User:Geoff heslop

He was born in Corbridge, Northumberland on June 3rd 1947 and went to school in Hexham and West Yorkshire. His career began in the early 70’s – inspired by the work of Bill Leader, he produced albums with artists such as Hedgehog Pie, Five Hand Reel, Dave Burland, Mike Harding (‘The Rochdale Cowboy’ is his only hit single) Bob Fox and Stu Luckley and Allan Taylor (Silver Rose of Montreux for ‘The Traveller’). He was label manager for the Rubber Records and the Black Crow Records labels.

By the ‘80’s he was working with Rab Noakes, Alan Hull, Bert Jansch, Dick Gaughan and Rory McLeod as well as interesting himself in the traditional music of his native Northumberland.

Geoff documented the music of many generations of Northumbrian players, from Joe Hutton, Willy Taylor and Will Atkinson to Alistair Anderson, Tom Gilfellon and Johnny Handle, and culminating with his long association with Kathryn Tickell, producing 4 of her albums and putting together the Coquetdale Music Publishing catalogue which contains most of the main compositions of the last 75 years in the county.

His work extended to yet another generation of young players, and albums with Simon Thoumire, Ian Carr, Brian Finegan and Catriona MacDonald followed.

One of the musicians who came into the studio was songwriter Brenda Johnson, and it is to arranging, recording and performing her songs that Geoff has devoted the last ten years. They have produced 6 albums under the name Ribbon Road, of which ‘It Couldn’t Last’ is the latest (as well as getting married). They perform regularly as a trio (with Geoff’s daughter Jill). These albums are released on their label Shipyard and they now run Shipyard Studios in Northumberland.

During this time he has also built up a body of work in painting and sculptures, and his work can be seen on the CD inlays.