Page 9 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine Issue 114

BV114 pg 04-09 CJ cover Interview.qxp_BV114 pg09 08/06/2026 21:48 Page 6

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months. They weren’t allowed to meet up. It had song ‘No More’ he sings ‘I saw a photograph of on one hand, we were always the only brown
a profound effect on me and them as well. My the world in a better place’. He says, “I’m not kids in a school full of white kids, so we had to
mom went somewhere and never came out of it missing what it was like in the 70s, 80s and 90s. keep our peepers open, and we had to keep our
again. So, I had this song. When people have What I miss is my parents. I want to go back and wits about us all the time. And we had to be-
dementia, they fade away in front of you. It’s re- see them again. I have a very young son. I’m 58. come friends with a whole group of people and
ally slow as well. They slowly fade away. I’ve al- My son is 11. I’m the oldest dad in his school. they all had different beliefs and outlooks on the
ways had this song, but I couldn’t record it or What I see in the world today isn’t what I saw in world. But, in amongst all the negative stuff,
finish writing it because it upset me so much. the world when I was a kid, or when I was a there’s always these little diamonds of some-
When I first recorded the song, I couldn’t listen young adult. I really worry what the world is thing really positive, really, really funny. One of
to it again. So, I recorded the song and, when going to be like in 20 years’ time, when he’s a the things I love about social media is how much
we were getting close to putting the drums down young adult. It really concerns me. Seeing that comic stuff gets thrown at me. Really funny stuff.
and getting close to the mix, I thought, ‘I’d better picture, seeing the world in a better place, is me And I think that’s the lifeline. That’s the bit that
have a listen to the song. I’d better force myself looking back at my childhood, and me looking at keeps you sane. There are so many beautiful
to listen to the song and not feel upset,’ and I’m my boy’s childhood. It’s just poles apart. But, things in the world, so many funny things, and
not upset now. I love the song, but it captures saying that, the racism, I feel, that’s coming up so much good in the world, so, I think, you’ve al-
the frustration and the hurt of losing someone in this country, it reminds me of the 70s. It’s so ways got to remember that or else you’ll just end
and seeing them slowly fade away. There’s a on the surface now. It’s not hidden anymore, is up a miserable bastard, and I’ve never been like
line in there about the council up here. North it? It’s in your face. that. There’s a lot I can smile about and fall in
Yorkshire Council stole all my mom’s life sav- “When I first came back to the UK, there love with, still.”
ings, stole her assets. They stole it. All for the were still NF tags on the walls. I was about
sake of a measly few quid. There’s a lot of rich 14/15 and I’d never come across skinheads. I e ask if he could inspire others, how
people out there that get away with a lot more. grew up in the army. We didn’t have skinheads Wwould he like to do so? CJ replies,
Yeah, I’ll never forgive the council and the social in the army. I went to army schools, you couldn’t “The one thing I’d say to musicians out there, it
workers for what they did.” get away with that behaviour. Also, coming doesn’t matter how fast you can play… There
We ask if there was a reason that his mother across that sort of political stance wasn’t… I seems to be an influx of people just playing re-
and father were in different homes. grew up with racism, but, having gangs of skin- ally, really fast online, and that don’t mean any-
CJ explains, “Yes, my dad needed a nursing heads, it was a different form of racism. It wasn’t thing. My dad could play the guitar and I didn’t
home. He was very sick. And my mom needed like people sniggering behind my back. It was in know until I found a guitar in the basement of my
a residential care home with a dementia unit on your face. They wanted to beat the shit out of block of flats where I lived in Germany. And he
it. And also, my mom’s pension and her assets you, basically. I worry about the state of the picked it up and tuned it up and played some-
couldn’t cover… my dad was in a home which world at the moment. I think any normal person thing, and I knew my dad’s family could all play
cost maybe two or three times more than what will feel exactly the same. No one’s going to sit and sing. They’re all musicians. My two uncles
my mom was allowed. There’s a moved to New York to join
hierarchy, basically. It was a “The one piece of advice I’d give to any budding bands in the 70s. I said to my
mess. The social services really musicians out there: don’t worry about playing really dad, ‘Teach me something.’
