TEESSIDE

BULLFROG 50 YEARS ON with North East songwriter & producer Steve Thompson

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Apprentice steelworkers and musicians Steve Thompson and Robin Hird formed Bullfrog in 1969. Being a Consett band their first ever gig was in The Freemasons Ballroom. Reportedly a wild west of a venue! Bullfrog played all over the North East gaining a huge following, and supporting big names including The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Hot Chocolate and Wishbone Ash.

Bullfrog finally attained the holy grail of a record deal but sadly failed to turn North East popularity into global stardom.

Steve(bass) takes up the story …“Ultimately, we had two record deals on offer from EMI and Cube. After a few years slogging around pubs and clubs in the North East we decided we needed to cut some demos and go after a record deal. So off we went to Multicord studios in Sunderland and laid down our entire repertoire of original songs.”

“We had also come second in a national competition and the prize was a recording audition at EMI Studios. EMI liked the recordings and started discussing a deal. Then we heard from Cube. They liked the demos we had sent and wanted to come see us at a live gig.”

“They came to Wingate Constitutional Club. It couldn’t have worked out better. They were swinging from the rafters and the band were going down great. Girls were banging on the dressing room door desperate to ravage our young bodies.”

“The Cube dudes were impressed and wanted to sign us there and then. We mentioned the interest from EMI. They said at EMI we would just be a small fish in a big pool. Come with us, they said, we’re smaller and can give you individual attention. They convinced us and we agreed to sign.”

“In due course we were booked into Island Records’ Basing Street studios. Many of our heroes had recorded there so it was quite exciting. Our producer was Roger Bain who had produced Black Sabbath of whom we were fans so another plus. Roger’s mate came along for the sessions, a guy called Gus Dudgeon with whom I was to work with several years later. Unfortunately, we made a string of dumb moves.”

“Dumb move one – we wrote a joke song called ‘Ridley Tiddly Tum’. Dumb move number two – we made a demo recording of the joke song. Dumb move number three – we played it to the record company. They declared it would be a massive hit and it was to be our first single. We were horrified but we couldn’t talk them out of it. But they were wrong it wasn’t a massive hit.”

“On reflection something else we did was probably a dumb move too. When you’re young you have a huge propensity for doing dumb things. We declared the single was a double A side and at every opportunity we promoted the actual B side a song called ‘In The City.”

“We did a film for BBC’s Look North driving around Newcastle in an open top car with ‘In The City’ blasting out. At every opportunity and interview we promoted the B side of the single. Our record company must’ve loved this. And so, it wasn’t to be and finally the band broke up in 1974.”

Steve then decided to concentrate on songwriting which led him to Wallsend’s Impulse Studios as House producer and eventually the legendary Neat Records who were responsible for launching the big four North East rock bands – Fist, Venom, Raven and Tygers of Pan Tang.

Steve explains his new project “It’s been over 50 years since Bullfrog’s first gig with 50 being a magic number in the music business. It’s the amount of years that must pass before recordings drop out of copyright. So finally, Bullfrog are free of that ill fated record deal so I’ve dug out the old master tapes and dusted them off”.

Steve added “These remixes of our 1972 demo tapes have been assisted by AI and I’ll own up to a small number of 2025 overdubs. The band now sounds how it would have done if modern day recording studios had been available when we first cut the demo tapes. And now you can enjoy the songs too – 50 Years On” 

Bullfrog 50 Years On is available on 12 inch Vinyl album and a CD (with bonus tracks). You can hear previews of the songs and purchase your copy here >>>

https://elasticstage.com/bullfrog

Alikivi   May 2026

SHE’S SO EUROPEAN – New tour planned for UK Rhythm & Blues singer-songwriter Emma Wilson

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Emma Wilson 2026 pic. Paul May

These past few years have been golden for Emma – tours, awards, recording in Memphis, appearing on BBC Radio 2 with Cerys Mathews and in April she is getting ready to represent the UK in the European Blues Challenge in Poland.

‘And In January just gone I went to Memphis in America to represent the UK at the International Blues Challenge. That was great, of all the times I’ve visited Memphis this was the first opportunity I had to play on the iconic Beale Street.’

‘I also played a live session on Memphis Radio with DJ Ric Chetter. He’s championed me for years and always gets me in the studio when I’m over in the States’ said Emma.

‘On a more sombre note, my visit to Memphis coincided with a wake for the late Don Bryant. As you know Don and I duetted on his song What Kind of Love for my ‘Memphis Calling’ album. It was a very moving day and it was a privilege to be there.’

‘I was able to meet up with friends from the record – Scott Bomar and Hubbie Turner. A few of us went out later for some food and to raise a glass to Mr Bryant….Mr.B..’

Since we last spoke you have lost your good friend and fellow vocalist Terry Reid, how has this affected you?

‘It was so sad losing Terry, he really was one of those people you thought would go on forever. He shone so brightly in every way. I was lucky to have him as a friend and mentor. Even writing this hurts, I miss him so much.’

