Art and Music

In this episode we look at some examples of how music and arts developed in the new town. Since 1972, Arts Centre Washington has been the place where many music, theatre and arts activities and performances have taken place, including radio ballad pioneer Peggy Seeger's concert at the Davey Lamp Folk Club.

Washington has also been the birthplace of many well-known artists and performers: musicians Brian Ferry and Alan Price and the painter Paul Stangroom. Listen on for a story about the young Dave Stewart stowing away with a band at the Black Bush Folk Club!

David Brewis' song highlights how the RCA record plant in Washington contributed to the global music industry in the 1970’s. Thirteen years of vinyl record production! We wonder, now vinyl is resurgent, whether there will ever be another record pressing plant in Washington?

Thirteen Years

David Brewis

Thirteen years, thirteen years

From Armstrong’s future vision eyes

The modernist’s flyby archetype 

To a victim of changing styles

‘Til Presley’s on sale again

Thirteen years, thirteen years

Truly different from anywhere

Neatly laid in mile-wide squares

From the A19 to the A1(M)

So mediterranean

We’ve got thirteen years, thirteen years

To stay up to the minute

To say new town new

Thirteen years, thirteen years

A million square feet of factories

How many more of welded steel?

Black PVC needle-ready

But the king’s already left

We had thirteen years, thirteen years

To stay up to the minute

To stay new town new

To stay up to the minute

To stay new town new

Guests:

Washington Community Podcasting Group, David Robson, Doug Walker, Bill Elliot, Martin Stephenson, Peter McAdam, Barbara Fiddy, David Young, Mike Laws, Linda Laws, Tony Erskine, Rosanna Erskine, Paul Stangroom, Bob Hope, Neil Armstrong, Harry Hindess and Catherine Taylor. With thanks to Von Fox Promotions for the Davy Lamp excerpts and to Centre Stage for the Paul Stangroom interview.

Music and Production

• Produced by: Grace Stubbings & the Washington Community Podcasting Group
• Music by: David Brewis & Paige Temperley
• Executive Producers: Caroline Mitchell & Jude Murphy

About the Project

This episode was developed in collaboration with:

• Washington Heritage Partnership
• Sunderland City Council’s Washington Area Committee
• Sunderland Culture at The Arts Centre Washington
• Baseline Shift
• We Make Culture

Supported by:

• The University of Sunderland
• The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for making this project possible.