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.
We’re in old favourite the Centurion bar in Newcastle Central Station where I’ve talked to a few contributors to the site. This is our first time meeting however Rosie wasn’t hard to spot with her nose rings and orange hair.
Rosie is 58 years young and retired from Newcastle Social Services, she talks about her strong working class background…My mam was a nurse at Newcastle General hospital and my dad was a welder in Swan Hunters shipyard. Being small, he worked in the bowels of the ships.
Rosie is a member of Geordie Hunt Sabs, a North East group established to expose illegal fox hunting and other blood sports. The Sabs use non-violent direct action to protect wildlife from cruelty.
We want to hold hunts accountable and try and make sure the law is upheld.I thought in 2004 when Tony Blair was in government, he would ban fox hunting completely but I think they left so many loopholes that nothing much has changed.
I’ve always been passionate about animals and animal rights but thinking back to when I first stopped eating meat was when I was about 13 year old. I never liked the texture and taste of bacon.
At family dinner I used to ask my dad to swap my meat for some carrots. One day I asked where did it come from ‘a pig’. ‘So, a pig’s been killed so I can eat that?’ That was it. That was the moment. I started thinking why do they have different names like pork or bacon? It doesn’t sound like pig where it actually comes from.
Me mam used to put bits of chicken inside my mashed potato, when I’d find it I’d spit it out ‘You’re gonna die if you don’t eat meat’ she’d say. I found a magazine with recipes without meat and gave her them. This was 1980 when I made the connection.
I was listening to punk bands like Dead Kennedys, Crass, Anti System, reading all their lyrics I discovered there were people out there like me. Back in the day it was always punks and alternative people who went out Sabbing.
When I left school I went on a YTS government scheme and worked in Phaze a shop for alternative clothing in Newcastle. The shop done a lot of mail order so I’d go to the Post Office with parcels and on the streets see a lot of Sabs at the monument on their stall, I thought I’d love to join them.
When live music show The Tube was on TV we had people from that show coming in to Phaze. The show was recorded in Newcastle TV studios and we used to get tickets to be in the audience. The presenter Paula Yates used to come in the shop for something to wear on the show, we also had bands like Grandmaster Flash come in. I ended up getting a punters card off Chris Phipps who worked on the production team.
When I was working for Social Services I was still an Animal Activist and a vegan who never had vaccines because of my beliefs, I think if they knew they might have sacked me.
There was an abattoir next to the building I worked in. I could hear the noise coming from it, it was absolutely horrific. Nowadays they are bigger and kill up to 2,500 animals per day – there is no respect at all.
When I was younger, I protested for animal rights but when I had my kids I stepped back and just donated to different groups. Now my kids are teenagers I’m back out there again.
There are nine hunts in Northumberland who hunt on a Wednesday and a Saturday in places like Tyne Valley, Tynedale, Morpeth. We try to get to them all. We’re hitting the Braes Hunt of Derwent at the moment. Braes have been going for over 200 years, they are teaming up with south Durham now. They have over 40 specially bred hounds at the moment, they’ve given them pretty names like Bracken and Daisy.
Throughout the season they do hound walks and shows in places like Wolsingham and Stanhope. The one at Corbridge gives out prizes. I don’t go to any of these, I would be spotted as my car is well known so it’s possible I would return to smashed screen or slashed tyres.
On hunts they have a few terrier men who come out on their quadbikes. Some of the number plates aren’t on. They can bully the hunt sabs, harass us, block us in – tactics like that. They call us vile horrible names especially to the girls. I’ve put up with it for years but it just goes over my head now.
At times they use bagged foxes, they catch one and take it out of its familiar area keep it in a shed and starve it. For the thrill of a kill they then release it to hunt it down. All the badger sets are blocked beforehand by the terrier men so they can’t go to ground. So, the fox is in an unfamiliar area, hungry, scared, confused and an easy catch for the hounds.
We have some incredible footage for evidence but the police ignore it. One Sab got badly attacked and they pinched a go pro camera. We get in touch with the rural crimes person and they just say ‘thank you for the information’.
We’ve got a piece of equipment called a gizmo with the sound of the hounds on so when we can’t get to certain areas or there’s not enough Sabs out we can let that sound go and the hounds come to us away from the fox.
We find we’re fighting a losing battle with the police. I was at the poll tax riots I’ve been to loads of Animal rights protests I‘ve seen how they work. In protests like Just Stop Oil that’s in the news now, people just want to make their voice heard and want to see their future is safe. A lot of them are students with no kids so haven’t got anything to lose.
