WMDJ
WMDJ Artists:
Steve Thompson -|- Tom Kelly -|- Peter Dixon
Steve Thompson:
Steve Thompson has written songs
for many recording artistes such as Sheena Easton, Celine Dion, Elaine Page,
Sara Brightman, and Elkie Brooks. Steve has enjoyed hit status with both album
tracks and singles and his hit singles include the top 20 ballad, Hurry Home
(Wavelength), Acid House dance track, Chiki Chiki Ah Ah (Baby Ford), I Don't
Want To Be The One (The Searchers), and Paris By Air (The Tygers Of Pan Tang).
His production work was largely in the NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal)
era, producing bands like, The Tygers of Pan Tang, Venom, Raven.
In recent years Steve has managed a community radio station, taught BTEC Music
Composition and BTEC Music Technology and now develops and teaches Community
Media for the University of Teesside.
His recent musical exploits include two musicals in collaboration with
playwright and poet Tom Kelly: Steel Town and Songs of Love Work and War.
Steve’s career turned full circle when he won back many of his copyrights
including a number of chart titles leading to re-establish his music publishing
arm to deal with these copyrights as well as writing new material for the
current market. www.stmedia.org
Tom Kelly:
Most recently at the Customs House, Tom has written BABY LOVE staged in September 2004 "Tom Kelly is one of the north east’s most prolific playwright’s …his writing strikes a chord with local audiences…even though his themes maybe universal…the settings and characters are very Tyneside" (British Theatre Guide)
I LEFT MY HEART IN ROKER PARK…(EXTRA TIME AT THE STADIUM OF LIGHT).
"Tom Kelly provides pathos and humour as John Sullivan does in the best of Fools
and Horses" Evening Chronicle…" "The first night audience clearly loved the play
and gave a standing ovation", The British Theatre Guide. It was also staged The
Stadium of Light as part of the Bob Stokoe events to raise funds for a memorial
to Sunderland’s ex manager and messiah.
GEORDIE RIDLEY, a new play for this years Blaydon Festival, once again directed
by Chris Elphinstone;
FAMILY TIES, September 2003, directed by Chris Elphinstone; DAN DARE-THE MUSICAL
with John Miles, directed by Ray Spencer; which was staged in March 2003;
LOVE IN NE32 five short plays which broke box office records in September 2002;
SECRETS four short plays staged in February 2002. (Also directed by Chris
Elphinstone). TOM & CATHERINE (with John Miles & Ray Spencer) which sold out in
1999 and again in 2001 (Directed by Neil Armstrong).
He has a new poetry pamphlet published by SAND PUBLICATIONS, THE PICTURE FROM
HERE.
Tom works as a drama lecturer at South Tyneside College, has ran and been guest
at many writers groups throughout the north east and worked on arts development
projects and given readings in church halls, Leeds Literature Festival and most
recently at The Customs House & The Morden Tower.
He lives in Blaydon with his family, two cats and is life long Sunderland
supporter.
You can find what I'm up to and what's happening in the Arts in the north-east &
beyond through www.tomkelly.org.uk
Peter Dixon:
Brought up in Jarrow and lived only a few streets away from Tom Kelly, although they never met for a number of years….Childhood home (94 St Paul’s Road) was a traditional Tyneside Flat demolished to make way for the Tyne Tunnel and it was amongst the derelict, abandoned houses, garages and overgrown allotments, with the Esso mineral line as a horizon from his bedroom window that he gained a taste for urban neglect and an appreciation for the ability of nature to subvert the works of man, although at only seven years of age this was not articulated.
Met Tom Kelly at the groundbreaking Bede Gallery, Jarrow, in the mid-70’s and has since collaborated on a number of publishing and musical projects, providing graphics, photos or illustrations.
Trained and worked as a graphic designer in newspapers, retail and ad agencies before branching out on his own in the late 80’s, working on projects as diverse as ‘Catherine Cookson Country’, Newcastle Hospitals Trust, Newcastle United and record sleeves for punk bands (published in The Album Cover Art of Punk – once described by Tony Visconti as ‘sick’ in Sounds).
Co-creator of board game ‘Social Insecurity’ in 1998, resulting in an appearance on Richard and Judy!
Has had 12.5 minutes of fame, including a radio broadcast in Japan.
Maintained an unnatural desire to take photos of urban dereliction throughout it al