Early career:
Both Datchler and Nocito were born into musical families. Datchler's father, Fred, was a member of two chart-topping bands from the 1950s. The Stargazers had the distinction of being the first British band to reach No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. As part of the Polkadots, Fred Datchler sang backing vocals for The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Petula Clark. Nocito hails from an American family based in Europe with the United States armed forces. His mother was a singer in a close-harmony group called The Cactus Kids, performing for troops throughout Northern Europe.
Having been a singer, guitarist, and keyboard player in numerous bands as a teenager, Datchler released his first single on the London independent record label, Bluebird Records at the age of 17, backed by members of reggae band Aswad. He went on to work with Rusty Egan of Visage, fusing electronic music with soul, and performed often on the London club scene. He was subsequently signed to Warner Brothers Music as a songwriter and moved to Los Angeles.
Nocito was a guitarist in school bands, having grown up alongside friend and fellow record producer Phil Thornalley, as well as members of Katrina and the Waves. He became a recording engineer and worked with Pink Floyd, The Police, The Cure, Duran Duran, and the Thompson Twins.
The two met in 1982 at RAK Studios in London. Datchler had just become the lead singer in the band Hot Club, alongside the third and final original JHJ member Calvin Hayes. The line-up also included bass player Glen Matlock and guitarist James Stevenson. In 1983, Hot Club released a single on RAK Records and performed at London's Marquee Club, a performance that impressed RAK head (and Hayes' father), Mickie Most. He decided to sign Datchler to the label as a solo artist. It was Most who suggested that Datchler works with Nocito, who was an engineer at RAK Studios at the time. Over the next four years, the two worked together on Datchler's solo recordings. Most also guided Datchler, producing several of his recordings in the mid-1980s.
Original tenure:
In April 1986, Datchler, Nocito, and Hayes released the first Johnny Hates Jazz single, "Me and My Foolish Heart", on RAK Records. It was not a commercial success, but gained substantial airplay and was Sounds magazine's record of the week.
Datchler began writing new songs, which included "Shattered Dreams." JHJ then performed a showcase at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and was subsequently signed to Virgin Records. "Shattered Dreams" was released in March 1987 and became a top-five hit in the UK throughout mainland Europe and Asia, and reached No. 2 in Japan. Three other worldwide hits, “I Don't Want to Be a Hero,“ ”Turn Back the Clock (featuring Kim Wilde on backing vocals), and “Heart of Gold” followed it. In 1988, "Shattered Dreams" reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the US Adult Contemporary chart, and climbed to No. 4 in Canada. That same year, their album, Turn Back the Clock, entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1, selling four million copies.
At the end of 1987, JHJ made two music videos with director David Fincher. The videos were for the US releases of "Shattered Dreams" and "Heart of Gold." Datchler left the band at the end of 1988.
Hayes and Nocito continued the band and replaced Datchler with their friend Phil Thornalley, a Grammy Award-nominated engineer and record producer and a former bass player for The Cure. The new line-up released a second album, Tall Stories, in 1991. However, the album was unsuccessful and the band dissolved the next year.
Post-break-up:
Datchler moved to Amsterdam at the end of the 1980s and focused on his solo work, recording the albums Raindance and Fishing for Souls. Returning to the UK, he based himself at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios near Bath throughout the 1990s. In 2000, he moved to the US and created a solar-powered home and studio, where he recorded much of his most recent album, Tomorrow. Throughout this time, he studied the philosophy of indigenous people and became environmentally active. In 2008, he received a GreenTec Award (formerly the Clean Tech Media Awards) in Berlin.
Following the dissolution of Johnny Hates Jazz, Nocito based himself in Cambridge, England, and produced the Katrina and the Waves single "Love Shine a Light," winner of the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest and a top-10 hit throughout Europe. He also produced and wrote for Hepburn, Gina G, and Orson, and continued to work extensively with Katrina and the Waves.
New era:
Datchler and Nocito met again in 2009 after Datchler wrote a song called "Magnetized," which he felt would be ideal for Johnny Hates Jazz. Soon after, they decided to record a new album. Datchler moved back to the UK and wrote the rest of the songs for the project. At the same time, the original line-up of Datchler, Nocito, and Hayes performed live at various international festivals. However, after several shows in 2010, Hayes left the band before the recording of the new album commenced.
That same year, Datchler received a BMI award for "Shattered Dreams" in recognition of receiving over 3.2 million broadcast performances of the song in the US alone.
The subsequent album was titled Magnetized. Recording spanned much of 2011 and 2012 and took place at Real World Studios near Bath, Hamp Sound near Cambridge, and Angel Recording Studios in London. It featured Datchler as songwriter, vocalist, and keyboard player, and Nocito as producer and engineer. There were also string arrangements and additional keyboards from The Art of Noise's Anne Dudley, who had arranged the strings on "Turn Back The Clock." Other contributors included drummer Alex Reeves, guitarists David Rhodes, and Marcus Bonfanti, synthesizer player Pete Watson, and mix engineer Stephen W. Tayler.
