Carlos & the Bandidos

Music:

Member Since: 01/02/2007
Band Website: carlosbandidos.com
Band Members:
CARLOS MEJUTO – (Vcls)
Carlos is without doubt the leading reason why the band have successfully blazed a trail for the last 12 years. Carlos first stood on stage at Dingwalls (Camden Town) as a member of the short-lived Orbitones, though he had rehearsed with Paul Maitland previously for various projects. He later fronted the band Jello Sal with Rob Glazebrook and the Bourne Brothers (it was this line up that Malcolm first saw Carlos perform, although because the band were so loud he didn’t actually HEAR him sing) and was sometimes backed by Glazebrook’s Playboys. (He cut an LP with this line up). To add to his front man duties in the band, he also writes many of the songs the band record and has his own CD out on Footappin’ Records where he’s backed by Darrel Higham on guitar. He also fronts the “Memphis Flashers”, which is basically the Bandidos with a stand in guitar player when Malcolm’s unavailable. Carlos also performed at a Charlie Rich tribute along with Paul Ansell. Carlos has been busily writing songs for the forthcoming CD when the band can tear him away from his sons, little Carlito & Eduardo. He also is a master & teacher of Wu-Chung, which involves twirling a stick around your head like a demented cheerleader until you knock yourself unconscious. Or something like that.

PAUL MAITLAND (Harmony Vcls & Rhythm Guitar)
Paul comes from a musical family with his great uncle playing with the Victor Sylvester Orch and his auntie marrying Benny Goodman’s brother, Sonny. Paul started out on the scene playing bass with Johnny Dumper (aka Johnny Earl) in a band called “Louisiana Hayride” which covered mainly Elvis Presley and other associated Sun Label material. Toured the UK as part of the musical “Elvis” with Dumper as Presley, Paul as Bill Black and Pete Davenport (Stargazers) playing the part of Scotty Moore. Paul also did a few drama workshops and starting acting classes at the Drama Studio in London, eventually successfully auditioning for a part in the critically acclaimed movie “Sweet Dreams” (he won the part of the “male hooker” though we daren’t ask how much method acting went into the role). Paul also toured in the play “Race With The Devil” as Gene Vincent to rave reviews and has also fronted the newly re-formed Blue Kats with Carlo & Stephan Edwards, playing a benefit gig for Joe Strummer. Paul brings to the Bandidos a hard edged driving rhythm and floating harmony vocals which has added more depth and scope to the band and his added creativity will be most welcome as the band prepare to record their fourth CD in 2007. Needless to say he’s also an annoying git that’s slightly hyper active. How Helen puts up with him is anybody's guess.

