Episodes

  • 6: Episode 6 - Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum

    6: Episode 6 - Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum
    Sep 5 2024
    Geoff has made significant contributions to the international music scene. Through this he has made connections with world renowned musicians and he has arranged for some of them to visit Calderdale to perform. In this episode he talks in detail about this.
    Geoff has been involved in promoting music for many years, in this time he has also had involvement in theatre and other performing arts.
    While a student he also worked at a local free newspaper, part of Halifax Free Press which was produced during the NUJ strike.
    In this episode Geoff also talks about owning and running a pub with his brother, the Three Pigeons in Halifax. (which is the image for this session)
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • 5: Episode 5 - Geoff Spreads his Wings

    5: Episode 5 - Geoff Spreads his Wings
    Sep 3 2024
    Geoff toured with the Serious Production Company who were then employed by Philip Morris International to produce world tours on their behalf. In this episode you will hear about the range of internationally renowned musicians and bands Geoff worked with during this time.
    These stories include meeting some of the worlds finest musicians, Royalty and society people. Geoff shares some of the most decadent moments, not to mention receiving an Olympic Medal, and a few embarrassing ones too.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 4: Episode 4 - In the spotlight

    4: Episode 4 - In the spotlight
    Sep 1 2024
    Sowerby Bridge is a town that has made most of the spaces available to put on live music. Geoff brings his experience of this to life during this episode, sharing his stories of hosting live music in the area.
    Through this he has supported local people, including young people, to think about what is possible to achieve though leading a life focused on creativity. He shares stories of visiting the local school to give a talk on this.
    Geoff has made the most of the opportunities made available to him and he has learnt by getting involved in a range of creative endeavours; theatre, festivals and touring.
    Geoff's skill is in organising, networking and being adept at stage lighting, creating the right atmosphere for the performers and the audience by making the most of the performance area available.
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    32 mins
  • 3: Episode 3 - Lord of misrule

    3: Episode 3 - Lord of misrule
    Aug 29 2024
    Geoff had the opportunity to go to Goldsmiths College in London - can you imagine a working lad from a working town up north ending up at Goldsmiths in 1978 - 1980!
    The topic of study was a Community and Youth Work diploma.
    After graduating, Geoff stayed on and worked as part of a team at the Albany Empire Theatre. Here he toured a community arts play scheme based around Lewisham.
    All went well until the kids wanted to base their film on the riots of that summer - which caused mayhem!
    In this episode Geoff talks about meeting and spending time with Brian Hibbard, Keith Allen and Alexi Sayle, who were all part of a left-wing Science Fiction soap opera based at the theatre. This production was based on a script that was delivered 6pm on the night of the show meaning the performers had to be agile, ready and prepared to ad lib to some extent.
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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • 2: Episode 2 - The shape of things to come

    2: Episode 2 - The shape of things to come
    Aug 28 2024
    Geoff paints a vibrant picture of life in Sowerby Bridge during the 1950s and 1960s, including the wonderous range of shops available at the time; 3 tripe shops, a horse meat butcher and a shop of unlabelled tins of food - you had no idea what you were going to get!
    Geoff attended the first secondary school in the area, there had not been one like this before - Ryburn Secondary Modern. Here Geoff was introduced to folk and classical music as well as acting! Geoff performed Zadok The Priest by George Fredrick Handel with other schools from around West and South Yorkshire, at Sheffield Town Hall. Geoff's' music teacher had a fit as she looked around to see all the school children turning up in their uniforms and then came Geoff, rocking up in his Italian suit and African violet shirt - a sign of things to come!

    Geoff left school early and quickly became part of the local workforce, working at the Coop shop, then van deliveries, as well as a job painting lighthouses.

    Soon after this array of work experiences Geoff met some new neighbours - who seemed quirky to him at the time - as he got to know them he learnt they were performing artists and he was hooked.
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    1 hr and 53 mins
  • 1: Episode 1 - The Beginning

    1: Episode 1 - The Beginning
    Aug 28 2024
    During this first episode we hear about Geoff growing up in Sowerby Bridge in the 1940s & 50s and some of the work he did in his earlier years.
    Sowerby Bridge is a working town based in Calderdale, West Yorkshire which had many working mills and markets. It remains a bustling town centre with streets of terraced houses.
    Geoff talks about his time as a young boy at home, ill with Pneumonia and his experience of starting school much later than other children.
    Geoff shares his love of learning but how he also had to adapt to his circumstances and environment - clear from a young age that Geoff was not going to be held back.

    The image shows the street where Geoff was born, this was Chapel Street in the heart of Sowerby Bridge. This street no longer exists as these houses were pulled down to make room for the tower blocks that now reside about St Pauls church.
    Image copyright to the estate of Peter Brook
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    1 hr and 36 mins