messed up. They put my dad in He said, ‘No, no, no, I’m going
the wrong place. He almost killed fast. Don’t worry about all the chords or learning all the to get you a book, you can
someone. They wanted to section scales; worry about writing songs. Because you could teach yourself.’ I said, ‘Just
him. I said, ‘He’s got dementia. He show me.’ He said, ‘No. If you
should’ve been in a nursing be the best guitar player in the world, but, if you can’t teach yourself, you might not
home. He should’ve been on a write songs, then what use is that?” - CJ Wildheart learn properly, you might not
unit with big guys, and you play or know what you’re play-
messed up. You assessed it ing, but you’ll have your own
wrong.’ And I was going to sue them, and, in the down and go, ‘The world’s in a good place at the style and you won’t play like your teacher.’ So, I
end, the NHS stepped in, and there’s a thing moment.’ There’s something very unhealthy just learned basic guitar. Then I started writing
called Continuing Healthcare, where the NHS about the planet we’re living on right now.” songs. And the one piece of advice I’d give to
will pay for your care, and they paid for my dad’s He watches the news avidly, and it affects any budding musicians out there: don’t worry
care for the last four years of his life and looked him immensely. It inspired the song ‘Nein Nein about playing really fast. Don’t worry about all
after him. But my mom was a whole different Nein’, in which CJ sings ‘we’re fighting a war’ the chords or learning all the scales; worry about
thing. They swooped down like vultures and and about ‘blood on my hands’. writing songs. Because you could be the best
took everything from her, but she was so far “One of the things I use my music for is…” guitar player in the world, but, if you can’t write
gone, she didn’t know what was happening. But he says, “On one of my albums you can have a songs, then what use is that? Write songs; it’s
it happens a lot. I hear stories from a lot of peo- song where I’m talking about the state of the power. If you can write songs, it’s probably the
ple, their grandparents or their parents having world, I’m talking about the wars going on, bod- most powerful tool that you can have. Some of
all of their assets stripped.” ies in the street, and then, on the same album, the greatest songwriters in the world aren’t the
On the subject of dementia, CJ says that he I’m reminiscing about the good ol’ days, or I’ll best musicians. The power is in the song.”
thinks there are more people now with dementia have a song about my wife on there. Or my son. And, going back to the song ‘Twenty Two’,
than there ever has been. “It could be something One of my ways of dealing with everything I see we end by asking CJ, if he could go back to
to do with diet, it could be something to do with on the news, everything I see going on in the when he was 22, what would he do differently?
the way we’re stimulated now, it’s a lot different. world, those sorts of emotions, I put into music. “I would leave The Wildhearts and go to col-
I know my parents. I know my dad, he would There’ll always be an angry song or a few angry lege and become a chef!” he laughs. “I didn’t
never have wanted to end his life the way he did, songs on the album, because I’m exorcising know until much later in life how much I love
in the homes and stuff like that. He wouldn’t those emotions. You’ve got to let it out some- food and cooking. My real passion is in food.
have wanted it. He couldn’t see, walk, he wore how. I don’t think anyone can look at the news, You can play me music, but if you give me a
a nappy. He couldn’t talk, he was on a liquid diet right now. If you’ve got a smile on your face dish, that’ll just… My wife, my friends, when I get
for the last two years of his life. He was a soldier while you’re looking at the news, there’s some- food I love they’re like, ‘My God, it’s like you’re
and a proud man. Personally, he should have thing wrong with you. There really is. It doesn’t talking about Jesus or it’s like you’re talking
been put down five years before he passed, and matter what side you’re pushing for, what side about the world’s most perfect diamond,’ be-
my mom two years. If I had the means, I would you believe you’re fighting on, the minute inno- cause food, for me, it feeds the soul in a way
have put them out of their misery. If they were a cent people are being killed, especially children, music never did.”
cat or a dog, you wouldn’t be dragging them then you’ve lost. There is no argument. There is Well, we think CJ’s album ‘DEViL’ feeds the
around the park on a lead, if you know what I no discussion. You’ve lost. soul. Check it out if you haven’t already.
mean. There’s a humane way of approaching “When my boy arrived, I stopped reading
the end of life, but people at the end of life make books altogether and became an avid viewer of Follow CJ at www.facebook.com/cjwild-
a lot of people a hell of a lot of money as well. the news, because I’m a firm believer of having heartofficial
End of life care is a big business. It’s all about your eyes open to what’s going on. But I don’t For more info on dementia, visit www.de-
the money. All of it.” just watch one type of news. I watch right, left, mentiauk.org
centre. I want to get the whole picture. A lot of
J says that he’s become very nostalgic that’s got to do with the way I grew up, because Words by Shari Black Velvet
Csince the loss of his parents. In the me and my brother and a handful, I can count
CJ WILDHEART