NWOBHM

SCOTTISH ROCKS with WinterStorm Artist Liason, Mark Robinson

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Once an act has been booked for the WinterStorm Rock Weekender Mark is effectively the main point of contact.

It can be as simple as answering basic queries such as how far the band hotel is from the venue, to arranging UK entry requirements for bands that are coming in from abroad.

I sometimes end up being taxi driver taking them to and from the airport or hotel, which can be quite surreal at times when you realise you have just had an in depth chat with one of your childhood heroes.

pic by Andrew West

WinterStorm in Troon, Ayrshire sits on the beautiful Scottish coast and attracts bands and fans from across the globe.

Audiences literally do travel from all over the world to attend WinterStorm, although in many ways it still feels that we are Scotland’s best kept secret.

We get regular attendees from all over the UK as well as Europe, but we’ve also had people from Central and South America explained Mark.

Robb Weir, Tygers of Pan Tang. pic John McBean

We’ve always tried to offer something for everyone with a nod to the original wave of NWOBHM as well as the newer bands coming through and the more established acts.

There’s been some exceptional acts over the years – personal highlights were standing spellbound watching Bernie Torme and Uli Jon Roth, but for sheer energy, music and stage presence I would have to go with HEAT who were then fronted by Erik Gronwall.

We’ve also had Magnum, Skid Row, Quireboys, Ricky Warwick, Tygers of Pan Tang, Praying Mantis, Tyketto, Bernie Marsden, Diamond Head, Pete Way, Dead Daisies, Wayward Sons, Girlschool to name just a few.

Chantel McGregor

Having been involved with music for many years, Mark has a very eclectic taste…

Current listens include Chantel McGregor, Runrig, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Pink Floyd, Marillion and The Brink. The last gig I attended was the Scottish M2tM heat in Edinburgh.

It’s also important to recognise that every big band now was a small band once, and if we don’t support our local venues then these bands will have nowhere to play and develop, so get yourself along to Newcastle Trillians or wherever is local to you that has live music on and support it.

In the seven years WinterStorm has been operating Mark remembers a stand out performance…

I think the performance that most surprised our audience -although not me – was Blues guitarist Chantel McGregor as not many of the crowd knew her.

To see her bring a packed hall to absolute silence was almost mesmeric – you could literally have heard a pin drop, the applause was thunderous!

But it’s important to recognise and acknowledge that WinterStorm simply couldn’t function without the team behind it – I’m just a small cog in a big picture. Although it was initially Ian McCaig’s brainchild that came into being after talking with Jim Kirkpatrick from FM and Steve Strange.

I often hear people say that it’s ‘a family’ and it very much feels like that, with a very friendly and supportive team of volunteers ensuring that all our guests are well looked after.

The Sound teams, stage crew, bar team, the ‘Stormtroopers’, particular shout outs must go to Team Angus, Simon, Johnny and Claire.

I’ve never heard anyone who has attended WinterStorm say they didn’t enjoy it, and this applies to band members and audience.

WinterStorm 2023.

This year with an extra night, acts booked so far include Michael Schenker, Massive Wagons, Focus, Russ Ballard, Paul Di’Anno, Tygers of Pan Tang & Praying Mantis – and all compered by Tom ‘Godfather of Rock’ Russell and Pete K Mally.

It’ll be a best of the first seven years, bringing down the curtain on our opening chapter. We’ll be back next year with a refreshed WinterStorm providing a new direction and experience on the UK music scene.

Mark added…We’ve always promoted an inclusive event and environment where all attendees can feel part of something special, I think this is reflected in the number of repeat bookings that we get before any of next year’s acts are announced, and the number of bands that get back in touch asking for a return date as they’ve had such a good time.

For further information and tickets contact the official website:

WinterStorm Rock Weekender | Troon Scotland | Annual Rock Music Festival

Alikivi  2023

THE GREAT NORTH EAST METAL RAID – Satan, Raven, Tygers of Pan Tang & Mythra

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Don’t know if you’ve noticed but lately Tyneside’s metal bands are warming up ready to hoy the whole kit and caboodle into the pot, taking everything with them and leaving nowt and no one behind. Are you ready for the Great North East Metal Raid?

They first plugged in around the 1970s and never in a million years did they think they would still be dancing with the devil 50 years later. So a quick update on where they are now and what they are doing is in order.

Firing off instant messages and communicating directly to followers on social media is used to full effect by the Tyneside Metal Raiders with a message from Raven loud and clear…‘The album has to be all killer no filler, no messin’ around with 19 minute epics, its smash yer face in with an ice pick. The title sums up everything we do. We wanted to tear it up, which is what Raven are all about’.

The forthcoming album from the Godfathers of Thrash, ‘All Hell’s Breaking Loose’ is released on 30th June 2023. Contact for sales, tours, photos & info: Raven | Official Raven Lunatics Website

After releasing three singles ‘Back for Good, Fire on the Horizon’ and the epic, ‘Edge of the World’, Tygers of Pan Tang officially release their ten track album ‘Bloodlines’ on 5th May 2023.

