------------------------------------------
 It may be one of the
most cherished recordings ever, but the story behind
the release of The
Undertones’ Teenage Kicks in 1978 is
long on happy accidents.
Derry’s first punk band didn’t originally plan it to be the lead track on their debut EP (a record that itself was intended solely as an epitaph), and they even had to persuade their singer to rejoin the band just to do the recording. But when the late DJ John Peel (famously, the opening line from Teenage Kicks is inscribed on Peel's headstone) got to hear it, everything went a bit mad. Not that it turned the heads of our heroes. Famously ambivalent to rock-star behaviour and the trappings of fashion – “You wore what your ma bought you back then” – they would be together for a brief but fertile four-album, five-year career. “At the time, punk wasn’t that well known in Derry,” reflects guitarist John O’Neill. “We had a core following of 50 people or so, but apart from that we were treated with a lot of suspicion.”  By 1978,
after trying to make headway on the local circuit,
which pretty much amounted to show band central The
Casbah, The Undertones were ready to give up.“We had been playing for maybe a year,” John says. “And at that age a year is like a lifetime. We had got to the stage where we were just banging our heads against a brick wall. We thought, ‘Well, at least we’ll put a record out to prove there was a punk band that existed in Derry at the time.’” First, however, they’d have to persuade their singer, Feargal Sharkey, to rejoin. No one seems to remember how the split came about, but Bradley was tasked with resolving it. “I remember phoning Feargal from the O’Neills’ house, which was the centre of operations,” he says. “I remember saying: ‘Listen, just make the record.‘” Bradley’s entreaties won the day: the Teenage Kicks EP was released on the Good Vibrations label, run by Belfast maverick Terri Hooley, in September 78. John, the song’s author, says his inspiration was partly the MC5’s Teenage Lust, and, naturally, the Ramones. "We were huge Ramones fans. You can always hear that in the tunes, and some of the words too." But he’s never considered Teenage Kicks to be the best Undertones song – or even the best one on that record.  “I
still don’t,” he says. “If you look at all
the different cover versions of the song, they’ve
never been that great. It’s a great record. I can
see why John Peel loved the record. You can hear the
energy, and the whole sound of it is fantastic. But
if you break the song down, it’s not really that
original lyrically or musically. But I thank God
every day that I wrote it."“What I do remember about Teenage Kicks is Billy’s drum beat at the start,” says Bradley. “I’m nearly sure he borrowed that from somewhere else, another cover we were doing. The Shangri-Las and the Brill Building stuff, I definitely remember that influence as well – that was what we were thinking at the time in terms of what was a good song.” John O’Neill attributes the spark of the performance to playing Belfast on a combined Good Vibrations bill on the evening prior to the recording. “I remember thinking that night. I’m not sure how good we are, but we’re at least as good or better than the other Belfast bands. That made us confident going in to record the next day. We called it the Teenage Kicks EP because obviously we were teenagers, and it just had a good ring to it – the True Confessions EP wouldn’t have been as good. But even when we played the song live then, I don’t think it stood out more than any other song. We obviously thought it was one of our best, ‘cos we put it on the EP. But we thought True Confessions was the best song on the record.” They were all gathered round the radio at O’Neill HQ – “like a youth club,” says O’Neill, “with me, Billy and Feargal always there, like having three extra brothers” – to hear John Peel play it for the first time. In fact he played it twice. Sire Records mogul Seymour Stein was listening too, and he flipped. The Undertones left Good Vibrations with no ill feelings.  “At the
time, Terri would have been perfectly within his
rights to say: ‘Listen, I own the copyright to
Teenage Kicks, so any deal you do with Sire, I
should have a percentage of that’,” Bradley
says. “He would have been 100 per cent entitled.
And he didn’t. ‘Away you go. Good luck to you!’”A delegation went to London to negotiate the band’s new contract. Sharkey and Bradley were the chosen envoys, although Bradley isn’t sure why: “I was the smartest – in terms of O-Levels.” Feargal was “the most hard-headed”. “Maybe I was sent to keep an eye on Feargal. I always make comparisons with 1920 and [Irish politician] Michael Collins, when they went over to London to negotiate. Because John, Damian and Billy were back home. They had the veto.” When Bradley did call home, emboldened by their distance from the front lines, the remaining trio insisted he ask for more than the £8,000 on the table. £60,000 sounded a nicer figure. “I had to cup my hand over the phone and say to Seymour: ‘We’d like more money. As much as the Rich Kids [the new wave band founded by Glen Matlock after he left the Sex Pistols] got.’” Seymour promptly exploded.  “I
think he did give us more money, but he was probably
going from a very low base anyway,” says
Bradley.Within a month, the Teenage Kicks EP had been reissued by Sire, home of their beloved Ramones and Talking Heads. The song has since become a staple of every punk compilation, was used as the title of an Ade Edmondson sitcom in 2007, and featured in an episode of the much-loved comedy Derry Girls in 2022. Does its over-exposure exasperate Bradley? “I don’t really mind. I can’t mind!” he reasons. “It’s done so well for us, it’s wrong to complain. Not when we play it live and see so many people smiling and loving it.”
