Soul legend Geno Washington spills the beans

2:51pm Wednesday 27th February 2008

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THE Small Faces were once booed off stage by a crowd just too eager to wait for Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band's upbeat soul. It seems this appeal has endured, because 40 years later the chart-toppers, with hits such as Roadrunner, are still touring and will play at Catford's The Broadway this weekend with Knock on Wood legend Eddie Floyd.

Earlier this week eccentric frontman and former Bromley resident Geno shared his thoughts on being immortalised by the popular Dexy's Midnight Runners track named after him and some anecdotes from his wilder times in the 1960s.

Geno Washington.

It's been up and down, Europe and then back. All of that.

Can you tell us what material you will be performing for this tour? Old and new stuff?

I'm doing a blend because people want the old stuff and I blend in some other stuff I wrote.

Basically my thing, me and the Ram Jam Band, is rocking the house. That's why people come and see us. It's not so much the numbers, it is a show in which we must rock the house.

You've been in the business for quite some time now. Where do you get your energy from?

Ha, ha. The love of people. I can tell by the way you're working right now that you have a sense of humour. It's better to be around people who are in a happy mood, laughing and joking. They're your best bet.

The Ram Jam Band line-up has changed over the years. How do you feel about the current line up?

They're all new members. This is the best band I've had for over 35 years. People are really going crazy over the band and the show. Every show we do gets standing ovations. Because it's like a mardi gras thing, that's basically what we're providing. The music stands up for itself but if you get people in that happy mood, you get a much better show.

If you can get them singing, dancing, laughing, stomping, basically I'm trying to push some glide into people's stride so I can have some loot for my suit. Sure is like Shakespeare isn't it.

You're a fantastic showman but how important to you is it to have great band?

To me it's everything. Without a great band it isn't worth doing it. Because it's basically team work.

That's why I'm around so long over time because other singers are going out there and trying to show everyone what a great artist they are, what great singer they are.

Whereas me and the Ram Jam Band are going out there eight-strong, trying to lift the people so they can feel better.

Then next time we come to town they go hey if I want to feel good, I'll take my mates down with me and we all party together'. It's like a meeting place where you can be absolutely crazy and party to soul music.

You've worked with and shared the bill with some musical greats over the years. Fond memories for you?

Oh yeah, man. We did a show 30,000 people were supposed to come 66,000 showed up. On the bill was The Move, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band top of the bill it was the most unbelievable experience.

We were up and coming, we were like a shooting star. People couldn't believe where we came out of. Just like The Stones, The Who all these groups popping up, I knew all of them. I came up with them.

They were friends of mine. We did that old on-stage together thing because that was the thing in the 60s, outdoing the other group. Everybody wanted to get up there and fly their own flag. That's what made it really exciting because you had a competitive thing going on between bands.

Do you think the same camaraderie is around today?

I miss that aspect. Now people are trying to stay away from one another. It piss me off. Everybody who plays with me, got to come out looking smart on the case with your mojo working.

You used to live in Bromley, didn't you?

Yeah, we used to live out in Bromley for a long time. Me, my wife and my son lived out in Biggin Hill. And then the son got married and moved over near Edgware, so that why we're here in Edgware now. Following him around just so we can be close to the grandkids.

I've always been in the Bromley area because of the Ram Jam Band, we started in Hither Green. So the original Ram Jam is really from that area.

Do you get back to the US much?

I go over to visit and all of that. The only time I do go over, the only real reason that I go - other than seeing my family and everything -is I also do some hypno shows in America. That's the other bonus that I have which makes me want to go back and see everybody.

You're still heavily into that then?

Definitely. I'm a life coach, that's the other side of my life. Singing is just something I do. I'm heavy duty into spirituality. I'm a life coach. I help people help themselves.

How has your life changed since you became interested in that?

Everything got better. Always remember this; change your thoughts, change your life.

If you get a person to see that it is beneficial to change his thoughts he's going to improve. He's going to get rid of a lot of bad habits. All of the spiritual temples from way back, over the doors they tell you know thyself.

Everything turns around. You get more glide in your stride, loot in your suits and more stuff in your cup.

Has it helped music wise too?

Absolutely. I started writing again, before I couldn't write anything. I wrote a novel, it got great write ups, it was called The Blood Brothers.

Once you're in contact with your higher self, the part of you that loves you, loves you more than you love you, you begin to do wonderful things.

Did you enjoy yourself during the 1960s when things were kicking off for you and the band?

Oh yes. It was everything and more. If you really ask someone from the 60s to explain their emotions a lot of them will tell you they cannot explain it, because you just had to experience it. It was so good. So fantastic, almost like being in a dream Everybody could dream, everybody wanted to do something. It was a revolution that spread all over the world. Everybody who was anybody, they wanted to be here in the UK because this is where it was going on. It was funky on the bone.

You worked with the Beach Boys didn't you? Tell me about that.

I didn't know the Beach Boys were fans of Geno and the Ram Jam band, so I met them through my brother-in-law, Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits.

He's married to my wife's sister. He's a great brother-in-law so he put me in contact with the Beach Boys and we linked up and that's how I found out they were fans of Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band. They would go and see us every time they came over to the UK.

I went over to Los Angeles and by the time I got there they hated one another so the producer jumped in and started working with me and produced an album for .

But the best deal I had was going to Los Angeles to develop my spirituality. That was the best thing that ever happened to me. Being there with all these spiritual people, out there in the sunshine.

I got on that suicide trail and everything, I won't go into it but I was into drugs and women and all of that stuff constantly, everything seemed admissible. So that's how I got into it.

You can only receive this knowledge through bad things. When bad things aren't happening to you, you don't make the moves, change your thoughts, you stay with the devil that you know.

Having success with records and all that is very, very good but you got to look out for the other part, you still got have your best game going. All of my thing comes out of my spirituality and the technique of visualisation.

Find the book Creative Visualisation. It's a million-seller. It has touched so many people, it s a technique you must have in your armoury.

Is this something you've shared with fellow musicians?

Definitely. Look at Ian Brown. He was one of my students. I made a connection with him, just to give him a gift. He was very nice to me when I walked into a party. He didn't know who I was or anything. I was gate crashing but because we're Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band people bring us to the door and everything.

Then I got talking to Ian and we shared a nice joint and some 12-year-old scotch together and the party was moving. He treated me so nice, I figured I'd give him a present and give him some information that he needs.

He listened, he took the information and his life changed.

Are you a fan of Ian's solo and Stone Roses work?

Yes it's cool, really cool. I see where he comes from you see, because I knew him when he wasn't a singer. He had no idea about going into show business I was the one who laid it on him. I don't need cards and a crystal ball, I can read people without all of that. This is for real.

You've been immortalised by Dexy's Midnight Runners in their song Geno. How did you feel about that at the time?

When I first heard about, I told my wife, who is also my manager, and she said I'm going to sue those bastards for making me look too good'.

No, I thought it was cool. I laughed my head off. I laughed my head off because I could just imagine them in the studio, thinking about Geno laughing and stuff saying let's do one for the G'. It seems to have caught on.

Are you a fan of modern music?

Oh yeah, some of it. I like Snoop Dog and Justin Timberlake, George Michael. Music is music. Most time I listen to music is in the car, going to the gig. Other than that I'm dealing with my spirituality thing. It takes up your time, you need time to meditate. I meditate three times a day.

Are you looking forward to your show at The Broadway in Catford this weekend?

Yeah. The house will be rocking, full of wild and crazy people.

Eddie Floyd and Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band live at The Broadway, Catford.

March 1. 8pm. Box office 020 8690 0002.