Ok em, so what's your full names?

Em (cough) (NAME) (NAME) (NAME).

(NAME) (NAME) (NAME).

(NAME) (NAME).

(NAME)?

(NAME).

(NAME) (pause) and how old are you both?

I'm nineteen.

I'm nineteen as well.

Nineteen as well (pause) and em how long have the both of you lived in the North East.

I've lived here all my life. (interruption) Nineteen years

(interruption) All my life as well.

Nineteen years?

Nineteen years.

Nineteen years (pause) Yeah and do your parents come from here as well, or from different places or

My mum's -- my mum is originally from here, she's lived here all her life but my dad was born in (pause) Salford outside of Manchester.

Oh yeah.

My mum's from the Northumberland area and my dad is from Glasgow all his family are Scottish.

Ah right.

But my dad has lived here like thirty odd years so

Aye same both my parents have lived and worked in Newcastle for well over thirty years.

Yeah.

And em, what do they both do? Both your parents?

Em, my mum is a social worker and my dad is (interruption) like em a sort of social policy manager I'm not really sure.

(interruption) mines a social

Our parents (interruption) have got pretty much the exact (interruption) same roles as Tom's like.

(interruption) Of the title (interruption) Yeah (interruption) yeah they pretty much do the same thing.

My mam's a social worker, my dad is a social inspector at (pause) I think that's his job title I'm not a hundred per cent sure.

Yeah.

It's, more or less, something [realized as 'summit'] like that.

Similar stuff (pause) our mums pretty much do the same thing don't they?

Aye they know all the same people, work in the same place isn't it? [realized as 'innit']

Yeah same circles.

And do you both work or?

I do yeah I work just like round the corner at Nisa, just a local shop.

Are you at university or?

I am aye.

Yeah Are you at Newcastle?

Northumbria.

Ah right do you work part-time as well?

No but I've just recently applied for a job at the (interruption) same place as (NAME)

(interruption) Same place. (laughter)

(laughter)

Right so did you two go to college, I'm guessing go to school together?

We went to Gosforth High school together yeah.

Yeah went to high school together, and to sixth-form together.

Right.

So what's that (pause) like four, or five years?

Four, five (pause) nine, ten, eleven, t- twelve, thirteen (pause) (interruption) yeah five years.

(interruption) Aye.

Right, so em where you're living now, it's like quite a nice flat, but what's Gosforth like to live in?

It's the best place in Newcastle.

Gosforth's one of the nicest places in Newcastle (interruption) definitely.

(interruption) Yeah.

Yeah.

What's good about it?

There's no viol- (pause) (interruption) well (pause) yeah some violence.

(interruption) Yeah, well it's not really, there's not much trouble it's a pretty (pause) quiet suburban area I (interruption) would say, but it's not, it's not sort of too snooty or (pause) (interruption) pretentious is it like?

(interruption) It's tame

(interruption) Yeah.

It's not in the heart (interruption) of Newcastle, but it's not miles from it either (interruption) it's just (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Yeah. (interruption) It's just the perfect like distance it's like five to ten minutes outside the city centre.

So did you both live in Gosforth before?

Yeah all my life.

Um

Yeah (laughter) all our lives, [laughter ends] went to school in Gosforth schools.

Then went to university (interruption) and came to live in Gosforth?

(interruption) University, and moved about (laughter) five minutes away from our homes. [laughter ends] (laughter) Aye.

So you're not far from home both now?

No.

No, not at all (interruption) not quite spread our wings. (laughter)

(interruption) Te- ten -- ten minute walk not at all.

(laughter) So you obviously choose to live here 'cause it's local?

And it's cheap as well this place isn't it?

Yeah (pause) wasn't first choice like, (interruption) like we were planning on living in Jesmond but er (pause) then we seen this place and the fact that it was in Gossy [i.e. Gosforth] just added to the

(interruption) Wasn't first choice (interruption) well we were going to Heaton (interruption) like a house in Heaton like a five bedroom house (pause) just off (interruption) Chilly Road. [i.e. 'Chillingham Road']

(interruption) Next year? (interruption) Next year, or this year?

This year we were going to.

Well we looked at a few other places in Heaton.

Yeah but then (pause) two -- well one mate dropped out a month before.

And then the other dropped out so we started looking at three bedroom places and then.

Well, the other one didn't even drop out, he didn't even tell us! (interruption) He just er, he just didn't (pause) say what he was doing, or what he wanted to do for about three or four weeks. Didn't he, (NAME)? [nickname]

(interruption) Yeah

Yeah he just kept quiet, then all of a sudden he was like, 'Yeah I'm not moving in'.

And then it took a few drink, didn't it? (pause) well (pause) It took me and him to be quite drunk, and outside of Gotham City [realized as 'Gotham'] one night (pause) (interruption) that's what happened aye! Outside out- I took him out and I was like (NAME) [nickname] what's going on?' and er (pause) he just explained it, and I was like, 'Why didn't you just tell us that like three weeks ago?' could have been looking for another place.

(interruption) Did it? Is that what happened?

What? He'd ditched it and gone to another place?

Ditched it, aye.

To be fair, I'm canny happy he did do that 'cause

This is amazing, here we're saving -- it's much cheaper and this is just a -- just a -- good, fucking, location.

