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Alan Hull
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Key Information

James Alan Hull (20 February 1945 – 17 November 1995)[1] was an English singer-songwriter and founding member of the Tyneside folk rock band Lindisfarne.

Career

[edit]

James Alan Hull was born on Tuesday, 20 February 1945 at 68 Sutton's Dwellings, Adelaide Terrace, Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne.[2] He began piano lessons at the age of nine, and guitar lessons two years later.[3] He attended Rutherford Grammar School, Newcastle after sitting the eleven-plus in 1956 and was given a guitar at the age of twelve. Hull wrote his first song soon afterwards.[2]

He became a member of the band The Chosen Few alongside keyboard player Mick Gallagher. He supported himself by working as a window cleaner,[4] one year by working as a nurse at a mental hospital and as a driver for Newcastle Co-op TV Department while appearing as a folk singer and guitarist in local clubs before helping to form Brethren and Downtown Faction, which evolved into Lindisfarne in 1970. He also released a one-off solo single, "We Can Swing Together", which was re-recorded with the group on their first album, Nicely Out of Tune, and became a regular favourite in their stage performances.[5]

As the group's most prolific songwriter and joint lead vocalist, Hull came to be regarded as its leader. In 1972, dissatisfied with the sound and critical reception of their third album Dingly Dell, he considered leaving the group but instead he and joint lead vocalist Ray "Jacka" Jackson formed a new six-piece Lindisfarne the following year, leaving the three other original members to form Jack The Lad. He also released his first solo album, Pipedream, the same year and published a book of poems, Mocking Horse.[5] Alan Hull appeared in "Squire", an episode of the BBC's Second City Firsts drama series.

Lindisfarne disbanded in 1973 and Hull released a second solo album, Squire, then formed the short-lived Radiator, which also included drummer Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne and Jack the Lad. Radiator released the 1977 Isn't It Strange album, and they toured with (or without) Horslips between July and December 1977, sometimes under the name Alan Hull's Radiator. By then the original line-up of Lindisfarne were reforming after a well-received series of sold-out Christmas shows at the Newcastle City Hall in 1976 which was broadcast on local radio. Thereafter he combined his musical career as front man of the group with a solo career.

He was also a staunch Labour Party activist.[5] For a time he was secretary of his local constituency Labour Party. He performed in Blackpool to coincide with the Labour Party conference in 1990, and played at numerous benefit concerts for striking or redundant miners and shipyard workers.[2]

In January 1994, he recorded Back to Basics, a live all-acoustic survey of the best of his songwriting from 1970 onwards.

Death

[edit]

On the night of Friday, 17 November 1995, Alan Hull suddenly collapsed at his home in North Shields and was pronounced dead on arrival at North Tyneside General Hospital at 11.30pm.[5] A post-mortem held on 20 November revealed his death to be the result of a coronary thrombosis. Hull's funeral was held on 24 November at North Shields Crematorium. Musician Chris Rea and actor Tim Healy were among those to attend. Hull's ashes were later scattered at the mouth of the River Tyne.[2]

At the time of Alan Hull's death, a new album, Statues & Liberties, was being completed;[6] it was released in 1996.

On 19 July 2012, following a public campaign led by Barry McKay, Lindisfarne's manager during the 1970s, an Alan Hull memorial plaque was unveiled on the front of Newcastle City Hall, at a ceremony attended by hundreds of fans, and broadcast and filmed by Sky and ITV Tyne Tees.[7]

Personal life

[edit]

Alan Hull married Patricia Sharp on 22 August 1966, and they had three daughters.[2]

Documentary film

[edit]

A BBC 4 documentary on the life of Hull, called Lindisfarne’s Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story, was first broadcast on 26 November 2021.[8][9] In the hour-long film Sam Fender follows the career and personal life of Hull. Archive footage of performances and interviews features in the programme, some of it previously unseen. There are also tributes from fans of the songs including Sting, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Dave Stewart and Peter Gabriel. Drummer Ray Laidlaw expressed the view that, despite Lindisfarne's success, Hull had not received sufficient recognition as "a 'world-class' songwriter", and he hoped to establish Hull's place in music history.[10][11]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

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Compilation albums

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Live albums

[edit]

Singles

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  • "We Can Swing Together" / "Obadiah's Grave" (1970)
  • "Numbers" / "Drinking Song" / "One Off Pat" (1973)
  • "Justanothersadsong" / "Waiting" (1973)
  • "Dan The Plan" / "One More Bottle of Wine" (1975)
  • "One More Bottle of Wine" / "Squire" (1975)
  • "Crazy Woman" / "Golden Oldies" (1975)
  • "I Wish You Well" / "Love Is The Answer" (1979)
  • "A Walk in the Sea" / "Corporation Rock" (1979)
  • "Malvinas Melody" / "Ode to a Taxman" (1983)

With Radiator

[edit]
  • Isn't It Strange (1977)

