Our alumni wrapped: musicians topping our playlists

Dr Feelgood – Going Back Home

Newcastle Arts graduate John Peter Wilkinson (aka Wilko Johnson) was a member of 1970s blues band Dr Feelgood. In 1976, the band reached No. 1 with their live album Stupidity. Known for their intense R&B style, Dr Feelgood became a mainstay of the British pub rock scene and significantly influenced the punk movement of the 1970s and 1980s.

Wilko quickly gained recognition for his distinctive guitar playing and flamboyant performances, inspiring bands across the UK. He remained with Dr Feelgood for their first four albums, three of which reached the UK Top 20, before leaving due to inter-band conflict. In 1980, Wilko joined Ian Dury’s band, The Blockheads. His career took an unexpected turn in 2010 when he was cast as the mute executioner Ilyn Payne in the hit series Game of Thrones.

The Futureheads – Hounds of Love

English Literature graduate Ross Millard is a musician and graphic designer, best known as the guitarist and vocalist for The Futureheads. The band, formed in 2000 while attending City of Sunderland College, released their debut album in 2004. In 2005, their cover of Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love reached No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart in its first week and was named Single of the Year by NME. The Futureheads have toured the US with Franz Ferdinand and supported acts like the Pixies, Foo Fighters, and Snow Patrol.

In addition to his work with the band, Ross Millard has collaborated on projects like the BBC’s Great North Passion and GIFT Festival’s RadiOh Europa. Since 2014, he has also been a songwriter and guitarist with Frankie & The Heartstrings and serves as the festival director for Summer Streets, an annual music and arts festival in Sunderland.

Jimmy Nail – Crocodile Shoes

Honorary graduate Jimmy Nail, who grew up in Benton, rejected conventional career paths to pursue his first love: music. His journey took him around the world before returning to Newcastle.

Jimmy is best known for his iconic roles in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, Spender, and Crocodile Shoes, as well as the films Evita and Still Crazy. His song The Flame Still Burns from Still Crazy was nominated for a Golden Globe. His music career includes a UK No. 1 single, Ain’t No Doubt, in 1992, and over a million copies sold of his album Crocodile Shoes.

In 2018, Jimmy was made an honorary member of our alumni community in recognition of his work as Patron of the Northeast charity FACT (Fighting All Cancers Together).

Ladies of Midnight Blue – Spirit Rise

Ladies of Midnight Blue is an Afro-Latin percussion and brass duo formed by Newcastle graduates Hannabiell Sanders and Yilis del Carmen Suriel. Their dynamic sound fuses trance-like drum rhythms with brass, vocal chants, and mbira to create an energetic and melodic experience.

Over the past decade, the duo has performed worldwide and facilitated art and music workshops focused on community building and raising awareness of social inequality.

Since January 2022, they have performed at a wide range of festivals and venues including Shambala Festival, TEDx Newcastle, EFG London Jazz Festival, and Green Man Festival. In 2013, inspired by their commitment to everyday activism, Hannabiell and Yilis co-founded Harambee Pasadia, the Northeast’s first Afro Fusion Arts Festival.

Maxïmo Park – Apply Some Pressure

Maxïmo Park are an English alternative rock band formed in 2000 by Newcastle University graduates Paul Smith, Archis Tiku, Lukas Wooller, and Tom English. The band has released seven studio albums, with their debut earning a Mercury Prize nomination. In 2018, they were commissioned to write the official song for the Great Exhibition of the North and performed at its opening ceremony on the River Tyne.

More recently, the band toured the UK in October, including two sold-out home-city shows. Newcastle locals were treated to surprise performances by the group in the city centre at Grainger Market and Central Station, delighting shoppers and commuters alike to celebrate National Album Day on October 19.

The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

The Police were a hugely popular English rock band formed in London in 1977, featuring honorary Newcastle graduate Sting on lead vocals and bass guitar. Emerging from the British new wave scene, the band achieved global fame in the late 1970s and 1980s. Sting—born Gordon Sumner—later gained recognition as a solo artist and environmentalist, receiving an honorary Doctorate in Music (DMus) in 2006.

The Police’s legacy as one of the greatest bands of all time is undeniable. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, they were ranked 70th on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Their song Every Breath You Take ranked 84th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and was voted the UK's Favourite 80s Number One in a 2015 ITV poll. Sting, the band's primary songwriter, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002.

Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug

Bryan Ferry, the charismatic lead singer of Roxy Music, graduated from Newcastle University with a degree in Fine Art. Under the mentorship of celebrated artist Richard Hamilton, Bryan developed a unique creative approach that influenced not only his music but also the visual aesthetics of Roxy Music.

Four years after his graduation in 1968, Bryan’s band rose to prominence and became one of the most influential bands of the 70s. Roxy Music produced eight classic albums, including For Your Pleasure and Avalon, and their legacy on popular music is still being heard today. As a solo artist, Bryan has released a number of critically acclaimed and highly influential albums, from These Foolish Things in 1973, to 2018’s Bitter-Sweet.

The Boomtown Rats – I Don’t Like Mondays

Formed in Dublin in 1975, The Boomtown Rats, led by honorary Newcastle graduate Bob Geldof, rose to fame with hits like Rat Trap, I Don't Like Mondays, Like Clockwork, and Banana Republic. Bob joined our alumni community in 2007, receiving an honorary doctorate for his charity work.

The band made history in 1978 when Rat Trap became the first rock song by an Irish band to top the UK charts. In 1979, I Don't Like Mondays also reached No. 1. After splitting in 1986, the group reunited in 2013 for a UK and Ireland tour and released a compilation album, Back to Boomtown: Classic Rats Hits. They continued performing and recording, releasing their first studio album in 36 years, Citizens of Boomtown, in 2020, featuring the lead single Trash Glam Baby.