CJ

Mudheads Monkey had hit a bit of an impasse.

Bassbin and Goodbin had decided that their days of living the rock & roll dream and the demanding needs of the groupies had become too much for them (in their dreams) and had decided that they would call it a day.

This left Matt and I in a bit of quandary. Did we continue as an acoustic duo, or did we try and find another drummer and bass player.

The bass playing bit was easy as I could return to those duties, but the drummer was bit more tricky.

Our original replacement for Goodbin, Sally (yes that’s right…a girl! a real girl...who had an aptitude for belting the hell of the skins) had gone off to college to study Social Work, so we were stuck.

Then Matt suggested this ‘kid’ called CJ.

I had known CJ for years, mainly as a child (he’s 15 years younger than me) and so I was not too keen.

The last thing I needed was another teenager with more enthusiasm and ego than actual talent. I had played with one of those many years before and to be frank he had been a pain in the backside and made the whole touring thing a nightmare. I had enough to cope with my own short comings without dragging a hormonal wannabie ‘metal head’ around with us.

However, Matt insisted and for the sake of friendship I said that I would at least audition this ‘young un’.

We planned to have a crack at a couple of songs and see how it went…I wasn’t hopeful.

CJ arrived at our rehearsal space with the largest drum kit I had ever seen. It was red Premier kit that his mother had helped him buy and it dwarfed him.

CJ had been coming to our gigs for years, since he was still in nappies I suspect, so he said that he was fairly comfortable with our material.

Then we were off.

I do not exaggerate when I say that the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

CJ was absolutely, totally and blindingly amazing…without doubt the best drummer I had ever played with.

I have never seen anybody inject so much enthusiasm, passion and personality into their drumming…and yet keep it as solid as King Kong’s first movement of the day

We had planned two songs….we went through about ¾ of the set.

My bass guitar locked into his bass drum and we played tighter than I had ever played in a band in my life.

Also as his heroes had been Tico from Bon Jovi and Tommy lee Jones from Motley Crue, he belted the life out of his kit, and this in turn made Matt and I play and sing with a far more rocky edge, which was right up my street.

I didn’t sleep that night I was buzzing so much.

CJ didn’t only join Mudheads Monkey, he transformed it, and many of the experiences that I have recalled and will recall involve CJ sat behind me laying down his solid rhythm and torturing his drum kit.

Drummers traditionally have been painted as total meat heads with a fondness for beer and drugs.

CJ in contrast is now a successful business man and family man who worships his two daughters (just don’t tell anyone, it will ruin the image).

He is generous of spirit and if you ever need anything CJ will get it for you or help you move it (I will never lose the image of CJ hacking my sofa apart with a crow bar……to get rid of it not to retrieve lost change you understand).

And nobody, I mean NOBODY can pack a van with more kit than available space like CJ…he’s a flippin genius at it.

I am honoured to perform in a band with him and to count him as a friend.

I had a CJ moment last practice night. The three of us launched into an old Mudheads Monkey song called ‘Mr Mr’. We were so tight musically you couldn’t have got a sheet of rice paper between us.

I was left with warm feeling of satisfaction……we were a band!!

Now all we have to do is stop CJ breaking wind in our air tight practice room and everything will be hunky dory.