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A Wizz with the guitar
Fame has never been something that is reserved in a tin under the counter for the most talented people. Instead of being a meritocracy, the world of fame is littered with near misses, governed by serendipity and populated by the bloody-minded and handsome.
Not that Wizz Jones isn't a handsome fella but, in a parallel universe, he is the one with houses dotted across the world, while Rod Stewart and Eric Clapton play for quids in back-street boozers.
The Balham-based guitarist and singer, now 68, was part of the original singer-songwriter explosion in the 60s and has quietly got 20-odd albums under his belt, while Eric and Rod etc have taken his ideas and fecked off to LA. Well, at least they credit their source in interviews.
These days, Wizz (real name Raymond and, no, his nickname is not narcotics-related) treats local music fans to weekly gigs at Tooting's Selkirk pub and this week he also plays Brooks Blues Bar in Putney Heath. Size of talent > size of venue.
But Wizz doesn't live in regret. Not anymore, anyway: "I regretted my own laziness at one point - I think I had been frightened to fail because I had never pricked the public's consciousness. I think you need to have made your
mark when you are young, that gives you a status, a
push.
"It was in my 40s, I had a chip on my shoulder, I wanted to be a guitar player like Eric - he did what I'd been doing and really moved it on, Rod whom Wizz busked with around Europe in 1967 did something similar and
wrote some really good
acoustic stuff. But, when I
got to my 50s, I realised what I do is all right, I really enjoy it."
That Wizz can dip into folk, blues and songwriting means he has evaded pigeon-holing but the wider world's loss is London's gain, where he plays with his eldest son, Simeon. So is he a chip off the old block?
"He is a joy to work with!" says Wizz, all fatherly and proud. "He gives you that extra push, plus he plays blues harmonica and flute as well as the tenor sax and he has fantastic tone.
"We do have a similar style - he says he doesn't quite know what he's going to do and just goes for it and that sums up how I play."
You can't argue with the results, though, despite the unorthodox approach.
And, if you catch Wizz at one of his arts centre gigs, you even get Howard Marks-style anecdotes about his myriad adventures.
Fully deserving of local legend' status, Wizz Jones isn't going anywhere yet, so you know where to find him - down the Selkirk.
Wizz and Simeon Jones; every Mon from 9pm, The Selkirk, Tooting (free),
plus April 4, 8pm doors, Telegraph pub, Putney Heath, £8, call 020 8788 2011.
And another thing:
Wizz plays the same second-hand Epiphone guitar that he bought in 1967. Even then, he had to be talked into it by his old friend, Ralph McTell.
Simeon has featured in the Japanese charts with his band, Roman Holiday.
Wizz has never had a guitar lesson, never learned a scale, and never used a set list.
5:11pm Wednesday 2nd April 2008
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