‘A week after its release we’ll be celebrating Bloodlines at the Nordic Noise Festival on 12th May in Copenhagen with our record company who are of course, based in … Copenhagen. They have promised us that the drinks are on them’.

Contact for sales, tours, photos & info: Tygers Of Pan Tang – The Official Site

After six albums and countless UK & European tours, battle hardened Satan reached out to the United States again this year.

‘After kicking off the Hell’s Decibels tour at the legendary Whiskey a Go-Go on the Sunset Strip in April, Satan had a blast touring the USA with Night Demon and Haunt. You guys were a pleasure to work with, brothers forever and a piece of my heart will be with you until the end of time’.

Satan frontman, Brian Ross

Contact for sales, tours, photos & info:

SATAN

Mythra are one of the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands. They recorded their legendary ‘Death & Destiny EP’ in 1979.

‘The new album ‘Temples of Madness’ is out now and has been available in Brazil and USA for a week or so. We’ve started to sell them through our on line shop and business is pretty brisk’.

Contact for sales, tours, photos & info: Home | Mythra (bigcartel.com)

Alikivi  April 2023.

SPEED KINGS in conversation with Newcastle music tutor & former XLR8R guitarist, Ed Box

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XLR8R in 1992 Martin Douglas (top), Al Barnes (bottom), Simon Douglas, Mark Savage, Ed Box (middle).

Following on from Clive Jackson’s interview (Slice of Life, 22 Feb 2023) this post looks at the 90s music scene in Newcastle and focuses on guitarist Ed Box.

Originally born in Kendal, Cumbria, Ed moved to Newcastle in 1988 to study Popular Music – a big year in Ed’s life as he ended up making his home in the Toon.

But his pivotal year was 1979… That’s when I was drawn to music. First album I bought was Replicas by Gary Numan & Tubeway Army, while my older brother was recording songs off the Friday Rock Show on BBC Radio One.

Also that year, heavy bands like Rainbow, Motorhead and Judas Priest were getting on Top of the Pops. These were my gateway bands.

For me that was the start of heavy metal and then NWOBHM formed. The passion and energy in the music was a window to the outside world to a boy from out in the sticks in Cumbria. Then I got a guitar for Christmas 1980 – and away I went.

With some friends from Newcastle college, we formed XLR8R (pronounced Accelerator), and started writing songs. I knew it would take a lot of patience, practice and dedication but I was prepared for that.

We started to gig regularly around the Newcastle area. A buzz was going around and the gigs were getting packed out. We were members of North Tyneside Music Collective at Buddle Arts Centre in Wallsend, they organised gigs at venues like the Old Eldon Square during the summer.

Every band around then were doing demo tapes, Greedsville, who you interviewed a few weeks ago, were busy in the studios. XLR8R recorded three, one of them got demo of the month in Kerrang and a bit of interest from a label but that fell through. So we put our money together, made an independent album and got it pressed on CD.

We heard there was a music collective over in Deckham village in Gateshead that had a studio so we joined up. A guy called Gary Clennell ran that and set us up on a cheap studio rate. £30 per day was a lot less expensive than the others charging over £100 a day.

We spent six days doing four tracks. They were all done on reel to reel half inch tape, I think it was a 16-track desk. We designed our own covers and used the Print on Tyne shop for typesetting. We would make fold out covers with pictures and credits on, just trying to make the tapes look interesting. Pretty naïve, but a start.

Our next tape was recorded in Linx Studio, that was run by Tony Bray (Venom drummer) and Eric Cook (Venom manager) previously owned by Brian Johnson (Geordie, AC/DC). They had a 24-track using two-inch tape. This was a step up in quality, the engineer was Kev Ridley who also sang in Newcastle bands For Gods Sake and Skyclad.

Our third demo was in Trinity Heights, what happened was Tygers of Pan Tang manager Tom Noble got us a deal recording in the studio with the owner Fred Purser, who was ex-Tygers guitarist.

Linx studio was good but Fred’s was another step up, with his experience of being in the band and working in studios in London gave us a lot of confidence and pushed us on. After we had recorded the first track, we played it back and it sounded great, really polished, really pleased with it – if you’re reading this, thanks Fred!

Arch Stanton album cover.

In 1996 I was still in XLR8R when ex-Greedsville guitarist Clive Jackson got in touch. He had made a three-track solo demo and was offered a radio session on BBC Newcastle. There was also label interest but they were looking for a band not just a solo performer.

So, Clive got a band of solid musicians together who we knew had been on the 90s Newcastle scene. We went in and played the session at the BBC, then recorded a few more tracks and done a gig as Arch Stanton.

Things were coming together when Sue Wilkinson from local music agency Generator got involved, Sue was also Greedsville manager. She got us some Lottery funding to go into a studio and make a four-track demo.

Sue also got us some local TV coverage on BBC North East News and a brief clip on the National Lottery Show. Another band around then called Undergroove, got a slot on East Coast Main line.

Over a two year period we done around 15 gigs, we played on the Twang Nights at The Bridge Hotel which was promoted by music agency, Bright Orange Biscuit, I remember they also did work with Uncle Sam’s Studio in Newcastle.

