NORTH EAST WRITERS

MAKING PLANS in conversation with former BBC/Generator/Evolution & Honorary Geordie, Sue Wilkinson

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Having taken voluntary redundancy from the BBC after 25 years, Sue’s last job was as TV Development Producer, she is now semi-retired and working freelance.

But during the 90s Sue was involved with the North East music scene working at Generator and managing bands in Newcastle.

I guess I’m a bit of a career chameleon.

Originally born in Liverpool, the family then moved to Manchester where her father was a Graphic Artist.

I picked up my creative side from him. At school there was a group of us reading the music press, I went from listening to poppier sounds of Cat Stevens to serious stuff like Led Zeppelin.

When I completed my A levels punk was just on the cusp and we went to see bands like Buzzcocks and The Adverts at sweaty clubs like Eric’s. I was really into the whole punk thing listening to the Pistols and The Clash.

After University I started work as a Graduate Town Planner with North Tyneside Council. I didn’t have long term plans to stay in the North East but I loved the vibe of Newcastle. Now I’m an honorary Geordie!

My patch was North Shields, Whitley Bay and Tynemouth, things have changed dramatically down the riverfront area, it was fascinating working there.

I also worked at Sunderland Civic Centre and Newcastle on the planning team – this is a weird way of starting to talk about the North East music industry. But I wanted to make a difference in terms of helping communities, living in a better environment, helping people make a better life, and hopefully did that through music.

When I left planning, I started work at Newcastle University in the Centre for Urban and Regional Development, a research unit rather than teaching. Northern Arts funded a project there called Cultural Industries Research Unit, helping communities through the arts.

My colleague James Crawford and I were asked to look at a new project and we chose popular music. Sheffield had been flying the flag providing rehearsal space and studios so we thought we could give that a go as James had been in bands and I loved music.

Plus, I had already written a published article around culture in the North East and done a lot of research around the subject.

We spoke to a few hundred musicians and people who ran recording studios and record labels – small or large. I got to know Kitchenware Records quite well. They were interested because it would be useful to them if the next Prefab Sprout was spotted.

We found there wasn’t enough venues or rehearsal space for bands, they couldn’t get out on tour it would cost an arm and a leg and there weren’t any showcase gigs. Investment was needed to support DIY musicians – they needed a leg up.

We put the findings together and put forward a plan called Sound of the City. This was three events across Tyneside, hundreds of people attended which created more ideas. One was for an umbrella organisation to pull it all together, a one stop shop for support, advice and help – that’s how Generator came about.

The name was perfect because the aim was to generate a profile of the North East music scene which had been non- existent up till then – apart from big names like Sting and Mark Knopfler.

Dave Cross and I met once a month at the Riverside live music venue. What came from our meetings was a need for showcase gigs and working with promoters to develop a venue in their area, we covered the North East and Cumbria.

Generator was there to help musicians kick start their career, we wanted to be central in supporting emerging talent and artists, or just be creative and have better facilities to enjoy what they were doing.

The first event billed as Generator Live Music Explosion was at the Riverside in Newcastle on Saturday 25th January 1992 included Candleman Summer from South Shields, The Hangarounds from Gateshead, Procession from Teesside, Greedsville and This Is This from Newcastle.

The event went on all day generating a lot of press, many thanks to all the sponsors who came onboard donating time, money and facilities.

All of the bands were original not tributes, and although some didn’t get record deals the members went on to do other stuff. Dave Denholm from This Is This ended up in Lindisfarne.

Around 1992 Greedsville fell in my lap (interview with  guitarist Chris Jackson on 22 Feb 2023). I loved them, very creative in their outfits especially Pete Turner the singer. One outfit was a Chinese mandarin hat and shoes with curly toes.

They had their own way of doing things and were always good on publicity and presentation getting a review in Kerrang and local mag Paint it Red. They also had the idea of slotting their cd album into tiger print bags and sending them to press and media.

By now we had been working on Generator a few years and were based in the Black Swan Arts Centre on Westgate Road. We’d publish regular newsletters promoting bands and events including tips for how to plaster your name across the media, developing a press strategy, even make sure you arrive on time for an interview on radio or TV. Basically, how to get on in the music industry.

