Musician and activist Sting and Yale historian Paul Kennedy grew up streets away from each other in 1950s Wallsend, a place entirely dominated and proudly defined by the shipbuilding industry. Both passed the 11+ exam and attended St Cuthbert's Grammar School in Newcastle, which ‘educated them out’ of their working-class background. Both now live in the US but discuss the strong sense of identity their Wallsend roots have given them wherever they are in the world. Sting’s original musical The Last Ship is an elegy to the decimation of the shipbuilding industry; one he was determined to escape but realised much later in life had given him so much. Kennedy discusses the short-sightedness of multiple UK governments to back the world-leading shipbuilding industry of a sea-faring nation. Together they discuss family pride in their achievements, their experiences of both being teachers and being taught, the commoditisation of music, their shared love of Bach, the Geordie diaspora at Sting gigs and the musician’s regular pilgrimage to the ruins of 10th century Holy Cross Church in Wallsend where he imagines the ‘father of English history’ St Bede the Venerable rowing over from Jarrow to get some peace.

Forged in the North is funded by New Writing North and Durham Book Festival, with support from Durham County Council, Durham University and Arts Council England.

Produced by Hunter Charlton
Researched by Lucy Valance
Mixed and mastered by John Scott
Presented by Fiona Hill
An Ember Production