Emma added ‘We used to chat on Whatsapp (he lived in California) and he would tell me all the tales about his life in the 70s with Taj Mahal, Crosby Stills & Nash and David Lindley when they were all young crazy lads. He had some brilliant stories and an incredible memory for detail.’

‘There will be a tribute concert in 2027 which his lovely wife Annette has asked me to perform at. I’ll probably sing the song we wrote together See You in The Morning – if I can hold back the tears.’

You are putting together a new tour for 2026 are you playing any new venues?

‘Yes! It’s great to be expanding my gig repertoire! Of course, Katowice in Poland is new I’ve never played there before. I’m also on a festival in Germany – Dreyland Festival. Then in the UK the Swanage festival, I’ve played as a guest before but this time headlining. And the Beer Blues Festival in Devon is a new one for me’ said Emma.

‘Also, there are a couple of clubs such as The Angel in Bardsey and the Chantry Brewery in Rotherham. It’s fantastic that promoters – some of whom are musicians – are starting new clubs. Then in December I’m back at the 100 Club in London which is always a cool night – the room just throbs with energy.’

For further information on singles, albums and full list of tour dates contact the new official website >>>  www.emmawilson.co 


Listen to the new album ‘A Spoonful of Willie Dixon’ >>> 

https://EmmaWilson.lnk.to/SpoonfulofWillieDixonNE

Alikivi   March 2026

TYNESIDE VEGAN & MUSIC FESTIVAL – in conversation with North East Animal Rights founder, Anna Malia

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Anna Malia, Ocean Rd, South Shields. pic. Alikivi Feb 2026

Anna set up North East Animal Rights (N.E.A.R) to campaign and educate about veganism and animal rights. They have around 30 members with branches in Newcastle and Teesside.

On 16th May N.E.A.R are hosting a Tyneside Vegan and Music Festival from 11am-3.30pm at Northumbria University Student Union, Newcastle.

‘We’re expecting the event to be busy. It seems the more we do the bigger and busier we get. We create a family vibe so we get all ages coming along’ explained Anna.

‘This is the seventh Tyneside Vegan festival which first started in Gateshead where the music was so popular that we decided to have live music playing as a regular feature. A lot of the music is original and it will be on through the day, all of the performers are vegan. They will be up on the stage and the main traders will be arranged around the hall.’

‘We try to offer an equal balance between food, ethical traders, music and social justice. It’s all aspects of animal rights as well as the environment – for example we have Climate Action Newcastle coming along as well as lots of charities and animal rights groups.’

‘We hope to attract new vegans who can come and meet others. It’s also a place where long term vegans like myself can safely come to and know there is going to be plant based food stalls with no animal products. Some festivals don’t offer that.’  

‘People can bring their dogs have a browse of the stalls, eat some food and listen to music. A great day out. We also have a few stalls encouraging people to get involved in activism which can be scary for people if they look on-line, but we offer face to face contact which is important so they can meet the people they may end up doing activism with.’

‘I’ve been vegetarian since I was 14 and went vegan about 20 year ago. If people are interested in being vegan, I’d say research it first. Some say veganism is extreme – but there’s nothing extreme about not wanting to use or eat animals. Over the years I’ve seen a big difference in attitudes to veganism and the availability of plant based food.’

‘Veganism is a lifestyle, it’s what you wear and where you shop. A vegan wouldn’t have a leather settee or leather shoes. It’s as far as practical you can go with it – it can be hard living in a (currently) non-vegan world seeing constant adverts everywhere for animal body parts but being vegan itself is actually very easy. It’s not about eating free range this or grass fed that or buying locally. Whether you’ve bought locally or not I’m sure it doesn’t make any difference to the animal when they are on the kill floor.’

‘We actively promote veganism others might call it preaching – and they do. But when you think something is wrong you are morally obliged to do something about it. You act against it or for it. There is a lot of research which shows that if you are going to be violent towards animals you will be violent towards humans.’

‘We are an educational campaigning and pressure group so do not get involved in direct actions although we do support and attend protests and actions by other groups. We are non-violent and non-violence and peace is at the core of veganism – it’s the ultimate peace movement.’

Link to Anna’s interview (2021) with Ronnie Lee co founder of the Animal Liberation Front. Ronnie is a lifelong animal rights campaigner.

NEAR Interview with Ronnie Lee

Anna explained ‘Before social media, groups were forced to take more direct action to raise awareness of cruelty to animals and sometimes this led to them being put in prison. But activists are still being criminalised for animal right actions (and social justice actions) and while we would never condone violence towards an individual, we do support challenging the laws where they need to be. And there are many current cases of where the laws should be and are being challenged.’

‘A classic example of this is the fox hunting laws which are now being reviewed again as they have not worked in the way they were intended and sabs are still being assaulted on a weekly basis. And another is the reclassification of animal testing facilities as life sciences infrastructure in an attempt to stop protests – this is currently being challenged in the courts.’