Bands would submit demo tapes and we’d choose from them what bands to have on the showcase gig, and we were becoming more ambitious adding art, design, films and music seminars.

The more events we put on the more interest we created with label scouts popping into gigs to see what we had. Rather than a regular weekly gig, we spread out the dates of gigs to make them an event.

Northern Exposure was held 11th-19th June 1994 including Profundo Rosso, Crisis Children, Blyth Power and the wonderfully named Delicate Vomit.

The MPS and Musicians Union were involved in the seminars dealing with publicity, royalties and copyright.

We became good at publicity. North East music journalist Ian Penman who sadly is no longer with us, worked for Sounds and other music papers and magazines, he gave us good advice about publicity and how it needed to be spot on.

Generator were really ramping it up and had demonstrated that we were capable of delivering stuff. In 1998 the peak was Sound City, around then Jim Mawdsley came onboard. A week after it ended we were awarded £250,000 from the National Lottery.

We had spent three years talking to BBC Radio One about bringing an event to Newcastle. We worked with the Council to put a document together which included main stage, a number of venues and a Fringe festival, the BBC accepted it.

After my work at the University on the Cultural Industries project, I got some part time work as a researcher at the BBC which I combined with the Generator work.

Looking back, it was around 1999 when I left Generator, I had just run out of steam. After Sound City I went on to work on various music festivals in Newcastle attracting bigger, signed names and by the 2000’s I was at Evolution sponsored by Orange telecommunications.

Paloma Faith (pic Sue Wilkinson).

Iggy Pop was on a bill, we had Amy Winehouse, Paloma Faith, Maximo Park and one year we had Public Enemy on. I remember for their rider we were sent to KFC for forty boxes of chicken – we weren’t very popular with the rest of the customers.

We ended up with expensive headliners with Generator running alongside with showcase gigs for North East bands and arranging music seminars. Evolution went on for years but then Covid put an end to it. We had a great time seeing the audiences enjoying the event.  

Generator still exists today, it embraced the new digital agenda and pushed it really hard. It’s helped create long lasting partnerships and connections across the music sector.

It’s now the UK’s leading music development agency and a beacon for those looking for help with their musical ventures. Something we’re really proud of because it’s made a huge impact on musicians in the region and shone a light on the North East through showcases and events.

It’s been involved in national initiatives, helping influence arts and government policy. Has it been important? You bet.

More information about the work of Generator at the official website:  

Generator: Business Support in music, creative, and tech

Alikivi     March 2023.

WHO WERE THE CRAMLINGTON TRAIN WRECKERS?

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South Shields-based playwright Ed Waugh is appealing for anyone to contact him if they have any information on the Cramlington Train Wreckers.

Ed, whose latest play was the hugely successful Wor Bella, said

“The story is one of high dramatic tension and has become an important part of British history, although largely forgotten”.

“The event happened on March 10, seven days into the 1926 General Strike when striking miners uncoupled a rail on the mainline Edinburgh to London railway” explained Ed.

“The intention was to derail a blackleg coal train they felt was undermining the strike. Unfortunately for the perpetrators, they derailed a passenger train.”

With 281passengers onboard, the volunteer driver had been warned of trouble and slowed down, meaning when the engine and five carriages were derailed, no-one was killed.

“The only injury was minor, most people were treated for shock and bruises” said Ed.

“Were the Cramlington Train Wreckers terrorists or workers trying to defend their livelihoods, family and community against an economic onslaught that took place after the General Strike ended?”

Bob Harbottle, one of the train wreckers. Bob was 21 when he was imprisoned, sentenced to eight years. Bob arrived home in Cramlington on December 23, 1929 – three and a half years into an eight-year sentence. Info & pic courtesy of Samantha Armstrong.

In the magistrate courts eight Cramlington miners were each sentenced for up to eight years, but were released early due to pressure from the trade union rank and file, politicians and the judiciary itself who saw the original sentences as too harsh.

Ed continued “The leader of the wreckers was Bill Muckle who was born in Westoe in December 1900. His father looked after the pit ponies. They lived here until 1902 when they moved to Cramlington. I’d be interested to know if older generation Muckles worked at Westoe”.

A crane lifting the Merry Hampton engine back on track. Photo courtesy of Brian Godfrey.

