Paul Hebden ‘Hebby’ R.I.P.
Well known local T-shirt entrepreneur and mainstay of the punk scene Paul Hebden aka ‘Hebby’ was found dead at his home on Saturday 23rd January 2010. There’s a report in the Sunday Sun.
It’s well known that Hebby hadn’t been having the best of times lately: he’d been made redundant from the Post Office, was having a legal dispute with a neighbour that preventing him from building an outhouse to resume his T-shirt printing business and his drinking had become excessive. The last time I saw him I asked if he was now an alcoholic and he admitted he was.
It appears that after several recent threats to commit suicide, he finally did. For someone who always seemed so chipper noone took these threats seriously.
Hebby was well known in the local punk scene, a larger than life character that was never short of an opinion, he never failed to remind everyone that he was the first person in the north-east into The Misfits, a claim which was true. While the rest of us were still listening to UK punk in the very early 80s Hebby had found and championed the USA punk scene and avidly collected bands like: Minor Threat, Bad Brains, Government Issue, DOA etc. to much scorn, but eventually he won us over and was proven right.
A friend for 30 years, Hebby worked as a T-shirt printer for companies and then himself. He printed shirts for many of the bands I worked with including The Dickies, Man or Astroman? and more recently Subway Sect.
He will be much missed by me and all who knew him.
Kathy
That sounds like a plan, if anyone’s interested in sorting this out, let me know at [email protected] as there’s a few of us from Walker/Wallsend interested in organising something. Cheers
I have been clearing Hebby’s house out and there is loads of his used and worn t.shirts does anyone want any……? there is alot of peter and the test tube babies… black flag etc all medium or Hebby’s size…. let me know asap as St Oswalds are coming this monday to take the lot away………much love to all xxxxxxxxx
hi sonia would,nt mind a t-shirt if thats ok! just something to remember him by.drop me a mail [email protected] cheers.
hi there to all left behind,we in Ryton feel we want a tribute nite for paul,spoken to a lot of people around here & they think its a good idear.they want a pure punk nite,playing hebbs music & may be if anybody out there plays instruments do some jamming.we have a p.a system/mics etc,if you agree with us get intouch by e.mail or call in & ask for mick or kim e.mail address [email protected] or 07746688995,ryton hotel,lane head ne403hf ,ps if poss like to get it rolling next couple of weeks ,cheers mick
I have opened up a site on facebook called Keeping Paul ‘Hebby’ Hebdon memory alive for all your facebook people xxxxx A DO at the ryton Hotel sounds grand xxxx
I got to know ‘Hebby’ after the Rock Garden closed down in Middlesbrough and I started travelling further afield for gigs. I met ‘Hebby’ and a few others from Newcastle who adopted me a ‘Teessider’ around 1985. I lost touch with everyone but remember going to see someone in Newcastle about five years ago and ‘Hebby’ recognised me and came over to talk – he was still selling t-shirts. Really shocked to hear this news.
Only just heard the sad,sad news, lost touch when I left Newcastle but have many great memories of top nights out with Hebby and Swedge. Remember doing some dodgy dealing with Hebby in order to sell his Misfits shirts in the shop when he first printed some up. The thrill of sneaking into the Mayfair through the back doors before the bouncers caught up was always a feature of a friday or saturday night, never caught either!
RIP fella, from one old punk to another.
1 year gone – still missing you. Hope your happy wherever you are.Miss you XX
17th november 2011 Hebs 48th birthday The damned are playing at The Academy! Lets make it a night to remember in honour of Hebby!!!!!!!
The Damned are playing 17th November 2011 at the Acadamy Newcastle £15.50 this would of been Hebbys 48th birthday….Lets all go enjoy ourselves in his memory………. xxxxxxxxx
Fond Memories of Hebby on his 48th Birthday miss you loads mate xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
another xmas without you mate xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nice to see all the comments about Hebby. Back in the mid-80s after the Rock Garden closed down in Middlesbrough I started venturing further afield for gigs – mainly in Leeds and Newcastle. Like Hebby I was a big advocate of American Hardcore much to the disdain of my mates. I started hanging about with Hebby and his mates. The cruel bastards decided from day one I looked the double of Hec Broon from The Broons comic strip in the Sunday Post!! One Saturday I went into a well known second hand shop in Newwcastle (its where Union City Clothing is now – I think) and bought a few things and then off to Volume Records to buy some decent punk stuff. The following week when I travelled up to Newcastle Hebby said: ‘we’ve got a present for you, Steve’. The bastards had tippexed a page from The Broons annual and based it the events of my previous weekend Viz-style. I couldn’t stop laughing at the efforts they had gone to lampoon me – respect!!
50 years never forgotten
It’s been over 4 years my friend and I still think of you, I miss you so very much, you are for ever in my heart. Claire
Saw swedge the other week 8 years for heb hey, ffs where has the time gone?
Another year has come and gone , still remembered
Time marches on , still rembered
You would of been 60 now, you old get, we are all getting on now