David Randall chatted to Clark Datchler for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio following an earlier interview tracing his early career with Johnny Hates Jazz. He discusses the band, his solo career, and the 2024 tour dates. First broadcast 14 April 2024.

For many Johnny Hates Jazz may have slipped under the radar. The purveyors of superior late-eighties pop exploded and then imploded with frontman Clark Datchler announcing his departure at the height of their fame. It would be some 20 years before their return.

For the hardcore audience that were present tonight, the “Turn Back The Clock” tour was a real treat. All songs benefited from a crystal clear sound mix. When Clark asked if there was anyone under 30 there were few hands in the air, but frankly it didn’t matter. Having seen the band on their comeback dates (and first ever UK tour) in 2016, this latest iteration was quite simply a revelation.

To those in the know JHJ were so much more than a pop band, with Datchler gracing many a teen mag cover at the time. The material went much deeper and, bringing the story up to date with two albums since their comeback, still remains very relevant.

This gig was particularly satisfying for hardcore fans because it covered the whole range of their activity since that first album in 1988. The first half included the possibly less familiar stuff from ‘Wide Awake’ whilst punctuated with my personal favourite ‘Don’t Say It’s Love’ and rallying with ‘Turn Back The Clock’.

A song like ‘Don’t Stop The Music’ with its faint echoes of Rufus’ ‘Ain’t Nobody’ demonstrated that at the core of JHJ was a soulful groove, evident also in their debut single. Clark freely admits that the last album was a tribute to some of their musical heroes and – in the second half – “Lockdown single” ‘Spirit Of Love’ had a definite Isleys feel.

The new band line-up, around the core of Datchler and long-time collaborator Mike Nocito, was impressive. Guitarist Nic Keeble in particular added real fizz to the mix such as on ‘Lighthouse’ but always in context and never intrusive.

The second half further brought the band’s story up to date with a superb rendition of the wonderful ‘Magnetized’ whilst ‘Release You’ revealed the hidden depths of Datchler’s songwriting. Ostensibly this could be a break-up song but actually it’s about death.

Johnny Hates Jazz are not just eighties revivalists and they stand proud in the company of those contemporary artists featured in the pre-gig warm up tracks; the Michael McDonalds and the Deacon Blues.

The lady in the healthy merch queue may have thought Clark was actually Johnny but she would not have been the only audience member educated tonight. A celebration of 40 years since Datchler and Nocito met at the RAK studio under the aegis of legendary producer Mickie Most. Although not mentioned in Clark’s entertaining and informative between-song banter this early experience is a key to their subsequent success.

A new album is in the making and more dates will be topped by a special show in London on 19 December when the band will play their debut album in its entirety.

Catch one of the remaining tour dates if you can.

Review and photos by David Randall

Set 1: New Day Ahead/ Foolish Heart / Greater Good / Different Seasons/ Nevermore / Don’t Say It’s Love / Man With No Name / Don’t Stop the Music/ Turn Back the Clock
Set 2: Heart of Gold/ No Mistakes/ Release You/ Magnetized/ I Don’t Want to Be a Hero/ Spirit of Love/ Lighthouse/ Shattered Dreams

UK DATES 2024

SEP 08, SCARBOROUGH, UK, SPA THEATRE
SEP 19, WOLVERHAMPTON, UK, THE ROBIN
SEP 20, STROUD, UK, SUB ROOMS
OCT 03, WORTHING, UK, FACTORY LIVE
OCT 04, SOUTHAMPTON, UK, THE BROOK
OCT 05, POOLE, UK, LIGHTHOUSE
OCT 17, BURY ST EDMUNDS, UK, THE APEX
NOV 6, THE SANDS ROCKS, CANCUN, MEXICO
DEC 19, LONDON, UK, INDIGO AT THE O2

Album review (Wide Awake, 2020)

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

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David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)