Yeah so em the people round here, your neighbours and stuff do you get on with them are they all students or?

Phworgh! er (pause) (interruption) they're fine yeah, they've complained once or twice like 'cause of -- we've come back from town and we've (interruption) been loud and lairy.

(interruption) The people downstairs are sweet! (interruption) They've -- downstairs have only complained once.

At least they've complained to us though, (interruption) someone else we spoke to -- the landlord said that they had rang, and that someone else had complained to them, they said they'd had two or three phone calls about the noise (pause) probably the people the left I don't know.

(interruption) Yeah, they actually knocked on the door. It was probably -- probably the people either side, I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] actually (interruption) could just be one person (pause) but em the one who knocked she was really nice, she just knocked on the door

(interruption) Aye

Yeah

(pause) And she just said, 'Look we got to [realized as 'gotta'] be up in a couple of hours, do you mind if you could just keep it down?' and I was just like 'Yeah' I was bit drunk like, but (interruption) (laughter) (pause) be all right, she was kind of [realized as 'kinda'] chuckling as she was saying it as well. It was weird, so we er took it round

(laughter)

(interruption) (laughter) (pause) (interruption) Were they students or?

No [realized as 'nah'] they're not (pause) (interruption) late twenties aye.

(interruption) No they're not old though, late twenties aye, just a couple, I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] what they do, but (interruption) er (pause) yeah they are really nice.

(interruption) No they're canny enough like.

So like where you're living now, in Gosforth obviously you've been here a while, so like where's like the best place to sort of like drink, eat (pause) (interruption) hang out?

(interruption) drink? Em The Brandling's (interruption) a good place just 'cause it's down the road we've only started going like (interruption) the past few weeks.

(interruption) Brandling (pause) local aye. Brandling villa! (interruption) It's expensive like!

Isn't the Brandling in the back of Jesmond?

There's Brandlings all over (pause) (interruption) there's a Brandling in Jesmond, that's -- that's nice, there's a Brandling on the high street, and there's a Brandling down there.

(interruption) there's Brandlings all over yeah.

So there's one here as well?

yeah.

Ah right.

It's nice there, it's just expensive.

It's nice yeah, it's quite expensive, but like, they play really good music and stuff (interruption) like they have live music and that on.

(interruption) Yeah

Every month.

You can play Giant Jenga there as well.

(laughter) Yeah they've got loads of games (interruption) you can play. [laughter ends]

(interruption) They've got blocks like that size and it's like Jenga blocks and you've got to [realized as 'gotta'] like build them, [realized as 'em'] and they go to like the size of like (interruption) half a person (pause) pretty dangerous. What a photo on my phone? (pause) (interruption) oh aye I'll show you a photo if you want like?

(interruption) They are massive! (pause) haven't you got a photo on your phone? (interruption) Didn't you take like a photo on your phone?

(laughter)

Er, but aye, apart from that there's a place called the millstone just round the corner from it (interruption) where it's (pause) it serves good food like so you can get food there, and they play the football as well, and the pints are cheaper, and the foods cheaper, it's just not as nice, really

Yeah that's all right as well (pause) it's a bit quieter there like. (interruption) Yeah it's not like, it's sort of (pause) like a lot of older people go there don't they?

Hm

So where's em (pause) where would you say the best place in Newcastle is?, to go out?

For like a proper night like a club (interruption) or a bar?

(interruption) If you want to [realized as 'wanna'] get messy go to Gotham (interruption) and the go to The Cut.

(interruption) yeah Gotham is (pause) Gotham is the best place to go, before you go to The Cut.

Yeah Gotham is good. [informant shows picture on phone] Aww that's mint that!

It's huge isn't it? (laughter)

(laughter) But, (interruption) er yeah we can't not go to Gotham can we?

(interruption) that's well good!

Aye (interruption) Gotham

(interruption) really?

Goth- absolutely standard here's (NAME) (pause) but (interruption) em aye two quid trebles you cannae [i.e. 'cannot'] go wrong like

(interruption) And here's (NAME), aye.

and then spend a tenner in there, and you're guaranteed to have a good night.

Yeah you're guaranteed to come out much worse than when you went in.

What are like the best, and worst bits about living in Newcastle?

Phworgh! The worst bits?

The best bits are just everyone's so friendly, and everyone's -- (interruption) you go down south, you realise no-one got the same sort of time they have for each other as they have up here (interruption) people in the street will not spend half as long talking to you (pause) [3 sec] (interruption) em (pause) I don't know what the worst bits are, like (laughter) I don't think there are any bad bits [laughter ends] if there are any

(interruption) yeah

(interruption) Yeah (interruption) Yeah

I can't think of anything any- anything bad about the city, like (pause) erm (pause) I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] what can you think? Maybe there's not -- I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] enough sort of (pause) (interruption) It's freezing cold (pause) (interruption) There could be, there could be more things to do (pause) (interruption) in the evenings and stuff (pause) but then (interruption) I don't know, [realized as 'dunno'] but then there is a lot to do, maybe we just don't (pause) go out (pause) (interruption) and seek enough things (pause) (interruption) (laughter) (pause) I wouldn't -- (interruption) I couldn't think of

(interruption) It's cold! (interruption) It's pretty, fucking, cold like.