Such is the interest in the subject, Ed and historian Marie Dooley will address more than 120 people at a public meeting on March 30. Top North East actor/folk singer Jamie Brown will perform songs and recite from Ed’s new play.

The Cramlington Train Wreckers’ meet at The Hub, Manor Walks Shopping Centre, Cramlington, Thursday, March 30, at 2pm and 6.30pm.

Info and tickets (only £2 via Eventbrite) – see link below.

Register on Eventbrite

For more information contact Ed at the official website: ww.wisecrackproductions.co.uk

Alikivi    March 2023.

WHERE WERE YOU IN THE SIXTIES ? with Jools & Paul Donnelly

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North East couple Jools and Paul Donnelly have a huge passion for promoting the North East’s recent cultural heritage, they also run the Handyside Arcade publishing company, and the Club A’Gogo dance events named after the famous Newcastle venue.

From 1962-68 Club a’Gogo hosted a number of amazing gigs from legendary bands The Who, The Animals, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, plus from America – Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson and John Lee Hooker.

‘We successfully lobbied Newcastle Council for a heritage plaque at the site of Club a’Gogo – we are incredibly proud of this. We’ve also published our first book ‘Club a’Gogo & The Mod Scene of 1960s Newcastle’ which is on sale now, more books are planned’.

Both Jools and Paul are passionate collectors of 60s mod culture which includes vintage clothing, shoes, magazines, records and books, now the couple have combined their extensive collection for an exhibition held in Newcastle City Library.  

I asked Jools what was the catalyst for the exhibition?

It actually came from two sources, last year we visited the Punk No.1 exhibition at Newcastle City Library and this year we were in London for a private viewing of Contemporary Wardrobe, a supplier of costumes to the film and music industry.

This huge collection of vintage clothing is owned by former mod and stylist Roger K Burton. Roger has done a number of exhibitions and we were so inspired we thought we could do that.

I asked Paul what’s the response been to the exhibition?

Amazing, and to be honest far better than we expected. We’ve done regular ‘meet and greet’ events at the library – next one is Saturday March 11th from 2-4pm, where people can chat with us about the exhibition and share their memories of those glory days.  

People have brought their own memorabilia to show us, it’s been a fantastic experience. We’ve also had a good turn out from a younger generation who have been fascinated by how cool the youths of the North East were back then.

Lots of original mods and Club a’Gogo members have turned up to see the exhibition, they’ve shared their stories of seeing the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Who and of course The Animals.

We’ve encouraged them to come along to our monthly Club a’Gogo Dance Party events where I play the Club a’Gogo sounds on vinyl.

What next for the exhibition?

This ends on 31 March 2023 and we are aiming for more exhibitions. Our next one is early 2024 that will celebrate the history of the Handyside Arcade.

(The sorely missed Arcade was a glass roofed horseshoe shaped building which housed a number of independent and alternative shops including Kard Bar. It was also the place where tribes of young people – mods, hippies, punks – would meet and hang out on weekends).

Jools added….We want to highlight the Arcades importance and promote the North East’s sub cult heritage.

For more info check the official website:

It’s my life… An exhibition of Mod & 60s culture FREE ENTRY | Club a’Gogo (clubagogo.co.uk)

To buy the Club a’Gogo book visit:

Club a’Gogo & The Mod Scene of 1960s Newcastle | Club a’Gogo (clubagogo.co.uk)

For more information about Club a’Gogo events visit

Mod club | Club a’Gogo (clubagogo.co.uk)

Alikivi   March 2023.

FOOTBALL BLOODY FOOTBALL

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Part one of a conversation with author & former Newcastle United footballer, Paul Ferris.

Paul Ferris outside St James’ Park, Newcastle (pic Irish Times).

Football is all about sticking the ball in the back of the net.

My first and only goal for Newcastle was at the Gallowgate end against Bradford in the League Cup. There was a deafening noise as the crowd banged on the metal advertising boards.

As we celebrated Neil McDonald came over to me and asked ‘are you alright’? I swear I couldn’t breathe. The sound of the ball hitting the back of the net is beautiful.

