Lindisfarne (band)
Encyclopedia
Lindisfarne were a British folk
/rock
group from Newcastle upon Tyne
established in 1970 (originally called Brethren) and fronted by singer/songwriter Alan Hull
. Their music combined a strong sense of yearning with an even stronger sense of fun. The original line-up comprised Alan Hull
(vocals, guitar, piano), Ray Jackson (vocals, mandolin
, harmonica
), Simon Cowe (guitar, mandolin, banjo), Rod Clements
(bass guitar, violin) and Ray Laidlaw (drums).
They are best known for the albums Nicely Out of Tune
(1970), Fog on the Tyne
(1971) and Back and Fourth
(1978), also for the success of songs such as "Meet Me On The Corner", "Lady Eleanor
", "Run For Home" and "We Can Swing Together".
, but soon changed their name to Brethren. In 1968, they were joined by Alan Hull
and became Lindisfarne after the island of that name off the coast of Northumberland
. In 1970 Tony Stratton-Smith
signed them to Charisma Records
and their debut album Nicely Out of Tune
was released in 1970. This album defined their mixture of bright harmony and up tempo folk rock. Both singles released from the album "Clear White Light" and "Lady Eleanor" failed to chart, as did the album itself at first, however the band obtained a strong following from its popular live concerts.
Their second album Fog on the Tyne
(1971), produced by Bob Johnston
, began their commercial success. This album reached #1 in the UK charts the following year. The single "Meet me on the Corner" and a re-release of "Lady Eleanor" followed in 1972. The album Nicely Out Of Tune belatedly made the UK album chart Top 10 and the band began to attract a huge media following, with some calling Hull the greatest songwriter since Bob Dylan
. The band were even referred to as the "1970s Beatles
".
in 1972 they recorded their third album, Dingly Dell
. The band were unhappy with the initial production and remixed it themselves. It was released in September 1972. Though it entered the Top 10 in the first week of release, it received lukewarm reviews. The ecologically themed single "All Fall Down" was a UK Singles Chart
#34 hit but the second single "Court in the Act" failed completely.
Internal tensions surfaced during a disappointing tour of Australia
in early 1973. Hull initially considered leaving the band, but was persuaded to reconsider. It was agreed that he and Jackson would keep the group name while Cowe, Clements and Laidlaw left to form their own outfit Jack The Lad
. They were replaced by Tommy Duffy (bass guitar), Kenny Craddock
(keyboards), Charlie Harcourt (guitar) and Paul Nicholl (drums). The new line-up lacked the appeal of the original and with Hull also pursuing a solo career, the band's next two albums Roll On Ruby and Happy Daze and the subsequent singles failed to chart. They disbanded in 1975.
The original band reformed in 1976 to perform a one-off gig in Newcastle City Hall
, but the revival ultimately became permanent. They gained a new record deal with Mercury
returned to the charts in 1978 with the UK chart top 10 hit "Run For Home", an autobiographical song about the rigours of touring and relief at returning home. The song also gave them a US singles chart hit and the album Back and Fourth
moved into the UK album chart top 30. Subsequent singles "Juke Box Gypsy" and "Warm Feeling" failed to sustain their newfound success. The next album The News (1979) failed to impress and the band lost their record deal.
The next decade witnessed various lineup changes and the band continued to release albums. They formed their own company Lindisfarne Musical Productions and recorded singles such as "I Must Stop Going To Parties" in the mid-1980s, as well as the album Sleepless Nights
. In 1984 they supported Bob Dylan
and Santana
at St James' Park
. Saxophone player and vocalist Marty Craggs joined the group shortly afterwards. Throughout this period they played annual Christmas tours and released Dance Your Life Away(1986) and C'mon Everybody(1987) - the latter made up of covers of old rock'n'roll standards.
Another album, Amigos, was released in 1989. In 1990 Lindisfarne introduced themselves to a younger generation with the duet "Fog on the Tyne Revisited" accompanied by footballer Paul Gascoigne
, which reached #2 in the UK singles chart. Soon afterwards Jackson left the band. Cowe left in 1993, shortly after the recording of the album Elvis Lives On The Moon. Hull died on 17 November 1995, but the surviving members continued to use the name.