Sadly, Arch Stanton came to an end, but I’d developed my guitar and vocals a lot. I was in my late 20s by then and felt I was playing better than ever.

130R album cover.

The last album I worked on is out now, it’s called 130R. The name came from Formula One racing that I was into, the hardest corner on the track in Japan is the 130R.

The idea came at the time of Covid lockdown when I wasn’t doing much guitar teaching because of restrictions. I put together a few demos then asked mates to get involved, it was totally organic.

It built from there and we added a few more tracks until we had a full album. I sing on a couple of tracks but the main singer is Newcastle based Ian Humphrey. We might do some gigs in the future but we are really happy being studio based.

130R

A lot of the rock and metal bands that I saw many years ago are still recording and gigging especially with the Festival circuit around Europe. The NWOBHM bands can make great recordings with the studio equipment and access to technology that is available now. It’s still alive and kicking.

Guitar playing has been my passion for over 30 years. Across that time I’ve been running a number of guitar lessons in schools and workshops playing Rock, Pop and Jazz, to Country, Blues and Metal, I always learn new things when teaching – you’re never too old!

For more information about Ed Box check his official website:

http://www.edwardbox.com

Alikivi   March 2023.

ROCK UPON TYNE: in conversation with musician, manager & promoter Mal Wylie

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Gateshead born Mal has been working the entertainment biz for nearly six decades and still has a great passion and enthusiasm for music.

From being a teenager watching bands in the famous Newcastle venue Club a’Gogo, to becoming a seasoned performer on the North East working men’s club circuit, and today, promoting bands and events in Skegness.

I thought he’d have a few stories to tell – he did – so we spent a couple of hours chewing the fat in The Centurion bar in Newcastle Central Station.

First time I heard loud music was in the YMCA in Gateshead, bands like The Sect were playing. It was the ‘60s with the mods and rockers, that was the sounds that influenced me. We were brought up on the best music, we were privileged to be born then.

Club a’Gogo pics courtesy Evening Chronicle.

Going to the Club a’Gogo was the best time of yer life. I saw everybody there – Long John Baldry, the Stones, Eric Burdon, and I was there when Hendrix played.

I’d seen loads of guitar players by then but you knew you were watching someone special. Nobody knew he was gonna be a world legend when he walked on stage.

The Gogo was fantastic, the DJ was Bryan Ferry who went onto Roxy Music fame. Zoot Money was massive when he played, but the biggest pull was Geno Washington & the Ram Jam band, never sold records but always rammed.

I remember when The Animals went to number one with House of the Rising Sun in 1964. They came back from London to the Central Station, got off the train and came to the Gogo. I remember like it was yesterday.

Jacko

I’ve been involved in music since I was 15. I joined a band called Jacko and got to know all the North East groups working the clubs, the Brass Alleys, the Becketts, John Miles, and my pal Brian Johnson in Geordie.

When I finished with Jacko, I went with a band called Chevy who had Andy Taylor on guitar – later he joined Duran Duran. There was Davey Black from Goldie he lived just over the road.

In fact, Andy had just come back from playing in Germany when he asked me to join on vocals ‘Do ya fancy going on the road with us?’

Andy was a great player, a rock player, so Duran Duran weren’t exactly his style but he told me ‘It’s £50 a week and they have a recording contract’. ‘Good on yer lad’ I said.

Andy rang me up one night ‘We’re playing Newcastle City Hall tonight supporting Hazel O’Connor on the Broken Glass tour do ya fancy comin’ along?’… ‘Wey aye!’

Through the Geordie days I kept in touch with Brian and when he got the gig with AC/DC I went on the Black in Back tour with him.

How it all started was one night when I was singing in Chevy and playing Peterlee Social Club, guitarist Andy Taylor said ‘we’re going to Newcastle Mayfair to see AC/DC tonight’.

This line up was with Bon Scott on the Highway to Hell tour. Well I was blown away by them and told Brian Johnson ‘Ya gotta see this band’.

He was in Geordie Mark 2 at the time who were doing the clubs and using the same PA as us. One night Chevy were doing Lobley Hill Social Club when Brian came to see us and he got up on stage and done Whole Lotta Rosie – next week he was in AC/DC!

He went off to the Bahamas, recorded the album then straight onto the Back in Black tour where I travelled with the band on the UK leg. I remember being in Birmingham and Robert Plant came backstage, it was great, a real honour to meet your hero.

I remember going to Donnington festival, then the States as the band went into Jimi Hendrix’ studio in New York to record vocals for the album For Those About to Rock.

The lads in the band were great, no big stars, they were playing 60,000 stadiums, absolutely massive over there. I was in a bar with Malcolm Young in New York, he told me ‘We knew when Brian walked in, he was the man for the job, we knew he was the kid we wanted’.

Brian didn’t think he was in the band after the audition. But Malcolm phoned ‘You need to come back we’re doing an album’. Brian replied ‘Am I in the band then’! Brian was tailor made for that job.

Sergeant: left to right – Robb Weir (later replaced by Steve Lamb) Anthony Curran, Tony Liddle & Brian Dick.