Paul Ferris was born in 1965 in Lisburn near Belfast, Northern Ireland. Living with his Catholic family on mostly a Protestant housing estate, he survived a childhood that was framed by Irelands dark but recent past.

It was my mum who said you need to go across the water, there’s nothing here for you. She just wanted the best for me. I left in October 1981 right in the middle of the IRA hunger strike, it was a very toxic time.

As a professional footballer and physiotherapist Paul had an 18- year career at Newcastle United. Between 1981 and 1985 he was the youngest ever first team player and in 1993 he joined the medical staff where he stayed until 2006. He was also part of the management team in 2009.

As physio I was there under Cox, Keegan, Robson, Dalglish, Gullit, Souness but left when Roeder came in as I was committed to do my Law work – but that’s another story for another time.

In 2018 his best-selling memoir The Boy on the Shed was published to critical acclaim, and the follow up The Magic in the Tin, about his fight with prostate cancer, was released in 2022. (links below).

Both my books have been non-fiction memoirs and have done well, but now I’m currently writing a fictional book.

We’ll find out more of Paul’s writing career in part two, but here he talks candidly about his time as a professional footballer.

When I was a kid in Northern Ireland in the 70s, I only knew one Newcastle fan and that was Kieran my brother-in-law, he told me all about players like Malcolm McDonald, David Craig and Liam McFaul.

It was mostly Liverpool or Manchester United supporters – that was the George Best connection as he was a Belfast boy. I was a Liverpool fan so Kevin Keegan was without doubt the first football hero that I had.

I used to go and watch the Home Championship games cos that’s when you got to see the big players. At Windsor Park in Belfast, I couldn’t see much being small so I would take a stool to stand on to see players like Kevin Keegan.

You see lists of greatest ever players and some of them he’s not even in, when I think he most definitely was one of the best.

My very first team I signed for was Bolton at 14, that was the team of Peter Reid and Sam Allardyce. It was for two years with a guaranteed apprenticeship but the management got sacked and I ended with nowhere to go.

I was playing for the Irish under 18 youth team and they mentioned two teams I should try out for – Everton and Newcastle. But didn’t enjoy my time in Liverpool so came to Newcastle where it was more friendly. At least they said hello to you in the street.

It was still a wrench leaving. There were flights only two days a week and a pay phone in the hall of my digs – it felt a long way from home.

Newcastle boarding a plane for Bermuda in 1985. Paul in the centre of the photo with Paul Gascoigne (and prize mullet) on his right (pic Evening Chronicle).

In 1982 I was 16 and made my Newcastle debut away from home, my home debut was against QPR in the second division. 14,000 people at a run-down stadium with a city in the doldrums and a lot of economic hardship and unemployment.

Then manager Arthur Cox signed Kevin Keegan who was twice European footballer of the year. I remember the assistant coach telling the team who we’d signed, we all said ‘f*** off, no chance!’ But then he arrived, as a shy lad it was quite daunting to see your boyhood hero.

He was not only a great footballer and charismatic, but he transformed the whole outlook of the city. He also gave it a boost when he came back as manager and won promotion in 1993.

Newcastle manager Arthur Cox was great, he was honest and straight with you, just no nonsense really. But he had the sensitivity as well and asked me how my parents were doing because he knew I was a young boy away from home.

Even now in his 80s he contacts me to ask how I’m doing as he knows I’ve had some health issues. He’s also read both my books which he enjoyed.

Some great footballers came to St James’ Park. I remember watching a European cup night and Newcastle were playing French side Bastia who included Johnny Rep.

The Dutch team of ’74 was a big part of my awakening to great footballers. On TV you would see Johan Cruyff, Johnny Rep and Neeskins. Football was better to watch in those days there was more chances created, more jeopardy in the game.

When I was young, I was told to hug the touchline, get the ball, take the full back on and take him on again, then get the ball in the box. You might lose the ball few times but it was exciting to watch.

Paul scoring his only goal for Newcastle United (pic The Times).

On my debut as a 16 year old we were playing Blackburn away and I replaced Chris Waddle. As I ran onto the pitch the crowd were singing my name. I got so excited taking on the full back he took the ball off me and a few passes later it ended in a goal for them. We got beat 4-1.

Coaching has changed now, players are told not to take people on because losing the ball is a risky business, better to pass and move keeping possession.

