DOCTOR And The Medics will be headlining Lechlade Festival for the fourth time running, and Clive Jackson, aka The Doctor, is begging and threatening his fans not to let slip the results of the Champion League Final.

At the same time Liverpool FC will be taking on Real Madrid, Clive, who was born in Knotty Ash, and is a life-long fan of The Reds, will be on stage.

“Please no one shout out the score from the crowd! I am going to record it and lock myself in my dressing room after the show,’’ he said.

Apart from the unfortunate timing of the football, the glam rock band who shot to number one with Spirit In The Sky in 1986, are really looking forward to returning to the family friendly festival.

“We feel at home, we have got to known Jennie (Rainsford) as a friend and Lechlade is proof of how wonderful it is when people get out and mix in the community. This festival brings the community together and people go home with a positive feeling about other people. It is a special weekend for us as Lechlade is the first of our summer festival season.’’

The musicians are currently recording a new album which is at present untitled, but two of the tracks have been snapped up by the feature film, The Howling, as part of the sound track. Clive has a small acting role in the film, which he loved.

“It was out of my comfort zone but I have learned over the years that the important thing is to listen. I had 50 different jobs including working as a joiner and model maker, so I knew through experience to listen to the director, and I enjoyed the way the film set worked. I found it natural,’’ said Clive.

The singer has also found success on the West End stage in a play called Poezest, based on Allan Edgar Poe, and written by Mike Bennett.

“We took it to the Manchester Fringe Festival, The Water Rats in London and The Bloomsbury Theatre and now we are going to be making a film of it, with me in it and I am going to re-voice the audio books. It is all exciting,’’ said Clive.

“I am in shadow at the back when the curtain rises and the prologue begins, and then the lights come one. I like that feeling of being in the danger zone where anything can go horribly wrong. I could have got pelted with food, but they liked it, even my mum liked it and we focus on the horrible stuff of Allan Edgar Poe,’’ said Clive.

The album is being recorded mainly in Pitch Black studios, owned by guitarist Dan Angelow, although some of the vocals were recorded in Clive’s bathroom – “the reverb is good in there!”

The band only need to rehearse every two years because they are a gigging band so perform dates all the year round. They are currently rehearsing, The Miracle of the Age, hoping to bring the track in to their new set for Lechlade.

Clive worked with Swindon’s own music hero, Andy Partridge from XTC, on the song.

“Andy is a wonderful man. He taught me a lot. On the guitar solo he suggested using a carpet slipper to bang against the guitar. I still marvel at the way it sounds,’’ he said.

The Doctor’s trademark make-up came through Clive’s interest in art and drawing. He simply transcribed it on to his forehead.

“It sort of evolved, but I had to change it a bit as wrinkles on the forehead don’t suit white stripes so much,’’ he laughed.

The Doctor is also an ordained Reverend.

“Don’t get excited,’’ said Clive. “It took 20 minutes on the internet, I needed it to be able to preside when our bass player Gareth Thomas got married in America.’’

Doctor and the Medics will be headlining the Saturday night at the Lechlade Festival which runs from Friday, May 25 to May 27.

Other headliners over the Lechlade Festival weekend are Scouting For Girls, whose hits include She’s So Lovely, Elvis Ain’t Dead, Heartbeat, I Wish I Was James Bond and the UK number one This Ain’t A Love Song.

Also on the bill are From The Jam, with original band member Bruce Foxton and frontman Russell Hastings. Paying tribute to the legendary rock giants Led Zeppelin are Whole Lotta Led and Flash: A Tribute to Queen will also be pumping up the beat. Adult weekend camping tickets are £79 in advance and £85 on the gate. For more details visit http://www.lechladefestival.co.uk/ - Flicky Harrison