I managed a rock band called Sergeant and got them on a national tour supporting Accept. What happened was I knew Colin Rowell from music TV show The Tube filmed in Newcastle. He had singer Tony Liddle on one week ‘Can you do anything with these Mal?’

So, I went with Brian Johnson to see the band play at the Gosforth Assembly Rooms. I liked what I saw so rang John Jackson, an agent I knew in London, and he gave them that UK support tour.

We also put them in Linx Studio in Newcastle, another Brian Johnson connection as he owned the studio. We recorded them and I thought they were tremendous. Tony Liddle was great I thought boy can this kid sing.

Tony was the new breed of rock singer in the North East, you had great frontmen Davey Ditchburn, Terry Slesser, John Miles, all them that had come through, but Tony was a bit younger.

He was also a good songwriter, obviously there is Lindisfarne as your big songwriters from the North East. I remember seeing them and they were new, fresh a different style, Alan Hull was an amazing talent.

Anyway, we took the demo tape to London and the first person to listen to it was Peter Mensch, Def Leppard manager.

We were in his house and asked him ‘What do ya think of these’? Bearing in mind he had just signed Metallica. ‘They’re alright Mal, hang on to the singer’. In the end RCA were looking at giving them a singles deal.

But one day Tony walked in and told us he’s leaving the band. ‘I’m joining The Strangeways’. A Scottish band who already had a deal with plenty money behind them. That broke Sergeant up.

We gave it our best shot, they had supported Nazareth in Scotland, been on a UK tour with Accept including a sold-out show at Hammersmith Odeon and we put them in front of record companies.

When I came back from America with AC/DC, video jukebox’s had just kicked off so I went into that business. I got the franchise for a company selling a video jukebox to pubs.

I worked with a guy for years called Percy Sheeran, whose family have the fairground in South Shields, he was doing the fruit machines and I was doing the music. A great team.

Then we started Arcadia Leisure selling PA’s and sound equipment from the Team Valley in Gateshead. After that closed down Percy’s brother Walter opened bars, leisure centres and arcades in Skegness, he asked me to come down, ‘Nah I like the Toon too much’ I said. But I’m still with him to this day!

The music scene is good down there, I’m booking bands all the time, I’m putting on festivals in the summer. We’ve got some local bands from Lincoln playing, Butlins is next door with rock festivals and alternative nights – always rammed.

I’ve got four or five bands from the North travelling down this year, so I still keep in touch with North East musicians. Lorraine Crosby has been down a few times. We’ve been friends around 30 years since she was in Foxy, Lorraine’s a great kid, she done the Meatloaf single as well.

Soon I’ve got an event lined up for the scooter boys – a mod rally at the end of April. There are loads happening.

I enjoy reading your blogs but a guy who doesn’t get a mention is Greg Burman. During the ‘60s the Greg Burman Soul band played at the Gogo, he also built amps for all the bands coming through like Lindisfarne, and made stuff for Thin Lizzy and Status Quo.

He was based in Newcastle’s Handyside Arcade which sadly isn’t there now. I dealt with him in the ‘70s, a lovely fella, what a gentleman. It’ll be a great story if you can talk to him.

Alikivi   February 2023.

ALL FOR ONE at 40 with Chief Heedbangers, Raven

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All for One released in 1983.

One of the most influential New Wave Of British Heavy Metal bands are heading out on a UK tour this March, but first, earlier this year there was the small matter of Raven being inducted into the Metal Hall of Fame alongside Twisted Sister and Foreigner vocalist and solo artist Lou Gramm.

Held at The Canyon Club in California on 26 January, this was the sixth annual gala, previous inductees include Dio, Lemmy and Judas Priest.

The award is for musicians and bands who have made an invaluable contribution to rock and metal and to keep inspiring fans throughout the world. I asked bassist and Chief Raven John Gallagher, how did it come about?

Bribery and corruption (laughs). It was nice to be recognized and was a really great event where we played a three song set – almost broke a sweat! 

Did you ever think you would be in this position, a tour celebrating 40 years of an album ?

Of course not! That kind of long view, you just don’t have that when you start. It just kinda crept up on us over the years. It’s quite a milestone and we are very proud of it. That and good old Geordie stubbornness!

In the set are you playing the full track listing on All for One and have you played all the songs live before?

Yes indeed! There’s actually two songs from the album we’ve never played live before, so that’s going to be fun for sure and another two that Mikes never played. 

Have you noticed any new faces at your concerts?

Oh definitely, there’s quite often three generations of fans at our shows – which is really great.

For a full list of tour dates & tickets, album releases, video, merch & more check the official website : 

Raven | Official Raven Lunatics Website

Alikivi   March 2023

EDGE OF THE WORLD – new single from Tygers of Pan Tang

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Tygers of Pan Tang 2023 L-R Huw, Craig, Francesco, Jack & Robb. pic. Steve Christie

In September 2020 the review of Raven’s latest album Metal City declared that ‘on this evidence Raven consolidate their title of Chief Headbangers’ and signed off with ‘any contenders?’  