During the 1980s football entered its dark days with hooliganism on the rise. One time Newcastle where at Leeds. Today you have a coaching staff and kit men, but back then I was 13th man and responsible for carrying the kit in to the ground.

We were walking into Elland Road and the police officers were holding back the baying Leeds fans. The noise was deafening. We nearly got inside when a fist came out of the crowd and smacked me in the mouth. I got in the changing room with blood all over. I was told it was pointless reporting it to the police as I couldn’t identify who threw the punch.

During the game Kevin Keegan was taking a corner when he got hit on the head with a coin. Both teams were taken off, in the end the police told us to get out there and finish the game or there’ll be hell on.

So at the end of the 90 minutes we quickly got in the changing room, showered and left. As the coach was leaving we took the first corner and a brick comes through the window.

Read part two of Football Bloody Football where Paul talks about his writing career, Bobby Robson, nights out with Alan Shearer and what he thinks of Newcastle United now.

Alikivi   February 2023

Link to books:

The Boy on the Shed
The Magic in the Tin

TYNE DOCK ON THE TELLY

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The first post of 2023 looks at TV and Film productions using South Shields locations. The latest being TV cop drama series Vera, starring Brenda Blethyn with her fake Geordie accent. Gateshead born Jill Halfpenny shudda’ been a shoo-in for that role.

And not forgetting an episode of Inspector George Gently with Martin Shaw filmed in the Rose & Crown pub at Holborn docks. Back in the ‘90s Catherine Cookson films were shot along the riverside and scenes from an episode of Spender starring Jimmy Nail were set up on the South pier.

Rewind further to the 1970’s and BBC TV series When the Boat Comes In, created by local Shields lad James Mitchell, they used The Customs House building at the Mill Dam as a backdrop.

But I remember in 1982 when a convoy of film trucks landed in South Shields. To be precise, Devonshire and Porchester Street in the Tyne Dock area of the town, and there was not one, but two projects filmed there. Those days I lived just two minutes away so took the chance to see the action.

There was BBC TV series Machine Gunners and a film called Ascendancy starring Julie Covington, who alongside Rula Lenska, had featured in popular ITV series, Rock Follies.

In March 2021 I interviewed Punishment of Luxury vocalist & actor Brian Rapkin, where he talked about his music and acting career on North East productions. So I recently got in touch and asked him about it…

‘Yes it was 1982 when I had a part as a Polish officer in Machine Gunners for the BBC. I was acting in a speaking part for the first time ever, and I remember being very nervous and excited.’

Brian was in demand during the ‘90s, as well as the aforementioned Catherine Cookson films, he worked in Newcastle on the TV series Byker Grove with Jill Halfpenny and Ant and Dec ‘They were just kids then’. He also featured in Spender starring Amanda Redman and Jimmy Nail ‘Mr Nail knew the actors were on tenterhooks so he chivied the crew along, that helped my nerves’.

I remember a few nights nipping over to Porchy watching Ascendency being filmed. I have a hazy memory of huge lights shining on a scene where a family were dragged out of a house in pyjamas and nighties and put up against the wall by armed soldiers. I haven’t been able to find any copies of the film to check the scene, or if it made the final cut.

Unfortunately I was still at school so a bit busy during the day, but straight after the bell I went to Porchy to see what was happening in Machine Gunners. I remember where one scene a milkman with his horse and cart was delivering bottles, and shouting at a group of kids ‘Where you going now’. Funny what sticks isn’t it?

Other locations in South Shields were used in the Gunners, one of them was Westoe School. I can’t remember exact details – wey it was over 40 years ago – but at the time of filming half the houses in Porchy were empty, and not long after the crew left, the street was knocked down. Devonshire is still there today.

Alikivi   January 2023.

GEORDIE PLAYS book launch at Newcastle City Library

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Held on Saturday November 26th by North East playwright & theatre producer Ed Waugh (Dirty Dusting, Hadaway Harry, Sunday for Sammy), the event in Bewick Hall will be a celebration of fantastic stories about working class heroes from Tyneside.

