Jon WelchRupert Orton raised in Norwich is returning to the city with his current band, acclaimed five-piece The Jim Jones Revue, whose fans include Jack White and Bobby Gillespie - and it promises to be loud.Further listening: The Jim Jones RevueJon Welch
A musician raised in Norwich is returning to the city with his current band - and it promises to be loud.
Rupert Orton is lead guitarist with The Jim Jones Revue, whose famous fans include Noel Gallagher of Oasis, ex-Clash man Mick Jones and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream.
The five-piece, who bill themselves as 'Europe's wildest and hardest-rocking band' are also favourites of Jack White of The White Stripes, who asked them to support his side project The Dead Weather at London's HMV Forum last October.
They have also had repeated airplay on BBC 6Music and played sessions for the station, which is under threat of closure as part of a package of cuts.
Mr Orton said: 'Usually the sessions are stripped-down and acoustic, but we're a very, very loud band. We've been told we're the loudest band they've ever had at their studios in Great Portland Place.'
He said a BBC sound engineer showed them a meter clocking them at 115dB - the same volume as a pile driver.
The Jim Jones Revue were formed in 2007 after Mr Orton, who is also a rock promoter, met former Thee Hypnotics and Black Moses frontman Jim Jones and discovered a shared love of 1950s rock 'n' roll including Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, as well as bands such as Iggy and the Stooges, MC5 and 70s punk rock.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 2008, and was followed by singles collection Here To Save Your Soul. The band have played sell-out tours of the UK and Europe, and are currently recording their new album.
The band, who will make their US debut at the prestigious SXSW festival in Austin, Texas on Thursday, will be starting a 17-date tour of the UK and Ireland next week, playing at Norwich Arts Centre.
Mr Orton was born in London but moved to Norfolk as a boy, living at Lyng, near Dereham and Norwich and attending Avenue Middle School, Bowthorpe High School and City College.
He went to some of his first gigs in the city and said: 'I really like Norwich, even though I've lived in London for the last 25 years. I've still got friends here and I'm looking forward to coming back. Norwich Arts Centre means a lot to me.'
Mr Orton is brother of critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter Beth Orton, who won best female at the 2000 Brit Awards. He said: 'I'm immensely proud of what she's achieved. Her stuff is more folk-orientated, so musically we're at opposite ends of the spectrum, but she has done really well.'
t Jim Jones Revue play Norwich Arts Centre on March 24.
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