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Alan Hull

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James Alan Hull (20 February 1945 – 17 November 1995) was an English singer-songwriter and musician best known as the founder, lead vocalist, and primary songwriter of the Tyneside folk rock band Lindisfarne. Born in Benwell, Newcastle upon Tyne, Hull began his musical career in local bands such as the Chosen Few before forming Lindisfarne in 1968 with Ray Jackson, Rod Clements, Simon Cowe, and Ray Laidlaw. The band achieved commercial success in the early 1970s with Hull-penned songs including "Lady Eleanor" from their debut album Nicely Out of Tune (1970) and contributions to the number-one UK album Fog on the Tyne (1971), which featured tracks like "Clear White Light" and "We Can Swing Together". Hull pursued a concurrent solo career, releasing albums such as Phantasmagoria (1971), Pipedream (1973), and Squire (1975), showcasing his skills as a guitarist, pianist, and poet with wry, socially observant lyrics influenced by his Geordie roots and interests in literature and psychology. Lindisfarne's hits extended to "Meet Me on the Corner" (written by Clements) and later "Run for Home" (1978), with the band becoming one of the biggest-selling UK acts of 1972 and enduring for over two decades despite lineup changes. Politically engaged, Hull supported Labour Party causes, including the miners' strike and the Swan Hunter shipyard workers, reflecting his humanist concerns for the underprivileged. He died suddenly of a coronary thrombosis in Newcastle at age 50 while preparing a new album.

Early Life and Background

Childhood and Influences

James Alan Hull was born on 20 February 1945 in , a working-class district of in post-World War II , where families contended with ongoing industrial decline in coal and sectors alongside rationing's aftermath until 1954. Raised at 68 Sutton's Dwellings on Adelaide Terrace amid modest socioeconomic conditions typical of the region's , Hull's early environment emphasized practical resilience over affluence, embedding a rooted in local vernacular and community ties. Hull's musical interest emerged around age nine with lessons, marking an initial foray into instrumentation without deeper formal . By eleven, he took up guitar lessons, coinciding with the mid-1950s influx of rock 'n' roll via radio and records, which ignited sustained engagement over prior dabbling. This period's influences drew from American imports like , exemplifying rock 'n' roll's raw energy, alongside emergent scenes that prioritized accessible, unpolished performance. Such exposures cultivated Hull's autodidactic leanings and synthesis of regional dialect-infused expression with transatlantic rhythms, distinct from institutionalized arts training.

Initial Musical Experiences

Hull's entry into music occurred during his teenage years in the early , when he began performing with local beat groups amid the regional echo of the Merseybeat phenomenon, which emphasized energetic rock 'n' roll covers adapted for northeastern audiences and venues. These groups operated in a scene dominated by amateur and semi-professional outfits playing standards from acts like and local influences, providing Hull with initial stage experience through gigs in Newcastle-area clubs and halls. In 1962, at age 17, Hull joined The Chosen Few, a beat combo, where he contributed to performances that blended keyboard-driven arrangements with vocal duties, reflecting the era's trends without specialized roles dominating early lineups. This period marked a progression from casual hobby playing to regular local engagements, sustained partly by side jobs like window cleaning to support gigging. As the mid-1960s progressed and the pure beat style faced saturation, Hull initiated rudimentary songwriting efforts, experimenting with originals to differentiate performances in a shifting where British acts increasingly incorporated folk elements for . These adaptations were pragmatic responses to demands and venue bookings, prioritizing viable setlists over stylistic ideology, though full transitions to folk-rock configurations occurred later.

Musical Career

Pre-Lindisfarne Bands

Hull began his professional musical involvement in the early with the Newcastle-based beat group The Chosen Few, formed in 1962, where he performed as guitarist and lead vocalist. The band specialized in R&B and British Invasion-style covers, particularly Tamla-Motown material, alongside some original compositions penned by Hull. They achieved modest local success, releasing two singles during their run, which lasted until approximately 1967, amid the competitive regional club circuit that constrained many similar outfits through frequent lineup shifts and limited recording opportunities beyond Newcastle. Following The Chosen Few's dissolution, Hull participated in several short-lived rock ensembles throughout the mid-to-late 1960s, honing his skills on guitar, , and songwriting through unreleased demos and club performances in the area. By 1969, he aligned with the group initially known as Downtown Faction, which rebranded as Brethren and incorporated influences, shifting from beat roots toward more experimental structures with Hull contributing vocals, guitar, and emerging original material. This phase emphasized local gigs and sampler appearances, such as tracks on Newcastle compilations, but faced similar challenges from personnel instability and the insular Northeast scene, which favored touring over sustained development until broader alliances formed. These pre-Lindisfarne groups provided Hull with foundational experience in live performance and composition, evidenced by his progression from cover-heavy sets to authoring demos that demonstrated stylistic maturation, though commercial output remained confined to regional releases due to the era's fragmented British music .