Last week one of the original North East New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands, Tygers of Pan Tang, hoyed their hat in the ring.

Their new single Edge of the World released on the Mighty Music label was as the kids say ‘dropped’ last Thursday and after the first time on hearing, the Tygers have sharpened their swords and hoyed the kitchen sink at the production. It’s epic.

Starting with a hint of Eastern promise the guitars will put lightning back in yer tired bones, and with that chorus we have the next superhero soundtrack. Someone put a call in to Hollywood blockbusting film maker Christopher Nolan (Batman/The Dark Knight/Man of Steel).

There’s no idle shilly-shallying here with layer upon layer of glossy finesse, ultra-tight drumming from Craig Ellis, bassist Huw Holdings accomplished maiden recording, plus a searing twin lead break from guitarists Robb Weir and Francesco Marras, while vocalist Jack Meille faces down the beast.

Edge of the World doesn’t lead you to the dead zone with no follow up record as the Tygers are about to launch their new album and on this evidence alone, wrestle the crown from Raven.

Alikivi  January 2023.

Watch the video here:  Tygers of Pan Tang – The Official Site

Tech details:

Produced by the Tygers of Pan Tang and mixed by Tue Madsen out of Antfarm Studios, Denmark.

Francesco Marras guitars recorded at Screaming Shadows Studio between Dülken, Germany and Sassari, Italy.

Jack Meille vocals recorded at Plastic Sun Studio, Florence, Italy by Guido Melis.

Robb Weir guitars recorded at Swamp Freaks Recording Studio, 

Durham, UK by Dave Hills.

Craig Ellis drums recorded at Tyger Towers Studio, Yorkshire, UK.  

TYGERS OF PAN TANG TOUR PIC’S SEARCH

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The Roksnaps feature on this blog has photographs sent in by concert goers who captured the atmosphere of gigs at Newcastle City Hall and the Mayfair.

Among the many bands pictured were Whitesnake, Motorhead, Scorpions and North East band, Fist.

Tygers of Pan Tang at Newcastle Mayfair 1980.

Whitley Bay’s Tygers of Pan Tang were snapped by John Edward Spence who told me “I used to go to loads of gigs at the Newcastle City Hall and Mayfair. I was lucky enough to see the bands associated with the New Wave of British Heavy Metal – just loved the music around then”.

John’s pics are from 1980/81 with Jess Cox on vocals who was eventually replaced by Welsh frontman Jon Deverill, and a second guitarist John Sykes joined Thin Lizzy and was replaced by former Penetration guitarist Fred Purser.

The original Tygers engine room of guitarist Robb Weir, bassist Rocky Laws and Brian Dick on drums completed the line-up.

In 1982 the five piece band recorded one of their most successful albums, The Cage. On the subsequent tour I remember catching them live on their home patch at a packed Newcastle Mayfair on Friday 3rd September 1982.

Inner sleeve from The Cage album.

Recently the Tygers management issued a plea “40 years ago this month The Cage tour began at Newcastle’s Mayfair Ballroom. At the time it was the bands most successful outing and we visited the best venues in the country including Manchester Apollo and Hammersmith Odeon.

Support came from our old mate Kev Riddles’ Tytan. It’s a pity we have no photos from The Cage tour, unless of course anyone out there has any?”

“We realise it was 40 years ago but if you can help with the request for any pic’s – maybe they’re in the loft or in a box at the back of the garage – there’s got to be some out there”.

If you can help please don’t hesitate to get in touch. All emails will be passed onto the Tygers management or contact the official website:

Tygers Of Pan Tang – The Official Site

Link to Tygers of Pan Tang pic’s featured in Roksnaps:

ROKSNAPS #2 | ALIKIVI : NORTH EAST UK (garyalikivi.com)

Alikivi  September 2022.

HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE ? (#3)

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Following on from the last batch of HYHTO stories here’s a few more from Fred Purser (Penetration/Tygers of Pan Tang), John Gallagher (Raven), Michael Kelly (Southbound), Chris Ormston and Nev (Punishment of Luxury).

First up is a story from former Axis guitarist Davey Little…..

When supporting former Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell at a local gig we’re in at midday to set up a huge wall of Marshalls, drum riser, lights, smoke bombs the whole nonsense. Hey, we were local heroes (laughs).

Then Mr Bell and band arrived. You can imagine the headliner walking in and seeing this mountain of shit on stage.

But what a gentleman – we were young and full of it. He was very gently spoken and just said ‘This isn’t really the way it works lads’. Then much to our relief he said ‘but it’s fine, we don’t need much room, not bothered about a sound check’.

I remember it was packed to the rafters for Eric Bell, not for us, but we did ok. His drummer set up after us. Bass player rolled his amp on, Eric Bell rolled either a Vox AC30 or a Fender Twin on to the stage and blitzed the place.

No arsing about, no demands, just played like true pro’s. What a lesson, what a professional.

Of course we thought he was brilliant, his band were brilliant, his last words… ‘Pleased you enjoyed it, now you know there is no need for all that shit on stage, and don’t ever fucking set up before the main band gets there’.

