It’s fair to say the spectre of one man looms large over John Lennon McCullagh – and it isn’t the songwriting genius with whom he shares a name.
On October 14th, the fifteen-year-old Doncaster based singer-songwriter is set to release his debut album ‘North South Divide’, and in doing so will become the first ripened fruit to fall from the tree of Alan McGee‘s brand new record label 359 Music.
The return of a man who – first with the bleary eyed intensity of My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus & Mary Chain, on to the dance/rock couldron of Primal Scream and their magnum opus ‘Screamadelica’, and latterly with the stadium-filled, era-defining success of Oasis – for over two decades shaped the musical direction of an entire nation is undeniably significant. The end of Poptones in the early 2000s had seemingly also signalled the end of McGee’s love (and often hate) affair with music, yet now, at a time when rock and roll and its loyal disciples increasingly respond to a modern digital world by clinging on to a glorious, analogue past, one of its greatest champions is back – to champion the new.
By association then, those hand-picked to join him, those who have successfully negotiated the hurdles of this most ruthless of taskmasters, are equally as compelling. “I met Alan first at a pub in Rotherham when I was doing a gig, and he saw me doing some Dylan songs and a few others and really liked it, so he told me go away and write some songs, which I did, and he started up 359 and gave me the record deal, which was unreal,” John explains in an exclusive interview with Live4ever.
For John, McGee immediately proved to be much more than your ordinary label boss. In the form of both mentor and producer, years of experience were passed on to the teenager as the debut album was crafted not far from his native town. “Alan has been a massive support which really helps, and it’s such an honour to work with him,” he continues. “It was fantastic to have Alan in the studio, and the advice he gave me will stick with me. I think him just being around gave me confidence in the studio. It was recorded at Yellow Arch in Sheffield which has a great vibe to it anyway, so Alan’s presence just topped it off.”
Clearly then, the importance of McGee’s re-emergence isn’t just something related to nosey parkers like us. But at this point, it should be remembered that the Creation story will always be chiefly defined by the bands who found a home there. It was the acts, given the creative freedom to build their own careers, who in turn cemented their parent label’s legacy. And with that in mind, for 359, the focus should never move far away from the musicians it has welcomed. Fortunately, John Lennon McCullagh is a talent which unhesitatingly demands that attention.
Afforded the name by his Beatles-mad father, John grew up with the classic rock inspirations of Bob Dylan, Donovan, The Beatles, Van Morrison and Marc Bolan. “Life in general makes me want to write, you know, things going on around me,” John tells us.
‘North South Divide’ is a crystal clear reference to the world John grew up in, a world which fittingly plays a considerable role on his maiden release. “The North plays quite a big part in my songwriting, just day to day things, like seeing my Dad work long hours, is not good, and I love where I come from and am very proud and wouldn’t want to be from anywhere else,” John says. “I’ve just written about what I’ve seen growing up, and people’s day to day lives.”
The single of the same name provides a welcoming signpost to the make-up of the LP. Stripped down to acoustic and harmonica, coated occasionally by the odd lick of additional strings, the track is underpinned with a vocal that resonates deeply enough to scatter the birds from the trees of the nearby fields of Rossington – where the live performance of ‘Slipping Away’ was recently captured.
“’North South Divide’ was written about four months back,” John explains of his new single. “I come from a mining village called Rossington in Doncaster, so it was not hard to see the vast difference between the North and South. I’d say it is a good signpost – most of the record is just me, guitar and harmonica, but I also had a great violinist called Anna Hambleton play on some tracks which was great.”
McCullagh arrives on a music scene which, despite the rock world’s current obsession with reunion and nostalgia, is starting to develop a distinctly youthful appearance. Jake Bugg, now at 18 and described to us as ‘amazing’ in ‘opening a lot of doors for people like me’, seems like a seasoned veteran in comparison to John, as well as others such as the baby-faced, Fifties rock n roll flag-wavers The Strypes. So what are the ambitions for these bright young things, whose musical education has coincided perfectly with the digital revolution of the past decade?
“That’s a good question,” John ponders when asked by Live4ever. “Obviously I’d love the record to do really well and stuff, but I don’t think it matters as much anymore as it did back, say, from the 60s to the 90s, but it would be a dream if it did. But with the Internet, most of it can just be downloaded for free, so that affects the sales. But if people like my music enough and enjoy it then I’m happy with anything.”
After ‘North South Divide’ hits the shelves in October, a tour is planned for December, while a series of support slots, most notably a hometown booking with The Enemy and Reverend & The Makers at the Doncaster Dome, are also due. Recently, two gigs were completed in Sheffield and Dorset with Richard Hawley. “It was really cool,” John remembers, “As he is one of my influences.”
In addition, a gig with label-mate Chris Grant in Liverpool on September 6th is on the horizon; both for John, and 359 Music, an exciting future is quickly being mapped out.
And while Alan McGee’s ambitions for his new venture might be very different from those that occupied the iconic label with which he remains so closely associated, with artists as vibrant as John Lennon McCullagh on board for the ride, one thing is for sure:
Its own legacy is already in safe hands.