(interruption) Yeah (interruption) So then it's not

(interruption) I'm staying here (interruption) I'm staying here for the rest of my life (pause) [2 sec] That's fine with me like

(interruption) So you wouldn't think about going anywhere else?

That's why -- that's why I'm still at uni here (pause) (interruption) 'cause I didn't want to [realized as 'wanna'] -- I didn't want to [realized as 'wanna'] risk going to a place that wouldn't be as good as Newcastle and I think I made the right choice like

(interruption) Yeah same here.

Yeah (pause) so em (pause) let's talk about your family for a little bit (pause) like so your family's all from round here (pause) (interruption) Do you (interruption) both know each like (pause) Do both your families know each other?

(interruption) Yeah.

(interruption) Yeah.

Er they didn't until (pause) when me and (NAME) started looking for places to live (interruption) em (pause) but my dad has worked alongside (NAME)'s dad not knowing we were both friends (interruption) and same applies for my mum she's worked with (NAME)'s mum and she's (pause) at least been in the same sort of working circles (interruption) as each other.

(interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Yeah (pause) They haven't been like properly directly working with each other, but (pause) (interruption) they been (pause) yeah no my dad, my dad reckons he has as well, I don't think (pause) I think our mums might have worked for the same company, at some point I think but (pause) [2 sec] I don't know. [realized as 'dunno']

(interruption) My dad reckons he's been in meetings.

And what about siblings have you both got any sisters or brothers or?

Yeah yeah I've got er I've got an older brother and an older sister (pause) (interruption) thirty and thirty (pause) four (pause) (interruption) Massive difference (pause) Yeah we've got different dads (pause) (interruption) They've got (pause) yeah my mum remarried and she was like in her mid thirties and then er she had like she was like early twenties (interruption) when she had my brother and sister (interruption) so. I know

(interruption) Oh right. (interruption) God that's old. (interruption) Ah right. (interruption) oh God.

I've got one brother nine- er I was going to [realized as 'gonna'] say nineteen! (pause) (interruption) Twenty five, twenty six, almost, lives just a street down actually.

(laughter) Yeah, (laughter) it's really (pause) it's really turned out canny, hasn't it? [laughter ends] His brothers only just moved out hasn't he?

(interruption) (laughter) oh right. [laughter ends]

Aye he moved out (interruption) like two weeks before (interruption) me (pause) no [realized as 'nah'] no [realized as 'nah'] from my parents house in Gossy [i.e. Gosforth] erm aye then just happened to move across (interruption) the road and then two weeks later we just completely and coincidently found this place one street down

(interruption) From here?

(interruption) No, [realized as 'nah'] no, [realized as 'nah'] no. [realized as 'nah'] (interruption) And then my

Yeah.

(laughter) My brothers, literally, only lives just down the road as well (interruption) [laughter ends] he lives in er (PLACE), the big er complex (pause) (interruption) It's within five minutes yeah (pause) (interruption) It's pretty daft.

(interruption) Yeah, yeah aye. (interruption) That's not even -- that's within five minutes. (interruption) My brothers within two (pause) Our families are within ten. (interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter)

So you're both the youngest child (pause) (interruption) out of your family, what's that like? Being the youngest? do you feel like you get more attention or?

(interruption) yeah.

(interruption) yeah.

Oh I probably have, 'cause I only like live with them well I only live with my (pause) (interruption) I didn't live with them for that long, compared to like people who have lived with their brother and sister, and whose ages are closer together like (pause) (interruption) I think my sister moved out when she was like nineteen (interruption) so she's like fourteen years older than me so

Yeah. (interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Did she go uni or?

No she didn't. She's a nurse now (interruption) she was -- well no she did go to uni (interruption) she did like she got like a degree or diploma whatever it is you need to become (interruption) a nurse but that was in her late -- in her late twenties I think (pause) or mid to late twenties yeah she kind of [realized as 'kinda'] did a some crappy jobs for a while and then realises what she wanted to do (interruption) brother went to uni at Northumbria (pause) (interruption) did sociology (pause) she's thirty four

(interruption) Oh right. (interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Yeah.

(interruption) How old is she now?

How long has she been working as a nurse?

Whuh! Six, seven years maybe I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] not sure, something like that aye.

What's your brother doing?

Works in, I think it's, works in some sort of call centre I think, I'm not entirely sure em (pause) he's -- he's always never really had a solid job like he's always been (pause) dossing [realized as 'dossin'] about in between different types.

Did he not go uni or anything?

He went to college for a bit, em didn't do too well in his A-Levels, went to college, and did a foundation course in art (pause) and then, nothing really, came of it really hasn't -- really you know hasn't really utilised that at all, and now he's just working in a call centre.

So he's just banding around with jobs and stuff? (pause) Fair enough (pause) So like growing up in Gosforth what was it like? (pause) A lot to do when you were younger or?

Whuh! It's pretty -- pretty nice -- pretty nice place to grow up like, 'cause all the schools are really close together (interruption) like I was, I've only (pause) Well, you as well only ten minutes away from high school went you (pause) I was about five (interruption) to ten.

(interruption) Yeah.

