Musicians head to Scarborough for charity

This was quite a good series of articles which followed a Scarborough woman’s recover from a double transplant operation. Her father, Kevin Allen, organised a fundraising gig to give something back to the charity which helped his daughter. It was really good to see several musicians come together to raise much needed funds.

A 30-YEAR-OLD Scarborough woman is recovering after undergoing a double transplant operation at a specialist north east hospital.

Jodie Allen, of Osgodby, had suffered from type I diabetes for the past 20 years and her condition had gradually deteriorated over the past few years.

However, following the operation to transplant both a new kidney and pancreas at the Freeman Hospital in June, she said she now feels a lot better.

“In 2008 they picked up that my kidney wasn’t functioning – it was down to 15 per cent – and I was just sleeping for about 18 to 19 hours a day,” she said.

She had been on the organ donor waiting list for about 18 months before her operation and is now on the road to recovery.

“I feel brilliant. The best I’ve felt, ever. I don’t remember not being diabetic because I was young when it was diagnosed. My energy is unbelievable,” she said.

Jodie said that doctors had said it would take around six months to make a full recovery and she had to be careful around people because she was prone to infections.

She added: “At the moment mentally I feel that I could go back to work tomorrow but physically I can’t do it.”

And, as a thank you to the Newcastle Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association which helped her family during her treatment, a special fundraising gig has been organised at Vivaz on Saturday, October 6.

The idea came from her father, bassist Kevin, and the night will feature many of his former bandmates from late 1970s groups The Stukas and Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves.

Jodie said: “We were trying to think of some way of raising money for the association. I thought it was brilliant.”

Kevin said that his fellow musicians had been very supportive during Jodie’s treatment and a lot had dropped everything to take part in the fundraiser.

Jodie’s mother Angie said her progress was “inspirational” and added: “It’s important that people sign up for the organ donation register.”

From The Scarborough News on Thursday, September 6, 2012.

Duo reunited on Scarborough stage for the very first time in 34 years

Fundraising gig will benefit north east health charity following double transplant operation

A SCARBOROUGH venue will next month reunite two musicians for the first time since 1978 as part of a benefit gig for a health charity.

The Unruly Alliance has been organised at Vivaz by Scarborough bassist Kevin Allen after his daughter Jodie underwent a successful double organ transplant in June.

It will be on Saturday, October 6, and when former bandmates heard – Kevin played with The Stukas and Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves during the late-1970s – they dropped everything to travel to Scarborough to take part.

Kevin said it would be the first time he had performed with Raggy Lewis since their time in The Stukas. “A lot of the music business people had been really supportive and that started me thinking we can do something,” he added.

Blast Furnace guitarist Andy Eastwood will be travelling all the way from his home in Australia to take part with harmonica player Skid Stuart who completely rearranged previous work commitments in New York to make sure he would be there.

Kevin said: “I’m lucky enough to have a good number of mates who’ve agreed to drop what they’re doing so that they can fly, drive, bus or walk to Scarborough to take part in this impulsively planned extravaganza.”

The evening promises a number of other faces from the pub rock, punk, blues scene of late-1970s and the set-list features a range of songs from bands they played with.

Kevin said that everyone is doing it for free and all funds raised will be donated to the The Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association because they were so helpful during Jodie’s stay at the specialist Newcastle hospital.

Equipment for the event has been supplied free by Phil Booth of Guitar Galleries. Kevin said: “He’s been a big help.”

Musicians who will be there

Raggy Lewis

Originally formed The Teenage Rebels in 1974. Spent two years touring extensively with The Stukas until he left to join The Autographs

Kevin Allen

After two years non-stop touring with The Stukas Kevin joined Blast Furnace and The Heatwaves – after taking Bob Geldof’s advice. He toured with Wilko Johnson as well as Rockpile featuring Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe

Andy Eastwood

Andy has been a member of many bands, including Blast Furnace and The Heatwaves and the Count Bishops, and has played with many musicians including Gary Moore and Lemmy. He now lives in Australia where he runs Eastwood Audio

Skid Stuart

Played with anyone and everyone – from Blast Furnace and The Heatwaves to The Pirates.

From The Scarborough News on Thursday, September 13, 2012.

Music shop strikes a chord with donation

Guitar Galleries boss provides kit for fundraising charity gig

A SCARBOROUGH music shop is helping a good cause by donating equipment and instruments for a fundraising gig next month.

Phil Booth, who runs Guitar Galleries in Bar Street, said he wanted to help because, as well as raising money for The Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association, the event would also raise awareness of the importance of signing up for the organ donor register.

The event was organised by Scarborough-based musician Kevin Allen after his daughter, Jodie, underwent a successful double organ transplant operation at the Freeman hospital in Newcastle, and it will feature a number of his former bandmates.