“I’m really excited about this. It’ll rock. There’ll be Geordie songs, stories, and a video link – it’ll be great crack” said Ed

The Harry Clasper, David & Glenn McCrory and The Great Joe Wilson stories were successful stage plays in their own right, now the scripts have been compiled together and released into one book – Geordie Plays.

Harry Clasper’s story follows his journey from working class pitman in Jarrow to rowing Champion of the World.

North East singer and song writer Joe Wilson chronicled working class life in song including the Geordie classic Keep Yor Feet Still Geordie Hinny.

“North East actor Jamie Brown who starred in both plays Hadaway Harry and the Great Joe Wilson will be singing some Geordie songs at the event”.

“We have the top journalist and sportswriter John Gibson coming along, he will regale us with stories about Glenn McCrory’s rise to boxing world champion stardom and the inspiration he got from his severely disabled brother David”.

“We’ll also have a video link to the three plays’ director Russell Floyd” explained Ed.

Some may know of Russell from his time acting in UK theatres and TV shows including Eastenders and The Bill.

“There’s also a special 5-minute video by Canadian, Kas Wilson, talking about what it means to be Joe Wilson’s great-grand-daughter”.

“I would like to give my thanks for continued support to all audiences, supporters, organisers – everyone involved in making this happen”.

The launch is on Saturday, November 26th 6pm, Bewick Hall, Newcastle City Library.

Tickets only £4 available from:

 Alikivi   November 2022

AS I SEE IT with North East punk fanzine creator & photographer Will Binks (part 1)

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I know doing a fanzine wasn’t exactly momentous historically, however it was our small involvement in our local scene. It might not be important to everyone, but it was very important to some.

Will Binks at home in South Shields aged 16 in 1982.

After leaving school in 1982 Will was looking to contribute to the punk scene on Tyneside…

I never possessed natural talent or had the opportunity to play an instrument, I was never gonna be a vocalist by any stretch of the imagination.

Thinking back, I don’t think my parents had the kind of disposable income to fork out on a guitar, amp or drums. Times were tough back then as anyone from that era can confirm.

But I did have an admiration for the Sunderland fanzine Acts Of Defiance which I bought from The New Record Inn next door to the infamous Old 29 pub in Sunderland where many bands played. I would read the copies enthusiastically and wondered if I could do something similar.

Will set about typing stuff out using his sister’s typewriter.

I would be creative using Letraset or permanent black marker pens with stencils. I would cut pieces out of the weekly music paper Sounds and daily newspapers to create collages or backgrounds by gluing them together. Back then ‘copy and paste’ meant using scissors and adhesive!

For a name I saw ‘Hate And War’ in a magazine, that would fit perfectly across the top of an A4 sheet of paper. I cut it out and it looked great, so that was that sorted.

Obviously we didn’t endorse hate or war – quite the opposite in fact. To us it was just a great song by The Clash, and it was completely by chance that I found that cutting and it fit perfectly.

Were you working alongside anybody to produce the fanzine?

During that period I was very close with my cousin Paul Briggs. We would arrange to meet bands or write to those further afield with postal interviews. Basically I’d send them a bunch of questions and they’d reply with their answers in a week or two.

What bands did you feature?

We featured bands like Vice Squad, Dead Kennedys, U.K. Subs, The System, External Menace, Riot Squad, The Adicts, Instant Agony, and lots more.

We also focused heavily on local North East talent such as Uproar, The Fiend, Psycho Faction, Total Chaos, Toy Dolls, Sadistic Slobs, Public Toys, Negative Earth, Red Alert and tons of others.

Front cover for the first issue of Still Dying.

The next hurdles to overcome were how to get it financed and printed.

We were just kids relying on pocket money so things didn’t look good. Then I mentioned it to my grandmother who worked as a cleaner at the police station in South Shields.

I think the office staff turned a blind eye when she photocopied the odd knitting pattern but I’m grinning remembering that before anyone turned up on a morning my grandmother photocopied our fanzine in the police station offices.

She must’ve had some bottle knowing that getting caught could cost her the job she loved.

How many issues of the fanzine did you put out?

We put out two issues of Hate And War. Admittedly, they were basic and primitive but I mentioned this recently to my mate Nelly, he pointed out that ‘our whole punk scene was basic and primitive‘ – it’s nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about.