(interruption) Five minutes away from middle school aye, but my middle school was notoriously the -- one of the worst schools, if not in England, definitely in Newcastle (pause) (interruption) Yeah 'cause the teaching the teaching was really, really bad and it just it was just a location that attracted people from all the poorest areas like it's in Gosforth but out of the three the three main middle schools in Gosforth it was by far the poorest of the three like (pause) (interruption) and (pause) quite a lot of radgy's

(interruption) Really? (interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Yeah (pause) mine was like the opposite mine (interruption) was

(interruption) No [realized as 'nah'] his was full of toffs and little (pause) posh kids (pause) (interruption) mak- make -- making daisy chains at lunchtime.

(interruption) (laughter) It wasn't like that it wasn't that bad! [laughter ends] (pause) Come on man. (laughter) No mine was (interruption) (unclear) mine was Central middle, I went to, I went to Central middle and no, no it was totally different wasn't it (pause) (interruption) Our experiences are so (laughter) different (pause) in middle school [laughter ends] (pause) like you'd never see a fight in central middle or anything like that

(interruption) (unclear) We were fighting. (interruption) It was completely different.

In the summer time there was a fight every day, just 'cause the teachers just aggravated all, all the little rascals, and little kids just getting temperamental and

Everyone getting hyped up?

Aye.

But er my like, Central was like right at the bottom of my street, like two seconds away so that was pretty good (pause) And er (pause) My first school was just (pause) down the road as well, Gossy [i.e. Gosforth]

Di- did you have a middle school then? (interruption) 'Cause I went to primary school, then high school.

(interruption) Yeah, it's different here, you have like

In Gosforth you go (pause) you spend your first four years year one to year four is first school, (interruption) and then you leave your first school and then you have year five to year eight in your middle school, and then (pause) from (pause) your middle school and year eight you've got year nine to year (pause) eleven and then the school that we went to had a sixth-form as well, so we stayed from year nine until year twelve in the same school.

(interruption) Yeah

Yeah (pause) sixth-form was good wasn't it? Well it was (pause) like good sort of

So you went to different middle schools, but you went back to the same (interruption) high school?

(interruption) Same high school yeah, 'cause it's like the feeder like em all middle schools feeders (interruption) in the district go to that main one (pause) so you've got like, there's like Central West and East. East was like the one in the middle wasn't it?

All the main ones in that district (interruption) Aye West was just

They all had their only little reputations (pause) Canny daft (interruption) isn't it really?

(interruption) West was the best (pause) Central (interruption) was mental. (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter) Central was mental! (laughter)

It really wasn't mental.

Wasn't mental at all (pause) really tame, (interruption) really really tame (pause) (interruption) good though.

(interruption) It was (pause) (laughter)

(interruption) (laughter) So em how did you get on with your A-Levels what did yous [equivalent to Standard English 'you'] do?

I did em (pause) I did English Language, Sociology and Spanish.

Yeah.

Got B, B, D.

B, B, D?

Yeah and what did you get?

Did PE, English Language and (pause) English Literature, got a B, C, D (pause) I should've got an A in English language though (interruption) don't know what happened.

(interruption) Yeah so I should've [realized as 'shoulda'] got -- I should've [realized as 'shoulda'] got an A in English language like (pause) (interruption) and in sociology to be honest

(interruption) Yeah I got a B (pause) Was it not good? (pause) well did you -- (interruption) did you get through with clearing or not?

(interruption) Well it was kind of [realized as 'kinda'] like -- we were predicted -- we were predicted like A slash B for that (pause) but our teacher just marked our fucking coursework incorrectly (interruption) (laughter) he just didn't get it right at all (interruption) everyone got like a grade or two less than what he thought (pause) (interruption) stupid!

(interruption) Yeah (interruption) really (interruption) God (pause) so did you get into Newcastle through (interruption) clearing? 'Cause wasn't that

(interruption) I went through the Partners thing.

Oh did you? [realized as 'ya']

Yeah, yeah

What's the Partners thing?

You do like (pause) (interruption) two weeks of like (pause) it's called a summer school it sounds really American and er (pause) it's a doddle actually you just got for like two weeks, like couple hours of a day (pause) and er you just have a few like (pause) basically you just cover lectures on like English language or whatever you're doing and then you can like you just get in for like -- like the requirements are lowered (pause) so (pause) and no I didn't know how I got into it like (pause) 'cause (interruption) I got into it (pause) I got

(interruption) (unclear) Summer school (interruption) like part of it I was eligible for it as well, I just didn't think I wouldn't get B, B, B (pause) (interruption) so yeah

(interruption) Really? (pause) but em

So did you not do Partners?

I -- I could've done 'cause my post code meant that I could've er applied for it, but you still would have had to have got instead of like, what was it A, A, B? Did I get B, B, B

I think (pause) what was English language for requirements? (interruption) for English language?

(interruption) English language was something like A and two B's I think it was

yeah I think yeah I think it was A and two B's (pause) (interruption) so

(interruption) Aye, and then through Partners it would have been B, B, B but I still

Wouldn't it have been B, C -- B, B, C?

Maybe but I still don't think I'd get it like.

Yeah (pause) But mine was like ling -- I'm doing linguistics so that -- that was like three B's I think so I needed to get three C's.

Yeah so what happens

So I basically got oh (pause) similar anyway.

So what are you doing at Northumbria?

English language.

Are you?

Yeah.

Ah right.

It's pretty much exactly the same course (interruption) as (NAME)'s like.