------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------
"Gonna tell ya
what I'm gonna do
When I get my dirty hands on you" Well, Riffs doesn't go quite as far back as
those stalwarts of Heavy Rock - THE
FORCE - but I thought I'd share some of the
pics I took way, way back. The first ten I took back
in 2005 (I think), and include their gig at Newcastle
City Hall, and also from January of that year from a
venue near Heighington... perhaps the lads can
remember exactly where . . .
    
    
    
 ---------------------------------------------------  Forty Years of Music, One
Final Thank You
"After an unforgettable 40 years of playing live rock music — much of it performing our own material for an incredibly loyal and passionate fan base. We, The Force, have decided that March 2026 will mark our final gigs. It’s not a decision we’ve taken lightly, but we feel the time has finally come to bring things to a close. The past year has been especially tough. We lost our great friend and longtime band manager Norman, and we spent most of 2025 without our fantastic drummer Geordie after his heart attack in May. Thankfully he’s doing well now, but it was a huge setback. Add to that the reality that we’re not getting any younger, and age‑related hand problems have made it harder to play the way we want to. We want to say a massive, heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us over the decades. To our fans - your dedication, your voices, your energy, your friendship and your belief in our music have meant more than we can ever express. You’ve been the heartbeat of this band. To our wives, families, and friends: thank you for standing by us through late nights, long drives, and all the chaos that comes with being in a rock band. Your patience, encouragement, and love have kept us going. There are far too many people to thank individually, and we’re bound to miss a few names, but every one of you has played a part in this story. Huge appreciation to all the musicians who’ve shared the stage and the journey with us. From the early days with Mick Simpson, Phil Gillespie, and young Andy, through the first two CDs with the brilliant Franco Zuccaroli, then the inimitable Micky Kerrigan, and later Bill Hornsby, who joined us for a relatively short but thoroughly enjoyable spell as vocalist and front-man. We also want to acknowledge our former managers: Robin “The Light Show” Alderson, Colin “Keep It Live” McCosh, and Terry “Take That for Now” Stansfield, whose ingenuity made our first live CD possible. And to John and Linda, whose support was invaluable for the second. (With thanks to John Taylor and Fred Purser for their work on the production of the CDs.) Special thanks go to the friends who’ve stood by us in so many ways over the years: Clem, who supported the band for more than two decades and made sure we were always seen and heard; Norman and Marion, who kept the gigs coming; Phil and Kim Shakesby; Glynn; Beefy; Ian and Phil Gustard; Kev (Lude) Millburn; Colin Smoult; and Sadge our sound engineer, producer, and friend, who we sadly lost recently. Rest in peace. To those who kept us on the road - Paul Shaw, Tom Robson, Gary Anderson, Geof Dow, Derek Playle, and Ken Pearson, who provided the van and P.A. for many years, thank you. While keeping the band on the road in Geordies absence - Mick Simpson, Addo Koranteng and Graeme Wall, we appreciate your help. And although we’re stepping away from the stage as The Force, our love for live music hasn’t gone anywhere, and you’ll no doubt spot us at gigs, cheering on other bands. If you see any of us around, come over and say hello — we’d love to catch up, share a drink, and reminisce about the incredible ride we’ve had together. We hope to see you at one of our remaining shows. Dave, Mick, Phil, Geordie and Clem"
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    Middlesbrough-born singer
Chris Rea has died aged 74.
The star was known for several hits including Driving Home For Christmas. Announcing his death, a spokesperson for his family said: "It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Chris. He passed away peacefully in hospital earlier today [Monday December 22] following a short illness, surrounded by his family." RIP Chris - our thoughts are with his loved ones. ------------------------------------------ WE'RE ON
Just when you thought you
could read Riffs Listings only on Riffs! No, we haven't
been hacked: Riffs is pleased to announce that our gigs
are now listed on the UK's leading grassroots gig guide,
Lemonrock. You can not only find Riffs gigs on there - as well
as Jem's On The Case
listings - but also there's lots of local information
and you can follow your favourite bands and venues to
get emails when new gigs are
posted.
https://www.lemonrock.com
------------------------------------------  Martin
Barre Bandat The Exchange, North Shields Friday 30th January 2026 Doors 7.30pm, Band 8.30pm Tickets £30.00 online from https://theexchange1856.com The former Jethro Tull lead guitarist (47 years), performs the multi-million selling album Aqualung in full. ------------------------------------------
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ARE YOU READY?!!!
 Special mensh goes to a gig
at Guisborough Quoits Club on 20th December as it's in aid of Macmillan Nurses. I appreciate
that, as a band, it must be oh so tempting to pocket
some of that hard-earned - especially at this time of
year, but equally (no, even more so) heartwarming to
know that you have given with no thought of reward. So
a big THANK YOU from Macmillan Nurses to ACDC GB and Tempest
for doing just that.