Formation and Success with Lindisfarne

Lindisfarne originated in as the folk-rock group Brethren in 1968, with Alan Hull joining as lead guitarist and vocalist in spring 1970 following the departure of Jeff Sadler; the band adopted the name in August 1970. Hull quickly emerged as a core creative force, contributing songs that blended regional dialect and imagery with accessible folk-rock arrangements, reflecting the band's roots in the music scene. Their debut album, (1970), showcased this style and laid the groundwork for their rise amid the early 1970s . The band's breakthrough came with the 1971 single "Lady Eleanor," written by Hull during his time as a psychiatric nurse, which captured introspective themes influenced by Edgar Allan Poe and peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. This was followed by the album Fog on the Tyne (released October 1971), produced by Bob Johnston at Trident Studios, which reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and became the best-selling album of 1972 in the UK. Key tracks included Hull-penned songs emphasizing communal and everyday North Eastern life, driving the album's commercial dominance through its authentic, unpolished Geordie vocals and harmonies. Further success arrived with "Meet Me on the Corner" (1971), written by bassist but featuring Hull's lead vocals, which climbed to number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and exemplified the band's harmonious, streetwise appeal. undertook extensive UK tours, including the 1971 "Six Bob Tour" package with and Genesis, building a fervent fanbase through live performances that highlighted their regional energy and instrumental interplay. Hull's songwriting, often drawing from local vernacular and personal observation, underpinned much of their output, though the band's parochial focus occasionally drew reviewer notes on its niche rather than universal resonance.

Departure from Lindisfarne and Solo Debut

In spring 1973, disbanded following the release of their Dingly Dell in 1972 and a series of unsuccessful foreign tours that contributed to internal strains. Founding member Alan Hull, the band's primary songwriter, cited creative burnout as a key factor, including a prolonged dry spell in composition exacerbated by disputes with producer Bob Johnston during Dingly Dell's recording and relocation away from his native influences. Hull expressed disenchantment with the demands of touring and fame, which had led to personal indulgences; in reflections on his stalled output, he remarked that "the only thing I wanna write about is getting drunk," highlighting how alcohol-fueled stagnation had overshadowed broader thematic ambitions. This exit from the band—whose hits like "" had secured commercial momentum—reflected Hull's pursuit of artistic autonomy amid exhaustion, trading the security of group dynamics for individual control, though it introduced uncertainties regarding audience reception outside Lindisfarne's collective appeal. Hull quickly pivoted to solo work, recording his debut album Pipedream at with a core of session musicians, emphasizing fresh material alongside earlier unrecorded pieces from 1968–1969. Released in 1973 on Charisma Records, Pipedream showcased Hull's multi-instrumental talents on guitar, piano, and harmonium, with co-production alongside Micky Sweeney enabling a raw, self-directed sound less tethered to Lindisfarne's folk-rock harmonies. Tracks such as "Justanothersadsong" drew acclaim for their poignant introspection, and critics praised the album's assured execution and departure from band conventions, noting its balance of personal vulnerability with polished arrangements, though it did not replicate the sales peaks of Lindisfarne's communal efforts. The record's emphasis on Hull's singular voice restored some critical favor lost during Dingly Dell's mixed response, underscoring how independence fostered unfiltered expression at the potential cost of broader market traction.

Solo Career Developments

Hull's debut solo album, Pipedream, released in 1973 by , featured contributions from multi-instrumentalist Ken Craddock on piano, organ, harmonium, electric piano, and guitar, alongside producer Micky Sweeney. The record peaked at number 29 on the on July 28, 1973, maintaining that position for three weeks amid modest sales of around 50,000 copies in initial pressings. Despite this entry into the charts, subsequent efforts faced diminishing commercial returns as folk-rock waned in popularity. The 1975 follow-up Squire, issued by Warner Bros. Records, was self-produced by Hull at Morgan Studios, with principal recording from December 1974 to January 1975, again involving Craddock on keyboards and percussion. Critics noted its blend of introspective ballads and bluesy rock tracks, such as the title song inspired by a BBC TV play in which Hull starred, but the album failed to chart, signaling label disinterest and broader market challenges for introspective singer-songwriters. Live outings, including a solo acoustic set at Clifton Polytechnic in 1975 covering staples like "January Song" and "Fog on the Tyne," provided ongoing exposure despite studio setbacks. By 1979, Hull delivered Phantoms as his third solo release, incorporating Craddock's guitars, keyboards, and vocals alongside guests like , yet it encountered similar commercial hurdles with no entry and limited distribution. Releases grew sparse thereafter, with only On the Other Side in before a decade-long gap, attributable to industry pivots toward and punk derivatives that marginalized folk-rock acts. Hull sustained momentum through 1980s solo gigs, such as a 1984 blending new material with Lindisfarne-era numbers, and 1977 performances with his short-lived band at . Into the 1990s, persistence yielded Back to Basics, a live recording from venues like the Mean Fiddler, again backed by Craddock on and keyboards, capturing unvarnished acoustic sets that underscored Hull's enduring draw in niche circuits despite scant mainstream traction. These efforts highlighted artistic resolve against verifiable obstacles, including shifting label priorities and genre eclipse, with solo output totaling fewer than six studio albums over two decades.

Reunions and Later Collaborations

Following the 1975 disbandment of Lindisfarne, Alan Hull formed the short-lived band Radiator in 1977, featuring drummer Ray Laidlaw from Lindisfarne alongside musicians including Kenny Craddock, formerly of Strawbs, bassist Colin Gibson, guitarist Peter Kirtley, and drummer Terry Popple. The group released one album, Isn't It Strange, which highlighted Hull's songwriting versatility through folk rock arrangements but achieved limited commercial success and disbanded shortly after. The original Lindisfarne lineup reunited in late 1977 for Christmas concerts at , captured on the 1978 live album . This reconciliation produced studio efforts including Back and Fourth in 1978, featuring the single "Run for Home" that reached number 11 on the charts, and The News in 1979, though the band faced challenges adapting to shifting musical landscapes amid punk's rise. By 1982, released Sleepless Nights, an album reflecting ongoing collaborations but marked by internal tensions over creative direction and Hull's increasing personal struggles, contributing to inconsistent output. Despite waning national prominence, the band maintained local loyalty through persistent gigs in the North East, such as the 1990 Newcastle City Hall performance, where Hull's vocals and songcraft sustained audience engagement even as health issues began impacting his reliability. These efforts underscored enduring regional appeal but highlighted declining broader momentum, linked in part to Hull's challenges affecting band cohesion.

