HIT THE NORTH

About HIT THE NORTH

Hit the North - presented by Tom May - consists of conversations with interesting people about the North, defined inclusively! Series 1 guests include musicians, actors, writers, a comedian, an academic and a neurodivergent poet. Hit the North is a NON-PROFIT podcast, with NO ADVERTS. Episodes include fair usage of brief, relevantly illustrative sound clips. Hit the North is generally not suitable for children, including some swearing; there will be some discussion of difficult topics - written trigger warnings will be provided for episodes that require them.

Publisher

Tom May

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Nov 2025

Latest episode

30 Jan 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Jan 2026

   #009: Series 1 Sum-up!

   This week, Tom presents the Series 1 Sum-up! This includes listeners' Northern musical selections, some more interview extracts (Matthew Kelly, John Howard, Laura Minor & Mariam Rezaei), other musical picks and a quiz! The winner of the latter lifts the inaugural Flat Cap Trophy, while Tom also unveils Hit the North's Truth Teller of the Year. This episode is an odd kaleidoscopic, featuring much interactivity and as many as 41 musical selections, including a specially recorded song aiming to sum up the major feelings from Series 1's conversations...! There are one or two cases of 'strong' language in this episode. Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial. *Roddy Frame - 'Small World', John Howard - 'My Girl by The Temptations', Lesley Garrett, Brian Blessed et al - 'Ilkla Moor Baht At (Ilkley Moor)', T2 - 'Butterflies', The Times - 'Manchester', Nick Drake - 'Northern Sky', Renaissance - 'Northern Lights', Terry Durham - 'Crystal Telephone', The Beatles - 'Only A Northern Song', Darkthrone - 'A Blaze in the Northern Sky', Dire Straits - 'Tunnel of Love', Bob Dylan - 'Girl from the North Country', The Instant Automatons - 'Restless Night', Chris Rea - 'Steel River', Richard Barnes - 'Go North', The Enemy - 'We'll Live and Die In These Towns', Leatherface - 'Dead Industrial Atmosphere', Salute ft. Rina Sawayama - 'Saving Flowers', Antony Szmierek - 'The Great Pyramid of Stockport', Benefits ft. Zero Tonin - 'Land of the Tyrants', Gizmo 'One of Them Nights', Tenn - 'All Me', The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman - 'Ferry 'Cross the Mersey', Tom Jones - 'Come Home Rhondda Boy', Roy Jay - 'Vehicle' [hey, deep cut! - ed.], Peter Dickinson - 'Surrealist Landscape (Lord Berners)', The Unthanks - 'The Old News', Bill Oddie - 'On Ilkla Moor Baht 'At', Coldcut ft. Lisa Stansfield - 'People Hold On', L. Devine - 'Hater', The Wake - 'Pale Spectre', unknown re-recording of John McCabe - 'Sam', Richard Dawson - 'Polytunnel', John Howard - 'Early Closing Days', John Howard - 'Casting Shadows', Georgia May - 'Mood Daze', JADE - 'Midnight Cowboy', The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters - 'Truth Vs. Superficiality, Truth Without Compromise', MC Tomster - 'Get in the Northern Sea', Colin Crompton - 'Best of Order - Thank You Please' & Chris Rea - 'Josephine (Dimitri's Joe's and Finn edit)'.

2. 

   23 Jan 2026

   #008: Mariam Rezaei

   This week, Tom talks to Tyneside turntablist Mariam Rezaei, a vital musician whose work is experimental, expansive and deeply ambitious, utterly refuting any ideas of fixed, discrete 'genre'. We talked about her life and work, class, politics, identity, gatekeeping within the music industry, AI and, of course, Northernness! Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. All Mariam Rezaei tracks are used with the permission of the artist. This podcast is non-commercial. *Mariam Rezaei ft. Elvin Brandhi - 'Weirdo club musics', Mariam Rezaei - 'Wolf's Tail', Mariam Rezaei - 'Vengabussed', Mariam Rezaei - 'Commercially Viable Bullshit', The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters - 'Right is a thing within', Rhodri Davies - 'Here the Sun Does Not Enter', Gwilly Edmondez - 'INTROSPEX' and The Fall - 'The NWRA'.

3. 

   19 Dec 2025

   #007: Peter Street

   This week, Tom talks to the neurodivergent poet Peter Street, who has lived an utterly remarkable life - from gravedigger in Bolton to war poet in Bosnia to arborist and tree surgeon. This is a serious and humorous chat, exploring camarederie with gravediggers, the environmental crisis and there are several readings from Peter's wonderful poetry collection, EARTH TALK. It is also revealed that a 1970s Granada drama epic was shot on Street's... street! #Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial. *The Scaffold - 'Lily the Pink', Gerry and the Pacemakers - 'Ferry Cross the Mersey', The Corona Kids - 'The Big Ship Sails on the Ally Ally Oh' and Brian and Michael - 'Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs'.

4. 