It's Brian and not Bon (we won't put up with that from you lot at the back, either). Tickets are £10 from the venue or pay on the door which open at 7pm. Tempest on at 8pm and headliners 9pm. So go along and Rock your heart out knowing you are doing something heartily rewarding. ------------------------------------------
Tyneside
Americana Blues Festival
King St Club North Shields NE 30 Fri Jan 23 Sat 24 Sun 25. Friday 5-10pm start.BANDS IN RUNNING ORDER. Andy J Fraser & the Tunstallachia Upland Boys. Stan the Band. Martin Turner X Wishbone Ash. Gerry Jablonski Band. Tom Killner Band. Day tickets £24. Sat 12.15 pm start. Ash Lynch West Coast Americana Accoustic. Davey Pattison Band ( X Montrose Robin TROWER frontman.) Chris Jagger Band. Whisky Flowers. Terraplane Blues Band. Dom Martin Band. Day tickets £33. Sun 1.30 pm Steve Pablo. Stormchaser (Scotland) featuring X Frankie Miller Full House frontman Gregor McGregor. Jed Thomas Band. Zac Schultze Gang. Bay City Rollers. Day ticket £29-50. Please note Bay City Rollers ticket of £24 Available entry for that event 7-30 pm. A Weekend ticket of £69 is available for the 3 Days. Tickets on Tynefest.co.uk ------------------------------------------
 
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Classic Clapton 40th
Anniversary Gig
The Glasshouse, Gatehead Friday 5 December  CLASSIC
CLAPTON will be appearing at The Glasshouse in
December to celebrate the anniversary of their first
ever gig which took place in Newcastle 40 years ago.
They have decided to come together for this special
one-off concert which will be the first performance by
the full Classic Clapton band for nearly two years.They will be performing at The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Friday 5 December. Doors open 7.30pm, band on stage 8pm. A few tickets are still available from the box office, Tel: (0191) 443 4661 and also online at www.theglasshouseicm.org They will perform all of EC's classic songs including Wonderful Tonight, Tears in Heaven, Crossroads, I Shot The Sheriff, Cocaine, Lay Down Sally and of course Layla! There will even be an “UNPLUGGED” segment. The whole of Clapton's illustrious career will be covered including Cream, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, The Yardbirds, Blind Faith, Derek & The Dominos and the solo years. The band was formed in 1985 in Newcastle long before the term tribute band was invented and named themselves ''After Midnight'' after Eric Clapton’s first solo hit. Their first gig was at The Cumberland Arms, Byker on 5 December 1985. In 2000 they embarked on their first tour of UK Theatres. They called the tribute show "CLASSIC CLAPTON". Since then, they performed at Glastonbury Festival in 2002 and also numerous gigs in Europe including Ireland, Spain, Estonia, Holland and France. In 2009 & 2016 they toured India and in 2017 they appeared in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  CLASSIC
CLAPTON comprises:- Mike Hall (lead
vocals/guitar), Gregg Strettle (drums) and Dave
Robson (bass guitar). Dave is a former
member of Fogg & Geordie. In fact he was with
Geordie at the time Brian Johnson left to join AC/DC. Stevie Hutch from South
Shields is on keyboards.
Mike has just
written a book about his early life growing up in
Durham and Newcastle. It is entitled “Before
Midnight”. It is now available on Amazon, either as
a paperback or on Kindle. He will also have
copies of his book at the Glasshouse gig if anyone
wants to get one signed
Tickets for the gig are available here:- TICKETS Please visit our website:- www.classic-clapton.com ------------------------------------------
Glendale Gossip . . .
"Really enjoyed Lock’n’Load’s gig in the Glendale last night, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in there, the heat was ridiculous. The band have a new bass player since I saw them last, I’m pretty sure his name is James Shepherd, he’s ex Alcatraz House Band apparently and he’s sharing the bass duties with another guy. The set list was pretty much the same as the last one I heard from them, delivered with accuracy and enthusiasm to a crowd who were up dancing from the off. The club must have made a mint on the bar last night; the staff were constantly going around the room to retrieve empty glasses. To me it proves that there’s an appetite for proper Rock music in the region, and people will turn out to hear it. Other local venues (no names, no pack drill) insist on putting on what amounts to cabaret and describing it as Rock. It was announced last night that Vigilante are playing in the club [Glendale] on the 21st November, another proper Rock band, I look forward to watching that. Still no word on what dates Rock Solid are booked for in Houghton…" The Silverback
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  Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, co-founder and lead guitarist of the legendary rock band Kiss, has died at the age of 74. He suffered a brain bleed after taking a fall in his studio a couple weeks ago. R.I.P. ------------------------------------------
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From LA’s Whisky A-go-Go
