In any band with longevity, like CC, it helps if you all get along and have a clearly defined sense of what you are bringing to the party and appreciate each other's contributions.

For a rhythm guitarist that can be a wee bit difficult as you don't get to indulge in the crotch rubbing narcissism of the lead singer or the ear catching fretboard pyrotechnics of the lead guitarist which can lead fellow band members to ask themselves just exactly what you are in the band for.

Do you remember how the most beautiful girl at school always used to hang out with a fat best mate? Well that is my role in CC, I am there to make Dave look handsome and Gary sound like a guitar god.

Musical History:

1979-1980     Wild Dogs        (Heavy Metal)
1980-1982     Retired                     (Substance abuse\Rehab)
1982-1984     Solo                         (Trying to be Colin Blunstone)
1984-1985     Pulling Faces           (Big Heavy Pop)
1985-1987     The Dirty Boys        (Blues \R&B\ Jazz FusionDischarge)
1987-1991     Dead Vogue             (Psychedelic Grunge Rock  (Goth if you prefer))
1991-Present Choy Choi                (Psychedelia Smith)
 

Hobbies:

Song-writing, IPA, Ruegg baiting, yodelling.

Likes:

Pre- punk dinosaur groups, post-punk dinosaur groups, Indian wine & French restaurants, Ipswich Town, guitar solos.

Dislikes:

Heavy Big Pop, crap pretentious lyrics, Norwich City, any beer called ‘creamflow’ or ‘Smooth’, songs with short guitar solos (or even worse, no guitar solo!).  

Bottle blondes, marble-wash stretch jeans, ‘Tukka Boots’, orange hair, Tony Blair, the twat who rides a mini-moto down my street with no helmet or insurance thus increasing my premiums, ‘Gone with the Wind’, distressed leather, Volvos, Volvo drivers, flat caps, Volvo drivers with flat caps, Jayne Middlemiss, reality T.V shows, celebrity editions of reality T.V shows, chutney, over-rated ‘hip’ bands, Radiohead, the term ‘critically acclaimed album’ (which really means it was shit and no-one bought it), keyboard players, orange hair and heavy big pop.

Musical Heroes:

Robin Trower, Dave Gilmour, Frank Zappa, Billy Gibbons, Colin Blunstone.


Musical Zeros:

Trad Jazz, Boy Bands, Girl Bands, Hair Bands, pub bands that play Mustang Sally, most pub bands that don’t play Mustang Sally, Simon Cowell.


Merrick’s Fascinating Facts about Choy Choi.

We all went to different schools together.
Dave is a champion ferret breeder.
Gary is actually left-handed, but plays right-handed to make it more difficult.
Chris has six fingers on his left knee.
Dan has a spare set of arms that she saves for gigs.

Crimes against fashion available here