Author Archives: Steve Thompson

It’ll End In Tears

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We built a town of iron and steel
Sweated blood, began to believe
We were Gods made in furnace flames
As we watched our town growing in fame
but nothing lasts, forever’s a dream
money says it’s time to leave

It’ll end in tears, it’ll end in tears
We’re only smiling to hide our fears
When the battle is lost and the warriors lay down
It’ll all end in tears, when they tear down this town

Fear of a closure has long been there
But people here have never despaired
With hearts and heads held so proud
We stand tall as giants in our home town
In a great world of iron and steel
Consett, is steel town, takes the lead

It’ll end in tears, it’ll end in tears
We’re only smiling to hide our fears
When the battle is lost
and the warriors lay down
It’ll all end in tears,
when they tear down this town

Bridges and Towers
are built with our Steel
Consett is steel town and always will be

It’ll end in tears, it’ll end in tears
I’ve tried to tell them but nobody hears

It’ll end in tears, it’ll end in tears
We’re only smiling to hide our fears
When the battle is lost
and the warriors lay down
It’ll all end in tears,
when they tear down this town

From the Musical “Steeltown” by Tom Kelly and Steve Thompson

Gateshead Titanic

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I worked for 6 weeks withe the Reavely Theatre School in Gateshead helping youngsters compose songs for their production of a musical called Titanic. I did a pre Easter visit to kick strart this. The Schools owner Sandra had a Great Uncle Albert who served on the Titanic and was one of those who perished. She decided the next production would be based on Alfreds story and the Titanic.

After we had looked at some telegrams and artifacts to set the scene, the 11 year olds were charged with the task of working on the sad song for the ending.

Dear family, Alfred is dead,
The good news is, we have a spare bed.

Tugs at your heartstrings doesn’t it?

Raven – Rock Until You Drop, The Coffee Cup March

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Producing this album was an intense but rewarding experience. I’ve heard these guys work described as “athletic rock” and that’s just about right. I’ve uploaded a couple of samples below.

We decided we wanted a marching sound to bring in the “Rock Until You Drop” track so we mike’d up the toilet floor next to the studio and went in there and marched. It wasn’t right though. We needed a gravel pit or different footwear.

I took a coffee break to ponder the problem and then it struck me. The disposable plastic coffee cups had just that crunch factor we needed. We spread a hundred or so and stomped on them at the tempo that the track was to be. We then did several takes but had to keep replenishing the cups as they could not withstand the punishment. In the end we used the entire supply of three thousand. the next day the studio boss was well pissed off but, hey, you can’t make a cake without breaking eggs!

Rock Until You Drop (listen)

Wiped Out (listen)

These guys were so over the top that I refused to produce the album non stop. Instead I opted for a three day week to give me time to recover between sessions

Raven – fooling about during the making of “Rock Till You Drop”

Digitising History

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In 1999 a guy in Australia sent me 40 photographs of King George V and Queen Mary visiting shipyards in our area. He also sent me the Smiths Docks Role of Honour with hundreds of names of dock workers who served during the war. Mike Conquest sent me these family heirlooms as he assumed I would find a proper home for them so I dutifully donated the photographs to Newcastle Central library and the role of honour to the University of Teesside. Naturally I did not do this without first scanning all the pictures and asking an office temp to type up all the names in the role of honour. All of these things have at one time or another existed on a website so I’ve spent a pleasant hour or two this Sunday afternoon trawling through my hard drive. the pictures (example right) can now be seen at http://www.neukol.org.uk/images/george/ I have yet to find the names from the role of honour but I think I know where those files may be backed up.

Bush Carnival

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aboveI live very close to Teesside Airport. ìAir force Oneî flew over my house and landed there so that ol’ buddies Tony Blair and George Doublyuh could have a nice visit. When I mentioned in a forum an American replied ìgee I’m sorryî I had some inside information so me and a friend Andrew went to the edge of the airport runway. Andrew was afraid we’d be shot as spies but when we got there he need not have worried. There were hundreds of people there where the A66 goes under the flight path for the airport. There was a huge armed police presence and gawd knows how many plain clothes operatives.

Click on link for pictures and full story —>

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Celine Dion: Ne Me Plaignes Pas

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CelineNo doubt you’ve heard the charming story of how Rene Angelil mortgaged his house to fund Celine’s career!

But did you know that Celine set out on her dream of international stardom armed with one of my songs? Ne me Plaignez Pas !

Click here to see a video clip – 56K Modem (REAL) – Faster Connection (REAL) or – MPG VERSION

You can find this song on literally dozens of compilation CD’s

Amour – C’Est Pour Vivre – Collection – Collection 82-88

The Early Singles – The French Love Album Les Plus Grands Success

Searchers Find Missing Mastertape

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In 1982 The Searchers released my song “I Don’t Want To Be The One” on PRT as a single. It only achieved moderate chart success but went Gold on “Street Scene” a compilation album.†

There was talk of an album with PRT and another of my songs “Innocent Victim” was recorded. However, the album never materialised and the master tapes for the song mysteriously disappeared. This year the Searchers celebrate 40 years in the business and have released an all encompassing double CD to commemorate the fact. Luckily the Innocent Victim tapes were found just in time to be included on the CD. Referring to the proposed PRT album the sleeve notes for this CD state “Innocent Victim is an indicator of what might have been”

Hear the rediscovered Innocent Victim. 

Buy
The CD

Anniversary

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Today is my 22nd wedding anniversary. I came across the document below left that shows this month marks another, and some would say (don’t tell my wife) an even more important one. See below, me and that red strat have been together for 27 years and never a cross word!

The Attitude (Fear of Crime Project)

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I produced a CD with a group of young people from East Middlesbrough in Studio 64. Over a period of 4 weeks I had helped the group write a track that expressed their feelings about the place they were growing up in.

II also produced a video featuring the song and this was shown along with another video on the same subject made by a group of older people at a presentation at the University of Teesside. Presiding over the occassion was the Mayor of Middlesbrough, Ray Mallon.

Songs Of Love Work And War

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This was originally a review at South Shields Customs House with music from the Steve Thompson Band, narration from Tom and back projected images. It has become a Kelly/Thompson “genre” of material and new songs are being added and new forms of delivery considered. Below is the live album available to listen for free and to download. Only 3 tracks at present but more to be added.

[bandcamp width=350 height=555 album=3360192008 size=large bgcol=000000 linkcol=ffffff]

 

Steel Town

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Around 1996 I started teaching music composition part time at South Tyneside College. Here I met poet, playwright and local historian Tom Kelly. Tom had written many songs too and over the next 3 years or so we exchanged stories and anecdotes in the staff room. I told Tom of my early days in a rock band whilst serving an apprenticeship at Consett Steel Works and how I “escaped”.

Then one day passed me a note “Steel Town…a new musical..a young man dreams of escaping, to be a rock and roll star…”

Of course I was hooked and we embarked on what was to become quite and adventure for me.

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