(interruption) Yeah (interruption) it's really similar.

(interruption) Oh is it (pause) are you still doing like phonology and phonetics and things like that?

We did phonology and phonetics last year, it's not one of my modules this year, but all the rest of them, [realized as 'em'] I'm still doing like, er you doing history of English?

Yeah, we did -- (interruption) we did -- we did historical linguistics.

(interruption) we'll do -- we did it last year but we'll be doing it next year as well.

Yeah, and I do language and society, you know sociolinguistics?

Yeah.

They're all virtually similar stuff, but just with different titles.

Syntax.

Pretty much em, what was I going to [realized as 'gonna'] say? Yeah then you had do, just had to submit like an essay at the end and then you just pass it, part of the summer school thing.

Er one thing I want to [realized as 'wanna'] ask you two, do you two have any funny stories? (pause) From growing up together?

(laughter) Funny stories?

No [realized as 'nah'] there's nothing funny about (NAME), apart from the fact he doesn't like cheese

(laughter)

(laughter)

Like what kind of [realized as 'kinda'] sinister kid, doesn't like cheese

Sinister kid? Is that right?

(laughter) Yeah course that is [laughter ends]

Aye.

(interruption) Essential ingredient for every single bit (interruption) of food.

(interruption) Funny stories? (interruption) any funny stories that we even have got, we probably wouldn't even remember (pause) (interruption) because we where (pause) Off our lips aye!

(interruption) Pissed?

(laughter)

Your kid's got -- your pal's got shit hair!

That was a funn- that wasn't even that long ago! Aye just some mortal radgy Geordie was just walked past him and just went [imitating strong Geordie accent] 'Here!' and he's talking to me, [imitating strong Geordie accent] 'Here!, yee your mates got pure shit hair (pause) tell him that!' (pause) Just pouring down with rain. Gave us a chuckle at the end of the night, didn't it?

It didn't give me a chuckle at all!

(laughter) actually it did not give you a chuckle at all [laughter ends] he just sulked he was like 'aww'. (laughter)

Sitting there, in the pouring rain, at four in the morning asking everyone that went past, for skins or tobacco [realized as 'baccy'] (interruption) every single person

(interruption) (laughter) (pause) It wer -- it were pathetic that.

Every single person was telling us where to go.

(interruption) (laughter) Yeah they were!

(interruption) Then this guy just comes along, and we went along and we asked him and he was like no [realized as 'nah'] and he just went to (NAME) [imitating strong Geordie accent] 'Here tell your pal he's got pure shit hair!' (pause) Cheers -- cheers mate

It's horrible, asking for cigs on a night out.

Right.

I just -- (interruption) I feel.

(interruption) I don't know -- we don't even smoke (pause) we just -- I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] why, I was just doing it

Just wanted some skins.

(interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) The amount of times you go outside and they're just like (pause) go away.

Yeah.

It's horrible isn't it?

Yeah.

(laughter)

I can't really -- I can't -- my memories really poor (pause) I cant really think of that many things, I mean (pause) (interruption) think of one

(interruption) Were you getting into trouble at high school (interruption) or?

(interruption) I can think of one that isn't too good (pause) From a drunken night, and er a certain (laughter) (NAME)'s house. [laughter ends]

What happened there?

(laughter) You with (NAME). [laughter ends]

Oh aye that's

That's -- that's not a funny story at all (pause) it's a story but it's not a (interruption) funny story like.

(interruption) Aye, it's a story but it's not a funny story like.

It's a story that (laughter) ruin- ruined, [laughter ends] ruined a good friendship like!

Why what happened?

I slept with this girl, who was my best mates, ex girlfriend (pause) (interruption) and it didn't -- (interruption) didn't -- it didn't bode well (pause) (unclear)

(interruption) Right.

(interruption) They weren't -- he says ex girlfriend they weren't properly -- properly (pause) finished.

Aye, of course they're not! They were like, they hadn't been seeing each other for a good few months!

Yeah.

We were only like fifteen at the time or something [realized as 'summit']

Yeah, yeah true.

What was it like a house party?

(interruption) Aye and -- and it was just proper mental.

(interruption) It was aye (pause) everyone was just mortal (pause) [3 sec] It was ridiculous, actually we got to [realized as 'gotta'] actually -- we could talk about -- (NAME)'s parties, were a (pause) (interruption) pretty common theme of growing up like.

(interruption) Aye (NAME)'s parties (pause) From about the age of like (pause) fifteen, fourteen no [realized as 'nah'] aye probably fifteen we were all like -- she lived in Gossy [i.e. Gosforth] as well -- (interruption) Gosforth (pause) em (pause) absolutely huge house (pause) (interruption) And (pause) her parents were just the most lenient people ever, and they would just let (NAME) invite about thirty people from our year, to just come round and just get absolutely steaming drunk in the house (pause) (interruption) All these kids just bringing litres of vodka round (interruption) and all of em passing out in the toilets just whiteying (interruption) being sick everywhere

(interruption) She lived like a few streets down from me. (interruption) Massive house! (interruption) Right.

