Personal journey

Jun 7 2009 by Liz Lamb, Sunday Sun

JOINING Oasis as they roll into town this week to play one of the largest concerts ever staged in the North will be Reverend and the Makers. LIZ LAMB chats to singer Jon McClure . . .

WITH 53,000 fans packed into a football stadium and the mighty Oasis headlining the sell-out date, this is one of the biggest gigs of Reverend and the Makers’ lives.

But frontman Jon McClure is showing no signs of nerves ahead of the concert at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on Wednesday.

“I can’t wait, I am absolutely up for it,” says the singer, who is busy sunning himself in his back garden in Sheffield.

“We’ve never done anything on this scale before, but bring it on.

“You have got to test yourself in different environments. I am quite confident, there’s no nerves. We’ve been to Sunderland loads before and played gigs there.

“People in places like Sunderland, they want to hear bands talking their language and we’re like that.”

Jon is a lover of Oasis’ music, having grown up listening to them, and occasionally hangs out with Noel Gallagher.

“I’m a big Oasis fan,” he says: “When I was 12 I was told to turn off the TV at 9pm but I remember staying up and The Word came on and Oasis were on there.

“It was 1994 and I just thought ‘Oh My God’. It was a bit of a life change. I thought they were brilliant.

“I know Noel a little bit. We’ve been out a couple of times and exchanged texts and he is a brilliant guy.

“He is inspiring. The thing with Noel is he won’t say anything about people in interviews that he wouldn’t say to their face in the pub. He’s just real and it’s just the same for me, as I am very like that myself.”

The Reverends, who enjoyed a Top Ten hit with Heavyweight Champion of the World, release their album, A French Kiss in the Chaos, next month, with the first single from their second offering, Silence is Talking, released on July 13.

The album is like a personal journey though Jon’s life and covers topics such as his dalliance with drugs, his battle with anxiety and the time he told the world he was quitting music for good, a move which saw the singer vilified by music critics.

Jon says: “It’s very personal. I have been trying to do a good thing for ages and stand up and be counted and talk about important things. It takes it all out of you as a person.

“But you know I have got my band, my music, everything’s good.”

His honesty within his songwriting doesn’t always come easy though.

“It was difficult for me to be that personal. People want a piece of you and people are critical for no reason,” says Jon.

“The mood is changing though. There is a positivity that is coming through now.”

Also joining Oasis and the Reverends on the bill at Wednesday’s gig are The Enemy and Kasabian.

“We’re all going to get together and have a big party”, laughs the frontman. And with that he is off to continue soaking up the sun.

The Reverend and the Makers release their album A French Kiss in the Chaos on July 27.They will be on their own headline tour in October and play Newcastle Academy on October 31. A limited number of hospitality packages are available from £63.61 for all concerts. Visit www.safc concerts.com or call 0871-911 1500.