Johnny Hates Jazz
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Johnny Hates Jazz is a British pop group currently composed of Clark Datchler (songwriter, lead vocals, keyboards) and Mike Nocito (guitar, bass, production, engineering). Their international breakthrough came in April 1987 with the single "Shattered Dreams".
Early career
Both Datchler and Nocito were born into musical households. Datchler’s father, Fred, was involved in two prominent 1950s chart-topping bands, including The Stargazers, recognized as the first British group to top the UK Singles Chart. Fred Datchler also provided backing vocals for artists like Frank Sinatra and Petula Clark as part of the Polkadots. Nocito’s American family was stationed in Europe with the U.S. military, where his mother performed with the Cactus Kids, a close-harmony ensemble entertaining troops throughout northern Europe.
At age 17, Datchler released his debut single on London’s independent label Bluebird Records, supported by members of reggae band Aswad. He collaborated with Rusty Egan from Visage, merging electronic sounds with soul influences, and was a regular performer in London’s club circuit. Later, he secured a songwriting contract with Warner Brothers Music and moved to Los Angeles.
Nocito played guitar in school bands and grew up alongside producer Phil Thornalley and members of Katrina and the Waves. He eventually became a recording engineer, working with renowned artists such as Pink Floyd, the Police, the Cure, Duran Duran, and the Thompson Twins.
The pair first crossed paths in 1982 at RAK Studios in London. At that time, Datchler had just taken on lead vocals for Hot Club, which featured original JHJ member Calvin Hayes, bassist Glen Matlock, and guitarist James Stevenson. Hot Club released a single on RAK Records in 1983 and performed at the London venue Marquee Club, catching the attention of RAK head Mickie Most. Most signed Datchler as a solo act and encouraged him to collaborate with Nocito, then an engineer at RAK Studios. Over four years, they partnered on Datchler’s solo projects with Most producing several tracks.
Original tenure
In April 1986, Johnny Hates Jazz’s debut single "Me and My Foolish Heart" was released on RAK Records by Datchler, Nocito, and Hayes. Although it did not achieve commercial success, it received considerable radio play and was named record of the week by Sounds magazine.
Datchler penned additional material including the hit "Shattered Dreams". Following a showcase at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, JHJ signed with Virgin Records. Released in March 1987, "Shattered Dreams" reached the UK top 5, charted widely across Europe and Asia, and climbed to No. 2 in Japan. Other global hits included "I Don't Want to Be a Hero", "Turn Back the Clock" featuring Kim Wilde, and "Heart of Gold". In 1988, "Shattered Dreams" attained No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 4 in Canada. Their album Turn Back the Clock debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, selling four million copies worldwide.
Toward the end of 1987, JHJ produced two music videos for US singles "Shattered Dreams" and "Heart of Gold", both directed by David Fincher. Datchler departed from the band late in 1988.
Following his exit, Hayes and Nocito continued alongside Phil Thornalley—a Grammy-nominated producer and former bassist for The Cure. This lineup released their sophomore album Tall Stories in 1991; however, it did not achieve commercial success. The group disbanded in 1992 after Hayes sustained severe injuries from a car accident that left him hospitalized for two years.
After the split
Following the band's dissolution, Datchler moved to Amsterdam and concentrated on his solo projects, releasing the albums Raindance and Fishing for Souls. He later returned to the UK during the 1990s, where he contributed at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. In 2000, he relocated to the United States, constructing a solar-powered residence and studio that became the primary location for recording much of his album Tomorrow. During this period, he also became involved in environmental advocacy and explored indigenous philosophies, culminating in receiving a GreenTec Award in Berlin in 2008.
Meanwhile, Nocito established himself in Cambridge, England, where he produced Katrina and the Waves' track "Love Shine a Light", which achieved top 10 status across Europe and won the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. His production work extended to artists such as Hepburn, Gina G, and Orson, while maintaining a strong collaborative relationship with Katrina and the Waves.
Revival
In 2009, Datchler and Nocito reunited after Datchler composed "Magnetized," a song that suited Johnny Hates Jazz's style. They agreed to create a new album, with Datchler returning to the UK to complete songwriting. The original band members performed at various international festivals; however, Hayes departed prior to the start of recording sessions.