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Loads of like crates of beer and stuff (pause) (interruption) Yeah (pause) I mean, I remember it on like her sixteenth or seventeenth birthday she was -- she was just off her lips (pause) She was so, she couldn't even stand up and like I just saw her and (interruption) I was like walking down and er I was walking through like one of the halls, and her mam was just like carr- like propping her up over her arm propping her up aye with her arm around her it was like three -- two -- well it was one in the morn -- well maybe not three -- one o'clock maybe two o'clock in the morning just with her head in a bucket (interruption) and I was just thinking 'God'

(interruption) I got there late. (interruption) I've got to her party (interruption) at like half eight

(interruption) That's a -- that's an understanding mother like (laughter)

I got there late, at like half eight like half -- or like nine or something. As soon as I walked into the door, I went upstairs and I seen (NAME) she walked round the hallway and she just fell flat on her face like (pause) that was the night (NAME) (NAME) (interruption) threw a bottle off

(interruption) That's when (NAME) threw a bottle off -- yeah. Our mate (NAME) threw a bottle off (pause) em (NAME) (pause) (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) em (pause) (NAME) (interruption) to be fair she was getting off with everyone (interruption) that night (pause) she was absolutely -- she was beyond mortal she was stinking drunk (pause) and er

(interruption) She was getting with different people. (interruption) A lot of -- Actually, a lot of shit happened at those parties like, (interruption) like to be fair

(interruption) She was seeing this lad, called (NAME), who's a bit temperamental (interruption) to say the least like.

(interruption) Proper temperamental (pause) He's a mate of ours, but he just -- he can just fly off the handle.

Yeah.

(interruption) And er.

(interruption) He's just a bit of a nutter. Well he used -- he's pretty -- he's not that like that anymore is he? Well actually we don't know [realized as 'dunno'] (interruption) what he's like with (NAME) do we

(interruption) (unclear)

No (pause) no. But, aye he used to be (pause) pretty volatile relationship, that they had and er

He walked in on (NAME) and this lad getting with each other, and threw a bottle of 'Wicked' at (pause) not off them, but at them.

He says he doesn't -- he says he didn't (interruption) he said it was just -- he just threw it near them or something (interruption) like that.

(interruption) It was defi -- it was definitely in their direction

(interruption) What did it hit them? [realized as 'em']

No [realized as 'nah'] (interruption) man

(interruption) No [realized as 'nah'] no [realized as 'nah'] it didn't (interruption) no.

(interruption) That time, we went camping, as well, and (NAME) threw a bottle of fucking vodka in the -- in the fire.

Oh fuck aye, we were yeah,

All standing about five metres away from the fire, (interruption) just watching this bottle of vodka, and it still had the lid on it, and it still had a little bit left in and er we were all just watching it starting to hiss, and like loads of like (pause) noises coming out of the fire (pause) (interruption) and er.

(interruption) Everyone was just standing round the fire. (interruption) It was just in the morning as well actually (interruption) he wasn't even drunk! He just threw it on the fire, like an idiot, and the bottle -- (interruption) the bottle cap just flew off and hit our friend (NAME) in the fucking face

(interruption) Yeah. (interruption) Just a bottle like from the night before (pause) [2 sec] No it wasn't the bottle cap like, it was just a shard of glass and like -- (interruption) like it blew up, and 'BOOM' we all looked around 'Is everyone all right?'. Just looked at (NAME), she just had blood just streaming (interruption) from the middle of her eye like (pause) bridge of her nose, just like. If it had been a millimetre either side it would've gone in her eye, and no doubt blinded her like (pause) It was really pouring with blood as well (interruption) it was a deep cut (pause) (interruption) But just a tiny fraction of glass, just hit her square in the middle of the er eyes

Was it? (interruption) Um

(interruption) Eurgh! (interruption) Jesus! (interruption) Fucking hell!

She was lucky like.

She was lucky yeah (pause) but em (pause) yeah (NAME) had a lot of parties like (pause) It's a good job like 'cause, it would have been dull if she didn't wouldn't it?

(unclear) gone The Recker

She would've [realized as 'wudda'] just gone The Recker yeah that's right actually.

For about ten weeks in the summer of like year ten or year eleven, er there's a little field just next to Gossy [i.e. Gosforth] centre actually (interruption) just next to like (NAME)'s

(interruption) yeah literally just right next to my middle school

Called The Recker, (interruption) we used to just go down there every Friday night and just (pause) aye just drink (interruption) ourselves stupid.

(interruption) Well we -- we called it The Recker. (interruption) Just drink stupid amounts (pause) of er spirits, beer (pause) (interruption) Two of our mates -- two of our mates just one -- tw- for more than one occasion (NAME) [nickname] and (NAME) [nickname] didn't they? Just (pause) when they were about fifteen, necked a bottle of (pause) (interruption) a litre of -- a litre of a bottle of whisky between them. [realized as 'em']

(interruption) and all pile back to (NAME)'s house (interruption) aww, I've got at least (pause) five, six videos of my mates when they were just fourteen, fifteen, just necking quarter litre bottles of whisky.

Jesus!

It's ridiculous (pause) they weren't even sick afterwards where they? [door knocks]

(NAME) [nickname] was never sick.

(NAME) [nickname] was never sick (pause) I think he's just -- he's just steadily declined ever since though, hasn't been able to handle his drink (pause) I've got no idea who that is at the door (pause) well they're going to [realized as 'gonna'] have to wait aren't they?

Just let (NAME) get it.

