What a comeback

Photo: Tim Simpson

The Jam Restart in Uppermill Civic Hall

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JUST over three weeks on from the Oldham music event of the year - the return of The Jam Restart - the band's popular front-man Mark Stelfox still wears a huge smile when speaking about it.

It was a most memorable of gigs at the Uppermill Civic Hall as the band - Stelfox, bassist Mike Greatbanks and drummer Stuart Reid - re-emerged from a decade-long exile with the help of Cupids' favourite Jake Fletcher on keys.

A sell-out crowd of almost 500 lapped up an awesome show when the Restart lads paid breath-taking homage to Paul Weller's iconic London outfit who blazed a trail across the world in the late 1970s and early 80s.

"I was overwhelmed really," recalled Lees-based Stelfox, an open-mic night regular and also one half of ace cover duo Spark.

"The reaction to it all, and the audience on the night, were just amazing, sensational.

"It was certainly a joy to watch the audience from where we were.

"I don't think we knew what to expect going into it to be honest, I heard there was even ticket touts outside.

"People had mithered us throughout the last nine or 10 years to get back together so I think we knew it'd be a good do, but I don't think anyone quite realised how good it would eventually be.

"It was good because we'd been asked to do the gig without doing any promotional work, and that makes things easier.

"Tim Simpson offered to promote it, in fact he offered to do everything apart from sing and play, so that made it all a much more attractive proposition to us.

"Thankfully we didn't have to do any of that leg work, and that's how it should be.

"The band should be the band and the promoter should be the promoter - I don't think the lines should cross."

The Jam Restart return to the Lowerhouse Cricket Club stage on December 2, then once into 2017, the future returns to unclear.

Asked if more Restart gigs were planned, Stelfox replied: "If anyone out there is willing to promote a gig for us, then why not?

"I absolutely adored the Civic Hall gig, it was brilliant. Hopefully we're going to sort something out there again next year, but I do want to leave it 12 months or so.

"Neither of us want to keep over-egging it and coming back every two minutes because people will just get sick of it.

"I would sooner wait a bit longer for it, and hopefully the people out there will too."

Stelfox continues to front the popular open-mic nights at the Railway in Greenfield on Tuesdays and Springhead's Dog and Partridge on Wednesdays, but Spark - the ace pub duo he fronts with Greatbanks - continue to be his 'number one'.

"Out of everything I've ever done, Spark is a joy," added Stelfox.

"We're just two really good mates who go out and play, and nothing is taken at all seriously.

"We just have a chuckle - that's what it's all about.

"We're busier than we've ever been, though it can be a very irreverent kind of gig.

"We just like a laugh, but when we are playing the songs, we always try and give as close to 100-per-cent as we can.

"We don't rehearse as such, but when we decide on any new songs, I'll learn it, and because Mike's such an amazing musician, he can just jump on things.

"He's got a brilliant ear, and that's brilliant for me because there's never any pressure."