Artistic Style and Contributions

Songwriting Approach

Hull's songwriting was characterized by a preference for piano as the primary compositional tool, often yielding solo demos that captured raw, unadorned melodies derived from immediate personal observations rather than contrived structures. He began piano lessons at age nine and frequently employed it alongside guitar to develop succinct lyrics emphasizing economy of words, prioritizing authentic expression over formulaic verse-chorus patterns. This approach stemmed from empirical roots in everyday life, including his tenure as a trainee psychiatric nurse at St Nicholas Hospital in the late 1960s, where encounters with human behavior deepened his thematic introspection and fueled songs grounded in causal realities of regional existence. Central to his method was the integration of vernacular, local idioms, and acerbic humor, which tethered compositions to Tyneside's communal identity and contrasted sharply with the polished universality of mainstream songcraft. Songs like "" exemplified this by weaving dialect into humorous vignettes of working-class joys, such as Newcastle's drinking traditions, as a homage to culturally specific vitality rather than abstracted appeal. Hull drew anecdotes from family life—evident in tender pieces about his daughters—and broader social observations, eschewing repetitive motifs to maintain freshness and fidelity to lived causality. His style evolved from early whimsical experimentation, as in 1967-1970 demos featuring playful tracks like "Conversation With A Chinese Cat," toward greater by the late , influenced by professional experiences that prompted deeper self-examination and thematic maturity. This progression reflected a deliberate shift away from lighter folk-club confections toward probing explorations of personal and societal undercurrents, verifiable through archival tapes showing increased emotional depth post-nursing stint.

Key Themes and Innovations

Hull's songwriting frequently explored motifs of Northern English identity and communal bonds, reflecting the industrial grit and social fabric of , as evident in his evocation of regional place akin to ' sense of locality. Themes of personal vulnerability and loss permeated works like "," which drew from his experiences as a psychiatric nurse and addressed insecurity, fear of death, and madness, contrasting the band's often upbeat communal anthems with introspective harshness. Resilience emerged through narratives of endurance amid adversity, informed by socialist undercurrents that aligned with Hull's worldview, placing individual struggles within broader collective contexts. In stylistic innovations, Hull advanced folk-rock by fusing acoustic authenticity—employing guitars and —with blues-rock and pop elements, creating layered yet accessible arrangements that prioritized raw storytelling over the era's indulgences. This approach yielded timeless, narrative-driven songs that resisted sanitized pop conventions, emphasizing unpolished emotional depth drawn from lived regional experiences. His integration of folk roots into electric ensembles predated and influenced the stripped-back energy of the emerging pub rock scene, offering an antidote to orchestral excesses while maintaining melodic immediacy. Critically, these elements secured Hull's songs a lasting place in the folk canon, valued for their empirical grounding in personal and cultural realism rather than escapist sentimentality, though some punk-influenced reviewers later dismissed occasional perceived naivety in his optimistic resilience as outmoded amid rising cynicism. This authenticity, however, debunked reductions of his oeuvre to mere "feel-good" folk, as deeper analyses reveal causal ties to real vulnerabilities like mortality and social decay.

Achievements and Critical Reception

Hull's contributions as 's primary songwriter propelled the band to commercial heights in the early 1970s, with (1971) reaching number one on the in 1972. The album's success marked it as the biggest-selling release of that year, driven by Hull-penned tracks emphasizing regional identity and folk-rock fusion. 's single "Meet Me on the Corner" (1971), featuring Hull's vocals, peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart and earned the band an Award. These milestones established as a leading force in English folk-rock, with Hull central to their chart dominance. In his solo career, Hull achieved cult status with Pipedream (1973), praised by as "excellent" for its musical and lyrical quality. Reviewers highlighted its self-assured production and blend of folk storytelling with rock elements, distinguishing it from Lindisfarne's group dynamic. However, subsequent solo releases received uneven critical attention and lower commercial returns, such as modest chart entries compared to band peaks, reflecting disparities between collaborative and individual output. Critics lauded Hull's raw authenticity and Geordie-inflected songwriting for pioneering a distinctly English folk-rock identity, yet detractors labeled it parochial, citing regional insularity that constrained international exports beyond the . Alcohol-related personal struggles contributed to performance inconsistencies and sensitivity to hostile reviews, as noted in late-1970s assessments, exacerbating era-specific dismissals amid shifting musical tastes. Retrospectives affirm these tensions, balancing empirical band successes against solo limitations without broader legacy extensions.

