Introducing Mark Hobrough

A proper Geordie and a proper nice bloke! And much more besides...

Mark and I go back almost twenty years, to be precise. We are both, first and foremost, music people, and so in 2008, we collaborated first on putting together a band called The Stiff Dylans. This fictitious band was crafted for an upcoming Paramount Pictures film, Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging and produced by Bend it Like Beckham’s Gurinder Chadha.

We found our Stiff Dylans and much more. This collaboration launched the real-life career of lead singer James Flannagan, who wrote and produced songs and albums with major artists such as the Black Eyed Peas, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lana Del Rey, and Dua Lipa. It also sparked a friendship that has remained to this day.

As you’ll hear in this conversation, Mark always seemed to be the person I needed at peak moments in my life. He’s a gentleman and a gentle man, and his warmth and generosity are as big and wide as the Northumberland coast that he now calls home.

He is also a man of great reinvention and, lately, great resilience as living with cancer becomes his new normal. In true Mark style, he accepted his situation and looked to use his diagnosis to revisit what was important to him and change his life accordingly.

In this podcast, Mark discusses his approach to living with cancer and shares stories from his 30-year career in the music industry and the influential figures in his life. He reflects on his early career, the impact of his grandfather, the significance of artists like Patti Smith, and his love of punk and ska. Mark emphasizes the importance of mentorship and the connections that have shaped his life, particularly during challenging times.

Our conversation highlights themes of resilience, influence, and the power of personal relationships. Other influencers include John Mostyn and Sir Bobby Robson, as we discuss the importance of biological and “logical” family, as he likes to call his extended chosen family. He emphasises the value of time as a new currency in his life. He shares his desire to create a charity called 'Because We Can' to empower those diagnosed with cancer, encouraging them to live fully despite their circumstances.

Mark is a dear man and one of life’s treasures. Talking of treasures, he also owns a fantastic Antique shop in Alnwick called The Beehive, which has been showcased on numerous TV shows. He and his wife spend many happy weekends scouting for curios to delight their customers, and it’s well worth a visit.

I will be back again next week to showcase my next guest, but until then, please enjoy this conversation. If you did, please like, subscribe, share with friends, and leave a review. This is my second episode; any help you can give to expand my audience is much appreciated.