We set about a third issue including interviewing Total Chaos at the Bier Keller in Newcastle where I crossed paths with Gary Payne. When I said wor – Geordie slang for ‘our’ – Paul had lost interest, he suggested going into cahoots with him.

He even had the new fanzine name and first front cover assembled –  Still Dying was born. If Hate And War was basic and primitive then Still Dying was a bar or two higher as we raised our game.

Where did you sell copies of the fanzine ?

We sold lots by taking them to gigs at places like The Station in Gateshead and The Bunker in Sunderland. We’d ask folk if they fancied buying a fanzine and before we knew it they were gone. We had some for sale in Volume Records in Newcastle and lots were sent out by mail-order too.

I’m guessing we got about 200 of each issue printed and they all sold. The two issues of Hate And War sold for 10p, and Still Dying was a bargain at 20p.

My grandmother helped again by getting the first issue of Still Dying photocopied. We put out three issues of Still Dying during 1983 which I’m still proud of.

The second issue was printed by a lad called Ian, who did Testament Of Reality fanzine and owned his own photocopier. The third and final issue was printed by our friend’s sister who did Edition Fanzine.

By the end of that year Gary bowed out saying he’d completed what he set out to achieve and left me to forge on. My intentions were to continue but it wasn’t the same, so I gave everything we had typed out with all the artwork for our proposed fourth issue to a lad called Marty.

It featured in his fanzine ‘Remember Who We Are’. After that, I did pursue a short-lived tape label before stepping back altogether.

Interview with The Adicts from issue three.

Do you think the fanzine had an impact on those who bought it ?

In recent years some folk have told me that they still own the issues they bought back in 1983. They’ve kept our little fanzine for nearly four decades, so it must’ve left some impression on them. I’ve heard good comments over the years and even the suggestion that we should resurrect it.

Next up read As I See It part two with Will Binks talking about his passion for photography.

Alikivi   October 2022.

GOOD TO KNOW THERE’S STILL A LITTLE MAGIC IN THE AIR

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When I was younger in the ’70s the first time I heard the Queen song Brighton Rock it was an absolute humdinger with guitar ‘n’ drums blistering through a tunnel melting me ears – there was magic in the air alright.

Reaching that euphoric moment when you want a song to instantly repeat is a fantastic feeling.

Music also has an incredible power to pick you up, light a fire in yer belly and head off any shit storm coming your way. And there are plenty hard times ahead courtesy of the snivelling Tory party shovelling shit hot off the shovel.

When are some grown up’s gonna take over?

But how has music affected me ? Music has always been there it’s been a constant through my life. Looking back my early listening days were a great comfort and education. My first lesson was hearing my mams Country & Western records on the stereo in the sitting room.

I have two older brothers and a sister, one brother was an apprentice chippie (joiner) and our house needed extra room so his woodworking skills created a partition to make extra bedrooms where they would turn on and turn up their record players for my second lesson.

The eldest brother would be playing Dylan or Neil Young, the chippie would be Queen or Elvis Costello, and coming out of my sisters room was a collection of pop singles  – I would sit on the stairs and listen to an eclectic mix of music for young ears.

Fast forward to today where I don’t download music, for my fix I visit the South Shields market and charity shops who have an ever increasing stock of cd’s. There’s a buzz to who you might find. The latest booty has included Country & Western compilations. One day when I was searching through a rack there was an old feller next to me, I said to him…

‘These aren’t in alphabetical order so hopefully I might hit lucky and find something by Tammy Wynette’, he shot back ‘Best get the ferry over to North Shields there’s plenty of Country and Western in their charity shops, they love their twang’.

Would the music of today provide an education as strong as those bands I listened to back in the day ? In 30, 40 or 50 year time would Ed Sheeran and all the others who, make radio adverts sound interesting, be remembered ?

It’s said that some things are best left broken, I can agree with that, but in times of extreme worry or stress it’s comforting to know that music is always there in the background ready to step in if needed – it’s good to know there’s still a little magic in the air.

Alikivi  September 2022.

LISTEN IN with Lilly Moon from Tyneside’s Hive Storytellers

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It was late 2012 when Hive community radio station started broadcasting on-line out of Tyneside’s Jarrow Hall.