Can we pause that?

em.

Just get (NAME) to get it.

Well, (NAME) will. (interruption) get it

(interruption) (NAME) go and tell (NAME) to get the door.

Cheers mate.

I've got no idea who that'll be.

Yeah right I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] who that'll be (pause) Could be (NAME).

(NAME)?

So you had some mental parties, when you were growing up and stuff?

Yeah, they were pretty -- yeah they were better earlier on (pause) and then once we got into six- well she still had a few in like -- in the first year of sixth-form, before we were eighteen

I don't think I went to them, that's when I wasn't part of

Oh yeah 'cause well yeah that's when all that shit happened (interruption) yeah

(interruption) When I slept -- when I slept with (NAME) like (interruption) all of these just I was -- I was stricken from the group like.

(interruption) When he slept (interruption) with (NAME) like.

(interruption) Oh yeah there would have been a bit of.

You weren't stricken (interruption) from the group.

(interruption) I was stricken from (interruption) the group!

(interruption) He took it on -- he took it upon himself to distance himself.

Right.

Because, obviously we were mates with him and (NAME). [nickname]

So (interruption) was it awkward at first?

(interruption) But I was saying that (pause) there was only (pause) well (pause) who was friends with you, before they were with (NAME)? [nickname] (pause) (NAME)?

Don't know [realized as 'dunno'] mate (NAME) [nickname] kind of, [realized as 'kinda'] started not to bother a couple of years ago when he was going through about the same time like.

No [realized as 'nah'] but (NAME) [nickname] went to my middle -- but wasn't (interruption) (NAME) good mates with him in middle school and that?

(interruption) Aye but I wasn't mates with (NAME) [nickname] till Gossy [i.e. Gosforth] high though (pause) (interruption) I wasn't mates with (NAME) [nickname] till like year ten

(interruption) No [realized as 'nah'] no I know (pause) aye true!

So was it awkward at times?

Aye yeah definitely one time -- (interruption) one time it was my mate, (NAME), it was its birthday and he was having a party (pause) oh you all right?

(interruption) Was really awkward.

[informant whispers] Hello.

Er.

(NAME)

Cheers babe (pause) Aye he was having a party and er (pause) Cheers man (pause) (NAME) [nickname] -- (NAME) [nickname] said er

(laughter) There's too many people in this room. [laughter ends]

(interruption) There is aye.

(interruption) (laughter)

(interruption) I'm going in a second.

(interruption) Come in sit yourself down.

But em yeah (NAME) (pause) What was it (NAME)'s (interruption) seventeenth or eighteenth, it was probably his seventeenth actually, yeah (pause) (interruption) no [realized as 'nah'] it definitely was his seventeenth

(interruption) seventeenth or eighteenth party aye yeah (interruption) (NAME) [nickname] (pause) and me and ga -- me and (NAME) [nickname] are like (unclear) [possible reading: gaffs] (NAME) [nickname] was like (NAME)'s ex boyfriend

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Yeah

And me and (NAME) [nickname] were like both -- (interruption) both canny good mates with (NAME), and we were both invited to this party and (NAME) [nickname] just went 'If you come to this party (NAME) I'm going to [realized as 'gonna'] knock you out!' (pause) and I was like (pause) well (pause) (interruption) you know what I mean it's my mates party (pause) I'm not -- not going to [realized as 'gonna'] go.

(interruption) They'd been seeing each other for like two years (pause) Quite tense. (interruption) It was a dickhead thing to say, that wasn't it? I forget -- I always forget he said that.

So I turned up to this party, and then er (pause) (laughter) Before I'd even got in the door, he was just shouting at us through like -- out the house (pause) people, proper holding him back, and he was like [imitating strong Geordie accent] 'Yeah you come into this fucking house, an I'll fucking kick your arse' and then, er got in the house, loads of people like moved (NAME) [nickname] into a different room, and I was just sitting there, then they was like 'Yeah (NAME), you cannae [i.e. 'cannot'] stay, 'cause he's just not going to [realized as 'gonna'] like (pause) (interruption) he's not going to [realized as 'gonna'] quiet down'.

(interruption) He was -- he was mortal like, he was mortal.

And then er

I just -- I have always -- I always just remember him just standing at the door, he's canny small, he's pretty scrawny (pause) (interruption) he's not a fighter at all, and he's (laughter) standing there like the big man wasn't he [laughter ends] In the door way like [imitating strong Geordie accent] 'Yeah man (NAME) me and you outside now' and he doesn't really have a strong Geordie accent at all (interruption) but he was putting one on that night

(interruption) Yeah

(interruption) Yeah aye (pause) got in the house, and he was still kicking off (interruption) and people were like yeah '(NAME) (pause) You're going to [realized as 'gonna'] have to fight him!'

(interruption) Yeah right (pause) [2 sec] (laughter)

Like, you cannae [i.e. 'cannot'] stay here, 'cause he's just (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) Bearing in mind that, there's not a fighter -- there's no fighters in like -- no-one really fights like any of our mates like no-one.

(NAME) [nickname] does like (NAME) [nickname] loves a fight.

(NAME) [nickname] does not fight. (laughter)

(NAME) [nickname] loves -- (NAME) [nickname] loves the punch ups.

