Page 15 - Classic Rock (February 2020)

“I hobbled down to the

post office. It was the first

step to me walking again.”

Jack J Hutchinson

The British blueser-turned-rock’n’roller on you to take this letter and post it.’ So I hobbled down to the post office, and
hobbled back. I think it was the first step to me walking again.”
Brazilian adventures and bucking the odds. Back on his feet, he played in varying blues band line-ups – including

the Boom Boom Brotherhood. But as his songwriting began to lean in
We meet Jack J Hutchinson in a quiet Central London pub, just round a rockier, more ambitious direction, things had to change. “The Boom
the corner from the blues bar where he had a popular gig for years. Lately, Boom Brotherhood guys were unavailable to do a tour of Spain, so I had to
though, he’s found fans further afield. Fresh from the release of new album find a band really quickly,” he explains, “so I hired Felipe [Amorim, drums]
Who Feeds The Wolf? – a warm, rugged fusion of grungy southern rock, Zakk and Laz [Michaelides, bass] as session musicians.”
Wylde-esque weight and bluesy strains – the singer/guitarist has Raucous shows of heavier, rockier material for singing-along
just returned from a tour of Brazil. FOR FANS OF... crowds in Brazil, Russia and the UK ensued, capitalising on
“People knew my songs!” he says, beaming, all Blackberry Hutchinson’s longtime fondness for Zakk Wylde, The Black
Smoke-rivalling threads and beard. “We did a blues festival in Crowes and Black Sabbath. By the time they got home it made
the UK at the weekend where everyone was sitting down, and sense for Who Feeds The Wolf? to reflect this.
in Brazil everyone’s just going apeshit during your set. My bass In a cruel twist of fate, this has all coincided with family
player said: ‘I like it when people sit down and listen.’ I was like, heartbreak after Hutchinson’s father – and his earliest champion
‘I fucking don’t, I want them to go ballistic!’” – was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “But my mum has
It’s a long way from Hutchinson’s formative years in Burnley, “I think that’s probably said: ‘You’ve got to go and do your own thing and try and enjoy it.’
where Led Zeppelin lured him into rock’n’roll while his classmates my favourite album I think she has the opinion that he’d be really proud of it.”
of all time. I jam along
listened to Oasis. But when he first moved to London his initial to Custard Pie a lot Indeed, judging by Hutchinson Snr’s response to rock’n’roll,
motive was to study art. There he spent late nights painting giant as a warm-up. And she may have a point. “I’ll put on an AC/DC DVD or something
,
canvases and playing southern rock and covers gigs. Then, at Bron-Y-Aur which is and his eyes light up, and he’s able to talk a little bit,” Jack says with
an incredible piece of
25, he was diagnosed with reactive arthritis and left unable to acoustic music. And Ten a smile. “Most of the time now you can’t get anything out of him.
ROB BLACKHAM/PRESS Confidence and strength shattered, he moved back in with his be my favourite song of For album and tour info, visit jackjhutchinsonmusic.com
But put on Sweet Child O’ Mine and he’s straight there.” PG
Years Gone, that might
play guitar. At one point he was told he might not walk again.
all time, it takes you on
parents. And then one day: “My dad came in and said: ‘I want
this journey, it made me
cry. And Kashmir, The
Rover… What an album.
It’s just incredible.” CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM 15