Black Jackson
Black Jackson are an alternative rock band from Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, formed in 2000. The members are Alexander Kowalczuk (lead vocals), Rob Ormerod (guitar), Pete Heywood (guitar and keyboards), Johnny Pilling (bass) and Michael Irving (drums). They started as a four-piece, and Pete Heywood joined after collaborating with them on a side project with My Computer.
They worked on the fifth My Computer album, eViL sPaNiSh, which was recorded in five months at Pioneer Mill in Radcliffe. There, the band and friends built rehearsal studios and a live room for gigs.
Black Jackson are working on their first full-length studio album. A title hasn’t been announced yet, and they have released demos and samplers in the meantime.
Their Howl Demo (August 2006) included the single "Don't Revolve," which Paul Lester of The Guardian praised as having a "jaunty in the same weird, haunting, dark-folky way" as early James. Their End of Evermore EP (February 2005) featured "The Boy Became A Voodoo Doll," also highlighted by Lester for its intense vibe. The single became Times Online’s hottest download on 26 April 2009, described as "sepulchral, twisted northern soul." BBC’s Michelle Hussey attended a Black Jackson show on 20 October 2006 and called the experience "an absolute thrill." The band’s 3-track demo "As Seen on T.V" was reviewed by David Adair of losingtoday.com, who compared it to The Clash with a modern indie coating.
Initially self-distributed, the band drew attention from critics. Andy Loynes of Manchester Confidential said they might be the real deal. They later signed with Recreation Records and planned to release their album soon.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:27 (CET).