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There’s been a long tradition of musicians from the north of England honouring their origins through their recordings – one that dates back as far as The Beatles’ penning ‘Penny Lane’. ‘North Country Boy’, ‘Hit The North’, ‘Life In A ‘Northern Town’, ‘The North At Its Heights’, ‘It’s Grim Up North’ – just a few of the dozens that, over the following years, have championed its mass. Both culturally and creatively, the North tends to form more than the average core of an artist’s identity. It’s derived from a strong sense of pride in one’s place — not just its achievements, but in its character, humour, and resilience. Up north, ‘grey’ isn’t seen as bleak, but as honest and real: a backdrop that has shaped an unpretentious outlook on all things ‘life’. It engenders a sense of working t