The band continued to play with a fluid line up, releasing two studio albums, Here Comes The Neighbourhood (1997) and Promenade (2002). A number of live albums were also released.
Lindisfarne finally broke up in late 2003, performing a final concert on 1 November 2003 at the Newcastle Opera House. The final line up as a band included Dave Hull-Denholm, Billy Mitchell, Rod Clements, Ian Thomson and Ray Laidlaw. Three members continued to tour under the name Lindisfarne Acoustic until May 2004.
On 19 November 2005 the friends and colleagues of Alan Hull held a memorial concert at Newcastle City Hall
in honour of Hull and included musicians such as Alan Clark
, Simon Cowe, Marty Craggs, Steve Cunningham, Steve Daggett, Tommy Duffy, Mike Elliot, Frankie Gibbon, Charlie Harcourt, Brendan Healy
, Tim Healy
, Ray Jackson, Ray Laidlaw, Finn McArdle, Ian McCallum
, Billy Mitchell, Terry Morgan, The Motorettes
, Jimmy Nail
, Paul Nichols, Tom Pickard
, Prelude
, Bob Smeaton, Paul Smith
and Kathryn Tickell
. Proceeds from the concert were donated to The North East Young Musicians Fund. The Alan Hull Award for young musicians in the North East was set up a year later in response to the success of the concert.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
/rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
group from Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
established in 1970 (originally called Brethren) and fronted by singer/songwriter Alan Hull
Alan Hull
Alan Hull was an English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Tyneside folk rock band, Lindisfarne.-Career:...
. Their music combined a strong sense of yearning with an even stronger sense of fun. The original line-up comprised Alan Hull
Alan Hull
Alan Hull was an English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Tyneside folk rock band, Lindisfarne.-Career:...
(vocals, guitar, piano), Ray Jackson (vocals, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
), Simon Cowe (guitar, mandolin, banjo), Rod Clements
Rod Clements
Rod Clements is a British guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Career:...
(bass guitar, violin) and Ray Laidlaw (drums).
They are best known for the albums Nicely Out of Tune
Nicely Out of Tune
Nicely Out of Tune is the debut album by Lindisfarne, released in late 1970. It was thus titled as the group considered themselves 'nicely out of tune' with other prevailing musical trends at the time...
(1970), Fog on the Tyne
Fog on the Tyne
Fog On The Tyne is a 1971 album by English rock band Lindisfarne. Bob Johnston produced the album, which was recorded at Trident Studios in the summer of 1971. It was released on Charisma Records in England and Elektra Records in America....
(1971) and Back and Fourth
Back and Fourth (Lindisfarne album)
Back and Fourth is a 1978 album by English rock band Lindisfarne. Released in nine countries on three record labels, it reached position 22 on the UK album charts and contained the successful single "Run for Home".-Production:...
(1978), also for the success of songs such as "Meet Me On The Corner", "Lady Eleanor
Lady Eleanor
"Lady Eleanor" is a song written by Alan Hull, featured on the first Lindisfarne album, Nicely out of Tune. Initially released as a single in 1970, it failed to chart...
", "Run For Home" and "We Can Swing Together".
History
The group began as The Downtown Faction, led by Rod ClementsRod Clements
Rod Clements is a British guitarist and singer-songwriter.-Career:...
, but soon changed their name to Brethren. In 1968, they were joined by Alan Hull
Alan Hull
Alan Hull was an English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Tyneside folk rock band, Lindisfarne.-Career:...
and became Lindisfarne after the island of that name off the coast of Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. In 1970 Tony Stratton-Smith
Tony Stratton-Smith
Tony Stratton-Smith was an English rock music manager, and entrepreneur. He was best known as founder of London based independent record label Charisma Records which he began in 1969. Groups he managed included The Nice , Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator...
signed them to Charisma Records
Charisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
and their debut album Nicely Out of Tune
Nicely Out of Tune
Nicely Out of Tune is the debut album by Lindisfarne, released in late 1970. It was thus titled as the group considered themselves 'nicely out of tune' with other prevailing musical trends at the time...
was released in 1970. This album defined their mixture of bright harmony and up tempo folk rock. Both singles released from the album "Clear White Light" and "Lady Eleanor" failed to chart, as did the album itself at first, however the band obtained a strong following from its popular live concerts.