A year later went to see him at the Redcar Bowl and he introduced us to his new band with…

‘These are the cheeky bastards who set up before we even got to the gig’

Full interview from June 2019

https://garyalikivi.com/2019/06/28/the-flame-burns-on-for-davy-little-ex-guitarist-with-nwobhm-band-axis/

In May 2019 was an interview with folk musician Chris Ormston……

I’ve recorded various compilations of Northumbrian music but my first big break if you like was when I got a phone call one night in 1990… ‘Hello, it’s Peter Gabriel here’. There is a rumour going round that I told him to f*** off because I never believed him (laughs).

But it was him and he was after some piping on his next recording. So I agreed to go down to his studio in Bath. He wasn’t really sure what he wanted and just said bring every pipe you’ve got.

We worked in the studio until he found the sound he liked, which was Highland Pipes.

The pipes were mixed down and recorded onto the first song on the album Come Talk to Me. Sinead O’Connor sang on the track although I never saw her.

He had brought in various musicians and sounds to add to what he had already recorded. That’s the way he worked. I got a credit and a flat fee for the work and really enjoyed the experience.

Gabriel I found was very thoughtful and reserved unlike his stage performances, as a lot of musicians are.

Full interview:

https://garyalikivi.com/2019/05/11/pipes-of-peace-with-northumberland-musician-chris-ormston/

 In April this year I spoke with Nev (PUNISHMENT OF LUXURY)……

When our Laughing Academy album was being released endless gigging ensued and part of our excursion took us to The Milky Way and Paradiso venues in Amsterdam, and eventually via Cologne and Dusseldorf to the great city of Berlin.

The Wall still stood and divided East and West Germany, so great things could happen here! Although our Berlin Wall encounter at Checkpoint Charlie was a bit scary.

Steve Sekrit now had long hair and a strange beard, which didn’t balance with his passport photo and only after a long exchange with an authoritarian, now in possession of a copy of our album Laughing Academy, were we able to pass across the border.

Thankfully he looked at the images on the outer sleeve cover as the inner gate fold sleeve would have offered no means of verification.

Our gig in Berlin that evening was at the Kant Kino and access to the famous venue was a long walk across a suspended structure overlooking parts of the bustling street below.

It was a brilliant, receptive, bouncing crowd, full of anticipation – it was a very memorable gig.

Full interview:

https://garyalikivi.com/2020/04/06/funk-off-the-punishment-of-luxury-further-tales-of-musical-adventures/

Next is a story from Fred Purser (ex-Penetration/Tygers of Pan Tang) taken from an interview in December 2018…..

We were on tour in the USA, and I turned 21 in Boston. It was a blast. Great fun. We were out there on the same tour that The Police had done, they had done the circuit twice and they broke. Squeeze had done it, they broke. Unfortunatley after the first circuit of that tour we were over worked, burnt out.

Virgin were a great label but turn over for albums was quicker in those days and they wanted another one quickly. Just too much. Sadly we split. In hindsight if we had just taken a holiday maybe four weeks off and come back refreshed, that would of worked.

The perception is that it can be a glittering world, we didn’t complain about it then because it was a great opportunity. But looking back it was very tiring travelling hundreds of miles every day sitting on your backside for 8-9 hours in the back of a van.

When I was young, I used to read the Sounds and read the back of albums and think it would be very glamourous. But the reality is it can be quite mundane.

When I joined Penetration we were getting £25 a week. Before we played The Marquee we got a telegram from Ian Dury to wish us luck. But he was only on £25 a week when Hit Me with Your Rythm Stick was number one in the charts!

Obviously that money would filter in later on, but the record company put a lot of money into the band and until you reach that break even line your just on the recoupment phase. They want their loan repaid before you see any money.

So, they would pay you per diems of £10 per day so you can get food and essentials.

There would be bands in great recording studios impressed by it all, rightly so, but in the background is the ching, ching sound of the money register. They are accruing a debt to the record company, and they want it back.

Full interview:

https://garyalikivi.com/2018/12/30/square-one-in-conversation-with-songwriter-producer-fred-purser/

I spoke to John Gallagher from Chief Headbangers RAVEN in October 2019…….

For young lads like us there was only two ways out of Newcastle…..and we weren’t good footballers.

The running joke was ‘C’mon let’s git in a van and gan doon  t’ London!’. We did quite a few one off support gigs. It was, in the back of the truck, drive down to London, play the Marquee with Iron Maiden and drive back straight after the gig.

We just worked, playing shows, writing songs. One thing we’ve never had is a lack of song ideas. Often a riff from a sound check turns into a song.

We had worked hard for years so when the opportunity arrived, we dove in headfirst. Getting the Neat deal changed everything totally then when we made contacts in the US and did our first tour with a young rag tag outfit called Metallica opening for us.

It was great to get to play a stadium show with them in São Paulo a few years back and hear James (Hetfield) tell the crowd how much they appreciated Raven taking a chance back in 1983 and taking Metallica on tour with them. That meant a lot to us.