The Geordie Hunt Sabs aim to raise funds to go toward maintenance and equipment to support their work. On sale are printed t-shirts and a punk compilation CD, a gig is also scheduled for Newcastle Trillians on 4th May 2025.
We are really grateful to all the bands who dedicated their effort and time to producing the CD and the upcoming gig. I was involved in Overground Records label that used to put out a lot of punk re-issues and promoted gigs.
In October 1990 we brought The Dickies over and took them on a two week tour around the UK plus two weeks in Europe. We put loads on, there was Sigue Sigue Sputnik and the girls in We’ve Got a Fuzzbox at Tiffanys in Newcastle. They were great times.
All the money that we raise now goes towards keeping us on the road, we need petrol and money for repairs after tyres are slashed and windows broken.
Can you see a time when you step back from animal activism?
I can’t see it stopping for me. I’ll always be out protesting or Sabbing. In fact, even if I end up in a wheelchair I’ll get there somehow. I don’t think anything will stop us.
For further information find Geordie Hunt Sabs on social media.
The music world has always had its fair share of myths, legends and hell raising antics. The time Ozzy bit the head off a dove or was it a bat? Well both actually. According to reports one was in record company offices the other was live on stage. He also snorted a line of ants. The list is endless for the Oz.
I came across a gaffer tape incident involving a music journalist and Killing Joke, as I was trying to find out who where and when it happened – if it did! I read a few other short stories with North East connections.
Chas Chandler, (bass) The Animals
Following on from the last post which featured Lemmy and Jimi Hendrix is a short story about Phil Lynott and Chas Chandler. Sadly, both deceased now, Phil and Chas were two of music’s huge characters. A snapshot of their achievements featured in earlier posts on this site. (links at the bottom)
I never saw Thin Lizzy in concert the only time I caught them live was in the studio of live music show The Tube broadcast on Channel Four in 1983. Other bands booked that night were JoBoxers, Thompson Twins and Pat Benatar reflecting the shows policy of booking a diverse range of music.
Guitarist John Sykes led the charge for Lizzy’s blistering performance of Cold Sweat, they played a few more songs including The Boys are Back in Town and if my memory is not too fuzzy a track not broadcast which I think was Whiskey in the Jar?
‘The Rocker – Phil Lynott’ by writer Mark Putterford is packed with stories of Thin Lizzy’s leader and talisman. One that stood out was about the time Lynott came up against a very angry Chas Chandler.
At the time Newcastle born former Animals bassist Chandler was managing a very successful Slade. In 1972 Lizzy supported Slade on their UK tour. A contributor to the book was booking agent Chris O’Donnell who recalls that tour.
‘That Slade tour was a really important one in the development of Lizzy as a live band, and particularly in the overall development of Phil as a performer. It made Phil realise what was expected of him. Slade were huge at the time and they would go on stage and absolutely slaughter the audience night after night with incredibly powerful performances. It was far removed from what Lizzy were doing at the time’ recalls Chris.
On the 22nd Novemberthe tour landed at the Top Rank in Sunderland, tickets were £1.00, however the opening night was at Newcastle City Hall on 3rd.
Chris added ‘On the opening night at Newcastle Phil was standing there mumbling as usual, looking at the floor and being all introverted, and someone threw a bottle at him. This shocked Phil because he thought he’d done a perfectly adequate set. But then Chas Chandler came in the dressing room afterwards and really ripped into the band’.
“Either you wake your ideas up or you’re off the tour. You’re here to warm the kids up not send them to sleep! What the hell doyou think you’re doing standing there looking at the floor? You haven’t even got your act together. Sort yourselves out”.
‘Phil was devastated. He’d never been criticised so directly before, and to hear it from someone as well respected as Chas – the man who discovered his hero Hendrix! – was the worst aspect of all’ added Chris. ‘At the next show the band made a big effort to improve their presentation, and performance wise I don’t think they ever looked back’.
More short stories with a NE connection will be added soon including Jimi Hendrix, The Jam and The Specials.
The end of 2023 is nearly upon us as I post the last blog of the year and coincidentally the 500th since starting in 2017. As well as wishing a great Christmas and New Year it’s a BIG thanks to everyone who took the time out to add their story to the site and all the readers around the world who have made it a success.
