Jarrow rockers release two new charity tracks to support music ‘institution’ Trillians struggling due to pandemic

The town’s Crashed Out punk-rock group brought out the two new download-only tracks to help support the Princess Square Trillians bar in Newcastle city centre.

The Jarrow four-piece are asking for donations of just £5 for the songs – Lockdown Blues (based on the rock ‘n’ roll classic, ‘Summertime Blues’) and a cover version of Motorhead’s ‘Ace Of Spades’.

The North-East alternative music ‘institution’ remains closed during Lockdown 3 and there are growing fears for the venue’s future, as has been the case for many small traders within the South Tyneside hospitality sector.

"The bar’s been good to us over the years,” said Crashed Out’s vocalist, Chris Wright, who owns the Viking Tattoo Studio on Ellison Street.

"We’ve played there quite a few times. And I actually go down to the bar myself to watch live bands when we’re not playing there.

"It’s a bit of an institution in Newcastle. It’s one of the oldest rock bars in the city that’s kept going. It’s independent.

“It’s a great little venue – it’s not massive, but it’s really good for bands starting off and bands starting on the circuit, learning the knack of live performing.”

Their fundraiser comes on the back of a series of other charitable efforts in aid of Trillians across the region over recent months, which have seen other North East musicians band together to help ensure the venue’s survival.

The new songs were recorded “live and raw during the pandemic,” according to Mr Wright.

All the proceeds raised from sales of the Crashed Out downloads will go towards Trillians’ live Go Fund Me open appeal.

"We had a few rough versions of songs knocking around anyway because of lockdown,” he explained.

"We couldn’t get in the studio ourselves, obviously. So we’ve done it ourselves using production programmes and software like ProTool.

"We’ve had a bit of fun with it really. The whole thing’s a bit tongue in cheek and it’s been a good things to focus our minds on while we can’t play or record together still.”

Boldon man, Graham Hartley, shot and produced the videos that accompany the two charity tracks.

Mr Wright also spoke of his group’s connection to Trallion’s, which has helped countless local bands like Crashed Out gain a first experience of live performance during the several decades it has been open.

“We’ve done a Christmas gig for the last 10 years or so there,” he said.

"It’s a free gig that we do every year. It’s well known. We don’t charge to get in – the last time we did it [in 2019], it was ridiculously full.

"It’s always a good get together, with it being Christmas time and everything. It’s well followed by anyone in the area who follows the punk scene at all.”

Dave Hill, the current manager of Trillians, said: "Trillians had gone through some hard times before but what was about to happen was unprecedented.

"The start of 2020 was great, January, February and March was the best start to a year we ever had.

"For the first time we breathed a sigh of relief and said, “This is how it’s done.” Then the 23rd March happened and the announcement came, ‘Full Lockdown’.

“We never thought it would go on this long...no money, no help, no funding from anywhere...we felt the GoFund was something we had to do.”

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