‘What is our aim? We want to end all animal use. It’s not just about not eating animals it’s about not testing on them, not wearing them, not using them for entertainment, it’s about not seeing them for our benefit.’

To join N.E.A.R contact @northeastanimalrights on social media or contact @tynesideveganandmusicfestival

Links to previous interviews >>>

MEAT IS MURDER – with North East Animal Rights founder Anna Malia | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST MUSIC & CULTURE

BAD EGGS – with Anna Malia founder of North East Animal Rights | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST MUSIC & CULTURE

Alikivi   March 2026

FREEZE FRAME with singer & songwriter Mark Aynsley Hay

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Mark Aynsley Hay

‘Freeze Frame’ is the new four-track album and first official release in 2026 by Mark Aynsley Hay and songwriting partner Chris Morris (ex Paper Lace guitarist). Both have featured on this site – Chris in May 2025 and Mark in March that year.

Chris Morris

‘Chris will be 72 this year and I recently reached the grand old age of 80. In my head I’m still 21, but a few health issues persuaded me I am really 80. I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my back and neck which – excuse the pun – can quite literally be a pain in the neck. Still, c’est la vie as they say in France.’

Explained former Teessider Mark who for the past 14 years  has lived in the French town Pays De La Loire with his wife Alison.

‘We’ll have been together 50 years this June. We first met in 1976 in Aberdeen, Scotland, when I was performing in a cabaret club called Jay Jays. ‘76 was the height of the oil boom in Aberdeen and the nightclubs were thriving. Jay Jays had been the Gaiety Theatre and like many venues then was converted into a nightclub to suit the changing market particularly with the large number of American oil workers in the city.’

‘For album ideas my songwriting partner Chris suggested that we write a romantic ballad built around a theme called ‘Freeze Frame.’ Bringing those two ideas together gave us a broad and flexible creative direction.’

‘My thoughts immediately turned to early relationships and those first, overwhelming impressions—the wow! The one moment when I responded to attraction and sexuality. That realisation inspired the lyric “Love is not what we first see.”

‘The song centres on a couple navigating midlife crises that affect them in different ways. Although their love for each other remains strong, they decide to separate temporarily to give themselves space to breathe. The man longs to reunite, while the woman feels the timing isn’t right.’

‘In essence, he is writing a love letter in song expressing his devotion and vulnerability, yet at times he feels stuck—trapped in a kind of ‘Freeze Frame’, facing it alone.’

‘Things That Make Up Life was born from a conversation between Chris and myself. Chris mentioned he had an idea for a theme designed to embrace a wide range of life’s moments. That idea quickly sparked a flurry of rhymes and melody.’

‘As the lyrics evolved, so did the chord structure, and the song began to take shape. While the initial version showed promise, a change in tempo and a pop rock feel brought it fully to life — delivering the sound and feel we were aiming for.’

‘I delved into the myth of the three rabbits, a quest that led me to a very interesting discovery of facts on Google. I found fascinating facts about old folklore, superstitions, and myths, each with origins rooted in ancient beliefs, observations of nature, and attempts to explain the unexplainable.’

‘I mentioned to Chris that with such lot of material, we have enough to write another new song titled Weird Old Superstitions.’

‘Attentive observation of our everyday habits and dependencies became the inspiration for Addiction Holds the Reins. I’m referring to our daily reliance on laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.’

‘A few weeks ago, Alison and I were socialising with a group of friends. One of the younger people jokingly commented, “Older people are always criticising the young for constantly being on their phones—but look around. There are five older people here scrolling through their screens, completely unaware of what’s happening in this room.” Unfortunately, he was absolutely right—and I was one of the guilty ones.’

‘I became increasingly observant of how often people browse their phones—in hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, waiting rooms and even while walking down the street.’

‘We don’t converse to each other just text or message mainly irrelevant topics that have no real significance to personal or worldwide situations. This isn’t meant as criticism – I’m equally at fault.’

‘Recently the British government have been discussing whether schools should be mobile-phone-free by default, including the possibility of a complete ban for children under sixteen. This policy has already been implemented in Australia and is currently under consideration in Sweden.’

‘I also came across a report from the United States in which primary school teachers noted that many children are starting school unable to read or write their names, yet are already able to swipe on a phone. I’ve incorporated that observation into the song.’

‘While working on this song, I became more aware of my online habits and tried to scale them back, a difficult task when research plays such a big role in songwriting.’

‘As for our hopes for the album, they’re much the same as they’ve always been with our original music. We’d love for it to be picked up by a producer, a publishing company, or perhaps a well known artist who doesn’t write their own material. It’s not really about the financial side although a bit of extra income never hurts.’

‘More than anything it’s about having your work recognised and valued. I often find myself reading your North East Culture site and thinking that’s interesting or I’d never have considered that before – that kind of acknowledgement means a great deal.’