I’d also like to mention the recent plaque awarded to The Tube placed on Newcastle’s City Road where the Tyne Tees TV studio used to be. Many North East musicians were inspired by the live music show, Toy Dolls, Kane Gang, Tygers of Pan Tang and Dance Class to name a few got to play live. Plus behind the scenes some of the production staff were Geordies adding an extra Tyneside flavour to the programme.
The influence that The Tube had on me and many other people in the North East can’t be underestimated, so we give a salute to the ground breaking, never to be forgotten, legendary Tube and all who sailed in her.
Finally to close the book on this year it’s over and out from me with al’ the best for 2024!
Phil Lynott, Thin Lizzy, Black Rose tour 1979 Newcastle City Hall. pic Paul White.
Phil Lynott played the cool, sexy, rock star. The hot shot gunslinger with studded wrist band and clenched fist. The Rocker. But he was dead by 36. What happened in the last few years of his life?
Thin Lizzy had been around since the early seventies releasing a number of successful singles including Whisky in the Jar, Rosalie and Waiting for an Alibi, and top 30 chart albums including Black Rose, Renegade and the imperious, Live and Dangerous.
The double album produced by Tony Visconti (Bolan/Bowie/Morrissey) in 1978 reached number 2, staying in the UK charts for over a year. Many critics label the record as one of the greatest live albums.
Although I never saw them in concert, I was in the Newcastle audience when they appeared live on Channel Four’s music show The Tube on 28th January 1983.
I remember watching a blistering version of Cold Sweat from the Thunder and Lightning album. The boys were back in town and at the top of their game. Or so I thought.
In comparison, I later watched a videotape of the show and thought the dressing room interview with Lynott was awkward and dull, he looked fragile. Was this the beginning of the slow decline for the Irish rock legend?
The TV show was only the second appearance of new guitarist John Sykes, formerly of Whitley Bay heavy metal band, Tygers of Pan Tang. His first gig was a few days earlier on BBC’s Sight & Sound concert – talk about being hoyed in at the deep end!
Lynott was more than happy with Sykes. He could see a new future for Lizzy. Cold Sweat entered the UK charts and another TV slot was scheduled for Top of the Pops.
But the band were dropped from the running order after a drunken Lynott was reported to have told the producer to ‘fuck off’ – twice.
Morale was low and cracks appeared amongst the team. Lizzy found themselves slowly falling apart through health and personal reasons. Eventually a split was announced.
1983 UK tour dates
So what was left ? The Thunder and Lightning UK tour included two dates at Newcastle City Hall, with a night at London’s Hammersmith Odeon and a reunion of past Lizzy guitarists, Brian Robertson, Gary Moore and Eric Bell.
“It was chaos” said Bell. “A mess if you listened to what was being played. It was a turning point in my life, after that I never wanted to hear those songs again. I suppose it was a good way of burying Thin Lizzy forever”.
Roadie for the band Peter Eustace explained “On the crew we all thought Phil was scared of success. Once you’ve arrived where do you go? And all you know is that these young guns are breathing down your neck”.
The future, well the ‘80s, belonged to the new chart soundz ! from the likes of Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. While a rejuvenated Queen, and soon to be Irish legends, U2, both benefited from Live Aid. Meanwhile, Lizzy struggled to play a few more dates in Ireland and Japan.
Their last UK show was headlining the Reading festival in August ‘83. The curtain came down on their final live performance in Nuremburg, Germany on 4th September, sharing a bill with Saxon, Motorhead and Whitesnake.
Fellow Irishman and Boomtown Rat songwriter Bob Geldof said “Phil couldn’t imagine a life not in leather trousers, with a limousine taking him to work every day”.
In 1984 a zoned out Lynott appeared on ITV’s Breakfast Show talking about his new band, Grand Slam, but also about his problems as a heroin addict.
He resolved to work hard, in rehearsals he drilled the band for eight hours a day earning him the nickname ‘Sergeant Rock’. Had the thunder returned?
The band toured extensively throughout the UK and what seemed like victory soon turned into disaster as no major label offered them a recording contract. The industry was backing off.
In 1985 old friend Huey Lewis – from the News – spent time with Lynott recording in a San Francisco studio, but the old swagger wasn’t there. A delicate and tired Lynott only managed a couple of vocal tracks.
Although he did manage a UK chart hit in June ‘85 with Out in the Fields when he paired up with another old friend and former Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore. Cutting out management, Lynott made a direct deal with the label and received £5,000 in cash for being on the record.
But his darkest days were ahead with long days and weeks spent at his London home in dressing gown and slippers not answering calls or seeing friends.
