Issue 23: Clive Jackson of Doctor and the Medics and WestWorldFest
Issue 23: Clive Jackson of Doctor and the Medics and WestWorldFest
Welcome to The Band Bible! I’m truly glad to have you here. If you’re a new reader, purpose of this newsletter is to address, break down, and shine a light on the business of being in a band. Each issue, we do this by interviewing (and celebrating!) someone who is making waves through their incredible work with or for independent artists. Sometimes, we interview independent artists themselves. Learning the business of being in a band is something that is often inaccessible or shrouded in mystery, and it shouldn’t be, so I hope The Band Bible is able to play even a small role in helping to change that.
Surprise! August is a double issue month. We kicked off August with our Spaghetty Town Records issue, and are now closing it out with an issue that celebrates the work of Clive Jackson.
Jackson, of course, is frontman “The Doctor” in Doctor and the Medics. The glam rockers soared to fame in the 1980s, a decade that saw them evolve from being one of Britain’s buzziest bands to achieving international renown after their cover of Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” charted in the US, the UK, and Canada, reaching number one in the latter two countries.
Photo by Mike Berry
Between the band’s days of climbing their way to the top, experiencing international fame, and continuing to create and tour to this day, Jackson has wonderfully nuanced perspectives on all it takes to be an artist — and this is precisely what, as you’ll soon read, has made him such a fantastic interviewee for The Band Bible.
Outside of Doctor and the Medics, Jackson is also the co-founder of WestWorldFest alongside fellow musician Paul Marshall. Launching next May, WestWorldFest is a celebration of the UK’s ska, rock, and classic alternative acts that dominated the ‘80s and ‘90s. The line-up boasts the likes of The Undertones, The Beat, Nine Below Zero, Pete Wylie & The Mighty Wah, Rhoda Dakar, The Members, Eddie and The Hot Rods, and many more. Jackson will be pulling double duty as a performer at WestWorldFest, as Doctor and the Medics are also on the bill.
There’s a lot more to be said about Jackson’s work with both Doctor and the Medics and WestWorldFest alike, but it’s now time to metaphorically pass the mic so you can hear it all from the man himself. Without further ado, here’s Clive Jackson.
Photo by Charlie Koncher
What drew you towards working in the music industry?
I’ve always been and always will be a fan of music. I began to seriously collect records in 1977 across the genres…punk, psychedelia, glam and ALL things rock!!
I enjoyed the way music could transport you to another place/time/mood. Fascinated how it could do that…once I discovered Eltham Record Library that was it!! There were no restrictions as to what music you could tap into.
It sounds strange today where you can listen to any music at any time, but back then if it wasn’t on the radio (and none of the music I loved was) then you just didn’t hear it. Tracking down records could take weeks! So the record library was like an Aladdin’s cave to me. It allowed me to check out artists who I knew nothing about without having to part with hard earned cash/pocket money (I was still at school). Needless to say music took over my interests from school work. I had wanted to do arts for A levels but I was pushed to the sciences having got an A at Maths O Level at 14!! (Didn’t do myself any favours there!!!). I scraped through them but didn’t fancy University studying subjects I had no interest in.
My record collection really began to grow when I started work…and it was suggested that I should DJ as nowhere was playing the music in my collection. So it was that I started The Early 80’s Psychedelic Revival with just one night below a pub...from there two or three nightclubs started — including my own, Alice in Wonderland, at Gossips on a Monday evening.
It became hugely successful and so the next step… to start a band just seemed natural.
What were the early years of Doctor and The Medics like?
Chaotic, unstructured, and pretty wild. None of us really knew what we were doing, we just knew we loved doing it and slowly so did the audiences.
We had no blueprint, we didn’t try to be like any other band. Our first shows had 10 or so people attend, but venues stuck with us and numbers went up until we were selling out venues regularly…all before we even had a record deal. People were clamouring to see this crazy band of misfits! The gigs got bigger and we started to go further afield until we were touring constantly. I think we got a record deal by sheer force in the end…the gigs got too big for us to be ignored!