Personal Life and Challenges

Family and Relationships

Hull married Patricia Sharp on 22 August 1966, and the couple remained together until his death, raising three daughters in . The family home in the city provided a stable domestic anchor amid Hull's extensive touring schedule with and solo commitments, which he referenced in a 1972 interview as necessitating careful financial support for his wife and children during lean periods before the band's commercial breakthrough. The daughters, including and Francesca, occasionally featured in family photographs from the 1980s, reflecting a private but grounded family life that Hull credited for emotional resilience during career fluctuations. Francesca later married Dave Hull-Denholm, a musician who joined in later years, forging indirect family connections within the Northeast England music community without direct involvement in Hull's core creative process. This marital longevity and familial support contrasted with the transient demands of the music industry, enabling Hull to sustain long-term productivity rooted in his local environment.

Health Struggles and Lifestyle Issues

Hull's alcohol consumption intensified during Lindisfarne's rapid rise to fame in the early 1970s, coinciding with the band's reputation as a "drinking band" where heavy intake was normalized among members and fans alike. This pattern reflected broader pressures from touring and , but Hull's intake exceeded that of peers, marking a shift toward dependency driven by individual habits rather than mere environmental factors. In a July 1978 interview, Hull candidly admitted that alcohol was central to his public persona, describing himself as "the supreme extrovert" but qualifying that this trait manifested "only when I'm drunk." Such self-reported reliance underscored personal agency in perpetuating the , with no of formal treatment or sustained sobriety efforts overriding relapses into excess. The dependency gradually imposed physiological strain, including heightened cardiovascular risks associated with chronic heavy drinking, though Hull exhibited no diagnosed heart ailments at the time. Industry enablers like accessible alcohol at venues facilitated continuation, yet accountability rested primarily with Hull's choices, avoiding attributions to fame as an excuse for self-inflicted underachievement.

Death and Immediate Aftermath

Circumstances of Death

On 17 November 1995, Alan Hull collapsed suddenly at his home in , , , following a heart attack, and was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, aged 50. A post-mortem examination conducted on 20 November determined the to be , with no evidence of external factors or foul play noted in official reports. At the time of his death, Hull remained musically active, having recently performed gigs with and been in the process of recording a new solo album, Statues & Liberties. This event occurred amid ongoing health challenges linked to his lifestyle, including prior struggles with alcohol dependency, though the immediate cardiac event was unexpected.

Tributes and Funeral

Hull's funeral service took place on 24 November 1995 at Crematorium, near . The event drew a significant crowd, reflecting his local prominence as a musician. Contemporary tributes emphasized the sudden loss of Hull's songwriting talent at age 50, while he was actively recording a new solo album, Statues & Liberties. drummer Ray Laidlaw highlighted Hull's distinctive northern-inflected lyrics, stating they captured messages unique to the region and lamenting the lack of broader recognition for his work. Former tour manager Glen Colson recalled Hull's early influences from nursing in a mental hospital, crediting them with shaping his empathetic, character-driven compositions. Rock critic Reg Hollingsworth portrayed Hull as a "people's poet" who infused humor and social observation into folk-rock, achieving commercial peaks amid industry setbacks. Reactions conveyed shock over the heart , given Hull's apparent lack of prior health warnings, underscoring unfulfilled potential in his ongoing creative output. Local and music press coverage, including 's obituary three days after his death, focused on his foundational role in Lindisfarne's 1970s success rather than later struggles.

Legacy and Posthumous Recognition

Influence on Musicians

Hull's regionally rooted songwriting style exerted a notable influence on musicians, fostering a tradition of authentic, dialect-infused folk-rock expression. Sting, originating from near Newcastle, has cited Hull as a pivotal figure in local music, likening him to "our " for his lyrical depth and perspective. This admiration underscores Hull's role in shaping early career aspirations among talents, with Sting and others like —raised in Newcastle—publicly acknowledging his impact on their approaches to storytelling through song. Empirical evidence of Hull's reach appears in covers by contemporaries and successors. Lindisfarne tracks like "Lady Eleanor" (written by Hull in 1970) have been re-recorded by artists including the rock band Status Quo in their 1994 album , demonstrating stylistic echoes in British rock's folk integrations. Similarly, "Winter Song" (also Hull-penned, 1970) received a 2020 cover by North East singer , who integrated it into his repertoire to honor regional heritage, signaling Hull's enduring template for introspective, seasonal balladry in modern indie-folk. Peter Gabriel and have further attested to Hull's innovative blend of acoustic intimacy and narrative grit, influencing broader folk-rock evolutions beyond the 1970s. Critics and observers have noted that Hull's unyielding commitment to Geordie dialect constrained his international breakthrough, yet this same trait garnered praise for its anti-cosmopolitan genuineness, inspiring acts prioritizing vernacular authenticity over polished universality. Emerging North East artists, such as rapper Kay Greyson, continue to draw from this model, perpetuating Hull's mentorship-like legacy in sustaining a distinct regional sound.