The four tracks are available to stream and download on most major online music platforms.

Alikivi February 2026

‘Addiction Holds the Reins’

‘Weird Old Superstitions’

RETURN TO MEMPHIS – new single from Teesside Rhythm & Blues singer & songwriter Emma Wilson

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Emma at BBC Radio 2 with Cerys Mathews December 2023

Magazine front covers, BBC Radio 2, awards, tours, record releases – this past few year Emma has been prolific. In 2023 she released ‘Memphis Calling’ recorded in Sam Phillips studio in Memphis, USA, earlier this year she talked about her third album ‘A Spoonful of Willie Dixon’. Recently she got in touch about her latest single…

I’m stablemates with American band Chris Wyze and the Tellers. We’re both signed for distribution with ‘Select-O-Hits’ in Memphis. Chris found out I was in Tennessee for a few days in September so asked me to co-write and sing a duet with him. We recorded ‘Hearts Blue Christmas’ at Royal Studios in Memphis with the Hi Rhythm Section.

At the end of the recording session producer Boo Mitchell said ‘We have an hour left“. Chris turned to me and said ‘Do you want to do anything?’ I’ve previously recorded with pianist Charles Hodges (who is part of the Hi Rhythm Section) on my record ‘Memphis Calling’ and we have a good friendship and work well together.

I asked Charles if he knew the song “What are you doing New Years Eve”? The track was written by Frank Loesser in 1947. I think I must have first heard the Lena Horne’s 1966 version as my Mum played a lot of her music when I was little.

Charles strolled over and started playing it so beautifully on the grand piano. That piano has been in the same position at Royal studios for decades. Goodness knows how many iconic songs it has featured on!

Charles and I spent about ten minutes getting a key to suit and having a run through, then he called Steve Potts to play some lovely light drums and then we taped it.

L to R – Charles Hodges, Steve Potts, Hubbie Turner, Emma Wilson, Boo Mitchell, Lina Beach, Chris Wyze and Leroy Hodges at Royal Studio, Willie Mitchell Boulevard, Memphis on 25 September 2025.

Along with promoting the single now Emma is already looking forward to 2026…Recently I won the UK Blues Challenge at Marshall Studios which means I go to Memphis in January to represent the UK in the International Blues Challenge and for the European Blues Challenge I go to Poland.

‘What Are You Doing New Years Eve’ is out on 21st November 2025 as digital download and a very limited run of CDs which are available from the official website >>>

Emma Wilson – award winning rhythm & blues singer from the UK

Alikivi   November 2025

MEAT IS MURDER – with North East Animal Rights founder Anna Malia

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The title of this post is taken from the song and album by The Smiths released in 1985. In the title track songwriter and vocalist Morrisey delivers some powerful lyrics –

‘Kitchen aromas aren’t very homely. It’s not comforting, cheery or kind. 

It’s sizzling blood and the unholy stench 

Of murder

It’s not natural, normal or kind. The flesh you so fancifully fry 

The meat in your mouth. As you savour the flavour 

Of murder’.

In interviews Morrisey is outspoken about a number of topics including politics, royalty and animal rights.

‘Yes I’m aware of the song and Morrisey but I’m not a Smiths fan.’

said South Shields born Anna who worked in education for 32 years and in a secondary school for over 20.

‘I was lucky to be able to leave my paid work a few years ago and now do this full time. No one day is the same, I can be in the middle of typing up an article when a call comes in and have to drop everything. I wouldn’t have it any other way as I feel fulfilled with my work – but wish we didn’t have to do it as that would mean a world where animals are not used.’

Anna set up North East Animal Rights who campaign and educate about veganism and animal rights. They have around 30 members with branches in Newcastle and Teesside.

‘It’s quite large for an independent regional Animal Rights group. Some of the group also volunteer for a local wildlife rescue. It’s hard to work out how much of a difference you actually make. But when you rescue an animal, that animal becomes the most important person in front of you and you know you definitely have made a difference.’

When did you become aware of how we treat animals?

‘I was 14 in a biology lesson in school when I was expected to dissect fertilised eggs with chickens at different stages of development. I was absolutely horrified seeing these dead baby chicks who had been deliberately bred and then killed. My parents were equally horrified when I told them I wanted to be vegetarian. I hadn’t even heard of veganism then and didn’t understand that I was still contributing to the suffering of cows and hens.’ 

‘I was already considered different in school before I went vegetarian so just made my school life a whole lot worse. I didn’t know what else I could do to help animals. Then I saw an article in a newspaper about people trying to stop a bull run in Spain. So, I sent a postcard and letter to the Mayor of Pamplona where the bull run takes place.’

What is the hardest part of being a vegan?

‘One of the hardest things is other people, the lifestyle is easy – it just becomes something which everyone seems to have an opinion on regardless of whether we want it or not. And families and close friends are the worst!’

‘It’s all water off a duck’s back now, but it’s amazing how many people suddenly become obsessed with your health when they didn’t care before you told them you are vegan!’