to Spennymoor’s Penny Gill And why wouldn’t you? Well, The Paul Austin Band did. But hold on a mo’ - aren’t the band Teesside based? Ah, now you’re wanting an explanation . . .  Simon Milan (SK) (FoFo) Drums and co-writer (likes Dead Daisies, AC/DC style rock); Kenny Nicholson, live guitars (likes Doug Aldritch and masses and masses of stuff!) Paul Simpson, live bass (likes Classic rock, Iron Maiden to Marillion, Whitesnake to Metallica). Up till a few days ago I hadn’t heard of The Paul Austin Band but, thanks to Paul S, not only have I had a proper introduction but I’m rather impressed with their style of Rock - now don’t expect Motorhead, but don’t expect MOR either. Their sound is tight and controlled, gutsy but, dare I say, melodic [you dared, you dared] Classic Rock brought bang up to date. The type of band that would be perfect for a Rock Venue, but could easily hold their own at a biker gig.  Hoping
you locals recognised Kenny
Nicholson (left) in
there on lead guitar. This guy can play; if I remember
correctly [well, that’ll be a
first] as lead in The
Paul Rodgers Story, the band broke
some sort of record at The Hummingbird during Darlo’s
Blues weekend. Over the last few years he’s graced
several bands, all of whom gained a well-deserved
reputation. He’s like a seal of approval - if Kenny’s in it, y’know it’s
gonna be good. Like Russ Tippins
being in a band - it’s all you need to know.Anyway, I’m babbling again, you want to know about Whisky A-Go-Go. Well, I’m gonna let Paul S explain how it started: “It started with a wildfire! Wildfires in Los Angeles to be more accurate; Paul Austin submitted a song he’d written to an organisation in LA that were putting together a charity CD, with other independent artists, to support the brave fire fighters battling the ever-growing blaze around their city. The song ‘Land of Plenty’ about poverty and the plight of veterans sleeping on the streets was snapped up and included on the disc.”  Now, at
this time The Paul Austin Band
didn’t actually exist. Paul S
and Kenny had an idea for
a covers band and auditioned Paul
Austin and that was the catalyst. Then Paul Austin was contacted by
Whisky A-Go-Go in LA and was asked if he would like to
fly over and perform his song live. He asked if the
whole band would like to go with him. “Kenny and me
thought long and hard - about a nano second - before
agreeing of course!” explained Paul S.Not wanting to travel all that way for just one gig, Paul Austin managed to book a couple more gigs. “He booked us into the other famous LA venue, The Viper Room (a la Johnny Depp) but not to be humbled he also booked the Universal Bar and Grill. This was mind blowing!” expanded Paul S, and continued: “A favourite part of the trip was driving through the Mojavi desert. That place is vast. As a computer game fan, I began to recognise locations from 'Fallout'. It was amazing to see these sites in real life.”  But
sightseeting apart, it was soon time to brave the Whisky
venue. Paul S was
awestruck: “The Whisky A-Go-Go felt intimidating, to
see that iconic venue that so many great bands had
played gave us butterflies. Once inside though the
friendly and professional atmosphere made us feel at
ease and it began to look like most other venues. But
you know it isn’t.”There was, though, a slight downer for the band when they learnt they were booked to play an early slot. “We soon got over that disappointment as the band knows only one way to play - and that’s full on!” But like a flash the lads were heading home to the cooler climate of the North East of England - next stop Spennymoor’s Penny Gill on Saturday October 11th. The band continue to grow and have secured gigs around the UK; London, Manchester and Sheffield - and in Norway and, believe it or not, India! Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578315105526 Listen here - https://thepaulaustinband1.bandcamp.com/album/austintatious ------------------------------------------  RIP Alan Lancaster who passed away on this day 2021 ------------------------------------------
WHY A "BETRAYED" PHIL
LYNOTT WASN'T INVITED TO PLAY LIVE AID
 The end of the
life of Thin Lizzy bassist
and leader Phil Lynott
was not a happy time. The rock star was barely in his
mid-30s, but his world was crumbling around him. Thin
Lizzy had broken up in 1983, and Lynott’s next group,
Grand Slam, failed
to find a recording contract and split. Lynott was
thoroughly addicted to drugs and alcohol by this
point, limping through a modest solo career without
much in the way of direction. But all was not lost.
Lynott learned through some of his friends that a
massive benefit concert was being staged in London in
the summer of 1985. Even better, it was being
organised by his old friends, Bob
Geldof and Midge
Ure. For a few months between 1979 and
1980, Ure was briefly a touring Thin Lizzy member and
had a good relationship with Lynott. Surely this would
have been the moment for Lynott to clean up, turn
things around, and reclaim his status as one of
Ireland’s true stars. It wasn’t to be. “It wasn’t
even that they thought, ‘No, better not’,”
Graeme Thomson, the author of Cowboy
Song: The Authorized Biography of Phillip Lynott
told RTÉ in 2016. “It’s actually that he wasn’t
even on the radar at that point for that kind of
thing. And I think that is really telling of where
he was. And that was only six months before he died.