Documentaries, Releases, and Revivals

In 2021, the documentary Lindisfarne's Geordie Genius: The Alan Hull Story, directed by Ged Clarke and presented by , explored Hull's contributions to and his solo work, featuring interviews with contemporaries such as and Sting to highlight his songwriting prowess and regional influence. The one-hour program, aired on November 26, emphasized Hull's roots and creative process without delving into , instead grounding its narrative in archival footage and firsthand accounts to facilitate a rediscovery of his unvarnished talent amid broader music revival interest. While praised for authenticity by viewers familiar with Hull's oeuvre, it has been critiqued for prioritizing nostalgic regional pride over rigorous analysis of his technical innovations, potentially appealing more to casual audiences than scholars seeking empirical dissection of his compositional methods. The Singing a Song in the Morning Light: The Legendary Demo Tapes 1967-1970, released on by Grapefruit Records, compiled 90 tracks—including 77 previously unreleased demos—spanning Hull's pre-Lindisfarne era with the Defenders and early solo efforts, thereby expanding access to raw, unpolished recordings that reveal his foundational craft. This four-CD anthology, accompanied by a booklet detailing , prioritizes archival over remastering enhancements, preserving artifacts like lo-fi acoustics and lyrical drafts that demonstrate causal progression from folk influences to mature structures, countering nostalgia-driven releases that often sanitize source material for commercial appeal. Its release has objectively boosted scholarly and fan engagement with Hull's early output, evidenced by inclusions in lists, though some reviewers note the demos' variable quality underscores the value of unrefined evidence over idealized curation. 21st-century revivals of Hull's catalog include targeted reissues, such as BGO Records' 2024 CD edition of his 1979 live solo album Phantoms, which restores a performance capturing his improvisational style without modern overdubs, aiding factual assessment of his stage dynamism. Festival appearances by Lindisfarne reunions and tribute acts at events like the Great British Folk Festival have sporadically featured Hull's compositions, but these often lean toward celebratory reenactments rather than analytical deconstructions, risking dilution of his original intent through polished productions that prioritize audience familiarity over raw sonic evidence. Such efforts, while increasing visibility, invite scrutiny for potentially conflating revival with reinvention, where empirical rediscovery—via unadulterated tapes—yields clearer insights than performative nostalgia.

Discography

Albums with Lindisfarne

Nicely Out of Tune, 's debut studio album, was released in November 1970 on . Hull contributed the majority of its original compositions, including , "Winter Song", "Clear White Light (Pt. 2)", and "We Can Swing Together", blending folk-rock arrangements with introspective lyrics reflective of life. The album peaked at number 8 on the following re-entry driven by the band's rising popularity. The band's breakthrough came with Fog on the Tyne, released on 15 October 1971 and produced by Bob Johnston at Trident Studios. Hull penned nearly all tracks, such as the title song depicting urban dole experiences, "Alright on the Night", "City Song", and "Passing Ghosts", establishing his reputation as the group's primary songwriter. It reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart for four weeks, charted for 56 weeks total, and became the United Kingdom's best-selling album of 1972. Lindisfarne's third album, Dingly Dell, issued in September 1972, showcased Hull's evolving style with orchestral elements on extended tracks like the title song and "Court in the Act". Other Hull compositions included "All Fall Down" and "Don't Ask Me", though band tensions over production contributed to its mixed reception. It entered the at number 5 and remained for ten weeks. These releases marked the core of Hull's tenure, emphasizing his songwriting dominance before the original lineup's 1973 disbandment.

Solo Studio Albums

Hull released his debut solo studio album, Pipedream, in 1973 on . The album peaked at number 29 on the . It included tracks such as "" and "Money Game," showcasing Hull's folk-rock style with self-reflective lyrics. His second solo effort, , followed in 1975 on Records. Produced by Hull at , it featured contributions from members including Ray Jackson on harmonica and mandolin, and Ray Laidlaw on drums, alongside Kenny Craddock on guitar and whistling. Tracks like "" and "" highlighted a mix of folk influences and rock elements. Phantoms appeared in 1979, featuring songs such as "Make Me Want to Stay" and "Corporation Rock." The album emphasized Hull's songwriting with a blend of introspective and rhythmic tracks. In 1983, Hull issued On the Other Side on Black Crow Records. It contained politically tinged material reflective of Hull's socialist views, including "Malvinas Melody" referencing the Falklands conflict. Another Little Adventure was released in 1988. This vinyl LP continued Hull's pattern of personal and narrative-driven compositions. Hull's final solo studio album, Statues and Liberties, came out in 1996, eight years after his prior release, focusing on thoughtful, reflective songwriting.

Live and Compilation Albums

, a solo live album by Alan Hull, captures a November 1975 performance recorded for a local radio broadcast at Nottingham's Clifton Polytechnic. Released posthumously in 2009 by Market Square Records, it features 14 tracks spanning Hull's solo repertoire, including songs like "Squire" and "City Song," demonstrating his solo stage presence and audience engagement during the mid-1970s. The recording preserves a rare archival document of Hull's live solo work from this period, with a 2024 remastered reissue maintaining its historical value. Another live release, Back to Basics, appeared in 1994, compiling live performances that highlight Hull's acoustic sets and song interpretations in intimate settings. These live recordings underscore Hull's versatility as a performer, offering fans insight into his unpolished, direct delivery of material outside studio constraints. On the compilation front, Singing a Song in the Morning Light: The Legendary Demo Tapes 1967-1970, a four-CD anthology released on February 23, 2024, by Grapefruit Records, assembles 88 tracks, including 77 previously unreleased demos from Hull's pre-Lindisfarne era. Sourced from private tapes, it documents the evolution of songs like "We Can Swing Together" in their nascent forms, providing essential archival evidence of Hull's early songwriting development and folk influences. The set's comprehensiveness—spanning over three hours—serves as a key resource for understanding Hull's foundational creative output. We Can Swing Together: The Anthology 1965-1995, a 40-track compilation from 2013, draws from Hull's solo career alongside select band-affiliated recordings, emphasizing rarities and chronological progression to illustrate his lifelong contributions. Such collections preserve otherwise scattered , ensuring to Hull's diverse output for researchers and listeners.