MALCOLM CHAPMAN (Lead Gtr)
Malcolm originally started out playing guitar for the Leatherhead based Sundowners (fronted by Lee Gocher) primarily to back Ronnie Dawson at a gig in Ship Street, Brighton. After a year of playing around London and the south of England, the band folded and Malcolm ended up spending 18 months with the Jive Aces, where he constantly toured the UK and Europe. It was during this period that he was asked to take TK Smith’s place in Big Sandy & the Fly Rite Trio for a European tour and to do some recording. Stints with the Drinking Buddies and the Bop Shack Stompers brought Malcolm to the Boston Arms in Tuffnell Park where he met with Carlos Mejuto who pressed him to start a band. After 2 years of constant nagging they began to write songs and record their debut LP. Whilst playing in the Bandidos he also found time to spend 5 years alongside Paul Ansell in Number 9, and is part of the Hemsby House Band, fronted by Wayne Hopkins, playing guitar behind such 50’s luminaries as Janis Martin, Sammy Masters, Marvin Rainwater and Sonny West (among others). Like Roger, Malcolm is also in demand as a session guitar player and has found himself playing with the Nick Gilroy Kombo alongside Boz Boorer (who used to give Malcolm guitar lessons), Chrissie Lane & the Rhythm Wranglers and the Rockettes. He’s also played guitar for the Staines based Heartbreakers band and also in the Georgia Brown Trio with Bill Crittenden & Mick Wigfall. Malcolm shares song / tune writing with Carlos and has written some of their more “darker” songs in their repertoire. Like Neil, Malcolm is a constant collector or RaB records and when not pouring over old dusty disks, he's zooming around London on his motorbike trying to avoid colliding with buses and he's a voracious reader on Soviet & North Korean history. He's yet to write a song about Kim Il Sung but the band sense it's gonna happen someday.
NEIL SCOTT (Double Bass)
Neil started playing bass in a band called the Ant Hill Mob, a short lived RaB band from the 80’s who flamed briefly in the spotlight before folding. It was during stints as a stand-in bass player for Cowboy Barnes & his Drinking Buddies (and occasionally the Bop Shack Stompers) he met and played alongside Malcolm & Roger and he was the natural choice for bass duties when the Bandidos was formed. Neil easily switches from sympathetic backing on some of the more country tinged numbers to tub-thumping bass supremo for the more driven tunes and is an integral part of the “Bandidos” sound. Like Roger, Neil also played bass (& recorded) in the Frantix and the Western Bops / Tune Busters and is currently slapping his way through sets alongside Clayton Phelps and the Williamette River Boys. He has also guested alongside Malcolm with Chrissie Lane & her Rhythm Wranglers and has backed 50’s legends like Ronnie Dawson, Alvis Wayne, Art Adams & Huellyn Duvall. in 2005 both Neil and Malcolm recorded a new CD alongside Rock-A-Billy legend Joe Clay for El-Toro Records. Neil is a torrid collector of Rockabilly 45’s and is always on the look-out for great “covers” for the band to perform, especially in poor-minus condition. In fact, it's now officially called the "Neil Scott" condition, where a record looks like an elephant in hob nail boots has been practicing tap dancing on it.
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ROGER VAN NIEKIRK (Drums)
Roger’s clomping backbeat has graced many a band from London and has been the unsung hero behind the skins of many a hot-beat combo without the recognition he so deserves. Originally hooked up with Malcolm Chapman with the Bop Shack Stompers, a loud, thumping R&R, Surf, Blues band from SW London but was in the more famous (but sadly long retired) band called CAT TALK, which featured Chad Strenz on Vcls and Sam Crabtree on lead guitar. (Sam sold Malcolm his first guitar so it’s all his fault!) He also appeared with The Scat Cats, Slapbacks & Carl Sonny Leyland’s Sundowners, (not to be confused with the Sundowners that Malcolm performed with). After the Bop Shacks split up, Roger & Malcolm teamed up with Boz Boorer and Nick Gilroy and formed the NICK GILROY KOMBO who’s first gig was at a Hemsby Weekender! Later he also joined Gilroy for the short lived Nick & The Hicksters, featuring Darrel Higham on guitar. He was also part of the legendary band called the FRANTIX, fronted by Wildman Jerry Brill (which also included Malcolm & Neil Scott). Like any top musician, he’s also done his fair share of “dep” work with people like Number 9, Blue Rhythm Boys, Big Joe Louis & the Blues Kings (and with Little George), Darrel Higham & the Enforcers, Mac Curtis (with the Nick Gilroy Kombo in Vegas), Ben Hewitt, Huelyn Duvall, The Back Beats, The Lynch Mob, Sonny George and Rosie Flores.HONOURARY BANDIDOSBRIAN NEVILL - Dms - One of the best drummers period - has the snappiest snare crack anywhere this side of Portabello Market. Seriously, this guy is almost God with wooden sticks in his mitts. Likes a laugh, a few beers and dusty old records (so Neil & Malcolm understandably love him to death. But he also likes a bit of Elvis, so Malcolm's crossed him off of his X-mas card list.LANCE LARSEN - Dms - Possibly the "other" best drummer" around (although No.9's Ricky Hughes also belongs in this category, but as he's not a Bandido - we'll forget about him). Despite looking like a young Reginald Christie, and he likes prancing about in white tights with a pointy stick in his hand (He teaches fencing - so if the wind blows your fence down, he's your .. er .. man), he fits right in with the other 4 idiots, desperately hoping they tell him what song they're launching into next. He's part of a band called the Heartbreakers but we still use him :-)CRAIG SHAW - Rhythm Gtr - Lead singer & Guitarist in the Bop Shack Stompers amongst many others, Craig's strong rhythm and sense of bewilderment at all those pesky minor chords propels the band along through all Malcolm's mistakes. A good harmonica player as well to boot! Slips right in when Paul's away being a wimp and the other plus side is he doesn't dress up in leather pants like a fairy.GRAHAM MURPHY - Rhythm Gtr - The king of Gretsch guitars (who sold Malcolm his Duo Jet for which we are all truly grateful, except Air Berlin who snapped the head stock off two years ago. Oddly enough, the look on his face whilst he's with the band isn't one of confusion; it's bliss!!WAYNE HOPKINS - Dbl Bass - If you've ever seen Poltergeist Two, you'd probably recognise Wayne - not that he was in the film you understand, but he looks like that creepy guy who imprisoned all those believers a couple of centuries ago. Anyhow, despite being back from the dead, he's probably the best double bass player this side of Matt Radford, or even Mick Wigfall (when he isn't cruising around the UK in his lorry looking for an Indian restaurant).JOHN CHEESEMAN - Dbl Bass - Another of the living dead, although that's more to do with alcohol consumption than actually being dead. A tremendous bass player who fills in at a moments notice. He keeps fit by walking along the sidewalk with his double bass over his shoulder, walking from one Thames bridge to another for no particular reason.We haven't found a replacement for Carlos and Malcolm yet, but for the last 14 years we've searched and searched and searched (ad nauseum). Looks like we're stuck with the Spanish twit and the Gimp.
Influences: Each band member brings with him his own musical influences, but on the whole, the band originally were influenced by Big Sandy & the Fly-Rite Trio. But they've been influenced by artists as diverse as Chris Isaak, High Noon, Don Cavalli, Trini Lopez, Cliff Richard & the Shadows, Tom Waites, Ronnie Dawson and Alison Krauss.
Record Label: Part, Goofin, Noose (No Hit) Mangled Cat
Type of Label: Indie