If he had been in a healthy state, that could have
been the Queen moment for them – ‘The Boys Are Back
in Town’ at Wembley? Can you imagine?” Ure said
in the book. “But it never crossed our minds, and
we were both good friends of his. I think he would
have felt absolutely betrayed by that. I think if we
had done that [asked him to appear at Live Aid],
Lizzy would have reformed.”  Lynott was indeed tossing around the
idea of reforming Thin Lizzy with drummer Brian Downey
in 1985. Years prior, Lynott had helped the Boomtown Rats,
Geldof’s band, secure a recording contract with Ensign
Records. Despite his friendship with Geldof and Ure,
Lynott was not invited to play at Live Aid. He helped
the fundraising efforts by auctioning his bass and
even might have attended the event in London as a
spectator, but that was the extent of Lynott’s
participation. “He actually turned up at the RTÉ
studios that day and he auctioned a bass off. He did
his bit, I guess, and there’s something quite
heartbreaking about that,” Thomson added. “He
wasn’t somebody who would vent about it. But
privately, I think, you can be sure that that had a
profound effect. It’s someone literally looking in
from the outside at this party that’s going on, this
rock celebration. And he’s quite clearly been left
out.” In the final days of 1985, Lynott
collapsed and spent his final days in the hospital. On
January 4th, Lynott died of pneumonia and heart
failure, largely caused by his addictions. It was a
premature end for one of Ireland’s biggest rock stars,
but his legacy with Thin Lizzy continues to live on.------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------
Mike Hall – Before
Midnight
 The book covers the period up to 1985 when he formed After Midnight after being inspired by Eric Clapton’s performance at Live Aid. Before Midnight is about growing up in the 50s and 60s in and around Durham. At school he developed a love for music and in particular for the guitar, as played by his heroes; Hank Marvin, George Harrison, Paul Kossoff, Rory Gallagher, Eric Clapton and many others. Many gigs are described in the book. He was lucky enough to see some amazing bands including the Beatles, Free, Taste, Savoy Brown, The Nice, T Rex, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig, Skid Row, Bakerloo, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Marriott, Moody Blues, Wings, Queen, Dire Straits, Santana, Back Street Crawler, Delaney & Bonnie, Derek & the Dominos, Eric Clapton and many more. The first chapter is about Mike and his mates seeing Cream play at Club a’GoGo in 1967. Another significant gig was the first time he saw Free live in 1969 at Durham Town Hall supported by Gin House. He saw Free many times - at Dunelm House, Sunderland Locarno, Newcastle City Hall and Mayfair ballroom and these gigs are all described in detail. Mike was inspired by many local musicians and he attended gigs at legendary northeast venues, such as Newcastle City Hall, Club a’GoGo, Durham Town Hall, Boom Boom Beat Club, Dunelm House, The Argus Butterfly and Sunderland Locarno (Fillmore North). So if you played in a local band there is a chance you might get a mention. There is a chapter on club bands that he saw in the 70s and 80s and a particular mention of the late great Dave Black and the various bands he was in. Other local bands mentioned include 747, The Astronauts, Anzio, Armageddon, Abraham Slate, Beckett, the Blue Chips, Brass Alley, Burlesque, Danceclass, East Side Torpedoes, the Executives, Exposè, Felix Welk, Fogg, Four Star Hotel, Gin House, The Gas Board, Goldie, Geordie, Invision, Jet Set, Kestrel, Last Exit, Motorway, Messenger, Mick Whitaker, Little Mo, Magic, The News, Oasis (late 70s band), Piranha Brothers, Mr Poobah’s Chicago Blues Line, Quadrant 4, Skywalkers, Toy Dolls, Twilight Zone, West Coast Promotions, Linda Wright, Zoots Navarro and many more. Mike formed his first band at school in 1967. In the 70s and early 80s he also played with other bands around the northeast club circuit. After leaving Durham Johnston School he went to college in Manchester and Newcastle. So part of the book is about his various career changes over the years. For a time in the early 70s Mike and his girlfriend lived and worked in King’s Road, London. There were several lengthy spells during the 70s when he barely touched a guitar. However, all this was to change in 1978 when he fell in love with the guitar playing of Mark Knopfler. Mike will have copies of the book at the following gigs if you wish to get one signed:- After Midnight unplugged at Cullercoats Crescent Club on Sat 25 October, and Classic Clapton 40th Anniversary gig at The Glasshouse, Gateshead on Friday 5 December. To buy the book you can go to Amazon books and search for – “Mike Hall Before Midnight”. (Paperback £14.99, Kindle £4.99). Hopefully some of you will enjoy it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Before-Midnight-Memoirs-Guitarist-Early/dp/B0FFNFFG6J/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 ------------------------------------------
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 Due to
The Stones Story gig at the Red Lion in
Earsdon getting cancelled (pub temp closure) the band
now have this Saturday free (September 20) If you would
like the band for your venue then fire off an email to
Jeff at stonesstoryinfo@gmail.com.
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LET THERE BE LIGHT
LET THERE BE DRUMS LET THERE BE GUITAR LET THERE BE DOYLE 
 Riffs email inbox this morning was
absolutely bulging with an email from Mick Doyle - 'can you add
this gig to your Listings page please?' Me:
(thinking) "Mick Doyle, Doyle,
Rockers, Crook, one of the best gigs Val and I ever
attended. Bloody Hell, need to find out more about
this..."
