Back for 2012, Jon McClure returned with Reverend & The Makers earlier in 2012 with new album, '@Reverend_Makers'.
Inspired by McClure's newfound love of Twitter, we spoke to the Sheffield indie star about his renewed love of music, his recent DJ slot at Gigwise Presents in London, his DJ essentials and tips on surviving festivals in the bleak summer of 2012...
How has 2012 been for you and Reverend & The Makers?
2012's been a vintage actually. We were maturing in a cellar somewhere for the large parts of 2011 and 2010 and some of 2009, but we've popped our corks, and we're feeling very nice; it's been good to us so far.
How did you spend your time in your three year break?
Trying to stop talking about politics so often and trying to calm down; stop taking so many drugs and remember why I liked being in a band in the first place.
And have you remembered that now?
Yeah I can, because Twitter's come since then and it's like the best thing ever! I've found that the most liberating thing in the world because it's allowed us to sell tours and sell albums and get in the charts without being on the radio or being anywhere really. It's great.
Are you a twitter addict?
Yeah definitely. I've got big thumbs though so I have a lot of spelling disasters! Twitter's amazing, I can get a pint of milk delivered to my house in two minutes if I post it on Twitter.
What's the best freebie you've got through Twitter?
Definitely a Nandos black card, so I can get free chicken whenever I want for anyone I want. I can feed my mates, their bands, the homeless lad down the road. I can buy a whole chicken, boil up the bones and make a soup, it's amazing.
Have you met any random followers from Twitter?
Yeah I've met many of my Twitter followers, I like that close relationship. I think it's almost back to the punk days; I've got a 'Ustream' thing in my front room and I have had people come round and perform. People love it, there's always thousands of people watching it.
So you've got no problem with having strangers in your front room?
No I don't mind, it'd be great if I knew vaguely who they were or they had some form of musical talent. There's been many a random because Sheffield is obviously great for raves 'cos there's alot of cheap land. There's literally loads of crap warehouses empty. My house tends to be the place to rave. Trouble is I'm thirty now so when I have some kids that's going to have to stop. I find that a lot of Londoners that visit me in Sheffield say they want to live there, they say "this is the future!", so I've got a lot of London based acts coming to stay with me.
You recently DJed at the Gigwise live night in Camden. What's the worst thing anyone can say to a DJ?
"Have you got any Agadoo?" or "Black Lace?", because that makes you think you're playing some kids 14th birthday.
What sort of stuff is on your DJ playlist?
I've got a lot of new music, like the Janice Graham Band or Django Django. I try and keep in with a few new tracks, it's obviously a tough time for guitar bands so if you get a chance to drop in a couple, do it. But I like reggae, I like sunshine music, I love disco music; just music that makes you feel good. So I've got this track by a band called Redbone from the 70's, called The Witch Queen of New Orleans and it's a real disco stomper. That's my sort of treasured track.
Do you play any Reverend and the Makers in your set?
No. People expect me to play 'lad-rock'. I like to comfound expectations. That comes from my dad, because his music collection has always been black music essentially, and I've just nicked his records.
Do you have any emergency tracks?
If everything's going to shit I play The Prodigy. Whether you're a metal kid or indie kid or whatever you are, you like the Prodigy. That's what you play if you're having a proper stinker. If you're in Pontefract on a Thursday night, pull Prodigy out.
Where's the worst place you've ever DJed?
It would have to be a club I shall not name in Barnsley. It was rammed, and obviously we're from nearby, so I had thousands of drunk Barnsley people trying to put their fingers in my ears.
What's the best experience you've had DJing?
I do sometimes play Propaganda nights in Leeds and various other cities, and battle people from other bands sometimes. We played at Live at Leeds, and everyone was going nuts, I felt like Fatboy Slim for about three seconds.
What's the schedule for Reverand and the Makers for the rest of the year?
The schedule's busy. We just finished playing with the Chili Peppers earlier this month. I did some stuff for Mick Jones singing some clash tunes supporting the Roses then we've got T in Park, Isle of Man Festival, V, Tramlines which is a big festival in Sheffield and then several other I haven't mentioned. Then we've got our own tour in October. We're also going into the studio with someone who's a bit of a musical hero of mine, and got another mixtape coming out, so yeah we're busy.
Is this one of the worst summers for weather the UK's ever seen?
Possibly not, I'm from Sheffield so when you come down to London and it's over four degrees you think it's a heat wave. But we're British aren't we, we expect it to be Rubbish.
How do you cope with the mud and rain at festivals?
It's the con that comes with the pro of seeing so many bands. I just find getting absolutely obliterated helps. When you're mashed you don't remember it do you? What's a little bit of mud when you're mashed up?
Thank you very much, Jon McClure. '@Reverend_Makers' is out now.
