Show Notes
Clark Datchler is best known as the lead singer, songwriter and co-founder of Johnny Hates Jazz, one of the most distinctive British pop bands to emerge from the 1980s. Their 1987 debut album Turn Back the Clock became an international success, producing “Shattered Dreams,” “I Don’t Want to Be a Hero,” “Turn Back the Clock” and “Heart of Gold.” “Shattered Dreams” became particularly significant in America, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Yet just as Johnny Hates Jazz had achieved the kind of international breakthrough most musicians spend their lives pursuing, Clark Datchler left the band.
In this episode of Pop: The History Makers, Clark talks about growing up surrounded by music, becoming a songwriter, the creation of Johnny Hates Jazz and the extraordinary speed with which success arrived. He discusses the writing of “Shattered Dreams,” his decision to walk away from the band, his solo career, environmental concerns and the different path his life subsequently took.
We also talk about his eventual reunion with Johnny Hates Jazz, returning to songs written by a much younger version of himself, and how his understanding of success has changed with age. It is a conversation about ambition, instinct, regret, purpose and ultimately coming back to something you once left behind.
Johnny Hates Jazz and Jaki Graham join forces for “Soul Believer,” a celebration of soul music featuring the titles of more than 27 classic tracks, alongside a new 12-part Soul Believers podcast exploring the music, artists, stories and changing technology behind soul. Looking ahead to 2027, Johnny Hates Jazz will celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Shattered Dreams” with a new double album and Shattered Dreams – The Tour, featuring Jaki Graham as special guest.
Clark Datchler — Johnny Hates Jazz — on Pop: The History Makers.
If you enjoyed this interview please consider buying me a coffee here; buymeacoffee.com/popthehistorymakers
Keywords: Clark Datchler, Johnny Hates Jazz, Clark Datchler interview, Johnny Hates Jazz interview, Shattered Dreams, Shattered Dreams Johnny Hates Jazz, Turn Back the Clock, I Don't Want to Be a Hero, Heart of Gold, Johnny Hates Jazz songs, Johnny Hates Jazz history, Clark Datchler songwriter, Clark Datchler Shattered Dreams, 1980s pop music, 80s British pop, eighties music, British pop bands, classic pop, music interviews, songwriter interview, songwriting, leaving Johnny Hates Jazz, Johnny Hates Jazz reunion, Soul Believer, Jaki Graham, Clark Datchler 2026, Johnny Hates Jazz 2026, Pop The History Makers, Steve Blame, MTV Europe, music history, behind the music, 80s music documentary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Pop: The History Makers with Steve Blame
George Michael was one of the greatest singer-songwriters of his generation, but who was the man behind the music?
Nearly fifty years after Rattus Norvegicus, Hugh Cornwell is still writing new songs—and still asking what a song can become when he takes it onstage. He’s preparing Succubus, revisiting a lifetime of music on All the Fun of the Fair, and calling his forthcoming solo acoustic tour Never Say Goodbye.
Before 10cc, Graham Gouldman had already written some of the defining songs of the 1960s—including “For Your Love,” “Heart Full of Soul,” “Bus Stop,” “Look Through Any Window” and “No Milk Today.” He then helped form one of Britain’s most inventive bands, creating classics including “I’m Not in Love,” “The Things We Do for Love” and “Dreadlock Holiday.”
Haddaway created one of the most instantly recognisable songs in pop history. Released in 1993, “What Is Love” became an international phenomenon and one of the defining records of the Eurodance era. But Haddaway’s story is far more complicated than a single worldwide hit.
My guest today is Chris Difford — songwriter, musician and co-founder of Squeeze, one of Britain’s most distinctive and enduring bands.