Now, I could wax lyrical about how stupendously exciting, breathtaking, and electrifying both myself and Val found the band DOYLE when they played a charity gig at Crook Football Club way back in 2008. But I don't have to, as Val penned a full review at the time which I proudly show above. Thankfully, Mick got back to me asap to explain that the lads have reformed and, with some special Guests and Friends, have arranged a gig at The Glebe in Murton on Saturday October 4th. As if catching Heavy Rockers Doyle may not be enough for you, tantalisingly they have arranged for a whole evening full of music, including: Micky Crystal (ex Tygers of Pan Tang) [play Suzie Smiled mate or you're dead] Stevie Stoker Juliets Not Dead Ceri Justice Ceri Justice and the Jury Kevin Corry Singer, songwriter. Mustang The Embers There's Nights Out and there's nights out,
but this defo goes down as a NIGHT OUT.
DOYLE
(l to r) Brian
(keyboards) Jason
(bass) Jon (guitar)As Val just pointed out "If Doyle turn out to be only a tenth as good as they were at Crook FC, they're still gonna blow the bloody roof off."  Mick (vocals) Andy (guitar) Bryan (drums) To be a part of this one-off
event you only need to fork out a poultry tenner for a
ticket. They are available from The Glebe box office or
message 07951 587022.
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"Hey, how do you like
your Rock?"
"Solid." "May have some good news for you . . ." An informed
source close to the
band has let slip that
Rock
Solid are coming
back with the classic
line-up to play some
local gigs “soon”.
Keep an eye on Riffs
for further
developments.
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------------------------------------------
 Black Sabbath frontman
Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76.A statement from his family said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.” He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019. As frontman of Black Sabbath, he was at the forefront of the heavy metal scene – a deeper, darker offshoot of hard rock.His theatrical stage presence, including once biting off the head of a bat, and styling himself as the Prince of Darkness marked him out as a controversial figure. Born John Michael Osbourne on December 3 1948 in Aston, Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs including factory work before teaming up with school friend Geezer Butler in several bands. Earlier this month he bid a farewell to fans with a Black Sabbath reunion, telling thousands of heavy metal enthusiasts at Villa Park, Birmingham – a stone’s throw from where Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 – that it was “so good to be on this stage” as he performed his last set from a large black throne. Osbourne and his fellow original Black Sabbath members – Tony Iommi, Terence “Geezer” Butler and Bill Ward – were the last to appear on stage as part of a star-studded line-up for the Back to the Beginning concert. Also among the bands performing were Anthrax, Metallica and Guns N’ Roses, and there were messages of thanks from other celebrities, including Jack Black, Ricky Gervais and Dolly Parton. Black Sabbath’s eponymous debut album in 1970 made the UK top 10 and paved the way for a string of hit records.They went on to become one of the most influential and successful metal bands of all time, selling more than 75 million albums worldwide. The group were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and Osbourne was added for a second time last year. He rose to further fame alongside his wife Sharon – whom he married in 1982 and with whom he has three children, Aimee, Jack and Kelly – through their reality TV series The Osbournes. In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery. He had a fall at home in 2019 which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003, stopping his No More Tours 2 shows from going ahead in Europe and the UK. The tour had previously been rescheduled several times because of illness, the Covid-19 pandemic and logistical issues. He released his twelfth studio album Ordinary Man in 2020, followed by Patient Number 9 in 2022, which went to number three and two in the UK charts respectively. ------------------------------------------
 Kevin Riddles, original bass player with Angelwitch, passed away on July 4 2025. ------------------------------------------
 07940304242 POSTION NOW FILLED - 7/8/2025 ------------------------------------------
The Cottage
Tavern in Cleadon
requires a covers band
for Sunday 27 July for
a 7pm start. Contact
Neil 07546 931493.
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End of a Legendary
Era: Rob Halford Officially Announces His Retirement
from Music at Age 73
 Rob Halford,
the iconic frontman of Judas
Priest, has officially announced his
retirement from music. With a career spanning over
seven decades, Halford has played a pivotal role in
shaping the sound, spirit, and culture of metal music,
inspiring countless bands and fans worldwide. His
powerful voice, charismatic stage presence, and
pioneering style helped define Priest’s signature
sound, contributing timeless classics such as “Living
After Midnight,” “Electric Eye,” and “The Hellion.”
Throughout his career, Halford was renowned for his
dynamic performances, leather-and-studs image and
unwavering dedication to the genre, which earned him
the moniker “Metal God.” His influence extended beyond
music, as he became a symbol of rebellion,
individuality, and resilience. Despite rumors of
retirement over the years, Halford remained active,
releasing solo albums and touring with Priest, always
reaffirming his commitment to metal. His decision to
retire now signifies a heartfelt farewell to a career
that has left an indelible mark on music history.------------------------------------------  Rock guitarist and
songwriter, Mick Ralphs, best known as a founding member of the
bands Mott the Hoople and Bad Company, has died.