The first single, "Magnetized," was released in the UK on 28 April 2013, and received widespread airplay, being A-listed for several weeks on BBC Radio 2. It was also released in Germany and achieved similar success on the radio there. The album was subsequently released on 5 May in the UK. However, Datchler collapsed in London shortly after this time and was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. As a result, all promotions came to halt. It was not until the following year that he made a full recovery, but by that time, the album had lost momentum, and the band decided to focus on live work instead.
Since then, they have performed extensively in the UK, as well as in Germany and Asia. In 2017, they released a remixed version of "Magnetized" in China, as well as performed live. Subsequently, they began writing and recording material for a new album. Also, Datchler has co-written eight songs with Mike Rutherford for the Mike + the Mechanics album, Let Me Fly.
As of 2020, the band released a new single called "Spirit Of Love." This new single was released on 29 May 2020 and has a few inspirations and musical roots from the 1970s during which Datchler and Nocito grew up. Also on 29 May, Wide Awake, a new album was announced in a trailer and that it would be released on 14 August 2020. This album has spent over "two years in the making," and that it contains "... a mixture of soulful melodies, uplifting lyrics, and positive energy that is present from start to finish." On 4 June 2020, a music video was released that featured fan pictures and videos of what they loved most and the band members walking around and visiting different spots in Japan.
Your Mistake
Johnny Hates Jazz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I guess you're in trouble
You pretend that nothing's wrong
You call me up
When you've got a problem
Silence when the problems gone
You think I'm so easy
Every time it rings
I know it's you
There's nothing left to say
This torch has burned away
You took too long I could not wait
I do believe there's nothing left to say
All your life
So much attention
A camera flash and you turn your head
I'll tell you now
Would it make any difference
You never listened to a word I said
Always there when you need me
But you're never here when I need you
I can't be your friend
'cos I want to be your fool
There's nothing left to say
This ship has long since sailed away
I picked up my pride and I'm on my way
I believe there's nothing left to say
Except - It's your mistake
It's your mistake
The lyrics in Johnny Hates Jazz's song "Your Mistake" tell the story of a one-sided relationship where the singer has been consistently let down by their partner. The partner only contacts the singer when they need something and ignores them when they don't. The singer acknowledges that their partner thinks they are easy to manipulate but knows that they are wrong. The torch the singer had been carrying for the relationship has now burned away, and they realize that there is nothing left to say. The partner was always in the limelight and never listened to the singer when they spoke. The singer was always there for the partner but eventually had to move on because they wanted more than that.
The song is relatable to many who have been in one-sided relationships. It speaks to the loneliness and sense of betrayal that comes with being left behind by someone you thought would be there for you. The lyrics convey the singer's feelings of hurt and disappointment, but also their realization that they deserve more. The song's powerful message makes it stand out as a classic breakup anthem.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello again
The singer greets the person they are talking to.
I guess you're in trouble
The singer believes that the person they are talking to is facing difficulties.
You pretend that nothing's wrong
The person being addressed acts as if nothing is happening despite their troubles.
You call me up
The person being addressed contacts the artist.
When you've got a problem
The person being addressed only reaches out to the artist when they have an issue.
Silence when the problems gone
The person being addressed does not communicate with the singer anymore once their issue is resolved.
You think I'm so easy
The person being addressed perceives the singer as easy to manipulate or take advantage of.
But you're never further from the truth
The person being addressed is wrong in their assessment of the artist.
Every time it rings
The artist knows when the person they are addressing calls them on the phone.
There's nothing left to say
Both parties do not have any more words for each other.
This torch has burned away
Their relationship never worked out.
You took too long I could not wait
The artist gave up on waiting for the person they are addressing.
I do believe there's nothing left to say
The singer reiterates that there are no more words to be exchanged between them.
All your life
The person being addressed lived with a certain lifestyle.
So much attention
They were always given a lot of attention.
A camera flash and you turn your head
They would be the center of attention and be distracted when cameras flash.
I'll tell you now
The artist is going to reveal something to the person they are addressing.
Would it make any difference
The singer wonders if what they have to say would make a change in the other's behavior or attitude.
You never listened to a word I said
The person being addressed did not consider the singer's advice or suggestions.
Always there when you need me
The artist was always available whenever the person they are addressing needed them.
But you're never here when I need you
The artist could never rely on the person they are addressing when they needed them.
I can't be your friend
The artist cannot maintain a friendly relationship with the person they are addressing.
'cos I want to be your fool
The singer is in love with the person they are addressing, despite knowing that it is not wise to do so.
This ship has long since sailed away
Their relationship has ended, and it's too late to save it.
I picked up my pride and I'm on my way
The singer has gained their confidence and is ready to move on.
Except - It's your mistake
The singer blames the person they are addressing for the failure of their relationship.
It's your mistake
The singer reaffirms that the other person was at fault.
Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.