Then out of the blue a charity concert was arranged to be played in front of a world-wide TV audience, it was made for the return of Thin Lizzy.
Live Aid saw The Who, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin reforming for a one off gig. But Lynott wasn’t asked. Did fellow Irishman and organiser Bob Geldof stay away knowing of his problems?
Co-organiser, songwriter & former Lizzy touring guitarist, Midge Ure said…
”To our dying shame neither Bob nor I even thought about asking Phil to put Lizzy together for Live Aid. If he had been in a healthy state that could have been the Queen moment for them – ‘The Boys are Back in Town’ – at Wembley? Jesus, can you imagine?“
“Why didn’t we do it? Was it that psychologically we had already given Phil up as gone? It’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life’.
There were rumours that Lynott was to play Jimi Hendrix in a biopic of the guitarists life, but nothing came of it. In the studio he was working on recording solo material.
Phil Lynott’s final public appearance was in December 1985 when he travelled to Tyne Tees TV studio in Newcastle to record a Christmas special for pop programme Razzmatazz, he performed his solo single Nineteen.
Ironically the presenter was David ‘Kid’ Jensen, the DJ who had championed the band in the early seventies. Also on the programme were Slade, who Lizzy had opened for back in the early days. Back when the fight was being won.
At home Lynott was visited by hangers on, pushers and gofers. He ended up surrounded by people, but very alone. In court on a drugs charge he was called ‘a drugs victim and a trajedy’ by his own solicitor. His close friends wondered where did he go? The musician, the poet, the man they loved.
Sadly, on 4th January 1986, Phil Lynott died of kidney, liver and heart failure. One of his close friends said “Phil didn’t die of a heart attack, he died of a lifestyle”.
Alikivi July 2023
Research:
Phil Lynott: The Rocker by Mark Putterford.
Cowboy Song: The authorised biography of Philip Lynott by Graeme Thomson.
Autoleisureland is the new project by former Kane Gang members Dave Brewis and Paul Woods.
The Kane Gang, with Martin Brammer completing the line-up, formed in the former coal mining town of Seaham on the North East coast in 1982, and signed to Kitchenware Records.
The pop soul band notched up several UK and USA hits including Respect Yourself, Closest Thing to Heaven and Gun Law.
I asked Dave and Paul how did the project come about ?
PW: It started a few years ago when Dave was working on his instrumental album.
Every week before we popped out for a pint he’d drop off a new mix or new track. I really liked them and started on lyrics to turn them into songs. It snowballed and I started giving him lyrics and ideas for new ones.
DB: Paul and myself have remained in touch and seen each other regularly over the years since the Kane Gang was active. When I quit lecturing at Gateshead College I was still doing session gigs, but fancied writing again.
I recorded a set of tunes, and Paul thought he would write lyrics, so that got the ball rolling. Before long we were full on writing and recording, something we always enjoyed. So we thought we’d name ourselves and start a band project.
PW: Eventually we came up with the song Autoleisureland and that was the catalyst for the sound we were going for in our heads. Sort of all of our influences coming together.
After that we were off and running. I’ve never enjoyed working on something so much.
Have you a best time for song writing ?
DB: Definitely not in the mornings. A few days a week we work two to three hours at a time in the afternoon on recording.
After that length of time we lose our judgement so we stop, but evenings are when we usually write and that is done separately. Then we exchange ideas and continue. It’s quite efficient as we usually know what we are after. But it can take time.
PW: I tend to have the best ideas at night for hook lines, titles and choruses. Sometimes when I’m listening to some other music and I mishear the lyrics, it sets me on a different train of thought. The rest of the daytime is used for the mundane lengthy task of actually finishing it.
Autoleisureland album released 25 November 2022.
What do you consider for the final running order of the songs on the new album ?
PW: We had a number of catchy songs that kept going, all rather upbeat and positive and we didn’t want to break the mood. So, we didn’t really want a slow number until about the seventh track in.
DB: We start with something upbeat that is representative of the album – Autoleisureland, then try to run four or five strong bangers in a row. Pop in a slow one then kick off again.
We have a few reflective ones but we finish this album with the title track Infiniti Drive, as it bookends with the first track Autoleisureland.
Do conversations ever turn to ‘remember in the ‘80s when this happened’ ?
DB: Yes sometimes. The odd daft thing that happened with taxis, airports, interviews. For me, thinking back to studio work mainly. That was very enjoyable, I think we preferred that side of it.