------------------------------------------He leaves behind millions of devoted fans and friends across the world.” Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke each shared touching tributes. Rodgers wrote, "Our Mick has passed, my heart just hit the ground. He has left us with exceptional songs and memories. He was my friend, my songwriting partner, an amazing and versatile guitarist who had the greatest sense of humour. Our last conversation a few days ago we shared a laugh but it won't be our last. There are many memories of Mick that will create laughter. Condolences to everyone who loved him especially his one true love, Susie. I will see you in heaven." While Kirke said, “He was a dear friend, a wonderful songwriter, and an exceptional guitarist. We will miss him deeply.” He began his music career in the 1960s, initially playing with the blues-rock group The Buddies and later Doc Thomas Group, which evolved into Mott the Hoople. With Mott the Hoople, Ralphs contributed to several influential albums and penned notable tracks such as “Ready for Love,” which would later become a signature song for Bad Company. In 1973, Ralphs left Mott the Hoople and co-founded Bad Company alongside singer Paul Rodgers, drummer Simon Kirke and bassist Boz Burrell. Bad Company became the first band signed to Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. The band quickly rose to international fame with their debut self-titled album, which featured hits such as “Can’t Get Enough,” written by Ralphs, which proved to be their highest charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100. His bluesy, melodic guitar style became a defining element of the band’s sound.  Brian
Wilson, cofounder of The Beach Boys and the
creative force behind the group’s surf sound, orchestral
arrangements and perfect harmonies, has died, his family
announced on Wednesday.
He was 82. “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” his family wrote in the statement shared on Instagram and his official website. “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.” Wilson’s life was marked just as much by struggles with substance abuse and mental illness as it was by repeated comebacks, remarkable talent and timeless songs that still echo across the country, decades after their release. His story, by all accounts, is one of resilience. Despite a childhood scarred by his father’s abuse, becoming partially deaf, and the years of haunting voices in his head from schizoaffective disorder, the two-time Grammy Award winner went on to become the “reigning king of pop melody,” as the Denver Post once put it, often bringing to life songs that told a much different tale than his own reality. ------------------------------------------
COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN
(Always the Same)
‘Morning Nige,
This should have been a review of Elenbak at the Glendale. I turned up at the club and the stage was covered in prizes and trophies, I asked the stewardess if the band were still on, to be told they’d cancelled and it was an awards night. Whoopsie-do. Apparently, the club had put it on Facebook, but that’s no good for the likes of me who refuses to engage with FB. Bugger. It later transpired that there were several versions of who had cancelled the gig, I know who I believe, but moving on: I rang around guys who I knew were intending coming to see Elenbak and managed to get us diverted to Hetton Big Club to watch The Deeks. By the time we eventually got to Hetton the best viewing tables had gone, but we settled in. During the course of the evening I discovered we weren’t alone in showing up in the Glendale expecting a band, to be greeted by the PA blaring monkey music. It was hot in Hetton club, and to add to the warm greeting, the heating was on in the bogs! Farcical. The Deeks put on their usual polished set, identical to the previous 4 or 5 shows. The place was pretty full, boosted by dejected Rockers from Houghton. The band line up for the next month is more of the usual shite with the exception oLock’n’Load in about 5 or 6 weeks. Ho-hum, it was a night out with mates so it wasn’t a total loss. I’ll keep you posted, The
Silverback
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Tickets to see The Boomtown Rats at Gateshead Sage in November of this year - £60.50 !!! ------------------------------------------
SUNDAY AFTERNOON GIGS
AT THE GLENDALE
LOCKED AND LOADED 
  I
went down to Houghton Glendale yesterday afternoon to
watch Lock’n’Load
with a couple of mates. For a Sunday afternoon it was a
decent turn-out in the club, probably 2/3 capacity.
Bearing in mind it was a beautiful sunny day outside,
that’s good going these days. While the band were
finishing their set-up and sound check I noticed there
was a new guitarist in the line-up, sporting a very
pretty cherry red Gibson ES335, not the usual weapon of
choice on the club circuit, but nice to see.
Shortly before the band came on, we were joined by CJ, one-time frontman and chanter for Rock Solid who informed me he’s come to check out the new guitarist (by the name of John) who, he’d been informed, was quite tasty. After the usual banter it transpires that CJ has retired from gainful employment but still performing with Sceptre on a regular basis around the North East. Lock’n’Load have had their fair share of reviews on Riffs, so I’ll not give them the full works, but apart from the new band member they’d added some new tunes to their set. They still kicked off with “Tie your mother down” but have added Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero” to the set as well as Bryan Adams “Can’t stop this thing we started”. They’ve also added another smoke machine as well, and more than once the drummer was hidden from sight by the clouds coming from them. We were sitting at the back of the room and there were layers of smoke drifting across the floor towards us. Hence the crap photos; the auto-focus won’t play when there’s smoke in the air. Lock’n’Load continue to impress, singer Dave’s voice was superb all afternoon, something that CJ observed as well. High praise from an old pro like him. The band jelled well and John fitted in like he’d been playing with them for years. Well worth turning out for, and if the Sunday afternoons are going to be a regular feature a welcome addition to the calendar of local Rock fans. The
Silverback
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 !! PLAY LOUD
!!
