Jon McClure, the charismatic front man of Reverend and The Makers, has spoken out about BNP party leader Nick Griffin’s recent appearance on BBC Question Time.
McClure told The Linc before performing at the Engine Shed in late October: “I don’t think they should have been on there,” he says, “when they don’t allow blacks and asians to join.”
McClure has a history of taking part in anti-racist activism. Last year, he performed at a special gig for the Love Music Hate Racism organisation which specifically targeted the BNP.
He also expressed his dissatisfaction at magazines like the NME for calling his views “cringe-worthy”: “Look at the front covers of the newspapers, we have an endless stream of idiots from X Factor.
“When someone like me talks about peace and love, when you think those magazines would be behind me, they call it cringe-worthy. That’s the state of affairs we live in”
McClure believes that top magazines are run by mostly white journalists who pay little attention to black musicians, using Dizzee Rascal as an example: “He’s only had one front cover on the NME. He’s put out four albums and had number one singles”.
You can hear more of what Jon McClure’s views on this weeks’ Magazine Weekly podcast.
Reverend who?