PW: The Kane Gang was and is a big part of our lives so it’s natural we have some thoughts about it. Obviously, the older you get, the less you remember.
For instance, a few weeks ago a thought came to me and I asked Dave, ‘were we on Soul Train?’. All of a sudden I had a flashback of the dancers and the show’s set. We performed Motortown.
However, on its official website it says we were never on. They mustn’t have used it, I guess.
What does music mean to you ?
DB: Music is a part of my life. I feel somewhat frustrated if I haven’t played or written something for a while. We can create and shape something out of nothing that entertains and feels worthwhile.
PW: This is difficult. For Dave, I believe it’s simpler. He’s a musician. That’s what he studied for, that’s what he practised for, that’s what he does, that’s who he is. He doesn’t think about it. And then there’s me.
When it comes to music I’ve always had imposter syndrome. Never believing I’m good enough to sing, write, record. All the time I was in The Kane Gang I was plagued by that.
It was only until this latest project that I thought, ‘yeah this IS what I do, and I’m going to keep doing it’, so I apologise in advance.
What are your hopes for the new album ?
PW: Who knows anymore. I’m just pleased it’s done, out, finished. I’m prouder of this than anything I’ve done. So I’m pleased it’s out, people can hear it and then we can get more stuff out and even more recorded.
DB: We hope we can reach a lot of people who like this style of music, worldwide. Obviously some Kane Gang fans, but also the people who listen to our contemporaries like Tears for Fears, China Crisis, Prefab Sprout.
And people who like some of the more interesting newer bands. It’s good to try to be fresh but ultimately do what you do.
Autoleisureland is released on 25th November 2022 on all digital streaming and download platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube & Bandcamp.
Ground breaking ‘80s live music show The Tube was broadcast from Tyne Tees studios in Newcastle for Channel Four from 1982 to 1987. The last post featured Wavis O’Shave who appeared regularly on the programme.
For one of the shows some filming was scheduled at the South Marine Park, South Shields and Wavis asked his mate Phil Whale to accompany him. Phil was a miner who lived on the Whiteleas council estate, South Shields.
Wavis: ‘I took Phil with me because he was the leader of the Whiteleas Massive and as a miner pissed off being involved in the Miners Strike. Thought I’d cheer him up!’
Phil Whale: ‘If there is one thing having a mate like Wavis has taught me is to always expect the unexpected. I’ve had hilarious times in his presence and witnessed surreal bizarre events’.
‘At that time Wavis was a regular on the show with his character The Hard who in essence was a delightfully exaggerated alpha male tough guy who was on a quest to demonstrate that he was the hardest guy on the planet’.
The Hard in his Hard backyard, South Shields.
‘I remember feeling excited at the prospect of watching him undertake his TV work, yet also feeling nervous at what he may do to challenge the norms and expectations of those in attendance because that is one of the things that he’s about.
Funnily enough I do remember him having a glint in his eyes’.
‘We met a camera crew all wearing Barbour jackets and talking in middle class accents. Wavis politely explained to them that he was going to present new characters to the cameras such as Mr Ordinary Powder, Mr Starey Oot and a hand puppet scene called the Non Sweary Puppet Show’.
The Tube crew were expecting The Hard to turn up as that character was starting to make a big impression on their viewers. Even the staff in production meetings used to do impersonations of The Hard. But on the day Wavis had other ideas.
Filming Mr Ordinary Powder in the South Marine Park, South Shields.
Phil remembers ‘The director begged him to do The Hard and asked him if he would consider doing six episodes for Channel 4, but Wavey was having none of it stating that the Hard was now consigned to the past and as an artist he wanted to move on’.
‘It was just mental watching Wavis perform these new surreal characters in a public park with Mr Ordinary Powder who was naked apart from a loin cloth, carrying a shopping basket containing a talking loaf of bread, and Mr Starey Oot just staring everyone and everything out – in a manner that the Hard would be proud of’.
‘Mind you the best part of the day had to go to the Non Sweary Puppet Show which involved Wavis hiding behind a wall then up popped glove puppets arguing and screaming at each other that included loud explicit references to sex and constant use of the F word – all in Geordie!
The crew and gathering members of the public stood in a stunned silence at what was happening.
‘Wavis maintained a rock steady face in between takes which added to the surreal nature. I remember experiencing a wide range of thoughts ranging from ‘what the feck this is brilliant’ to ‘Get in Wavis’.
‘At the end of the day payment was discussed with the director, at first Wavis refused money but after haggling was pleased to get a brand new Scotland football strip.’
