James Alan Hull was born on Tuesday, 20 February 1945 at 68 Sutton's Dwellings, Adelaide Terrace,
Benwell,
Newcastle upon Tyne. He began piano lessons at the age of nine, and guitar lessons two years later. He attended
Rutherford Grammar School, Newcastle after sitting the
eleven-plus in 1956 and was given a guitar at the age of twelve. Hull wrote his first song soon afterwards. one year by working as a nurse at a
mental hospital and as a driver for Newcastle Co-op TV Department while appearing as a folk singer and guitarist in local clubs before helping to form Brethren and Downtown Faction, which evolved into
Lindisfarne in 1970. He also released a one-off solo single, "We Can Swing Together", which was re-recorded with the group on their first album,
Nicely Out of Tune, and became a regular favourite in their stage performances. As the group's most prolific songwriter and joint lead vocalist, Hull came to be regarded as its
leader. In 1972, dissatisfied with the sound and critical reception of their third album
Dingly Dell, he considered leaving the group but instead he and joint lead vocalist
Ray "Jacka" Jackson formed a new six-piece Lindisfarne the following year, leaving the three other original members to form
Jack The Lad. He also released his first solo album,
Pipedream, the same year and published a book of poems,
Mocking Horse. Hull appeared in "Squire", an episode of the BBC's
Second City Firsts drama series. Lindisfarne disbanded in 1973 and Hull released a second solo album,
Squire, then formed the short-lived Radiator, which also included drummer
Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne and Jack the Lad. Radiator released the 1977 ''Isn't It Strange'' album, and they toured with (or without)
Horslips between July and December 1977, sometimes under the name Alan Hull's Radiator. By then the original line-up of Lindisfarne were reforming after a well-received series of sold-out Christmas shows at the
Newcastle City Hall in 1976 which was broadcast on local radio. Thereafter he combined his musical career as front man of the group with a solo career. Hull was a staunch
Labour Party activist. For a time he was secretary of his local constituency Labour Party. He performed in Blackpool to coincide with the
Labour Party conference in 1990, and played at numerous benefit concerts for striking or redundant miners and shipyard workers. In January 1994, he recorded
Back to Basics, a live all-
acoustic survey of the best of his songwriting from 1970 onwards. ==Death==