Heatwave In The Cold North

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I guess it’s a lot more personal and introspective these days. I’ve done a lot of politics, social realism, kitchen sink drama stuff, I’ve done the psychedelic hedonism thing. Though I did a bit of mental health on the first album, what I’ve never really done is introspective: looking at me and my relationships with people. Whether that’s my wife, my friends or people I’ve had disputes with and fallen out with, I guess there’s a lot of autobiographical stuff in there. You can’t start writing council estate kitchen sink stuff when you’re seven albums in. Although I’m not a millionaire I clearly have a decent standard of living, and get paid well for what I do, so I think it’d be really disingenuous to be writing what I wrote about on my first album, right? From giving reflective life lessons to his 21 year-old self like “To tell ya not let such fears / Dominate any o’ ya bestest years” to the more candid advice “Take care that your friends and peers / Don’t get near with the bags of gear…”, ‘A Letter To My 21 Year Old Self’ is poignant, introspective and highly personal. Lines like ‘Maybe be kinder to yourself and know your worth’ will resonate with everyone – I know it does for me. In June 2008, drummer Richy Westley left the group to form his own band Strange and Partners. In August 2008 frontman Jon McClure said he would quit music after their next album, [5] although a month later he changed his mind. [6] The inconsistency of McClure's actions has led many critics in the music press to report negatively towards the move. [ citation needed] Welsh band Future of the Left joked of their delight at the band's split at live shows on their tour at the time, as can be heard on their live album Last Night I Saved Her from Vampires. [7] McClure has a new project, Mongrel, with a single "Hit from the Morning Sun" due to be released in February 2009. [8] A French Kiss in the Chaos (2009–2010) [ edit ]

You’ve done some self-exploration lately with your trip across Africa. What was the most rewarding part of that?In April 2006, Reverend and The Makers were support to the Arctic Monkeys on their sold out UK tour, exposing the band to larger audiences and bigger venues. This was followed by their own first UK tour in May and June, selling out dates in Shoreditch, London and The Plug in home-town Sheffield on the final night. A second tour followed in October 2006, showing great progression as a band. The sound was much tighter and far more advanced than on their previous tour.

Now, a band would typically release an album before heading on tour, but the Yorkshireman and his musicians aren’t the conventional types. Not to mention the fact that, in an impressive unbroken run, each of their albums have reached the Top 20 in the UK album charts. In late 2005, McClure brought several musicians together for Reverend and the Makers. Like his previous bands, the Makers included co-songwriter Ed Cosens, this time playing bass. The rest of The Makers consisted of Dave Sanderson (guitars), Joe Moskow ( keyboards), Richy Westley (drums, formerly of Hoggboy) and Laura Manuel ( vocals), and occasionally Simon Strafford on trombone. Sanderson was dismissed in July 2006 after the band completed their first headline UK tour and replaced by Gledhill guitarist Tom Jarvis. Dedicated to giving a leg up to those working their way through the music industry – regardless of musical quality Reverend and The Makers are making waves in the right way. A sense of community can be found in clips of their gigs through the hard-hitting efforts of a band reclaiming their space and sense of identity. Much can be said for the good Reverend, and while frontman Jon McClure is steadfast in his approach to Football Manager, he pulled himself away from the game to bash out Heatwave in the Cold North . Tributes to the indie era are endless on the ear and the middle-of-the-road status found in Heatwave in the Cold North is a disappointing traipse through the latest workings of a band that cites Oasis as their influence. Spotting a young fan, no older than 10 in the crowd, Jon - a father-of-two - told him ‘it’s going to get rowdy in here’, inviting the little lad and his parents to sit side-of-stage for the rest of the night. I bet! As you say, you’ve got that Radio 2 attention but you’re also tuning into the sounds of younger pop, which is creating another great platform for you. Your albums have always seemed like a vessel for whatever’s keeping you up at night or fuelling your fire. What is that this time round?

The band released their sixth album on 22 September 2017, which debuted at Number 11 on the UK Albums Chart, their best performing album since their 2007 debut. Lies is a series of short films based on stories/poems written by Jon McClure. The films are part of the local independent film production Kestrel Filmworks with sponsorship from Boxfresh. Lies is a tongue in cheek look at lies told to Jon and his brother Chris throughout their childhood. In total there are six films. The five albums since have seen the band move through several incarnations, sounds and line ups and experience all the highs - and most of the lows - that the music industry has to offer, but it was Covid-19 that saw Jon worry the most about income, since his wife Laura is also a member of the band.