‘A lot of people think being vegan is just about the food, but it’s about so much more – it’s a whole lifestyle – and you look at things in a different light when you become vegan.’ 

‘You walk down a street you see adverts for meat – we see the process and the animal. You look forward to Christmas – we dread it because we see an increase in animal slaughter. You see an advert for a reindeer event and don’t flicker – we see captive animals who shouldn’t be there. You look forward to Easter and we see rabbits and chickens used. You see cute chicks in egg hatching programmes, we see and deal with what happens and the casual disregard for them.’

‘We got told to stop ‘forcing our views on others’ but others views are constantly forced on us in most aspects of our lives. You look forward to going on holiday, we do too, but we are always conscious of how vegans are perceived abroad and also have to deal with cultural issues where animals are used differently to in the UK.

‘For most of my adult life I thought being vegetarian was enough then I came across some graphic footage on TV and photos in a magazine of what happens in an average UK farm – I realised I was still part of the problem. I essentially went vegan overnight and signed up to Animal Aid’s November vegan pledge and never went back.’ 

What are the group currently working on?

‘We get a lot of contacts about animal related issues and it’s great to be able to help. We rely on the public quite a lot to be our eyes and ears.’

‘We get people asking about who to speak to about dog cruelty or breeding animals. They contact us in relation to mobile zoos in schools or about their vegan child in school. A lot of issues are those which the RSPCA should investigate but cannot always due to lack of resources and having to prioritise.’

‘At any one time we have two or three investigations going on. They are complex and time consuming but we learn a lot from them. One of the biggest pieces of ongoing work is the South Tyneside Councils Animal Protection Charter.’

‘This came about because of a local issue we had with camels being used in a Christmas parade along King Street, South Shields. It had been going for around 6 years. After meeting with the leadership we eventually convinced them to drop the camels in 2020.’

‘We continued working with them afterwards and created a charter which is available for use in other councils across the UK. The council do an amazing job promoting the work within it and really work hard to engage residents with local animal-related issues, like those around seabirds.’ 

What does the future hold for North East Animal Rights?

‘I speak at a variety of schools and events and this year I’ve been invited to speak at the National Animal Rights March in London and a local event in Saltburn. I don’t find public speaking easy but it’s easier when you are passionate about your subject.’

‘I’m a deputy co-ordinator for North East Animal Save who are a group who run vigils at slaughterhouses – yes, it is as grim as it sounds, but unfortunately while people continue to eat animals it’s a necessary part of our work.’

‘My work is very full on my poor husband sees me fleetingly most days but understands the importance of what I do and is very supportive – he’s also a member of NEAR.’

‘But I’m a positive person – rather than looking at how far we still have to go, I look at how far we have come. When I was a child I had no idea what being vegan meant but I know from going into schools not only do children know what it means now but there are also vegan children there – that’s progress.’

For further information contact the group at >>>

Facebook @northeastanimalrights

Instagram @northeastanimalrights

TikTok @northeastanimalrights 

Bluesky @neanimalrights.bsky.social

Threads @northeastanimalrights

North East Animal Rights – YouTube

Alikivi    June 2025 

A SPOONFUL OF WILLIE DIXON – new album from Teesside’s Rhythm & Blues singer Emma Wilson

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Following on from the success of her debut in 2022 ‘Wish Her Well’ and the highly acclaimed 2023 release ‘Memphis Calling’, which was recorded at Sam Phillips Recording Studios in Memphis, Teesside singer Emma Wilson releases her third album ‘A Spoonful of Willie Dixon’.

The recording is always a joyous experience and not like work at all said Emma if I could be in the studio every day of my life I would – well so long as I could gig in the evenings!

After recording Willies’ Hoochie Coochie Ma (ma) on ‘Memphis Calling’ – prompting pianist Archie ‘Hubbie’ Turner from the Hi-Rhythm Section to exclaim “She’s not from Middlesbrough, she’s from Mississippi!” Emma was inspired to sing more of Dixon’s songs and record them with her British band. 

Even though I have a distribution deal with ‘Select-O-Hits’ and a great publicist in Frank Roszak, I do the rest of the work myself regarding the release of the record, such as PRS, PPL, coding, mastering and publishing which I have had to teach myself – I’m like my own record company.

Returning to her beloved Memphis in May 2024, Emma performed at the inaugural Riverbeat festival with The Bo-Keys – who’s bandleader Scott Bomar produced ‘Memphis Calling’.

The Riverbeat Festival in Memphis was amazing, it’s held right beside the Mississippi in Tom Lee Park, I felt so thrilled to be there, even checking into the backstage was an experience. I think I was the only British artist there, you become a bit of a novelty “Wow you’re from England!”

Everyone was very welcoming particularly the musicians I played with – Scott Bomar – who produced my album ‘Memphis Calling’. My pal Archie ‘Hubbie’ Turner who also played piano on ‘Memphis Calling’ and the wonderful Bo-Keys.