Over the years they took on a number of projects including a new audio drama group who obtained Lottery funding and found a base in Jarrow’s Perth Green Community Centre – Hive Storytellers was born in September 2019.

But when the Covid 19 pandemic hit in 2020 the on line station lost all funding and community contracts, fortunately the group managed to survive the lockdowns by meeting on zoom once a week.

With the radio station closed the Hive Storytellers continued to create new projects and produce a number of audio plays for podcasts on Spotify, Apple and other feeds.

With over 2,500 listeners worldwide, the plays covered local Tyneside stories using a mix of fact and fiction.

Rule 55 is a play based on a rail disaster at St Bede’s Junction, Jarrow in 1915. It was written by Lilly Moon from South Shields and Jarrow born Lorna Windham.

Lilly talked about the inspiration for the story…

“I was talking to fellow Hive Storyteller John Caffery one day when he mentioned that his Grandfather was involved in a train disaster at Jarrow. It peaked my interest so I done a bit of research then talked to Lorna about it and we agreed to do something about this hidden story”.

“The project gathered momentum and not only did we write an audio drama, we also put together an exhibition for Bede’s World in Jarrow.

We also spoke to A19, the local railway club about this tragic accident who ended up making a diorama model of the train crash, we were very grateful, it was totally unexpected”.

“On the opening night of the exhibition we invited the South Tyneside Mayor and Reverend of the local church St Pauls, she done a blessing. Newspapers and TV crews came and some family members of people who died in the train crash. It was lovely as they met for the first time.

We’ve worked on a number of projects now and the local history stories go down really well with the audience”.

The St Bede’s Junction Rail Disaster story will be covered in the next post.

What are you working on now?

“Lorna and I are working on a new series of stories of mystical characters, she has created the characters and we’ve recorded them. They are put on the Woodland Audio Trail at the Lady of the North, Northumberlandia in Cramlington”.

“As people go round the trail they scan a QR code onto their phones that are on the listening posts and hear the stories we’ve recorded. It’s done really well over the summer holidays and we are producing another in November. We’ve had some fantastic feedback”.

For more information contact:

hive_radio_storytellers@outlook.com

Hive Radio Storytellers – Home | Facebook

Alikivi  September 2022

IT’S GRIM UP NORTH

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Newcastle’s Lit & Phil Celebrate Anniversary of Hadrian’s Wall

Lit & Phil, Newcastle, built 1825.

Just two mins from Central Station, Newcastle’s prestigious Lit & Phil historical library are hosting an evening of comedy fun as part of their celebrations to mark the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian’s Wall upon which the library stands.

A radio sitcom pilot written by Ed Waugh (Sunday for Sammy, Christmas in the Cathedral) and Trevor Wood, which was first broadcast on BBC Cumbria in 2011, will have a script-in-hand read through in October.

Kay Easson, Lit & Phil Librarian, is responsible for bringing the laughter to the library on Westgate Road.

“Ed and Trevor have contributed to our cultural heritage with their impressive canon of professionally produced plays that include international comedy hits Dirty Dusting and Waiting for Gateaux, as well as more serious national successes Maggie’s End and The Revengers.”

Kay added “Hadrian’s Wall is an incredible part of North East history and culture so it was a no brainer staging a read-through of their excellent, irreverent but funny radio play about Hadrian cutting the tape to officially open the wall -it’s really daft!”

Jamie Brown, who recently completed a hugely successful tour as Harry Clasper in the one-man show Hadaway Harry – written by Ed – will direct the 40-minute piece that is set in AD 126 as the wall is being constructed.

“Ed and Trev have always had a distinctive voice and perspective on things and it’s wonderful they are collaborating again on this project. Their observations and humour strike a chord with audiences young and old, so I can’t wait to get It’s Grim Up North on its feet”.

“Having read the script and started to assemble an hilarious cast – audiences are in for a proper belly laugh or two”.

Tickets for It’s Grim Up North, which starts 7pm on Friday, October 28, 2022 cost £6/£8.

Visit  https://www.litandphil.org.uk/events/it-s-grim-up-north-a-script-in-hand-performance-of-a-classic-north-east-sitcom or telephone the Lit & Phil on (0191) 232 0192.

Alikivi   September 2022