Singles and Other Works

Hull released the solo single "One More Bottle of Wine" in 1975 via Records (catalogue K 16599). In addition to his musical output, Hull authored The Mocking Horse, a 1973 collection of 37 poems drawing from his Newcastle upbringing and everyday observations, with two poems adapted into songs. Hull also fronted the short-lived folk-rock band alongside drummer Ray Laidlaw, contributing vocals, guitar, and songwriting to their sole album Isn't It Strange, issued in 1977 on Rocket Records.

References

  1. https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/obituary-alan-hull-1582853.html
  2. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alan-hull-mn0000608515
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-18900191
  4. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/home/blog/cat-o-tyne-tales-alan-hull-rock-n-reel-april-1996
  5. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2019684684944005/posts/2054633591449114/
  6. https://readysteadygone.co.uk/lindisfarne/
  7. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2019684684944005/posts/3950932515152536/
  8. https://spiralearth.co.uk/singing-a-song-in-the-morning-light-alan-hull/
  9. https://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/alan-hull-singing-a-song-in-the-morning-light-the-legendary-demo-tapes-1967-1970-145387/
  10. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/articles-lindisfarne-archives/blog/the-chosen-few
  11. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-chosen-few-mn0000073107
  12. https://open.spotify.com/artist/1DtvquLh9kUOQHnOwuiHdv
  13. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/interviews-lindisfarne-archives/blog/alan-hull-sounds-may-1972
  14. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/a-history-of-lindisfarne-part-i
  15. http://rodclements.com/old/breth.html
  16. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/lindisfarne-legend-alan-hulls-legacy-10452232
  17. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/misc/mc_mm72_lf-file.htm
  18. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/lindisfarne/lady-eleanor
  19. https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/lindisfarne-fog-on-the-tyne/
  20. https://atthebarrier.com/2021/12/16/time-tunnel-great-albums-of-1971-lindisfarne-fog-on-the-tyne/
  21. https://onceuponatimeinthe70s.com/2022/03/19/almost-top-of-the-pops-lindisfarne/
  22. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/misc/mc_20yrstide9009.htm
  23. https://www.loudersound.com/features/lindisfarne-lady-eleanor
  24. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/interviews/ivrnr96154.htm
  25. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/misc/mc_sounds73_ah-interview.htm
  26. https://www.discogs.com/release/5296686-Alan-Hull-Pipedream
  27. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/x8w6/
  28. https://www.discogs.com/master/700446-Alan-Hull-Squire
  29. https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/alan-hull-squire
  30. https://folking.com/alan-hull-live-at-clifton-poly-1975-market-square-music-msmcd152-originally-posted-wednesday-december-16-2009/
  31. http://therockasteria.blogspot.com/2022/09/alan-hull-phantoms-1975-uk-remarkable.html
  32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4az_UyWhr1U
  33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmwkw_3u0WA
  34. https://houseofprog.com/alan-hull-back-to-basics-1994/
  35. https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/alan-hull-squire
  36. https://www.discogs.com/release/1673039-Radiator-Isnt-It-Strange
  37. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/home/blog/alan-hull-radiator-rare-photos
  38. http://therockasteria.blogspot.com/2023/02/radiator-isnt-it-strange-1975-77-uk.html
  39. https://theseconddisc.com/2024/08/05/run-for-home-lindisfarnes-mercury-years-collected-on-box-from-cherry-red-lemon/
  40. https://www.loudersound.com/features/lindifarne-run-for-home
  41. https://www.cherryred.co.uk/blog/lindisfarne--brand-new-day---the-mercury-years-1978-1979-3cd-clamshell-box-360
  42. https://www.discogs.com/release/12643017-Lindisfarne-Sleepless-Nights
  43. http://alansalbumarchives.blogspot.com/2008/07/review-83-lindisfarne-sleepless-nights.html
  44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHxfinyy7VE
  45. https://rockingmagpie.wordpress.com/2024/02/22/alan-hull-singing-a-song-in-the-morning-light-4cd-box-set/
  46. https://thezoorocks.com/the-zoo-kzew-radio/alan-hull-squire
  47. https://www.live.org.uk/blogs-resources/word-ray-laidlaw-lindisfarne-on-alan-hull-st-nicks-hospital-and-clear-white-light
  48. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/interviews/ivah8904.htm
  49. https://atthebarrier.com/2024/05/10/alan-hull-singing-a-song-in-the-morning/
  50. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1728526664045277/posts/3872918069606115/
  51. https://tom-draper.com/2018/06/28/lindisfarnes-rod-clements/
  52. https://app.chartmetric.com/artist/215327
  53. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/misc/mc_nme_july73.htm