The stage was openair and even though the heat was sultry there was a cool breeze coming off the river giving it an even more cinematic atmosphere, everything felt sort of slowed down, or maybe that was me trying to take it all in or the ‘Purple Rain’ wine Hubbie gave me!

The audience was vast and I was buzzing to get on. In fact, when we did What Kind Of Love it lasted so long I think we played the 12 inch remix! I also got to watch all the other bands from the VIP area including The Fugees who were pretty spectacular.   

Emma then drove down the Blues Highway to Clarksdale to sing at the legendary Ground Zero Club at the invitation of the Pinetop Perkins Foundation. 
Playing at Ground Zero the iconic club in Clarksdale, Mississippi – which is owned by Morgan Freeman – was a different experience again. It’s a super cool club seating around 300. I was invited to sing at the annual fundraiser the Pinetop Perkins Crawfish Boil.

I performed with the Pinetoppers – students from the Pinetop Perkins Foundation – they were fantastic, full of soul, groove and most of all blues. Backstage they asked so what do you want to play? got a key? got a groove?

Look out for Harrell ‘Young Rell’ Davenport, Danny ‘Guitarwood’ Garwood, Wyly Bigger and Six String Andrew, they really are the blues stars of the future. 

We played five blues standards including House of the Rising Sun where I managed to get in a plug about being from the North East of England and mentioning The Animals.

The club itself is great, it looks like a really old vintage venue with cool graffiti on the walls, flags hanging from the ceiling and long wooden tables which the gorgeous waitresses seem to glide between serving beer and wings.

It’s a special place and I loved it. Everyone should go to Memphis and Clarksdale it’s easy just drive down the Blues Highway.

Emma & Hubbie Turner at Riverbeat Festival, Memphis.

You have a few UK gigs scheduled – anymore in the pipeline?

Yes, we have a lot in the UK and more coming in all the time, thanks to the new album release which has boosted our profile. We have a headline at the Texel Blues Festival in the Netherlands, I’m also going to Germany to do some guest spots and then back to USA to promote the record in September.

‘Good to the Last Drop’ 2025 UK tour dates >>>

Saturday 21 June ‘Blues & Soul Revue’ + Trevor Sewell & Lola-Rose, Hutton Rudby village hall, North Yorks. 7:30pm

Tuesday 24 June ‘Bletchley Blues Club’ special guest Terry Marshall (sax) Bletchley, Milton Keynes. 8pm

Sunday 13 July ‘Flying Circus’, Newark. 4pm

Tuesday 29 July ‘The 100 club’, London. 8pm + Thomas Heppell

Sunday 3 August ‘Tyne bar’, Newcastle 4pm

Saturday 9 August “Blues & Soul Revue” + Robin Bibi & Lola-rose Hutton Rudby village hall, North Yorks 7:30pm

Saturday 13 September ‘Flying Circus’ ‘Not the Newark Blues Fest’ 4pm

Friday 10th October Texel Blues Festival, Netherlands

Friday 17 October ‘Crawdaddy club’ The Turk’s Head, Twickenham 8pm

Sunday 7th December Looe Blues Festival, Plymouth

Thursday 18 December ‘Leeds blues club’ Christmas party.

For further information contact >>>

emmawilsonmusicuk@gmail.com             

www.emmawilson.net

Instagram : EmmaWilsonMusicUK                      

Facebook : EmmaWilsonMusicUK

Alikivi   April 2025

GIVE THE FOX A GUN – with Teesside musician Bob Campbell

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Heart beating fast, he’s running for his life

Chased by morons, no value to their life

Bring back hunting, give the fox a gun.

(Mensforth/Newton, Angelic Upstarts)

The North East has become a home from home for 57 year old Bob Campbell. In a phone call he talked about his love of music and his contribution to the punk compilation record produced in support of Hunt Saboteurs.

I love punk. You know punk to me is urban folk music – music by the people for the people. You’d have people in rural areas singing about combine harvesters then you’d have punks singing about inner city decay, the music was full of energy. After first hearing it in 1977 – I thought that’s for me.

I was born on the Isle of Lewis and grew up in Perthshire, Scotland and came down to the North East to study at Sunderland Polytechnic in 1985. I worked in Gateshead and Blyth before finally ending up working here on Teesside since 1992. My wife is local to this area and my son was born here – yeh you could say I like the North East.

I’ve been taking my son to Rebellion Festival in Blackpool’s Winter Gardens since he was 9 year old – he’s now 28. He formed The Anti septics who played the festival twice. I took the band to a lot of their gigs where I was always down the front dancing. I’m 6 foot 5 with a mohawk hair cut and wear bright colours when everyone wears dark clothes. I stand out a bit! I don’t care what people think.

