north east

Originally birthing in 2006, South Shields sextet Minotaurs have been all too quiet for the past year or so. Luckily the bulk of that time has been spent writing, honing and recording their long-awaited debut album 'Eat yr Hate' in deepest Northumberland with Woodpigeon producer, Arran Fisher. Giving weight to their choice of name, as performances by the band became less frequent their mythology seemed to grow.

The Toy Dolls are a British punk rock band. They formed in 1979, playing their first ever gig at Millview Social Club, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, UK, on 20 October 1979. After a couple of gigs, vocalist Pete Zulu left to form his own band. He was replaced by Paul "Hud" Hudson, who himself left after a single gig, leaving Toy Dolls as a trio with guitarist Michael "Olga" Algar to assume vocal duties. This was just the start of the revolving door of drummers and bassists that would characterize the Toy Dolls line-up over the years.

Read more about The Toy Dolls on Last.fm.

School of Language is a pseudonym of Field Music's David Brewis. The album Sea From Shore was released during Field Music's break from band activities in 2008. A second solo record, Old Fears, will be released in April 2014. Both School of Language albums were self-produced at Field Music's studio in Sunderland in the north-east of England.

Read more about School Of Language on Last.fm.

Pauline Murray (born 8 March 1958 in Waterhouses, County Durham, England) was the lead singer of punk rock band Penetration, originally formed in 1976. In May 1976 18-year-old Pauline Murray saw the Sex Pistols. Murray and her Ferryhill comrades became Pistols devotees, earning for themselves by late 1976 the title of 'Durham Contingent' (coined by the NME). Penetration soon began gigging and debuted on vinyl with their single, "Don't Dictate". The studio albums released were Moving Targets and Coming Up For Air and they have since released a Best of Penetration compilation album.