(NAME) [nickname] doesn't fight (pause) but em (pause) yeah that was -- that was -- that was funny, more than anything else really, 'cause it just went -- went to the back lane didn't it?

Aye right, I'll text you.

Right ok!

They started rolling, well they started fighting on the -- in the -- on the -- in the road and then er

No he said, he said (unclear)

One of you -- one of you fell into a neighbours garden.

Aye (pause) (NAME).

Was it you or (NAME)? [nickname]

We both did.

It was (NAME), do you know who (pause) (interruption) what's his face called?

(interruption) Grundy's Wonders.

Grundy's Wonders.

Where's that?

(interruption) It used to be a programme (interruption) on BBC or something like that.

(interruption) It -- it (interruption) yeah (pause) Yeah BBC or ITV yeah. What did he used to do (pause) what was it like? holiday or

I've got no idea, (interruption) it was a BBC programme though like.

(interruption) like nature or documentary or something but yeah. He lives opposite -- he lives opposite our mate (NAME) and er

We er

One of -- you or (NAME) [nickname] fell into his garden.

We both did (pause) we both started scrapping (interruption) (unclear)

(interruption) And he came out, and there was a few of us, we were all mortal, and he like came out, and I was just like 'It's all right man, it's all right, they're just sorting stuff out man it's all right', (laughter) and then he came out and he was raging (pause) (interruption) he was red in the face.

(interruption) Everyone -- everyone scattered like!

Everyone -- I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] why people did, people ran one way and the other (pause) A couple of us stood outside just (pause) (interruption) someone had to -- somebody had to talk to him, 'cause, if no-one talked to him he would've just got even more angry, and er (pause) That was -- that was quite funny, not at the time, but looking back it was, really funny 'cause, it was just a scrappy (pause) five minute fight wasn't it?

(interruption) People hid behind cars.

You've got -- you were at (NAME)'s parties weren't you? [realized as 'ya']

Yeah I was with (interruption) a couple of them yeah.

(interruption) You were -- you were with the one that threw the firework in.

Yeah, in the garden?

No, [realized as 'nah'] in the house!

Into the house? Yeah, I was yeah but em

That was chee- that was (NAME) [nickname] as well wasn't it, '(NAME) throw the firework into the house' and I was like 'No' [realized as 'nah'] but he was like 'Go on throw it in!' I was like 'All right then' I threw -- it wasn't like a big firework, it was like one of these little like roman candle things.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah

I threw it into the kitchen, completely forgetting that fireworks like made smoke, and as soon as I threw it in, the whole kitchen just flooded with smoke, and her house was covered in smoke, smoke alarm going off, she started crying her eyes out.

That was a surprisingly good night that though, wasn't it?

Oh yeah both -- both (NAME)'s parties were absolutely class!

Yeah it was just a bit -- (interruption) this was a girl with the

(interruption) Can't believe you threw a firework into the kitchen!

Well it didn't really

Funny in hindsight.

(laughter)

(interruption) Yeah it was.

(interruption) Nothing burnt down like.

(laughter) No there was nowhere near -- it was nowhere near a disaster like (pause) But er (pause) [2 sec] Yeah.

Good (interruption) times.

(interruption) (laughter) Growing up in Gossy, [i.e. Gosforth] good times. [laughter ends]

(laughter)

(laughter) I wouldn't have talked about this in a while like.

Are you, er both Newcastle fans?

(interruption) Aye.

(interruption) Oh yeah.

Yeah (pause) You both go? (pause) When you can?

When we can.

When I can aye, but I'm skint now like. The two -- the only two home games I've been to this season, have been Villa when we beat them [realized as 'em'] six nil, then the Mackem game when we beat them [realized as 'em'] five one.

They're the only two? You've been -- lucky bugger that's awesome isn't it? (pause) I've been to the (pause) I don't know [realized as 'dunno'] three, four (pause) five maybe (pause) I used to have a season ticket for about four years.

Yeah.

But then, er I just -- arr I just couldn't afford it.

Aye the same.

Couldn't just expect my mam and dad to pay for it either.

Yeah.

So er

I had (NAME)'s Granddad's season ticket for a year, then like once I -- once I started realising that I wasn't a grandad (interruption) I kind of [realized as 'kinda'] -- kind of [realized as 'kinda'] became hard to pass off so couldn't afford it anymore (pause) (interruption) So I was getting on a pension (unclear)

(interruption) (laughter) (interruption) Yeah I know (pause) Expensive now, what's it like, I think I'm going to [realized as 'gonna'] -- well even last -- they didn't even reduce the season tickets, last season (interruption) and they got a good gate (pause) no so

(interruption) Yeah (pause) When you got into the championship? (pause) You still got like, forty odd thousand a game didn't you? [realized as 'ya']

Yeah yeah, we still got loads of people. I still went to about -- probably about a dozen of the home games at least.

Yeah.

Last season (pause) 'cause, I mean (pause) A lot of the games weren't expensive (interruption) like when they were playing some of the worst teams like (pause) Scunthorpe, and people like that, it was like twenty -- fifteen, twenty quid a ticket

(interruption) yeah

That Cardiff game, me and you said we were going to [realized as 'gonna'] go to, then we decided not to 'cause it was raining. Then we listened to it on the radio, and the commentator was just making out to sound like, the best game Newcastle had ever, like played and