I started writing songs in the late 90s then during the covid lockdown I wrote over 300 and just wanted to give them a life. I couldn’t find people to sing them as they wanted to sing their own songs so I thought I’d do it myself. I went to a few folk clubs got some ideas and formed a band in October 2022. Last August the Gutter Folk played on the Rebellion Festival – it was like holy shit!

For years on the punk scene I’ve been friends with Julian Kynaston who is a huge supporter of Hunt Sabs. He set up a gig in September 2022 in Barnsley and got me to do two songs acapella – basically my first time on stage!

At that gig headlined by UK Subs, their frontman Charlie Harper said ‘Those people who kill foxes, just remember they’ll kill you without a fucking thought’. That quote really struck a chord with Julian and inspired him to put out the compilation album ‘Give the Fox a Gun’.

Back cover of the album with Charlie Harper quote.

We recorded a couple of songs about fox hunting. As I was a countryside ranger for 20 years I know a shit load about foxes and the lies told by the fox hunting fraternity so I can articulate that into the songs.

Julian Kynaston and Alan Walton produced the album which features bands including Gutter Folk from Middlesbrough, Darlington’s In Evil Hour, Burning Flag from Halifax and punk royalty Angelic Upstarts from South Shields who contribute with their anti-hunt track ‘Give the Fox a Gun’.

Countryside wildlife was my profession for 20 years, I was a ranger around the Tees Valley so I know a lot about fox habits. Foxes are incredibly clever and smart essentially they are scavengers they would rather find something already dead than hunt for food.

When they are being hunted they will take to ground and some hunts dig them out. They’ll climb trees and follow streams so as not to leave a scent.

When sheep are worried, they huddle into a pack which is their defence mechanism. The fox will go into the middle of a flock of sheep who aren’t bothered about the fox. When the hunting dogs come along the sheep huddle tightly keeping the fox safe from the dogs.

The hunt say what they do is pest control but really they don’t catch enough to make a difference on numbers and they say it’s only the sick or old animals they hunt. It’s absolute lies. They breed and release foxes in areas they don’t know, they are completely lost so it’s an easier hunt for them.

One time they were importing foxes from France – that’s not pest control. No, the only reason they do it is for rich people to see a living animal torn to shreds in front of their eyes.

Why would they want to introduce the killing of defenceless animals to their children? They smear their kid’s faces with the fox’s blood that’s just been murdered in front of them. Hunters try to justify it as a kind way to go….no the animals are just scared, terrified.

Do you know fox hunters will pay men to protect the hunt and beat up the Sabs? Thing is fox hunting is illegal. It’s madness when you think that they are paying people to beat up people who are on the right side of the law. What we’ve had for many years is Hunt Sabs trying to break up and disturb the fox hunt – the fight goes on.

The Hunt Sabs are aiming to raise money to go towards buying equipment like a vehicle or drones to help their work. All takings from the album go toward supporting the Hunt Sabs – 90% Sheffield Hunt Sabs & 10% Gabo Wildlife.

To buy the 13 track compilation album on red vinyl contact the official website >>>  www.givethefoxagun.com

Alikivi   April 2025

EMMA’S AUTUMN SURPRISE

/ Alikivi

So far this year Emma ‘Velvet Tones of Teesside’ Wilson has clocked up a lotta miles on the gigometer and this autumn adds a few more…

“It’s been great to see some of you on the road. I’m now looking for gigs in Europe and have just confirmed a date in Germany performing with the Milwaukee Band on 7th December 2024 at Messajero in Monchengladbach, Dusseldorf”.

Are you performing at any venues you haven’t played?

“There’s Diseworth Blues Club in Derby I’m really looking forward to. It’s a brilliant club run by Blues Enthusiasts. It’s these small clubs that are keeping the Blues scene alive in the UK”. 

After releasing your latest album last year what has the feedback been like?

“I’m so delighted that a year after the release of ‘Memphis Calling’ it’s still being reviewed and played all over the world”.

“In May I was featured in the iconic Italian Music Magazine ‘Buscadero’, and all the songs are still being played on International Radio stations and hitting the rhythm and blues charts”

“The stand out song has to be ‘What Kind of Love’. The song written by and featuring Don Bryant has been in the top 10 iTunes blues in about 50 countries!” 


Emma recently guested on an album by German band Milwaukee Music where she displays a softer jazzy side of her voice. Olaf Rappe of the band thanked Emma for her contribution.

“Milwaukee and Friends – Crossing Borders’ is twenty good friends making a special album. I’m very happy to have the wonderful Emma Wilson, the British soul and blues queen, as lead singer on two songs ‘Midnight in Harlem’ and ‘Rio de Janeiro Blue”.

Have you found time for a break this year?

“I went to the South of France in May and laid on the beach for a week. But all I could think about was music, music, music!” 

Catch Emma on these confirmed dates >

Acoustic set Saturday 14 September at Claypath Deli, Durham

Tickets https://downbytheriver9.com/

Saturday 5 October at Diseworth Blues Club, Diseworth Village Hall, Hall Gate, Derby. 

