Casino
Mercer / Neuberger Berman / Portfolio Institutional
Yesterday, all our troubles seemed so far away. Then we became daydream believers. Now, mama mia, we’re finally facing our Waterloo. Wake us up when September ends...
Band Members:
Matthew 'Shades' Demwell - Vox
1957 Born at 5.00 am. Hence enduring dislike of mornings. 1976 Joined Sun Life Assurance in London straight from school i.e. eschewed three years of drugs, sex and rock ‘n’ roll at Uni for a job and a mortgage. Clearly a budding actuary. 1987 First picked up a guitar to accompany himself singing. 1998 Named 'Britain’s Wildest Actuary'. Appeared on a Newsnight Christmas special arranging a pension for Santa Claus. 1999 First public gig supporting Tom Robinson at Crisis Open Christmas. 2010 Founded Casino.
Tony 'Tone' English - Axe
Tone's stage career has been varied. He was reportedly seen on stage in 1995 with a group of farmyard animals, attacking a chicken and demonstrating a stunning lack of bladder control. Subsequently banned from the student union for his final year at university, Tone initially became a recluse, but was in part redeemed playing cool jazz in restaurants, 'Round Midnight, and a bit of “Pokey” jazz-funk. Whilst not yet complete, Tone's path to redemption continues with regular “electric” contributions with Mrs. Tone and friends at their local place of worship, supported by the three devoted mini-Tones. Tone is ready and waiting to spin the wheel for Casino and turn that dial to 11.
Ed 'Volume Knob' Jones - bass guitar
Ed "Volume Knob" Jones, known to his friends, usually, in the shortened form of "Volume" (although this can vary) is a classically trained musician with a music degree. Ed originally auditioned to join the band on viola, and he was so good we asked him to play bass.
Michael 'Maverick' Kinney - guitar
With a mother who studied piano and music theory at college and a father actively involved in the business, Kinney was always likely to have an interest in music. But it took the punk movement of late 1976 and 1977 to kick start his interest. “It was such a breath of fresh air - everyone was joining a band”. Until then, his musical talents had been restricted to achieving grade 1 in the piano and grade 4 in the trumpet. With the trumpet only starting at grade 3, Kinney’s ambitions clearly lay elsewhere.
“I appreciated the classical start, but was not hungry for it. Then in 1977 a school friend started a band and needed a drummer”. Kinney eagerly took to the skins, but was envious of the attention gained by the guitarist. “A rich kid with a Les Paul copy. He sold me his other guitar for twenty quid.” Armed with his first axe, Kinney set about learning the riffs to the band’s songs. “The guitar was awful - the frets buzzed and only one pick-up worked” remembers Kinney. But with enough distortion the sound was passable, and two weeks later Kinney assumed responsibility for guitar in the band. “I haven’t touched a drum stick since. That summer I worked in a petrol station to get the cash for a better guitar. I even got Trevor MacDonald’s autograph working there.”
Several guitars, bands and concerts later, Kinney is still addicted to playing the guitar. “Although I’m a little better now”, he typically understates. So how did he get there?
“After school I played in a band at home, but it wasn’t satisfying”. The band played regular covers, but was cruelly booed off stage whilst murdering ‘Hotel California’ at a pub gig. “The band split up”, recalls Kinney. “Playing in bands at university was great - everyone did it for fun and kept making guest appearances in each other’s bands. But I always worried about my image. It didn’t come naturally to me”. Close sources suggest he wore black and took up smoking to look like Jimmy Page.
After university, Kinney continued his fretboard skills in the army years before James Blunt made it fashionable. “Yeah - it sounds odd, but I played well then”. Successes included air time on a Berlin radio show. “I’m not saying it was because of my playing,” said Kinney, “but then the Wall came down.”
Playing now as part of the twin axe attack in Casino, Kinney is playing as much guitar as ever.
Sebastian Cheek - Drums
Raised on a diet of the Chili Peppers and hardcore punk, he pleased his family no end throughout his teens by smashing the hell out of his drum kit, which was conveniently set up in the living room! Rock ‘n’ roll beckoned at the tender age of 17 when he joined a heavy funk three-piece called Shallow before playing with a riff-heavy four-piece, Crazy 88. More recently, occupied the drum throne for synth indie band King Robot, but now returns to the 100 Club with Casino.