thebiginterview Rev-owl-ution! MARTIN McCONACHIE than sticking to one and making a between the two Steel City sides. SPEAKS TO LEAD SINGER career from it.” “That’s the best football day of my OF REVEREND AND THE After a short sojourn forming a life,” he purrs. “Chris Waddle with second band, 1984, Jon and his pals a 30-yard free kick into the top MAKERS AND SHEFFIELD set up Reverend and the Makers corner. Great day, that was.” WEDS FAN JON MCCLURE as we know it today in 2005. They Despite the down times and an supported the Arctic Monkeys on occupation that sees him away their sold out UK tour the following from home for months at a time, his ou know, there is a year and also played two tours attendance record at Wednesday clear link to be seen themselves. Their debut single matches is remarkable. “We’re between musicians and ‘Heavyweight Champion Of The season ticket holders and go to a lot footballers. The build-up World’ peaked at number 8 in the of away matches too, sitting in with Yto a gig/match; the performance on UK chart in May 2007 and preceded the fans. If I’m not gigging, I’ll get to the stage/pitch and the adoration their first album ‘The State Of the match somehow.” and interaction from the audience/ Things’. The rise was impressive And what has he made of the crowd is much the same. Musicians and by the summer, they had recent Wednesday renaissance? will tell you that the success of a played the Glastonbury Festival, “Stuart Gray has done a fantastic concert can be largely down to Carling Weekend, T in the Park and job, he’s more or less ensured the audience being passionate T4 on the Beach. safety. He had a brief gig at and noisy and with Reverend and It was just as well Jon’s music Southampton and he’s otherwise the Makers frontman Jon McClure, career was going well because unproven but the players love him. there aren’t many Owls around with the football certainly wasn’t as he He’s also building a team around more passion. recalls clearly. “One of the worst the likes of Kieran Lee, Chris So having seen Jon’s love for seasons was the relegation from Maguire and Liam Palmer and I’m Sheffield Wednesday as a guest on the Premier League in 2000. There really positive about the future.” Soccer AM recently, the question was a sense of impending doom That future hints at a change of of why he’s an Owl and not a Blade that year and it was a real struggle.” ownership with the club linked to a was asked hesitantly. “I was born The malaise continued and the Qatari consortium takeover. Would a mile from the ground and grew Owls suffered a real yo-yo decade, he welcome it? “As much as I’m up in Grenoside, a district on a hill dropping into League One then against that sort of financial stuff, I behind Hillsborough. My dad used back up to the Championship watched Manchester City the other to go and my mum’s family were all before repeating the feat, returning day and thought ‘I want that!’. A Wednesday-ites but my first game to the second tier again in 2011-12. club of our size deserves to enjoy was actually at Bramall Lane against Through the good times and bad, some success so I’m thinking ‘Sod (Sheffield) United. I remember that Jon continued to support the club it! Let’s have it at our club.’” we were playing in green and white and has some great memories So with blue skies on the horizon hoops, not unlike your kit that day. It of his near- quarter century of for the Owls, how is it going for was love at first sight though.” following the Owls. None more so, RATM? Pretty good as it happens It was also love at first sight for of course, than a day that stands with the new album ‘32’ having Jon and his music. After going to out for everyone connected with been promoted by the band university in Sheffield and getting a Wednesday. It was April 3, 1993 and playing gigs in the houses of twitter first class honours degree in history the FA Cup semi final at Wembley competition winners. “We are and politics, he became friends currently touring the country at the with Arctic Monkeys lead singer “I WAS BORN A MILE moment and the gigs are going Alex Turner and both were in Jon’s FROM THE GROUND AND from strength to strength. We’ve first band, Judan Suki. Employment GREW UP IN GRENOSIDE, played Liverpool and Manchester was something that happened A DISTRICT ON A HILL this week and the Northern alongside his music though and a BEHIND HILLSBOROUGH. cities love us, they’ve been really clear career path wasn’t for Jon; “I MY DAD USED TO GO AND spiritual nights. Each album’s got always knew I wanted to do music MY MUM’S FAMILY WERE higher up the charts than the last so I just did quite a few jobs rather ALL WEDNESDAY-ITES” one and the tour is selling out!” ■ 48|green&white green&white|49.