Phil wraps up his feelings about the day… ‘To cap it all off Wavis asked if I would accompany him to the Tube Studio for the editing. Was he valuing my comedic opinion or was he sticking two fingers up to the producers expectations?’
‘I suppose I will never know but it didn’t matter to me as the experience was priceless. Oh and by the way you won’t be surprised to hear that The Non Sweary Puppet Show didn’t survive the cuts which was a shame but not unexpected’.
It’s reported on good authority that while the Non-Swearies Puppet Show was unsuitable for terrestrial TV broadcast it was a huge favourite in The Tube Office.
‘The Non-Swearies…even I’ve lost the original demo VHS performance’ remembers Wavis.
Autoleisureland is a new project by North East musicians Dave Brewis and Paul Woods, but in the 1980s along with vocalist Martin Brammer, they were with Seaham soul trio The Kane Gang.
Originally signed to Newcastle label Kitchenware Records, they released two albums and scored UK hits in Closest Thing to Heaven, Respect Yourself and Motortown in the USA.
‘When we had London Records promo team the promotion was all over Europe and we always seemed to be going to a TV studio or Radio interview.
We were once booked on the the live BBC teatime show Crackerjack with Stu Francis, other guests were Keith Harris and his duck Orville’.
‘We made a video for most singles and filmed a couple in the USA. Looking back it happened pretty fast – it was surreal at times’ said Dave Brewis.
The Kane Gang’s existence was smack bang in the middle of The Tube’s dominance of live music programming. I asked Dave how did you get the call ?
‘The Tube production team contacted Kitchenware Records to set up special filming for the four bands that were on the labels roster – The Kane Gang, Prefab Sprout, Hurrah! and the Daintees’.
‘Each band was filmed in a different location in Newcastle. We were filmed performing Smalltown Creed in the Barn restaurant at the end of Leazes Terrace and Prefab Sprout were filmed outside the Holy Jesus Hospital on the Swan House roundabout. It was broadcast in November 1983’.
What can you remember of filming your live appearance on The Tube ?
‘In April 1984 we recorded Smalltown Creed and Closest Thing To Heaven. We used live vocals over the instrumental tracks from the finished records that we had just recorded with producer Pete Wingfield’.
‘When broadcast, the balance of the microphones on Smalltown Creed was all over the place and you couldn’t really hear Paul Woods, although it sounded fine in the studio at the time. On Closest Thing To Heaven the vocal balance was fine and the sound was good’.
‘I’d seen this happen to a couple of other bands when I was in the audience in the early days, and it seemed a peril of live TV. It wasn’t unique to Tyne Tees studio’.
‘In November ‘84 we were on live, this time with our full touring band, and the crew got an excellent sound. We did Respect Yourself and Gun Law, and I remember Al Jarreau having a crack live band including Steve Gadd, and David Sanborn was there. Afterwards we may have gone to the pub next door, certainly went to the Big Market for a curry’.
Did nerves play a part in your live appearances ?
‘With the show being live and featuring so much stuff every week we just had to be ready to go whenever we were told, so until we had been on, we couldn’t really mix or relax’.
Did you meet any other musicians backstage or in the studio ?
‘I remember Grandmaster Flash & Co. being incredibly jet-lagged and half asleep on their dressing room floor, and in the corridors. But they did a dynamite performance, it looked great. Jeffrey Osborne was really good live, too’.
‘I remember talking to Roy Wood in the green room on one show. Anyone flying home on a Friday to Newcastle from Heathrow was bound to see a few bands on board’.
You can find most of The Kane Gang performances on the official YouTube channel.
In between YOP schemes and signing on the dole in the 1980s I remember queuing outside Newcastle’s Tyne Tees TV Studio to get free audience ticket’s for live music show The Tube.
The ground breaking programme was broadcast by Channel Four from 1982 to 1987.The 90 glorious minutes had a massive impact on my life.
Talk about pushing boundaries of what live TV can do, this show was run by a Geordie Wrecking Crew creating a bigger blast than anything coming out of London.
TV bigwigs in the South made envious glances towards the North as every Friday Newcastle Airport was chocka block full of top musiciansand celebrities.
You want exciting car crash box office TV ? it’s all here, the Geordie crew really were the ducks nuts. With the launch show planned, Sunderland punks Toy Dolls were brought in to light the fuse – tune in, turn on, blast off.
Over the past couple of years some of the production team have talked on this site about how the North East gained a reputation to produce good music shows, and how influential and important the show would become.
