It’s a case of top marks for one band who have landed their biggest tour gigs yet. It’s not every day a group of teachers get selected to tour with one of the top names in music. But that’s exactly what has happened to the boys in Apollo Junction – and lead singer Jamie Williamson claims he is a Lucky Man.
Jamie often swaps marking books by day for the main stage lights at night as the front man of popular indie-rock band from Leeds, Apollo Junction. The group has built up a loyal following over the last 13 years thanks to touring the country after finishing their day jobs.
But for Jamie and his bandmates, the biggest summer of their musical life with Richard Ashcroft awaits. And it’s mixing this double life that Jamie thrives on. “I teach year six by day,” he exclusively tells the Mirror. “So I’ve been proper busy, but I wouldn’t change it.”
3View 3 ImagesJamie Williamson and Apollo Junction
3View 3 ImagesThe band will play a number of dates with Richard Ashcroft(Image: Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Two of Jamie’s bandmates – guitarist Matt Wilson and bassist Ben Hope – are also teachers by day and are currently in the thick of the academic school year. But the group fully intends to make the most of their opportunity with the Bitter Sweet Symphony star, admitting they “never in a million years” expected to be part of his tour.
Jamie, who is also his school’s music co-ordinator, continued: “Obviously, last year he’s had one of the biggest years of his whole career, in a sense, supporting Oasis all over, and when we got the email saying, ‘I think I’ve got you the Ashcroft gigs, we thought it was just lucky that Ashcroft listened to us and liked us And it just all sort of fell into place.”
The band recently expanded to be a seven-piece, with two new members joined Jamie, Matt and Ben as well as Jonny Thornton and Sam Potter. And they say it’s actually thanks to their day jobs that they can continue to grow and create more music.
“It’s hard work sometimes,” the singer admits. “But we are very lucky that we have very understanding families. I have a really understanding family who know I’m busy sometimes. The balance sometimes does get tricky.”
But he admits he is thrilled that he can merge the chalk and cheese roles in a way to hopefully inspire his students. “The way I’ve always seen it is that teaching is all about inspiring young people and creativity, and trying to guide them to know they can be whatever they want to be.
“I’ve got a really boy-heavy class this year and so many want to be footballers. I often say to my kids that while some of them might go all the way to the top, others can still play and earn a living from the sport. It doesn’t mean they haven’t made it, but it’s a goal to target.
“I give my example of being in a band and I’ll tell them that just because we’re not a millionaire band touring around the world, there’s not many that have had the longevity and success we’ve had.”
But he admits he rarely makes a big deal of his band’s big wins when in his day job – and says the trio of teachers don’t discuss their work life while in the band.
Apollo Junction’s journey may have been slow and steady, but it’s a wave Jamie has no intention of stopping riding any time soon. Before their Ashcroft gigs, the band has also previously played with he Kaiser Chiefs and Shed Seven.
They have also risen through the ranks of playing a small time set at the Isle of Wight Festival, to playing the headline slot on one of the weekend’s biggest stages, gathering a fiercely loyal fan base along the way.
“We always pick up new fans at things like this [festivals and support slots]. If I can say so myself, we’re a good live band.”
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And he also confesses it’s always nice to bump into past students along the way too, saying there is a growing number of them who now joyfully tell him of their own music path. “Bands shouldn’t just be bands,” he says. “They should inspire.
“Whether you’re a band and a set of teachers or whether you’re just a band, you should inspire musicians, you know? Just as I was inspired by Noel Gallagher, now I’m sort of, in a very small version, sort of hopefully doing the same sort of thing.”
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