knew one of the chef’s whose ship was one of the first hit and sunk. He told me afterwards they were getting in the lifeboat and someone shouted ‘that’s typical, it was a really good scran tonight’. The Navy use humour to get out of any situation’.

‘The fact of not knowing who was alive or dead brought on a lot of mental health problems after that war. It must have been really scary what they went through’.

Full interview > IN THE NAVY – in conversation with former WREN Karen Taylor | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

This from Wearside folk song collector Eileen Richardson…

‘The first song I found was The Old Wife’s Lament to the Keel Men of the Wear and it was all around historical events about the keel men and it was written in dialect. That set me on the road to researching the history that went with the song’.

‘There a lot of songs about death and tragedy, mining disasters and shipwrecks but there are songs that tell light hearted stories. The Durham Militia pokes fun at things, it’s like the 1800s version of Dad’s Army, with lyrics like ‘You’ll march away like heroes – just to make the lasses stare’ and suggesting that the only battles they will fight will be in the pub’.

Full interview > FOLK GATHERING in conversation with Wearside folk song collector Eileen Richardson | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Tyneside songwriter Rosie Anderson dropped in to tell a few stories. Here’s one…

‘I can’t just decide to sit down and write a song – some people do and I applaud them for the discipline but I have to wait until they come’.

‘When I was a kid I lived at Chapel House Estate in the west end of Newcastle. One night me, my mother and a friend went for a walk. This woman came out of her house in her dressing gown, she wasn’t in control of herself, didn’t know what time or day it was. I had never seen that behaviour in an adult before. Now I believe she was having a nervous breakdown’.

‘That always stayed in my head and another one was about 30 years ago I went on a blind date in Newcastle with this very nice bloke. He said I need to tell you something before we go any further… ‘When I was working in Canada I had a nervous breakdown in the car park of a Burger King’. It was hard to concentrate on anything else after that’.

‘But I remembered those incidents and those people are lodged in my heart for their own traumas. They gave me the song’.

Full interview >  LISTEN TO YOUR HEART in conversation with Tyneside songwriter Rosie Anderson | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Tyneside storyteller & folk singer Tony Wilson talked being a professional musician and how far it’s taken him…

‘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!’

‘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 but we found the only banjo repairman in Bogota in Colombia’.

‘We’ve 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’.

Full interview > BANJO IN BOGOTA – in conversation with Tyneside storyteller & folk musician Tony Wilson | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Got a story to add to the site? Just get in touch.

Full list of hundreds of interviews >

About | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Alikivi   November 2024

NE tour for new play – THE CRAMLINGTON TRAIN WRECKERS starring Alexandra Tahnee

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‘When I was young I watched a production of Blood Brothers and it just blew me away, I was so engrossed and moved – from that day I was hooked’.

Alex Tahnee from Newcastle has been acting since she was 11 year old…

‘I fell in love with theatre playing Young Catherine in Tom and Catherine, a musical about Catherine Cookson’s life at The Custom’s House, South Shields. I love the idea of telling stories and love the feeling of being on stage’.

‘Since then, I’ve worked with many brilliant people in the North East including various shows playing Alice in Alice in Wonderland at Northern Stage, playing a military wife in Magnolia Walls, and most recently playing a female Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, an absolute bucket list role’.

Next up for Alex is a play by South Shields writer Ed Waugh (Dirty Dusting, Wor Bella, Hadaway Harry, Carrying David). The Cramlington Train Wreckers is another forgotten story about the North East.

‘I play Erica, she’s a journalist interviewing Bill Muckle, one of the eight men imprisoned for derailing a train in the 1926 general strike. Bill has a fascinating tale to tell, and it resonates eerily with political issues we face today’.

‘Bill is played by the wonderful Micky Cochrane (I, Daniel Blake, Carrying David, Billy Elliot), and the piece is directed by Russell Floyd (The Bill, Eastenders, London’s West End), who also multiroles throughout as various characters in some glorious buffoonery’.

‘Bill tells the story of the general strike, how it came about, who was involved, the lies and propaganda that were spread and how it ended after only 9 days. Also, how it came to be that 8 young men from a mining town in Northumberland were imprisoned 100’s of miles away from their families and hailed as heroes upon their return’.

‘People are fascinating to me and theatre is like putting them under a microscope. Like Bill in this play, he was a real person who was so gregarious and engaging you can’t help but listen to him. There are incredible stories in every nook and cranny and theatre lets you explore them, what better job is out there?’

‘My hopes for this play is that this piece of local history is known by new generations for not only its regional importance but also how politics has a profound impact on individuals and communities across the world’.

‘I believe by using the first-hand account of one person in the past we can highlight the relevance of the same messages and themes still affecting us today’.

The Cramlington Train Wreckers opens on 7th November at Cramlington Learning Village and continues around the North East until 16th November 2024.

For tickets & full list of venues contact the official website >>>

www.cramlingtontrainwreckers.co.uk

Interview with Ed Waugh >>>

WHO WERE THE CRAMLINGTON TRAIN WRECKERS? | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Alikivi   October 2024

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