Simon Jones casts an appreciative ear over the musical times of the late Alan Hull

On one occasion I met with James Alan Hull, keen to question him on the oblique and obscure lyrics of his most famed composition Lady…

Chas De Whalley investigates the Joie De Vivre of Newcastle’s latest in line as they undertake their first headlining tour. 

“Do you want another drink? ‘Cos you can have one, you know.” 

Ray Laidlaw peered out me from behind his…

Rosalind Russell traces the history of the band, through their schooldays, previous groups in which they played, and their emergence first as Newcastle's top outfit and then later as one of Britain's best-selling bands and almost legendary live performers.   

The…

Long ago and far away when Hyde park was just a flower pot and underground meant the Bakerloo line to me I was given to lurching around England in my capacity as a musical trade paper journalist with a group…

After a lengthy "Magic In The Air" tour, we were all ready to let our hair down. Circa 50 of us arrived at Mathers Kitchen restaurant after one…

Live Theatre, Newcastle, 18th Oct - 10th Nov 2018 | Tickets on sale 25th July 

Venue & ticket info: https://www.live.org.uk/whats-on/clear-white-light 

…

Picture five Newcastle lads touring in the overwhelming, monstrous United States.

The hustle and bustle can drive a country boy mad unless he relaxes, sitting on the edge of his Holiday Inn bed, watching the colourful street lights below…

(With thanks to Michael Clayton)

Evolution: Rod Clements and Ray Laidlaw formed the Downtown Faction Blues Band in Newcastle in the summer of 1966 and renamed it Brethren in the summer of 1969, when their colleagues were Jeff Sadler…

It's Tyne Time 
by Roy Hollingworth (1949-2002: Guardian obituary)
from Melody Maker Dec 18, 1971 - discovered by Michael Clayton 

"No, we'll never work as hard as this again. It's killing the magic. And it's not doing us…

Here's an interesting letter published in Record Collector Magazine a few years back about Alan's band Radiator, featuring Ray Laidlaw and the late Kenny Craddock, amongst others. (Reproduced with permission from Alan Lewis, with thanks to Marcel Ruf and Mike…