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 Ultravox Greenslade 
 Ian Gillan Band 
 The Lurkers The Undertones   More Metal Bands Zep on stage 1977 
 Metal Bands 
The Greedies 1978 Heavy Metal Chart 1979 
 UFO 1970 
 Geldof, Ant, John, Kemp, Hadley, Ure 1985 Hagar, Montrose 1975 
 Pistols Holland 1977 Devo, Bowie New York 1977 
 Stewart, Beck, Newman, Page Cole Towshend IoW 1969 
 Free 1970 Roxy Music 1972   REO Speedwagon 1970 Scorpions 1974   Van Halen 1975 Damned (dislocated wrist) 1977 
 Deep Purple 1968 Stranglers H&A 1977 
 The Modettes 1979 Bebe, Joan, Debbie 1979 
 Dan McCafferty Fleetwood Mac 1960s 
 Sounds Xmas 
 Cactus 1971 Wendy O. Williams 
 Yardbirds 1966 Pop Charts 1972 
 Nazareth at the Marquee 1972 Sweet on ToTP 1973   Sex Pistols 1st gig 1975 MC5 1970 
 Montrose in London 1973 Skid Row with Moore 1970 
 Johnny Ramone Cheap Trick with KISS 1977 
 Quireboys with Frankie Miller Atomic Rooster 
 Sir Lord Baltimore 
 Badfinger 
 Jethro Tull 1969 Pentagram 
 Groundhogs 
 Derringer 1976 Wizzard 
 Angel Witch 1978 Uriah Heep 1970 
 Angel Wizzard (TOTP) 
 Alice Cooper 1970 April Wine 
 SAHB 1975 Dokken   Diamond Head   Motorhead's Wurzel Spooky Tooth 1969 
 Jethro Tull 
 Ten Years After 
 Debbie Harry 
 Geronimo Uriah Heep 1973.jpg)
 Elkie Brooks 1973 Dr. Feelgood 1976 
 Deep Purple Budokan 1973 Dave & Lady Vanian wedding 
 Stone The Crows Mayfair 1972 Lemmy Army 
 Wicked Lester 1972 
 Phil Campbell ZZ Top 1970 
 Soundhouse Jeff Beck Group 1967 
 Grand Funk Railroad 
 Edward Allan Clarke 
 Incredible Hog James Gang 1971 
 Runaways CBGBs 1976 Mott The Hoople 1973 
 Uriah Heep 1974 May Blitz 
 Flower Travellin' Band [Japan] The Who 
 Armageddon The Kinks 1971 
 Pistols 1976 [pre-A&M signing] 
 Budgie 1973 UFO 1976 
 
 Sweet Ronnie Montrose 1975 
 Blue Cheer 1968 The Strawbs 
 Iggy Pop and Bowie 1977 Slade Liverpool 1982 
 Moon and Starr Rainbow 1975
 Iommi and Osbourne 1971 
 Idol and Lydon 1976 Mick Ralphs 1970 
 Free 1970 
Maiden with Paul Todd 1979 Skid Row with Moore 1970 
 Celebrated drummers Hendrix at Woodstock 
 Buffalo Blackmore 
 UFO 1974 Slade 1970 
 Foghat 1973   Steppenwolf Mott The Hoople 1972 
 Buzzcocks Wood, Stewart - Wembley 1972 
 Keith Moon Girlschool 
 Mountain 1971 Cozy Powell's Hammer 
 The Standells Humble Pie   Gary Numan West, Bruce & Laing 
 Free 1970 [IOW Festival] Sham 69 - Then and Now 
 King Crimson Fast Eddie Clarke 
 Glam Bands Angelic Upstarts 
 Killer Kane Dan McCafferty
 Pistols 1976 [EMI signing] Blackmore 
 Roy Wood's Wizzard Cub Koda [Brownsville Station] 
 UFO Reading Festival 1983 
 ZZ Top 1969 Rock Stars We've Lost 
 Priest 1974 Blue Cheer 
 The Damned with Lemmy 1978 Motorhead 
 Young Robert Ozzy 
 British Rock 
 Bolan, Bowie and fans Marc Bolan 
 Paul Kossoff Scorpions 
 The Who The Deviants 
 Edgar Winter Group The Yardbirds 
 Slade Reading 1980 Vibrators 
 Glenn Hughes Ten Years After 
 Donington Poster 1981 Motorhead Donington 1986 
 Iron Butterfly West, Bruce & Laing 
 Sudden Death Hot Tuna 
 Foghat Cactus 
 Dead Kennedys 
 Ginger Baker   Hawkwind Birtha 
 Phil Taylor The Vibrators 
 Quo 1968 
 Deep Purple 1971 Undertones 1978 
 Pete Way Ramones 1977 
 Thin Lizzy 
 Humble Pie   Dave Evans, Malcolm Young 1974 Buzzcocks 1976 
 Zeppelin 1st gig 1979 Bolin, Beck 
 Scorpions 1972 Paul Rodgers 
 Bad Co. 1975 Downing, Halford 1977 
 Mick Ronson 
 Biff, Lemmy Santana at Woodstock 
 Pete Way Way, Mogg 
 
 Hughes, Blackmore James Hetfield 16-y-o 
 Boston Pistols 1976 |