Jack J Hutchinson Talks New Live Album, 2025 UK Tour And More

Blues-rock guitarist Jack J Hutchinson will hit the road this autumn with his power trio in support of his brand-new first live album ‘Battle Scars’, which is due out early October 2025. We caught up with the man himself to find out more about the album:

You will release your new live album ‘Battle Scars’ in early October 2025. How did you want to approach the making of the album?

I’m so exciting about releasing my first live album. Some of my favourite records are live releases, so it’s a dream come true to finally have one in the bag. Led Zeppelin’s Song Remains The Same had such a big impact on me as a teenager, and I’ve always wanted to capture my own tracks in a live setting.

It was crucial for me that we captured the rawness of a live show. I didn’t want to go through the recordings and start fixing things. It really does capture what we sounded like on the night, which is kind of thrilling!

Where did you record the album and who produced it?

We recorded two shows on my recent tour, at the Tuesday Night Music Club in Coulsdon and the Grace in London. I’d tried several times to record live albums in the past and for whatever reason they didn’t work out. It’s a live gig, so a lot can go wrong with the live recording. You’re jumping around on stage, someone kicks over a mic stand for instance. My idea was let’s record two shows and pick the best from the two.

Even then we had a few issues with the recording. There were glitches on the first two tracks on the Grace recording, so we had to use the TNMC recordings of ‘Don’t Let The F***ers Get You Down’ and ‘Constellations’, but I think we played those better that night anyway.

I then mixed the album with Andy Banfield at SuperFly Studios in Nottinghamshire.

Who was in the band with you on the live album?

This is the first recording featuring my new band: Phil Wilson on drums and Greg Smith. Two great players who are also a lot of fun to be around. We had a lot of laughs on that tour! Andy joked that we should do a second vinyl of just me, Phil and Greg chatting s*** in the tour van whilst driving around!

Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recorded show?

The Grace show took place on an Arsenal match day, so I remember loading in with loads of Arsenal fans walking to the stadium which is close by. As a Man Utd fan it added extra weight to my track ‘Don’t Let The F***ers Get You Down’! My merch guy Johnny Deller is a Gunner so I never heard the end of it last season.

Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?

My live set up is exactly the same as what I used in the studio on the last album ‘Battles’. I use a Fender Telecaster through my Victory RK50 amp. I don’t really use many effects, just a Boss Equaliser on the solos and a BMF Purple Nurple pedal on some of the meatier riffs.

Interestingly, we actually piped the whole recording through a bunch of Marshall stacks back in the studio, and recorded the whole thing. The idea was to recreate how it actually felt stood in the middle of the room with the band playing right in front of you, rather than just tracks recorded dry into the mixing desk.

Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

My favourite track and the one that makes me most happy when I play it is ‘Constellations’. It was the one that was playlisted by Planet Rock, so a lot of people know the words and sing along with it live. It’s such an amazing feeling. I’m not particularly angry as a person, but the new single ‘Overdrive’ has a bit of venom to it. That’s about outside forces messing with your mind and preventing you from reaching your potential. I think we can all relate to that topic!

Most reflective has to be ‘I Will Follow You’, which is the song I wrote for my dad following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. There’s a particular line in it in the middle 8 where I sing ‘take me back into your mind’ that no matter what, I always struggle to sing without welling up. It’s heavy man!

Who designed the album artwork?

An amazing photographer called Dave Pickles took the actual photo of me, which was on stage at Nightrain, Bradford, on the tour. Aaron Gardner then altered the image. We chatted about trying to capture the vibe of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ video, which has a definite 80s vibe to it!

Haluk Gurer then took Aaron’s artwork and created the whole gatefold vinyl design, which features a batch of photos from across the tour, similar to the cover artwork of the Stones’ ‘Exile on Main Street’.

Will you be releasing the new album in any particular formats or special editions?

I’m a massive vinyl fanatic and always prioritise that. So it’s coming out on a lovely blue marble effect vinyl with a gatefold sleeve. I picked up a box set of Liam Gallagher’s ‘Knebworth’ album recently, and it came with a commemorative gig ticket and tour poster, so I’ve nabbed that idea! So fans can grab a limited set with those extras too.

It will also be available on standard digipack CD and digital.

Was it difficult picking which songs to include in the setlist? Did you have a specific song selection process?

It is literally the set we played on the night. The only tweaks were we removed the cover of Paul Weller’s ‘Out of the Sinking’ for licensing reasons. But I didn’t want to play with the running order as it was all about how things actually went down on the two nights.

In April you went on a co-headline UK Tour with Matt Pearce and The Mutiny. How did that opportunity arise and do you have any highlights, stories, memories from that tour?

I’d been looking at doing a co-headliner for a while, primarily to help reduce the costs of touring for myself and another band. The last couple of years have seen a significant increase in the cost of keeping a band on the road, so it made sense to try and work as a team with another artist and split things.

I met Matt at a Black Crowes gig last year and we really hit it off, so the seeds were sown that night. I have to say it was a pleasure watching him and his band smash it night after night. Matt’s also recently released a live album which is well worth checking out.

Do you have any further live dates in the UK/Europe for 2025?

We open for FM on four dates in September then it’s the album launch tour in October. This will be topped off by an appearance at Planet Rock’s Winter’s End in January before we start recording the next studio album. I can’t wait!

Feature Image Photo Credit: Rob Blackham/Blackham Images 

Jack J Hutchinson’s new live album ‘Battle Scars’ is released on Friday 3rd October 2025.

‘Battle Scars’ is available to pre-order via Eyesore Merch in a variety of bundles, including on blue and white splatter vinyl with signed art card, commemorative gig ticket and tour poster.

He will play 4 shows in support of British rock band FM, followed by 8 headline shows and an appearance at Carlisle Blues Rhythm and Rock Festival.

UK TOUR
4 September – Grimsby, Docks Academy *
5 September – Barnsley, Birdwell *
13 September – Gloucester, Guildhall *
27 September – Chester, Live Rooms *
1 October – Sittingbourne, The Appleyard
8 October – Oxford, The Bullingdon
9 October – Bristol, The Louisiana
10 October – London, The Black Heart
11 October – Carlisle Blues Rhythm and Rock Festival
12 October – Edinburgh, Bannerman’s
13 October – Night and Day Café, Manchester

14 October – Ivory Blacks, Glasgow
17 October – The Flying Circus, Newark
*Supporting FM
 
Tickets on sale now via jackjhutchinsonmusic.com