Here we are then. My very own blog. I feel almost like a grown up. This first blog shall be largely an explanation of/shameless plug for our new album 'Thirty Two' which is out on Monday 24 February on Cooking Vinyl. I'm hoping subsequent posts may be about other topics which take my interest but for now its all about giving you an exclusive insight into the new album from my band Reverend and The Makers.
The album is called 'Thirty Two' for a variety of reasons. Firstly I wanted to scupper Adele's chances of using the title when she grows up. Secondly thirty-two is my Dad's number of choice when he puts the lottery numbers on. I wouldn't mind but it seldom comes out, yet my old man is resolute that it's a lucky number. Thirty-two also happens to be the number of the bus that goes near my aunties house, the average age of a radio one listener and conveniently, my age.
Although I've toyed with adopting a 'media age' and lopping four years off in a bid to achieve eternal youth, I thought it best to be honest. And why not? The music that I enjoy best is rooted in an honesty that is essential I think. It'd be like finding out Michael Jackson really spoke like Isaac Hayes. Oh wait!!!
But seriously, this record is just my observations of the world around me
The first track 'Detonator' is a banger and is about someone I know who reckons to be a bit of a square these days but given half the chance they are all over it like David Hasselhoff on a burger.
'I Spy' was written with my good friend Steve Edwards. He had a thing going with it for years and he knew that I loved it, and so we wrote some lyrics and tinkered with the music and a banger was born.
'The Devil's Radio' is about gossips. Sheffield's called the biggest village in the world for good reason.
'Nostalgia''s my attempt at a modern 'Guns of Brixton'. The lyrics are about how we repackage the stuff we thought rubbish first time around as the new black. I love this tune.
'Happy Song' might as well be called song to myself I think. The lyrics are aimed at someone who is a bit of a misery guts and telling them to cheer up basically.
'Time' is me telling someone to get outside and get a life. I was thinking of Twitter trolls at the time. As if to say "have you really got nothing better to do than give me shit on twitter mate"?
'Old Enough to Know Better' is about a someone I know, so the least said the better I think. I like the tempo though. Its like Motown, or Northern Soul tempo which you don't hear a lot of now.
'Play Me' is a tune. I'm made up with it. It's the first time we've had a string section play on one of our records. I got a bit emotional when I heard it the first time.
'The Only One' is the first single from the album. It's essentially a more upbeat 'Jealous Guy' by John Lennon. I always loved that song so much more than 'Imagine', which I find to be largely incoherent, hippy nonsense. 'Jealous Guy', however. That's the thing right there. An emotion everyone feels, yet neglects to give voice to for fear of ridicule.
'Your Girl' is the album's closer and an absolute beast. It stemmed from a friend of my Dad's in the pub saying how he never went out now and so had earned the nickname 'The Pilot Light'. I was having that and so it became a slightly childish melody directed at a friend of mine who would be best described as compromised, by his demanding partner.
And there you have it.
If you have got to the end of this blurb and are still with me, I salute your fortitude.
Until next time.
Jon