Lindisfarne

Indelibly associated with the singalong Geordie anthem Fog On The Tyne, Lindisfarne's good-time outlook, buoyant harmonies and folk-rooted music seemed to encompass the lively spirit of Tyneside during their golden years in the 1970s - particularly with the infectious songwriting of front man Alan Hull. Naming themselves after a famous island off England's Northumberland coast (otherwise known as Holy Island), the band were signed by Charisma Records and their first album Nicely Out Of Tune in 1970 included two of their most famous tracks, Lady Eleanor and We Can Swing Together. But it was the follow-up album Fog On The Tyne in 1971 that made them stars on the back of the Top 10 hit Meet Me On The Corner, while the title track became their signature tune, with a revamped version featuring soccer star Paul Gascoigne reaching Number 2 in the UK chart in 1990. The group disbanded in 1975 after Hull launched a solo career, but re-formed in 1976 and hit the British charts again in 1978 with another Hull song Run For Home. Despite various personnel changes, they remained a popular live attraction, but were hit hard by the sudden death of Hull from heart problems in 1995. Lindisfarne soldiered on with different line-ups until they split again in 2004.