Did your perspectives on the music industry change after "Spirit in the Sky" hit No. 1? If so, how?
We had already had a number 1 in the UK Indie charts with the Happy But Twisted EP and really didn’t expect to have a multinational number 1. We genuinely saw ourselves as an “alternative” band, which we genuinely were. Once we had “Spirit” at number 1 the whole game changed. A lot of our early fans gave up on us but the world suddenly opened up to us…Japan, America, Europe. We were always fundamentally a gigging band so this was our food and drink. But, there were two forces at play: the band wanting to create and continue on our musical journey making what most people saw as indie/alternative music, and then there was the record company trying to make money by making us a “pop” band. They took our follow-up single “Burn” which was a rock song…and took off all the hard edges and character. It took me 30 years to be able to play it again live after we found the original recording of it in lockdown.
So I guess the experience of having a hit took away some of that original magic that got me involved…my dream/illusion was shattered.
But I’m a bloody minded so and so, and after a strange few years refusing to give in…I found both that magic and my mojo again. I’m looking forward to releasing our new album in early 2025 after touring with The Damned in December this year.
Photo by Vic Powels
In your opinion, what's the biggest hurdle facing artists who are just getting their start today?
I’ve honestly no idea about the hurdles or the best thing to do. The whole business has changed so much…I don’t even know how to launch and exploit my own forthcoming album! I get asked many times what advice I would give young bands and I point out that I’m almost in the same situation as them. Where/how to market on a shoestring budget…what to do, what not to do! Clueless.
I would always advise bands to just get out there and gig…but the circuit that we cut our teeth on, learned our craft and built up a national following— it just doesn’t exist anymore, and a lot of the venues that are out there put on covers/tribute bands.
So if anything I would say the lack of that gig infrastructure is the a major problem for them.
Plus we started our own scene, in our own weekly club with Alice in Wonderland at Gossips. Venues like that are also no longer around.
How did you conceive the idea for WestWorldFest?
I’ve always seen festivals as being something very special. They bring people together in very divisive times. They bring a joy and unity that filters out beyond the weekend and beyond the boundaries of the fields they are in. They have the kind of magic about them that first drew me to music.
It wasn’t my idea to start WestWorldFest…Skinee (Paul Marshall) came to me with the idea of a festival. Bearing in mind my belief in festivals as a cohesive force for positivity, it was a bit of a no brainer for me to say yes!!
What can attendees expect?
A unique festival experience. It’s targeted at Gen X, but not exclusively, as we want people of all ages and abilities to be able to enjoy our festival experience. There will be four stages of entertainment ranging from the “Pleasure Dome” seating 120 people for intimate and diverse performances to the main arena, The Air Stage, with full-blown festival performances across the genres: ska, punk, alternative 80’s and 90’s rock, pop, and beyond.
What do you feel sets WestWorldFest apart in the festival market?
I think we have a unique approach in so far as we are aware, many Gen X people don’t go to festivals anymore because they don’t feel catered for, or they may feel that festivals don’t offer the accessibility or facilities that allow them to enjoy the experience. So, the paved pathways and the permanent plumbed in toilets and showers will be appealing! No wading around in mud or endless queues for the toilets! Get around easily on the paved pathways between the many stages and attractions. Also the weekend ticket pass price includes FREE car parking and a FREE camping pass, so we are working hard to make the festival affordable for most people. We have focussed on accessibility across the site and have also allocated plenty of space for campers, caravans, and glamping. Also, we have arranged shuttle buses each day to allow people to travel in comfort to and from the local transport hubs. Plus of course....an excellent well-rounded line up of amazing artists!!
Lastly, which "commandment" would you like to leave behind in The Band Bible?
My advice is always…let other people be the ones who tell you what it is you can’t do.
It’s their problem. Their agenda.
Go ahead and prove them wrong. Don’t believe the doubters…have belief in yourself.
Photo by Phil Logan
A big thank you to Clive for taking the time to write such thoughtful answers. To keep up with Doctor and The Medics, click here. To learn more about WestWorldFest (and buy tickets if you fancy it), click here.