Full interview:

https://garyalikivi.com/2019/10/09/heeds-doon-with-john-gallagher-from-chief-heabangers-raven/

Next is a story from Michael Kelly (SOUTHBOUND) in March 2019……

We recorded some songs at Impulse Studio’s in Wallsend. We done several tracks to send to record companies and also arranged to go to London, appointments had been made to approach Virgin, Rocket, A&M, Decca, Island, WEA and others. We thought that someone must take a liking to us.

I remember going into one record company’s office and I Feel Love by Donna Summer was playing and another office was playing Watching the Detectives by Elvis Costello. This doesn’t sound like us as we were playing AOR music.

After days of stumbling around the streets of London we headed home with hope that someone might pick up on what we left them.

When we got back to the North East we were offered an interview on Radio Newcastle. The interview was filled with jabs about New Wave/Punk taking over from normal rock music. I must have had blinkers on because we were in the middle of a musical revolution that was sweeping across the country.

Our music was becoming old hat and as one record company said…You’re two years out.

We had lots of replies from other record companies like …We have to pass on this…or Our label has its full quota of artists. It was very frustrating.

Full interview:

https://garyalikivi.com/2019/03/13/all-right-now-with-michael-kelly-former-drummer-with-north-east-band-southbound/

Interviews by Alikivi.

More stories on the blog with a full list of interviews on the ABOUT page:

https://garyalikivi.com/about/

 

 

METAL CITY – new album from Chief Headbangers, RAVEN.

/ Alikivi

First time I came across Raven was around 1980/81 when I saw them playing live on TV through the window of a Chinese take away.

I went in to see if the old woman knew who they were. She popped up from behind the counter and fired back screaming above the music ‘They very loud. They Raven’.

40 year later the Chinese take away isn’t there now, but our Chief Head bangers are still hard at it in the mix.

I got in touch with John Gallagher (bass/vocals) and asked him what can we expect from the new album ?

The album is a quantum leap forward for us with a brace of killer new songs linking that ‘Wiped Out’ energy and feel to a 21st Century state of the art production.

It’s the first studio album that our new drummer Mike Heller has played on and he’s just off the charts on this!

You sound very pleased with the results…

Yeah, the songs and playing are a definite step up – we really raised our game and are extremely pleased with how it’s turned out. The new album will be released on September 18th. We’ll also have a single out very shortly too.

Have you any live plans going forward ?

If all goes well we are looking at Euro dates in February 2021.

No holding back then ? Can’t wait!

Interview by Alikivi  July 2020.

Check the official website for details: http://www.ravenlunatics.com/

Follow on twitter : @official_raven

Links to previous interviews:

https://garyalikivi.com/2017/05/03/staring-into-the-fire/

https://garyalikivi.com/2019/10/09/heeds-doon-with-john-gallagher-from-chief-heabangers-raven/

TOON TUNES – with former Newcastle Dingwalls manager Chris Murtagh

/ Alikivi

A comprehensive list of gigs at North East venues are being put together, and recently to add to the growing list, pages out of a booking list and diary from gigs at Dingwalls in 1983 turned up on line. Entries included:

26.3.83 – Big Country Fee: £240 – 282 @ £1.50. Excellent band and performance. Perfect timing with release of single. Excellent debut in the North-East.

3.3.83 – Raven & Hellanbach Fee: Raven £300 – Hellanbach £60 – 269 @ £1.50 Terrific stage show. Very good heavy rock band with good repertoire. Good following.

Raven bassist John Gallagher told me about the night… ‘I just remember the place being chilly…at least until we got started! There was a decent turnout, and we were promoting the ‘All for One’ album. I don’t remember much more to be honest !’ …well it was nearly 40 years ago.

But to find out more I contacted the manager at the time and owner of the book, Chris Murtagh….

I don’t have the diary now as I’ve sold it but have a digital copy of the acts who appeared. Like the other Bierkellers around the UK the entertainment promoter Harvey Goldsmith bought all the venues for £1 and re-christened them Dingwalls.

Yes, only a £1 but Harvey had to service their debts and running costs. They were in the basement of office blocks, mine was in Waterloo Street, Newcastle. It had a capacity of 1200.

I was manager of the venue during 1983, it was Dingwalls from January to June when it went into liquidation and reverted to Vaux Breweries, the biggest creditor.

Then from June to December Vaux changed the name to the Bear Pit but I was retained as manager.

How did you get the managers job ?

I’d done several promotions there and had threatened to sue Goldsmith for breach of a contract for cancelling one of them. Turned out his General Manager offered me the job instead. I was the only manager who was also a promoter.

All the other Bierkeller managers at Sheffield, Hull, Liverpool, Bristol and London were ex-Mecca managers and older than me. They got two for the price of one in me being manager/promoter and Chris Donald from very early Viz comics did all my publicity.

What was the Newcastle venue like ?

It was like being buried in a hole in the ground for months without seeing daylight. When we closed and tidied-up well after midnight, we’d go and chill out at Rockshots upstairs till about 3am. Then back at work about 4pm the same day.

My bar manager once dragged me to the city baths for a massage which connected me back to my body that I’d totally lost track of.

Martha Reeves was booked for May ’83 and your diary entry reads….

