Johnny Hates Jazz consists of Clark Datchler (songwriting, vocals, keyboards) and Mike Nocito (production, engineering, guitars). The band is best known for a cycle of hits in the late 1980s, the most successful being Shattered Dreams. Released in March 1987 it became a top 5 hit in the UK, throughout mainland Europe and Asia, and reached number 2 in Japan.
This was followed by four other worldwide hits, being the anti-war anthem I Don’t Want To Be A Hero, Turn Back The Clock (featuring Kim Wilde on backing vocals), Heart Of Gold and Don’t Say Its Love. In 1988, Shattered Dreams reached number 2 on the US Billboard chart, number 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, and climbed to number 4 in Canada.
That same year, their album Turn Back The Clock entered the UK charts at number 1, selling over four million copies and going triple-platinum in the process. It is arguably one of the definitive albums of the 1980s and is one of only two debut albums released by Virgin Records to immediately go to the top of the charts upon its release (the other being by The Sex Pistols). Since then, Shattered Dreams has gone on to be played over 3.8 million times on US radio alone.
Johnny Hates Jazz parted ways at the height of their success, and were to be the last electronic band to emerge in the 1980’s. However, after many years of pursuing individual projects, Clark and Mike decided to reunite in 2010, resulting in the 2013 album Magnetized. The title track became an instant radio hit, and was at one point the most played single on UK radio. In the following years, JHJ performed extensively throughout the world with their live band, while at the same time Clark has co-written much of the new material for Mike + The Mechanics with Genesis legend Mike Rutherford.
In 2018, the band released a 30th Anniversary edition of Turn Back The Clock, which included brand new acoustic versions of every song on the album. Then in 2020, they released their most recent album Wide Awake. Over two years in the making, it saw Clark and Mike inspired by their musical roots growing up in the 1970’s. As a result, it is a mixture of soulful melodies, socially-conscious lyrics, and a positive energy that is present from start to finish.
In 2021, they toured the UK as special guests of Level 42, and are currently performing at festivals throughout the UK and Ireland.
Book a table for pre-concert dining
Acapela Studio provides pre-concert dining between 6.00pm and 7.30pm from our pizza oven. To view the current menu visit here.
Please purchase your concert tickets first before booking a table. We will not accept any table bookings that do not have a corresponding ticket purchase.
Then return to the event page to book your table, by selecting the date of your event, number of diners and time you require table. The times shown are the only vacancies left. Please complete your email and phone number as this is required to ensure your table is allocated. You will receive confirmation of your booking by email and text.
If on the date you have chosen no tables are available - no times will be shown and the booking system will revert you back to todays date - PLEASE ENSURE YOU BOOK THE CORRECT DATE!
PLEASE NOTE THE VENUE RELIES ON THE INCOME FROM DINING TO ENSURE WE CAN BOOK ALL THE GREAT ACTS PERFORMING.
Income from the provision of pizzas is very important to the venue and if you have booked a table it is a requirement that all people sat at tables order food - a salad alternative is available to pizzas. Please do ensure that all individuals will be ordering on your table - if this is not the case please cancel your table so others who are looking to dine can do so. Our apologies to raise this but recently we have had many tables (some very large) where less than 50% of those sat at tables have ordered food. Financially this is a real problem to the sustainability of the venue.
- All seating at tables must purchase a pizza - so please do not book a table if everyone is not eating.
- Please ensure that you arrive 10 minutes before the time slot allocated to order your pizzas prior to your booking time.
- Tables not seated within 15 minutes of the allocated time may be lost and allocated to other audience members wishing to order pizzas.
- If you wish to book a table for 6 or more please email info@acapela.co.uk
Please note that all of our pizzas are made fresh to order and cooked in an authentic wood-fired oven. It may take up to 45 minutes to be served during busy periods.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BOOK A TABLE YOU CAN STILL ORDER PIZZAS ON THE NIGHT (USUALLY ON BUSY NIGHTS NO LATER THAN 7.15PM) AND WE WILL SERVE THEM TO YOU WHEREVER YOU ARE SAT IN THE VENUE - IN A PIZZA BOX.