Sheffield legends ‘Reverend and the Makers’ asked fans and industry friends to write letters to their twenty one year-old selves in anticipation of their latest single release.
Thursday night’s collaboration coincided with the launch of the band’s new single ‘A letter to my twenty-one-year-old self’. The single was written by lead singer Jon McClure himself.
McClure said: ‘It was the first song I’ve written in 20 years of making music that made me cry when I’d finished it. I found it a very emotive experience, you know, like reflecting on my life.’
The band displayed the submissions at his first art exhibition at Fagan’s Pub in Sheffield, including letters from well known celebrities like Spice Girl Mel C, MP Jeremy Corbyn and Footballer Joey Barton.
‘I would like to tell you it’s all going to be fun and trust me it is going to be a wild ride but fame is a beast. You and the girls will be adored but that’s not the whole story, you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, there will be some jealousy, ridicule and criticism, that’s ok, try not to take it to heart.’
Melanie Chisolm’s (Mel C) Letter
The letters varied from celebrities to fans and featured names from an array of industries with some writing more humorous letters like the one by Jon’s five year old son. However, others reflected on their careers and the challenges that they’ve faced since they were twenty-one.
‘I love you but Stop. Just Stop. Your drive to push yourself beyond your own limits will pull you under sooner than you know if you don’t learn to say stop and communicate how you feel and why.’
Elly Jackson’s (La Roux) Letter
McClure spoke about how he had sadly lost four friends to suicide. He felt that exercises like this are important to get people talking about their own mental health and checking in on their own headspace as he feels that’s just as vital as turning to others.
He said: ‘I mean us musicians, we put our feelings on record all the time whereas Boxers, Sports stars and Journalists, aren’t as adept at doing that so this is a good way of getting people talking.’
‘You’ve worked on a farm, gone to college for a term and declared it unsuitable, got another job, and are now a reporter for a local paper. I cannot believe you really want to be a journalist though, your character isn’t to report events but to shape events’
Jeremy Corbyn’s Letter
McClure described his time in the music industry as a rollercoaster and felt that this song and collaboration allowed him to reflect on his mistakes and successes throughout his career. Fans at the exhibition could write their own letters or just read what others had written.
A fan at the event, Oliver Ford, 20 said: ‘It’s really interesting as a young person to see different people’s perspectives on life and how they’ve gone from when they were twenty-one to where they are now and how that’s impacted them.’
Fagan’s pub was chosen as the venue for this show as Mr McClure was a regular in the bar when he was younger along with many of Sheffield’s popular musicians and he talked fondly about his connection to the location.
‘A letter to my twenty one year old self’ is out now on most major streaming platforms.
‘Don’t sweat all the bad stuff, it all comes right in the end.’
Pete Mckee’s Letter