   12 Dec 2025

   #006: Laura Minor

   This week, Tom speaks to a fellow academic, Dr Laura Minor (Salford), whose roots are in the West Midlands, but who has a lived in the North of England for a good many years now. We talk about Laura's recent book about gender, social class and TV comedy, alongside whether a corner has been turned on shows like Benefits Street, AI, where culture is headed and so much more. Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial. *Ennio Morricone - 'My Name is Nobody (Main Title)', Isobel Waller-Bridge - 'Fleabag theme', Sweet Female Attitude - 'Flowers', Chumbawamba - 'Tubthumping', Pulp - 'Common People' and The Specials - 'Ghost Town'.

5. 

   5 Dec 2025

   #005: Rachel Jackson

   This week, Tom speaks to Rachel Jackson, a fabulously distinctive voice in stand-up comedy and screen acting. We speak about Northernness, Scottishness, her unique comedy style, the film she was in with Karen Gillen, horror films and the excellent rave film, BEATS (2019). Rachel candidly addresses her mental health struggles, and was a wonderful guest, pithy and warm. This episode contains some strong, explicit language! Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial and no AI has been used in its creation. *Paolo Nutini - 'Pencil Full of Lead', 69 [Carl Craig] - 'Desire', Frankie Miller - 'Caledonia', Oasis - 'Supersonic' and The Arctic Monkeys - 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor'.

6. 

   28 Nov 2025

   #004: John Howard

   This week, Tom speaks to John Howard, the great singer-songwriter you probably haven't heard of but will love if you like David Bowie, Elton John, Jobriath, Duncan Browne and Clifford T. Ward. This episode includes discussion ranging over the whole of John's music career, including his landmark albums Kid in a Big World and The Dangerous Hours and working with producers Biddu and Trevor Horn. The interview also takes in homophobic gatekeeping, AIDS and John's conflicted feelings about the North, where he grew up, Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. All of John Howard's songs used are used with explicit agreement by the artist himself. This podcast is non-commercial and no AI has been used in its creation. * John Howard - 'Blink in the Darkness', John Howard - 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner', John Howard - 'The Dangerous Hours', John Howard - 'Safety in Numbers', John Howard - 'Goodbye Suzie', The Beatles - 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and The Beatles - 'Penny Lane'.

7. 

   21 Nov 2025

   #003: Justin Lewis

   Hit the North aims to include guests from all over the North, and outside it. Justin Lewis is an authoritative historian of comedy and pop music, and this episode explores his life, and showcases his excellent books, including the new "Into the Groove", a history of 1980s music. Justin's connections to the North are slighter than Matthew's or Ruth's, but tangible and deep - and his three musical selections are ace! Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial. *Chris Morris Music Show Episode 12 extract, The Special AKA - 'Free Nelson Mandela', Heaven 17 - 'Penthouse and Pavement', Barry Adamson - 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' and LoneLady - 'Hinterland'.

8. 

   14 Nov 2025

   #002: Ruth-Ann Boyle

   This week's guest is the singer Ruth-Ann Boyle, primarily known for her work with Olive, but who has also recorded with The Durutti Column and Enigma. This enjoyable chat takes in the minutiae of Sunderland life, the tabloid press and how Top of the Pops was better than Never Mind the Buzzcocks. As is necessary, there are some wonderful clips of music Ruth-Ann was involved with! Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. Furthermore, Olive, Durutti Column and Kojak selections appear by age\rement of the artist Ruth-Ann Boyle, who worked on all of those records. This podcast is non-commercial. *Olive - 'Miracle', The Durutti Column - 'Believe In Me', Olive - 'Killing', Olive - 'You're Not Alone', Kojak ft. Ruth-Ann Boyle - 'Tell Me', Prefab Sprout - 'When Love Breaks Down', The Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams' and Chris Rea - 'Driving Home for Christmas'.

9. 

   7 Nov 2025

   #001: Matthew Kelly

   This week, Tom speaks to the actor and presenter Matthew Kelly about his life and work and Northern England. The discussion takes in a key agitprop production at the Liverpool Everyman, Stars in Their Eyes, Samuel Beckett, Not Going Out and Inside No. 9 among much else! What a delightful first guest for this show, quite frankly. Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial. *Half Man Half Biscuit - 'Tonight Matthew, I'm Going to Be With Jesus [Peel Session]', The Beatles - 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', Carole King - 'It Might As Well Rain Until September' and Nina Simone - 'Ain't Got No - I Got Life (from the musical Hair)'.

10. 

    5 Nov 2025

    #000: Introduction

    Tom May introduces the new podcast HIT THE NORTH. Extracts of these* pieces of music are included under fair dealing/fair use for commentary and review and to illustrate guest choices. This podcast is non-commercial. *The JAMs - 'It's Grim Up North', Jake Thackray - 'Old Molly Metcalfe' and Alex Glasgow - 'As Soon As This Pub Closes'.

Contact HIT THE NORTH

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.