South Shields singer releases debut single inspired by town's motto - Always Ready

Patrick Gosling, 21, released his first single Always Ready on January 10, inspired by the motto which features on the South Shields coat of arms.

Patrick, of Horsley Hill, has lived in the town all his life, leaving briefly to study songwriting at university in Manchester.

But when many of his friends stayed in the city for its thriving music scene, Patrick returned to his much-loved South Shields.

A former member of North East Indie band Far Pacific, Always Ready is the first solo release, after deciding to strike out on his own when he performed at the Sandhaven Amphitheatre last summer.

“I took my time releasing the first single as I wanted to make sure I chose the right song to have,” said the former St Wilfrid’s pupil.

“The song is essentially a love song about my hometown. It’s about a lot of things, but the main theme being growing up and living in Shields. It’s one of my favourite songs I’ve written because I have such a close personal connection to it. I knew I wanted to have a song called ‘Always Ready’ before it was even written."

The song includes the lines 'You know that I'm always ready, whatever the world throws at me' in reference to the motto which appears on the council’s coat of arms and the South Shields Football Club crest, who have started playing the track at their home games.

Mayor of South Tyneside, Coun Norman Dick, said: “It is really heart-warming to see that South Shields has inspired Patrick Gosling’s debut single. It shows just how much the town means to the people who’ve lived and grown up here.

“The motto is well-known to local people and is sure to resonate with residents of South Shields.”

He added: “It’s fantastic that the song is putting South Shields on the map and paying homage to both the place and people of South Tyneside. I wish Patrick all the best in his career as a solo artist.”

Always Ready is available to download now.