Chris Cowey: ‘The Tube was a real blend of old school Tyne-Tees TV expertise and young whippersnappers like me who was obsessed with music and bitten by the live music thing. I was into DJ’ing, Drama, Theatre which led to my TV break’.
‘My mentor was Producer Malcolm Gerrie, who a lot of people will remember from his Tyne-Tees days. A lot of the same gang of music fans were the nucleus of the production teams for Check It Out, Alright Now, TX45, The Tube and Razzmatazz’.
‘Tyne-Tees already did some good old entertainment shows before my time, like Geordie Scene or What Fettle, but they were obsessed about their ‘Geordieness’. The Tube wasn’t, it was all about good music because we were music obsessed.
It also had a great mix of time served TV people blended together with new people with fresh ideas, and a kind of irreverence which came out in those shows’.
Chris Phipps: ‘I was at the Tube from the start in ’82 till it’s full run to ’87. I joined as a booker and became Assistant Producer from 1985 to 1987′.
‘A band on the first show that I booked didn’t happen. The Who didn’t do it because their pa system got stuck in Mexico or somewhere. Producer Malcolm Gerrie knew Paul Weller’s father and got The Jam to do it.
In a way I’m glad that he did because The Jam playing their last TV gig ever, really said this is what The Tube is all about – that was then, this is now and off we go’.
‘After appearing Fine Young Cannibals got signed, The Proclaimers got signed and there was a time when the Tube crew went to Liverpool to film Dead or Alive. But they weren’t around, someone in a pub told them to go round the corner to another pub where there is a band rehearsing ‘You might be interested in them’. It was Frankie Goes to Hollywood’.
‘The Tube filmed the original version of their single Relax and Trevor Horn saw it. He did the deal and re-recorded and produced the single. Frankie epitomised The Tube and the ‘80s – they got what it was all about’.
Gary talks to Radio One DJ, John Peel.
Gary James: ‘I was one of the original co-presenters on The Tube from Series One, which started on Friday November 5th 1982. I applied along with 5,000 other herberts who all thought they were cool, hip and groovy enough to be TV presenters’.
‘To give the programme a bit of extra thrill they wanted to put some unknown faces alongside the two main presenters Jools Holland and Paula Yates. They certainly achieved that as few of us really knew what we were doing.
It was all live, pre-watershed national networked TV and no second chances’.
‘None of us on the presenter side, perhaps with the exception of Jools and Paula who breezed through it all without a care in the world, could have had any idea that the show would be as seminal as it was.
We certainly knew we were part of the ‘new wave’ and that we didn’t want to be all BBC and Top of the Pops-ish’.
‘The chaos on it was quite genuine and the edginess a result of the fact that for most of the time we were left to get on with what we were doing without any strict direction or guidance to be pros.
I had a good time interviewing Ringo Starr, Eartha Kitt, Tony Visconti, Mickey Finn of T.Rex, John Peel, Kajagoogoo and loads more interesting people who had a part to play in the industry’.
Colin Rowell, Chris Phipps, Michael Metcalf.
Colin Rowell: ‘It was just five years of sheer magic. There was Geoff Brown, Chris Phipps and me sharing an office in Newcastle. They, as producers, had applied for this music television show and asked me if I was interested in joining the team as stage manager’.
‘From years working at Newcastle City Hall I knew the acts, the crews, the managers and they were all glad when they knew a familiar face and voice was going to be there running the stages in the studio’.
‘First off started with two stages, ended up with four and I did the deal with ENTEC who were a big sound company. They ran Reading Festival and owned The Marquee. It was a smooth operation with them providing all the sound and crew.
The PA was flown in (hung from ceiling) off the stage making it easier for cameramen to have floor space and no big speakers in their way’.
‘One time me and Geoff Brown were sent to London to check out Grandmaster Flash. It was the first time The Tube were going to have on stage a set-up of a band playing all the scratchy stuff’.
‘We got to the venue and there was a support band on so we went to a Steak house but it was dreadful and we didn’t eat it so we went back to the venue. The support act were still on and we listened in this time. This was good stuff. It was Paul Young and the Royal Family.’
‘We got back to Newcastle and in a meeting with one of the head guy’s at The Tube, Malcolm Gerrie, I banged the table and said ‘let’s get him on’. And we did. But Malcolm and I felt Paul didn’t get a good crack of the whip first time so we invited him back on again and the rest is history’.
