Jade's Music Blog

The 6ft 5in, former Sheffield University history and politics student Jon cuts an imposing figure. Once he gets into full flow it’s easy to see why he’s the don of the Sheffield music scene, The Reverend.
“It’s a nickname my mates gave me,” says Jon, 25. “They said to me ‘you’re like a teacher man, you’re like a preacher man’” he explains in his broad Sheffield accent. “It comes from the way I talk and get right passionate about things.
“I believe it's my duty as an artist to provide a dissenting voice, because there aren't many dissenting voices anymore are there?
“People are so doped up on the opium of X Factor and Big Brother, the music industry is full of liars.
“We’ve got troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, we’re melting the polar ice caps and the charts are full of music about nothing. This is our Vietnam, and what are we doing about it?”
The situation in Iraq is something he feels particularly strongly about.
“I’d be there watching it all on TV with my girlfriend – she’s Iraqi –and just not be able to believe what was going on. My girlfriend’s aunties and uncles were being driven from their homes. It’s human tragedy on the biggest scale, and no-one is talking about it.
“You’ve got established artists – the Ian Browns and the Damon Albarns – who are prepared to stick their necks out and say something political, but other than that you’ve got young bands writing about being on tour and playing gigs, writing like nothing is happening.
“That’s a sad indictment on our society.”
Like his pal Alex Turner, Jon takes his inspiration from the mundane and mixes in his own poetry. He’s also rumoured to have written a couple of their tunes as well but apparently that’s all rubbish. They just write about similar subjects, although Jon doesn’t see the resemblance.
“I like Arctic Monkeys, they’re mates of mine, but I wouldn’t put them in the same category as us,” he says. “They tell the truth about social issues, but they don’t touch political issues.”
Jon met frontman Alex Turner, whom he met on a bus in Sheffield six years ago, and their instant connection saw them collaborate, selling-out thousand-plus capacity venues, with Jon curating his night Reverend Soundsystem. All before they had a record deal.
And now? He’s on his way to Liverpool to wow the crowds.
“I’ve had some banging nights in Liverpool,” grins Jon. “I did my album at Parr Street so I spent loads of time there.
“I love the culture in Liverpool, the way people don’t just buy into whatever comes along. They do their own thing.”
In between gigs most nights and promoting new album, The State Of Things, Jon is also a prolific poet.
“Writing is writing isn’t it?” He says. “Poems, songs it’s all writing. I wrote a poem that one of the lads in the Arctic Monkeys got tattooed on his neck.
“I don’t have days off. If I’m not doing a gig I’m writing. Every day is a pleasure. I like it all.
“I hear bands moaning that they don’t like doing interviews. That’s because they’ve got nothing to say. It’s not like being in a pit or in a factory – it’s talking to someone about your music. How hard can that be?”
Many in the music industry have struggled to categorise Jon, or indeed to know what to do with him at all. Plus, his political emphasis means he hasn’t always been treated kindly in the press.
“When you speak out, you get branded a troublemaker,” he admits. “People seem to think we’re a knuckle-scraping band of lager louts or something, but that’s not what it’s about.
“If I can make 10 kids think differently, make them think about peace rather than guns, then that’s my dream. From that we can start a revolution.”
The State Of Things is a picture of modern Britain that reaches far beyond the kitchen sink, it's a world of picture postcard saucery, industrial paranoia, suburban scandal and global tension. It’s got the workers' down tools anthem The Machine - featuring vocals from Alex Turner, the brooding, soulful finale Armchair Detective and not forgetting summer hit He Said He Loved Me. The album has finally seen the band get the recognition they deserve.
“It’s nice that the press have picked up on it, but we’re not a critics’ band, we’re interested in making music that speaks to people,” he says.
“I’ve made a bit of money now, but it’s not about that. I turned down £200,000 to make an album when I was on the dole, because I knew they didn’t want me to get political on it. I’m going to give all the money I make away anyway. I give it to people who need it.”
Reverend and the Makers play the Carling Academy Liverpool on Thursday October 11. For more information see www.myspace.com/reverendmusic.