Info & tickets call 07731 435 758 or contact info@muckyduckpromotions.co.uk

Seated gig on Saturday 12 October at Hutton Rudby Village Hall, North Yorkshire from 7 -11pm. Also on the bill are North East Blues Legend George Shovlin & UK Americana star Lola-Rose.

Tickets  https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/emma-wilson-music

Free daytime event on Sunday 13 October at the Tyne Bar, Mailing St, Newcastle.

Friday 22 November at Leeds Blues Club, Cross Keys from 6pm.

Tickets https://www.ents24.com/leeds-events/the-cross-keys-1/emma-wilson/7062016

Saturday 7 December 2024 at Messajero in Monchengladbach, Dusseldorf, Germany.

Download the new album ‘Memphis Calling’ >

https://EmmaWilson.lnk.to/MemphisCallingNE

For further info & tickets contact the official website >

www.emmawilson.net

Alikivi   August 2024

STORIES OF WAR – with award-winning author & freelance journalist Terry Wilkinson

/ Alikivi

“I’ve always been fascinated with everything World War Two related and RAF in particular. My grandfather was in the Royal Flying Corps, and both my father and my son were in the RAF” explained Terry.

“I was in the Air Training Corps in South Shields but then a medic came to school to test us all for colour-blindness. I failed the test miserably and was told I would never be accepted by the RAF. I was gutted, as you can imagine”.

Terry lives in Marske on Teesside, but was born in South Shields at midnight 21st– 22nd December 1948…“My mum asked the midwife which day was my birthday. She was told it was the 21st as my head came out on that day. That crosses the Winter Solstice, so my top half is Sagittarius and my bottom half Capricorn. I think this explains why I’ve done so many different jobs in my life” joked Terry.

Throughout his school years his parents moved around the country…

”We lived above a wallpaper shop in Stockton on Tees, then moved to Billingham and later down south to Reading and Mitcham”.

Finally, the Wilkinson family moved back to South Shields where Terry was a pupil at South Shields Grammar Technical School for Boys.

“After leaving school, I worked for the Crown Agents for Overseas Governments in London, then Wise Speke stockbrokers in Newcastle where I became a Member of the London Stock Exchange”.

“From 2000 I ran a successful Theatre in Education company touring schools for 15 years. It won a Best New Business Award but I gave it up in 2015 in order to write”. 

When researching his family tree and local history Terry has always been fascinated by one event.

“At midnight on 3 May 1941, the factory and Head Office of Wilkinson’s Mineral Water Manufacturers in North Shields was hit by a single German bomb. It went through the roof, descending through all three floors, taking all the heavy bottling machinery and chemicals down to the basement – which was in use as a public air raid shelter. 107 died, 43 of which were children. Whole families were wiped out.”

Details of the tragedy can be found in the book North Shields 173: The Wilkinson’s Lemonade Factory Air Raid Disaster (173 was the telephone number of the factory.)

“It is written by my good friend, Peter Bolger, who also manages a comprehensive website on the incident” > www.northshields173.org

“Because of censorship and the government’s desire not to damage public morale, little is known beyond Tyneside. It was, however, one of the largest loss of life incidents from a single bomb during the provincial Blitz”.

“Nothing is known of the identity of the plane which dropped the bomb – type, squadron, mission etc – as German records were mostly destroyed in the closing stages of the war”.

“I wanted to write a story that answered all these questions and create a fictional alternative. Having said that, nobody could say with any conviction this is not what happened”.

Terry started on a series of five espionage novels. ‘Handler’ is set in 1941, ‘Sleeper’ in 1942 and is currently working on the third ‘Chancer’ which covers 1943. 

“They’re a mix of fact and fiction and trace through the war years of an English-born German spy, Howard Wesley, and his nemesis, MI5 agent Albert Stokes”.

“Wesley is a figment of my imagination. Stokes is based on a real character. And this is the pattern for the other books in the series. I also like to plunder WW2 history for little-known incidents and people who feature against the broader background of what was taking place in the war”. 

‘Handler’ won a ‘Chill With A Book’ Premier Readers’ Award just a few months after publication. This spurred Terry on to get others in the series out there as quickly as possible.

“A few of those who have given good feedback have made the point that it would make a good series. I am convinced that it would. I certainly write with a film or TV series in mind”.

“In the shorter term I am hoping to record the whole series as audible books. I recorded an extract from the book that author John Orton is currently writing (link to interview below) and he was happy with it”.

“I’ve spoken to my publisher – UK Book Publishing – and offered them my services as a narrator for others. I’m also an actor, card-holding Equity member and very good at accents and dialects”.

For further information contact Terry on his official website> www.terrywilkinson.co.uk

Social media>

Facebook – Terry Wilkinson, or Twitter – @terrydwilk

Link to John Orton May 2023 interview >

THE STORY SO FAR with author John Orton | ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST CULTURE

Alikivi   August 2024