Michael Metcalf: ‘I worked as Personal Assistant to a lot of freelance directors, one of which was Geoff Wonfor who was the husband of Andrea Wonfor, Executive Producer on the Tube’.
‘When the Tube began I continued working with Geoff for the first few years then applied for a vacancy to become a Director and got the job for most of Series Four.
It’s important to remember that at that time we were a bunch of Geordie guys who were working with some amazing people and having the time of our lives’.
‘I remember one trip to New York we hired a helicopter to fly around the Statue of Liberty. I sat in the helicopter alongside the pilot, Geoff was in the row behind and the cameraman was strapped in but hanging out of the side of the helicopter, the door had been taken off’.
‘I had the headset to communicate with the pilot, going down the Hudson, he asked if we wanted to go under or over the bridges, I asked if we could do both, which we ended up doing.
It is hard to imagine getting away with that now but we had the time of our life. Every day the job was an adventure’.
Gary James: ‘Because it was live I only ever saw the programmes I didn’t work on. My parents told me they had recorded shows on VHS tape and did I want them? I stuck them in a box and put them in the attic’.
‘There they stayed for years until I watched them from behind the sofa for the first time. The performances blew me away. I can now finally see what everyone was going on about – but until then I genuinely had no idea’.
Chris Cowey: ‘It was really important that it came from the North-East because of the passion the swagger and total commitment. It’s not just that Geordies like showing off – although they undoubtedly do! – it’s because the history and attitude of the region can be really inspiring, creative and hugely fun. That’s how it worked so well’.
Chris Phipps: ‘You can never bring The Tube back. It’s of its time. Chris Evans on TFI Friday in the ‘90s near enough had it, the set was just like The Tube. So yeah it’s had an incredible influence’.
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Music can spring unexpected surprises when it pulls you in and holds your breath.
It was the early ‘80s when I hired out albums from the local library and sampled songs from bands I’d only read about in Sounds music weekly. There were stacks of misses but big hitters like the first time hearing the sublime poetic lyrics of Leonard Cohen.
‘When I left they were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon. Don’t turn on the lights you can read their address by the moon’.
Or Pete Murphy spitting out white hot haunting claustrophobic tunes from post punk band Bauhaus ‘Yin and yang lumber punch, go taste a tart, then eat my lunch. And force my slender, thin and lean, in this solemn place of fill-wetting dreams’.
Live gig’s also brought surprises, I remember in November 1981 self-proclaimed UK Metal Gods Judas Priest were at Newcastle City Hall primed to deliver the goods.
Before the big boys played with their bigger toys the support band are usually given 40 minutes to say their piece, unfortunately some crumble in front of the headliners crowd, but word shot around ‘the openers are supposed to be canny’.
It was a cold night outside as winter closed in and in the warmth of the ‘Haal’ the lights went down and a few shouts went out.
From the balcony I looked down to see the short, stocky blond haired vocalist plant himself at the front of the stage. Udo Dirkschneider. The leader of the pack.
Sounding like they’ve brought the Panza division with them, the twin guitar attack of German metallers Accept announced their arrival in Newcastle and rock ‘n’ rolled thunder till the end. In the wings Priest looked on, sharpened their set and Rob Halford screamed for vengeance.
My ticket stub from Judas Priest & Accept, Newcastle City Hall 17 November 1981.
‘80s live music show The Tube had something and someone new and fresh every week. Big Country, The Alarm, The Cult, they all made a big, beautiful noise, and a surprise on the programme was Pat Benatar – the little American lady with a huge, huge voice.
On one show a duo delivered power from what at first looked like an unlikely source. A young skinny lad with floppy hair stood ready, at a game of football he would have been the last picked, then on walked someone who could of been a school dinner lady.
The stage was bare – with no drums, no Marshall stacks, no guitars, I was prepared for disappointment. I didn’t catch their name, with only a keyboard and microphone set up – how loud could a synth pop duo go ?
A clunky pop sound fired up, then the voice, and what a voice. Making one of her first TV appearances was Alison Moyet who went on to sell millions of albums, a bucket load of top ten UK hits, a host of singer and songwriter awards, Live Aid, and more, and more, you get the picture – not bad for a dinner lady.
I’ve got a Dolly Parton greatest hits cd on the shelf which I pick out now and then, but recently I’ve been listening to more country & western. Yep the whole pluckin’ banjo hillbilly heartbreak songs – my neighbour even looks like Willie Nelson – here’s to music springing more surprises.
ALIKIVI : NORTH EAST UK CULTURE 