Alan Hull - Statues & Liberties (1996)

          Album Cover Info

Pat Hull and family would like to take this opportunity to thank friends, relatives, and fans for their tremendous support and comfort since Alan's tragic death on 17th November 1995. Unfortunately there is not enough space to thank everyone individually. However we would like to convey a special thank you to the following people for their unswerving loyalty and friendship:

Steve and Julia Weltman; Dave Denholm; Gary Carverhill and Louise Bradshaw; Eay and Leslie Laidlaw; Dave and Jude Wood; Mike Elliot; Peter and Fran Mole; Pam Scott; Susie Mitchell; Carol Johnson, Richard Hart-Jackson; Richard Slade and staff at the Magnesia Bank; Frank and Angie Lott; Margaret and George Efstathiou.

Finally, an extra special thank you to Alan for giving us all the pleasure of listening to his wonderful songs. It has been, and still is, a privilege to have known and loved this man. I feel all that there is left to say is

Thank You for the music Alan and Shine On

If you sift through the pot pourri of Alan Hull's recorded legacy it cannot fail to strike you that here laid out for your eyes and ears is a road map to his soul. Access his music and find the keys to Alan Hull the man. For not was Alan Hull one of the most honest and forthright of writers he was also one of the first to get a serious handle on a stream of material that could come from nowhere else nut England, specifically Newcastle upon Tyne. Essentially seen as a rock performer he'd got the natural gift that acoustic, 'roots' players take whole careers trying to stumble across. Alan Hull wrote songs about such mundane English happenings as unemployed people eating sausage rolls in dodgy transport cafes and in doing so created an anthem which has echoed round concert halls for two decades and will probably continue to do so for years to come - Fog on the Tyne. You could say that Alan Hull was the voice of the common people, but he'd probably have said that was far too ostentatious and laughed it off, he wrote about the everyday, the things he saw, felt and experienced, what ever went on around him - a melodic L.S.Lowry.

Whilst his material was never preaching, it was political and pointed, long before Billy Bragg got round giving out the message Hull's material was popularist enough to wave two fingers at authorithy and the establishment when he found a decision or action lunatic, against the public interest. No stranger to conversy, Malvinas Melody - Falkland's War commentary - was actually pulled from the airwaves for being less than patriotic. Actually Alan Hull was very patriotic that was the point. He acutely felt the pain of others be it at home or abroad and thus moved he wrote. Stressful situations in Ireland, Russia and Lebanon were all causes for his concern, as was the mess that government and councils were making of his own backyard, (and for that read country). His casual reflections often crystallised into poignant lyric, added to a simple melody they became songs which worked on various levels. Some of his best came from seemingly naive creations, Winter Song is a beautiful evocation of a harsh, frozen season as well as a stab at charitable conscience.

Alan Hull wasn't always serious, you only had to see a show to know that, he liked a good party, he liked a good joke, he liked fottball, he liked the pub, he liked people. Nor of course was everything he wrote great, there was some fluff on his shelves.

His name is irrevocably part of Lindisfarne, a band whose image and sound he worked so hard to create and maintain. It is fitting then that they continue to play his music and continue the spirit of his work. Fir this album you are holding is the last offering of James Alan Hull, literally as it was completed he unexpectedly passed away. Listen to it, it is Alan Hull - typically and if you feel that you want to hear more go out and investigate, those songs named here and others, all life is there I promise.

As the man himself had it, anyday, in any place you'll find....

"living, dying, seeing, being all rolled into one."

Ain't that the truth ? ------ Simon Jones, Folk Roots

Musicians on each track:

  1 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Percussion, Backing Vocals, Piano
        Paul Smith:     Drums

  2 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Harp
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic, Electric & 12-String Guitars, 
                        Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano, Backing Vocals
        Paul Smith:     Drums, Percussion
        Kenny Ward:     Backing Vocals
        Marty Craggs:   Backing Vocals

  3 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic, Electric & 12-String Guitars, 
                        Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano, Backing Vocals
        Paul Smith:     Drums, Percussion

  4 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano, Hammond Organ
        Paul Smith:     Percussion
        Greg Pullen:    Cello
        Carol Gascoigne:Violin

  5 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano, Percussion, Backing Vocals
        Paul Smith:     Drums, Percussion
        Carol Gascoigne:Violin
        Michael Donald: Rainmaker

  6 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, 
                        Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
        Paul Smith:     Drums, Percussion
        Rod Clements:   Electric Slide Guitar

  7 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Hi-String Guitars, 
                        Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Keyboards, Percussion, Backing Vocals
        Paul Spong:     Flugel Horn

  8 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Harp
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Hi-String Guitars, 
                        Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano, Backing Vocals
        Paul Smith:     Drums
        Rod Clements:   Slide Guitar

  9 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano, Wurlitzer
        Paul Smith:     Drums
        Greg Pullen:    Cello
        Carol Gascoigne:Violin
        Paul Spong:     Flugel Horn

 10 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, 
                        Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Percussion, Hammond Organ
        Paul Smith:     Drums, Percussion
        Paul Spong:     Flugel Horn, Piccolo Trumpet
        Richard Taylor: Trombone
        Greg Pullen:    Cello
        Carol Gascoigne:Violin

 11 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Piano
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Backing Vocals
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass
        Paul Smith:     Drums
        Greg Pullen:    Cello
        Carol Gascoigne:Violin

 12 -   Alan Hull:      Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
        Dave Denholm:   Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Backing Vocals, 
                        Triangle
        Frank Gibbon:   Bass, Piano

Recorded at Wildtrax ('live at the Dead Pheasant') Co. Durham
Produced by Frank Gibbon and Dave Denholm
Engineered by Frank Gibbon
Herbal Remedies by Nick and Doz
Mastered by Tony Cousins at Metropolis

Design by Gary Carverhill for Grip Design
Mac Insomnia by Steve Johnson
Management: Steve Weltman. Tel: (44).0181.398.4144