Their second album Fog on the Tyne
Fog on the Tyne
Fog On The Tyne is a 1971 album by English rock band Lindisfarne. Bob Johnston produced the album, which was recorded at Trident Studios in the summer of 1971. It was released on Charisma Records in England and Elektra Records in America....
(1971), produced by Bob Johnston
Bob Johnston
Donald William Robert 'Bob' Johnston is a noted American record producer, best known for his work with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Leonard Cohen, Willie Nelson and many Nashville recording artists, as well as Simon and Garfunkel.-Early days:Johnston was born into a professional musical family...
, began their commercial success. This album reached #1 in the UK charts the following year. The single "Meet me on the Corner" and a re-release of "Lady Eleanor" followed in 1972. The album Nicely Out Of Tune belatedly made the UK album chart Top 10 and the band began to attract a huge media following, with some calling Hull the greatest songwriter since Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
. The band were even referred to as the "1970s Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
".
in 1972 they recorded their third album, Dingly Dell
Dingly Dell
Dingly Dell is a 1972 album by English rock band Lindisfarne.-Production:The album was produced by and mixed by Bob Johnston, who had also worked on the earlier #1 album Fog on the Tyne. However, the band were unhappy with the album, and remixed it themselves shortly before it was released.-Release...
. The band were unhappy with the initial production and remixed it themselves. It was released in September 1972. Though it entered the Top 10 in the first week of release, it received lukewarm reviews. The ecologically themed single "All Fall Down" was a UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#34 hit but the second single "Court in the Act" failed completely.
Internal tensions surfaced during a disappointing tour of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in early 1973. Hull initially considered leaving the band, but was persuaded to reconsider. It was agreed that he and Jackson would keep the group name while Cowe, Clements and Laidlaw left to form their own outfit Jack The Lad
Jack The Lad
Jack the Lad was a folk rock or electric folk group from North East England formed in 1973 by three former members of the most successful band of the period from the region Lindisfarne. They moved from the progressive folk rock of Lindisfarne into much more traditional territory and were in the...
. They were replaced by Tommy Duffy (bass guitar), Kenny Craddock
Kenny Craddock
Kenny Craddock was an instrumentalist, composer and producer. Throughout his career he worked with artists including Ringo Starr, Ginger Baker, Billy Bragg, Gerry Rafferty and Alan White...
(keyboards), Charlie Harcourt (guitar) and Paul Nicholl (drums). The new line-up lacked the appeal of the original and with Hull also pursuing a solo career, the band's next two albums Roll On Ruby and Happy Daze and the subsequent singles failed to chart. They disbanded in 1975.
The original band reformed in 1976 to perform a one-off gig in Newcastle City Hall
Newcastle City Hall
Newcastle City Hall is a concert hall, located in Newcastle upon Tyne which has hosted many popular music and classical artists throughout the years, as well as standup and comedy acts. Opened in 1927, the City Hall was built as a part of a development which also included the adjacent City Pool...
, but the revival ultimately became permanent. They gained a new record deal with Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
returned to the charts in 1978 with the UK chart top 10 hit "Run For Home", an autobiographical song about the rigours of touring and relief at returning home. The song also gave them a US singles chart hit and the album Back and Fourth
Back and Fourth (Lindisfarne album)
Back and Fourth is a 1978 album by English rock band Lindisfarne. Released in nine countries on three record labels, it reached position 22 on the UK album charts and contained the successful single "Run for Home".-Production:...
moved into the UK album chart top 30. Subsequent singles "Juke Box Gypsy" and "Warm Feeling" failed to sustain their newfound success. The next album The News (1979) failed to impress and the band lost their record deal.
The next decade witnessed various lineup changes and the band continued to release albums. They formed their own company Lindisfarne Musical Productions and recorded singles such as "I Must Stop Going To Parties" in the mid-1980s, as well as the album Sleepless Nights
Sleepless Nights (Lindisfarne album)
Sleepless Nights is a 1982 album by English rock band Lindisfarne. It was the first album to be released on the group's own record label, and peaked at position 59 in the UK album charts.-Production:...