Phil said: “Kevin had been coming in on a number of occasions and he mentioned it. I said ‘if there’s anything I can do’. It just came from there.

“We’ve got a lot of things in common, such as music, and I will offer anything I can to support the cause.”

Kevin said Phil had been a big help in providing equipment and expertise – in particular by providing instruments for musicians who are travelling from as far away as Australia to take part.

He added that there had been a lot of interest in the gig – particularly by word-of-mouth. “We couldn’t have done this without Phil. He has just done loads for us – not just the offer of gear but also helping out with people,” he said.

“He’s just been really supportive. With people coming from so far they are not going to be able to transport their own instruments.”

The Unruly Alliance event will be at Vivaz on Saturday October 6, from 9pm.

It will also be the first time in 34 years that Kevin – who played bass with both The Stukas and Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves – has performed with fellow bandmate Raggy Lewis.

Blast Furnace guitarist Andy Eastwood, who has travelled all the way from his home in Australia to take part, said he was looking forward to the night. He said: “I always look forward to playing with Kevin. It’s surprising the amount of interest that Kevin has been able to get.”

Andy added that it was also for a good cause and it was a chance to “give something back” for the good work carried out by surgeons at the hospital.

The evening promises a number of other faces from the pub rock, punk and blues scene of late-1970s and the set-list features a range of songs from bands they played with.

Blast Furnace first reformed in 2010 for a one-off gig in Scarborough. They also played further dates in London last year.

From The Scarborough News on Thursday, September 27, 2012.

Rockers reunite at Vivaz gig

TWO musicians are set to be reunited for the first time in 34 years on a Scarborough stage at a fundraising gig this weekend.

Bassist Kevin Allen has organised The Unruly Alliance at Vivaz on Saturday as a thank you after his daughter Jodie underwent a successful double organ transplant in June.

It will feature his former 1970s bandmates including Garry ‘Raggy’ Lewis from The Stukas as well as musicians from Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves. Garry said it was the first time in 27 years of marriage that he’d participated in a “lads away from home shindig”.

He added: “Playing with Kev and the Heatwave boys should be loads of fun.”

They are expecting to be joined on stage by guitarist Mike Jones, who was with Kevin and Garry in The Teenage Rebels.

He added: “We were told by Bernie Rhodes when playing at The Pied Bull, Islington about a hot new group that would make us redundant – The Sex Pistols.”

Kevin said everything was now in place for the reunion. He added: “It’s really getting a buzz and everybody is looking forward to it.”

The evening promises other faces from the pub rock, punk and blues scene of the late 70s.

Everyone is playing for free and all funds raised will be donated to the The Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association which helped during Jodie’s stay at the specialist Newcastle hospital.

Equipment has been supplied free by Phil Booth of Guitar Galleries in Bar Street where tickets are available.

From The Scarborough News on Thursday, October 4, 2012.

The Unruly Alliance at Vivaz. Saturday, October 6, 2012

IT WAS always going to be quite an occasion to reunite several musicians from the late-1970s pub rock scene at a Scarborough venue.

The Unruly Alliance was the brainchild of bassist Kevin Allen and featured former members of bands including The Stukas, Blast Furnace and the Heatwaves and The Count Bishops.

He said the main aim was to raise as much cash as possible for the Newcastle Freeman Heart and Lung Transplant Association after his daughter underwent a successful operation earlier this year and everyone dropped everything to donate their time free of charge to help the cause.

Support came from two young Scarborough bands – Another Manhattan and a new band featuring Kevin’s sons Jordan and Jacob – proving there is a raft of emerging musical talent waiting in the wings.

It had been 34 years in the making but the main event was worth the wait because the last time Kevin and singer Garry Lewis had performed together was with The Stukas in 1978. And they were also joined by former Blast Furnace members Andy Eastwood and Skid Stuart.

As they launched into the opener South Of The River it seemed like they had never been apart. The band sounded a lot tighter and more together than they did two years ago when they first reformed for a Scarborough gig at Westwood Campus.

They rattled through a selection of their songs – there were contributions from the back catalogue of all three bands – and they even chucked in a couple of tracks from Dr Feelgood.

Highlights included Nadine, Down At The Doctor’s and a blinding version of Dirty Water. Proceedings were rounded off with She’s A Wind Up and Jeannie Jeannie which were well-received by an appreciative crowd.

It was a good blend of pub rock fused with the finest punk blues. And it is understood that they managed to raise in excess of £1000 for a very good cause.

I am not sure if this was ever published (as I no longer have the cutting) but if it was it would have been in The Scarborough News on Thursday, October 11, 2012.