Welcome to 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.
In this episode, Alison sits down with Ray Laidlaw, founding drummer of Lindisfarne, the band whose songs became anthems of the Northeast. In 1971, their album Fog on the Tyne became the biggest-selling record in the UK. Success brought tours across Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, and America. But it also brought tension about what came next. Ray's story reveals the complexity at the heart of Lindisfarne's journey, the creative process that made their music work and how, in 1973, they split, not through acrimony, but through different priorities and how they would ultimately be brought back together.
But this conversation isn't just about rock and roll. It's about what Ray helped build after the tours: Sunday for Sammy, named for Sammy Johnson, a working-class lad from Gateshead and actor who sadly died aged just 49 whilst training for the Great North Run. What started as a one-off tribute in 1999 is now a variety show that sells 6,000 tickets at the Utilita Arena. Since 2006, Ray has produced every show, keeping ticket prices affordable because, as he says, \"we've always seen it as a working-class people's show.\" The charity has also given away over £700,000, not in massive grants, but in the amounts that actually matter: bus fare to London auditions, a decent bow for a cello, three months' rent to finish writing a play.
Ray and Alison discuss why the show nearly died, how the first tribute brought Auf Wiedersehen Pet's Dennis, Oz, and Neville to the stage for the first time ever (and convinced the BBC to bring the series back), and what it means to create what Oscar Wilde called \"the nightly miracle\". They explore how a grant to finish one play about Category D villages created a touring circuit that didn't exist before, why working-class kids face impossible barriers, and what happened when Lindisfarne returned to Newcastle City Hall in 1976 after splitting up.
Timestamps:
00:45 Introducing Ray Laidlaw
03:52 The Rise of Lindisfarne: From Blues Covers to Anthems
05:39 Touring the World
10:12 Band Breakups, Reunions, and Staying Friends
13:09 Sunday for Sammy: From Tribute to Movement
17:08 Why the Arts Need Support More Than Ever
17:38 Success Stories: Rosie Ramsey, Emily Hoyle, Jason Cook
22:33 The Ripple Effect
24:23 The Bottom Rung of the Ladder
28:05 Advice for Young Performers
After five decades in music, Ray's conviction remains clear: resilience, kindness, and community matter more than fame. When the bottom rung of the ladder is missing, someone has to build it back. Sunday for Sammy returns February 15th, 2026. Tickets available here.
Host: Alison Dunn
Guest: Ray Laidlaw
This podcast is produced by Purpose Made.
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