Datchler was honored with a BMI award in 2010 for "Shattered Dreams," recognizing over three million US radio plays. The album Magnetized was recorded between 2011 and 2012 at Real World Studios, Hamp Sound, and Angel Recording Studios. Datchler took on roles as songwriter, lead vocalist, and keyboardist, while Nocito handled production and engineering duties. The project featured string arrangements by Anne Dudley along with contributions from musicians including Alex Reeves, David Rhodes, Marcus Bonfanti, Pete Watson, and Stephen W. Tayler.
The lead single "Magnetized" was launched in April 2013 across the UK and Germany, receiving considerable airplay on radio stations. The full album followed in May; however, promotional activities ceased after Datchler was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He made a recovery the following year but lost momentum, prompting the group to concentrate on live performances.
Johnny Hates Jazz embarked on extensive tours throughout the UK, Germany, and Asia. In 2017, they issued a remixed version of "Magnetized" specifically for the Chinese market and started developing new material. Additionally, Datchler co-wrote eleven tracks with Mike Rutherford for the UK top 10 albums Let Me Fly and Out of the Blue.
On 29 May 2020, Johnny Hates Jazz unveiled the single "Spirit Of Love," drawing inspiration from 1970s music that influenced both Datchler and Nocito during their youth. Concurrently, they announced their album Wide Awake, which was released on 14 August 2020 after two years of development. The record showcases soulful tunes paired with optimistic lyrics. A music video featuring fan contributions alongside footage of the band in Japan was released in June.
In October 2021, Johnny Hates Jazz toured across the UK as support for Level 42.
Band lineup
- Current members
- Clark Datchler (born 27 March 1964, Surrey, England) – vocals, keyboards, guitar (1986–1988; 2009–present)
- Mike Nocito (born 5 August 1963, Wiesbaden, West Germany) – guitar, bass, synthesizers, backing vocals (1986–1992; 2009–present)
- Former members
- Calvin Hayes (born 23 November 1962, London) – keyboards, drums, bass guitar, backing vocals (1986–1992; 2009–2010)
- Phil Thornalley (born 5 January 1960, Suffolk, England) – vocals and various instruments (1988–1992)
Studio albums
| Album Title | Release Information | Highest Chart Rankings | Certifications | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | UK Sales | UK Indie | AUS | AUT | CAN | GER | NLD | NOR | NZ | SWE | SWI | US | |||
| Turn Back the Clock |
|
1 | 1 | — | 72 | 20 | 40 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 56 |
|
| Tall Stories |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Magnetized |
|
102 | 102 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wide Awake |
|
— | 92 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" indicates the album did not chart or was not released in that market. | |||||||||||||||
Compilation albums
- The Very Best of Johnny Hates Jazz (Disky Records, 1993)
- Best of the '80s (Disky Records, 2000)
Singles
MagnetizedWide AwakeWide AwakeWide Awake| Single Title | Release Year | Highest Chart Positions | Associated Album | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
UK Network |
UK Indie |
UK Heritage |
AUS |
BEL (FL) |
GER |
IRE |
NLD |
NZ |
SWE |
SWI |
US | |||
| "Me and My Foolish Heart" | 1986 | 112 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Turn Back the Clock |
| "Shattered Dreams" | 1987 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 22 | 36 | 7 | 3 | 26 | — | 7 | 5 | 2 | |
| "I Don't Want to Be a Hero" | 1987 | 11 | 11 | — | — | 76 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 25 | — | 10 | 12 | 31 | |
| "Turn Back the Clock" | 1987 | 12 | 14 | — | — | — | 9 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 20 | — | — | |
| "Heart of Gold" | 1988 | 19 | 18 | — | — | 87 | 30 | 55 | 19 | 27 | 18 | — | — | — | |
| "Don't Say It's Love" | 1988 | 48 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Turn the Tide" | 1989 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Non-album single | ||
| "Let Me Change Your Mind Tonight" | 1991 | 101 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Tall Stories | ||
| "The Last to Know" | 1991 | 78 | — | — | — | — | 57 | — | — | — | — | — |
Tall Stories | ||
| "Magnetized" | 2013 | ||||||||||||||
| "Spirit of Love" | 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| "New Day Ahead" | 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| "Greater Good" | 2020 | ||||||||||||||
External links
- 1986 establishments in the United Kingdom
- Musical groups formed in 1986
- Musical groups disbanded in 1992
- Musical groups reunited in 2009
- Pop music ensembles from London
- English pop duos
- English synth-pop bands
- Sophisti-pop groups
- Rak Records artists
- Virgin Records artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 1992