  54. https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/2856/alan-hull/
  55. https://northeastbylines.co.uk/news/national-news/lindisfarnes-geordie-genius-the-alan-hull-story/
  56. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/articles-lindisfarne-archives/blog/lindisfarne-nme-july-1978
  57. https://kids.kiddle.co/Alan_Hull
  58. https://shop.memorylane.co.uk/mirror/0000to0099-00030/alan-hull-pop-group-lindisfarne-home-wife-pat-21301051.html
  59. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/five-questions-for-lindisfarnes-dave-11199570
  60. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/a-history-of-lindisfarne-part-iii
  61. https://www.facebook.com/willem.ii.96/posts/on-the-night-of-friday-17-november-1995-alan-hull-suddenly-collapsed-at-his-home/1318490360068855/
  62. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28823243/alan-hull
  63. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2902595146676633/posts/3921457521457052/
  64. https://www.instagram.com/p/DCepnoMIYSI/
  65. https://www.alamy.com/shields-gazette-northern-echo-darlington-and-sunderland-echo-out-the-coffin-bearing-the-body-of-linisfarne-founder-alan-hull-is-carried-into-the-north-shields-crematorium-today-friday-the-mastermind-of-the-1970s-rock-folk-band-died-a-week-ago-of-a-heart-attack-he-was-50-pamjb-see-pa-story-funeral-hull-image380425789.html
  66. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-daily-telegraph/20211126/282565906410149
  67. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/alan-hull-documentary-mark-knopfler-sting-sam-fender/
  68. https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/35911/all
  69. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/sam-fenders-alan-hull-winter-song/
  70. https://secondhandsongs.com/work/90461/all
  71. https://www.sting.com/news/title/mark-knopfler-sting-and-more-in-new-sam-fender-hosted-documentary-on-alan-hull
  72. https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/proginfo/2021/47/lindisfarne-geordie-genius-alan-hull-story
  73. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0011vbk
  74. https://www.reddit.com/r/NewcastleUponTyne/comments/r42z45/lindisfarnes_geordie_genius_the_alan_hull_story/
  75. https://www.discogs.com/release/29894749-Alan-Hull-Singing-A-Song-In-The-Morning-Light-The-Legendary-Demo-Tapes-1967-1970
  76. https://www.goldminemag.com/columns/spin-cycle/alan-hulls-legendary-demo-tapes-revealed/
  77. https://singsongmusic.com/licensing-news-alan-hull-live-solo-album-reissued-on-cd/
  78. https://www.discogs.com/master/82767-Lindisfarne-Nicely-Out-Of-Tune
  79. https://www.discogs.com/release/1548423-Lindisfarne-Nicely-Out-Of-Tune
  80. https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/lindisfarne-nicely-out-of-tune/
  81. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/lindisfarne/fog-on-the-tyne
  82. https://www.facebook.com/allthingmusicplus/photos/on-this-date-54-years-agooctober-15-1971-lindisfarne-fog-on-the-tyne-is-released/1235702628584852/
  83. https://lindisfarne.co.uk/articles-lindisfarne-archives/blog/dingly-dell-a-pre-review-melody-maker-october-1973
  84. https://www.backgroundmagazine.nl/CDreviews/LindisfarneCharisma.html
  85. https://www.discogs.com/master/31128-Alan-Hull-Pipedream
  86. http://alansalbumarchives.blogspot.com/2010/06/news-views-and-music-issue-63-alan-hull.html
  87. https://archive.robertianhawdon.me.uk/sites/lindisfarne.co.uk/archives/discography/alanhull/pipedream.htm
  88. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/alan-hull/squire/
  89. https://therockasteria.blogspot.com/2022/09/alan-hull-squire-1975-uk-wonderful.html
  90. https://www.discogs.com/release/4768569-Alan-Hull-Squire
  91. https://www.discogs.com/master/597383-Alan-Hull-Phantoms
  92. https://www.allmusic.com/album/phantoms-mw0000779438
  93. https://www.discogs.com/release/3616517-Alan-Hull-On-The-Other-Side
  94. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4fyWDRoOk8
  95. https://www.discogs.com/release/5526240-Alan-Hull-Another-Little-Adventure
  96. https://houseofprog.com/alan-hull-statues-and-liberties-1996/
  97. https://www.discogs.com/release/10104400-Alan-Hull-Alright-On-The-Night-Live-At-Clifton-Poly-1975
  98. https://www.allmusic.com/album/alright-on-the-night-live-at-clifton-poly-1975-mw0002072824
  99. https://www.discogs.com/release/31489139-Alan-Hull-Alright-On-The-Night-Live-At-Clifton-Poly-1975
  100. https://musicbrainz.org/artist/719cc31e-7ee8-45f6-801c-6ca1d6e4f641
  101. https://www.amazon.com/Singing-Song-Morning-Light-Legendary/dp/B0CPJNYDDJ
  102. https://music.apple.com/us/album/singing-a-song-in-the-morning-light-the/1725501805
  103. https://www.discogs.com/release/5899593-Alan-Hull-We-Can-Swing-Together-The-Anthology-1965-1995
  104. https://www.discogs.com/artist/635718-Alan-Hull
  105. https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Mocking_Horse.html?id=gD6kAAAACAAJ
  106. https://bopcapbooks.co.uk/products/the-mocking-horse-by-alan-hull-of-lindisfarne
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