. In 1984 they supported Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Santana
Santana (band)
Santana is a rock band based around guitarist Carlos Santana and founded in the late 1960s. It first came to public attention after their performing the song "Soul Sacrifice" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, when their Latin rock provided a contrast to other acts on the bill...
at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
. Saxophone player and vocalist Marty Craggs joined the group shortly afterwards. Throughout this period they played annual Christmas tours and released Dance Your Life Away(1986) and C'mon Everybody(1987) - the latter made up of covers of old rock'n'roll standards.
Another album, Amigos, was released in 1989. In 1990 Lindisfarne introduced themselves to a younger generation with the duet "Fog on the Tyne Revisited" accompanied by footballer Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
, which reached #2 in the UK singles chart. Soon afterwards Jackson left the band. Cowe left in 1993, shortly after the recording of the album Elvis Lives On The Moon. Hull died on 17 November 1995, but the surviving members continued to use the name.
The band continued to play with a fluid line up, releasing two studio albums, Here Comes The Neighbourhood (1997) and Promenade (2002). A number of live albums were also released.
Lindisfarne finally broke up in late 2003, performing a final concert on 1 November 2003 at the Newcastle Opera House. The final line up as a band included Dave Hull-Denholm, Billy Mitchell, Rod Clements, Ian Thomson and Ray Laidlaw. Three members continued to tour under the name Lindisfarne Acoustic until May 2004.
On 19 November 2005 the friends and colleagues of Alan Hull held a memorial concert at Newcastle City Hall
Newcastle City Hall
Newcastle City Hall is a concert hall, located in Newcastle upon Tyne which has hosted many popular music and classical artists throughout the years, as well as standup and comedy acts. Opened in 1927, the City Hall was built as a part of a development which also included the adjacent City Pool...
in honour of Hull and included musicians such as Alan Clark
Alan Clark (keyboardist)
Alan Clark is an English musician who was the first and main keyboardist for the British rock band Dire Straits.- Biography :...
, Simon Cowe, Marty Craggs, Steve Cunningham, Steve Daggett, Tommy Duffy, Mike Elliot, Frankie Gibbon, Charlie Harcourt, Brendan Healy
Brendan Healy
Brendan Healy is a professional lacrosse player for the Washington Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse.- Professional career :...
, Tim Healy
Tim Healy (actor)
Timothy Malcolm Healy is an English actor. He is best known for playing Dennis Patterson in the television series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. He is married to the actress Denise Welch.-Career:...
, Ray Jackson, Ray Laidlaw, Finn McArdle, Ian McCallum
Ian McCallum
Ian McCallum is a Scottish guitarist. Born in Kenton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England he now lives in Los Angeles. He started writing and touring in the early 1980s. He plays guitar for Stiff Little Fingers, and is also a recording artist in his own right.He is a fan of Lindisfarne, and in fact...
, Billy Mitchell, Terry Morgan, The Motorettes
The Motorettes
The Motorettes were a band from the North East England coastal town of Tynemouth. The band comprised Jack Laidlaw, Daniel Rose-Troup and Robin Howe. They were signed to Kitchenware Records with Editors. They released their debut single "Super Heartbeats" on 23 January 2006. "Super Heartbeats" was...
, Jimmy Nail
Jimmy Nail
James Bradford "Jimmy" Nail is an English singer-songwriter, actor, musician, film producer, film score composer and television writer....
, Paul Nichols, Tom Pickard
Tom Pickard
Tom Pickard is a poet, radio and film maker who was an important initiator of the movement known as the British Poetry Revival....
, Prelude
Prelude (band)
Prelude are an English based vocal folk group, who in their most famous line-up consisted of Brian Hume , his wife Irene Hume and Ian Vardy...
, Bob Smeaton, Paul Smith
Paul Smith (musician)
Paul Smith is the singer for the British indie rock group, Maxïmo Park.-Biography:...
and Kathryn Tickell
Kathryn Tickell
Kathryn Tickell is an English player of the Northumbrian smallpipes and fiddle. She has recorded over a dozen albums, and toured widely.-Life and career:...
. Proceeds from the concert were donated to The North East Young Musicians Fund. The Alan Hull Award for young musicians in the North East was set up a year later in response to the success of the concert.