Martha chatted me up in the office. Didn’t know where to put myself. She could have eaten me for breakfast. Motown comes to Dingwalls. Brilliant professional show.

What can you remember from that day ?

Martha Reeves terrified me as I must have been the youngest manager she’d come across and she was a very experienced older woman.

In the diary for June, Murtagh booked female group Girlschool with support from North East heavy metal band Satan. His notes of the gig included…

Girlschool arrived for their first headline tour after supporting Motorhead. They didn’t have any money and asked if I could help them out which I did. Nice girls who put on a good show but treated rubbish by their record company.

Satan a good local heavy metal band with a good following. I’d previously promoted them, famously at the St James & St Basil’s Church in Fenham where the posters read ‘Appearing live on stage, Satan.’ That pulled in a good congregation.

Also, that month Dr Feelgood came to Newcastle with support from North East band R & B Spitfires….

Full on red-hot rock band with commitment and attitude. Real pros – no messing about with sound checks – Brilliant. Wilko went to college up here so he had his own following.  Local band Spitfires acquitted themselves well in such company.

More entries to the diary with some excellent comments about the bands and gigs….22.4.83 – Gun Club + Sisters of Mercy.

Fee: £511.25 – 548 @ £1.50. Sisters, good appreciative following, hypnotic beat with drum machine, bass and guitar. Led by Joey Ramone lookalike. Effective visual presence.

Gun Club, should have been called ‘Gin Club’, Jim Morrison just before he died. Good presence, good songs, terrible sound.

6.5.83 – Miami Steve. Brilliant American band. Shame about Steve and the material. Bruce Springsteen can keep him. Stayed in the tour bus only coming in to play the gig. Oh and don’t touch his bandana. Precious bastard, up his own arse.

10.5.83 – Bad Brains. Turned up 6 hours late so most of the audience left. Refused to pay them which set-up a stand-off between the band and my security. Lots of martial arts posturing until it finally dawned on them they would get severely plastered if they stayed. Bad brains indeed.  

16.5.83 – The Vibrators + Red Alert. Not overly impressed by the reformed Vibrators. Canny lads though. Their guitars were nicked before they went on, then retrieved by Red Alert, who were themselves a very impressive act.  

After you left what happened with the venue ?

Harvey Goldsmith owned Dingwalls but his CEO was Peter Gross, an accountant, who’d run a chain of restaurants called The Great American Disaster in London.

At each of the venues he’d bring a brewery in as sponsor. In Newcastle’s case it was Vaux Brewery who gave him three quarters of a million pounds.

When the receivers Ernst Whinney were brought in because Harvey was going into liquidation for about the seventh time, I talked to him on the phone. ‘You’ll be alright my boy’, were the last words he spoke to me.

Dingwalls Last Programme.
Dingwalls Last Programme.
The Journal report on Dingwalls closing in 1983.

The venue reverted to Vaux Breweries with them being the biggest creditor. When Paul Nicholson CEO of Vaux arrived, he asked what Harvey had done with all the money. I said he’d stuck a black plastic crow on the wall and extended the stage.

You’ll notice every poster advertising a Goldsmith promotion has a little fat man in the corner. That’s Harvey. He also used a black crow as the logo for Dingwalls. ‘I hope that bloody crow lays golden eggs’ was Paul’s reply.

Basically, Harvey used all the money for running costs. If he’d taken the time to run the venues himself it might have worked, but he was too busy touring the Stones, Dylan, Bowie etc and left the running to Peter Gross, who was clueless about the music industry.

Vaux wanted to appoint their own manager of what they now branded ‘The Bear Pit’. My staff refused to work for them, so I was retained as manager.

Murtagh came across North East manager and promoter Geoff Docherty…

My first encounter with Geoff Docherty was when he was looking after Preacher, a band led by Tony Ions. I needed a rehearsal place for my new band Fan Heater and Tony who I’d played with in Slaughter House, suggested I approach Geoff to see if I could share their rehearsal rooms in the derelict Hydraulic Crane pub on Scotswood Road, Newcastle.

Not only did Geoff give us the pub but he said he’d get us a gig at the Marquee Club and Rock Garden in London supporting The Showbiz Kids who he also managed. ‘Oh yes, of course you will’ I thought being very sceptical.

I couldn’t believe it when he was as good as his word. Total respect.

What did you do after Dingwalls ?

After leaving there I continued promoting in Newcastle, Leeds and tours around the UK, including with my own band.

1994 I became a director of the pan-European touring organisation the Newcastle Free Festival Inaugurating Cities of Culture, including being the first festival to perform under the Berlin Wall when it came down in 1989.

That same year, as part of the festival, I brought over the Peruvian band APU. 30 years later I’m still their manager. This also drew me into World Music which I’ve promoted ever since.

As part of being a promoter, I worked as an A Level sponsor for the Home Office for over 25 years issuing visas for non-EEC artists to tour the UK. I still enjoy playing all over the world and organise festivals and events internationally.

Contact Chris on the official website:

www.line-up.co.uk

Interview by Alikivi   June 2020.