Longstanding Vive Le Rock contributor JOE WHYTE has just published his first book, Chaos From Cash, charting his double life in a Johnny Cash tribute band. We caught up with him during some rare downtime to find out just why he's such a wanted man...
Joe, you have been writing for Vive Le Rock for many years, so what, a book now?
I’d had the idea in my head for a few years, particularly when I thought about some of the mad escapades and mental people we’d encountered over the years. Jericho Hill - who are a punky Johnny Cash tribute - have played some of the most out-of-the-way and off the wall places in the highways and byways of the country and we seem to attract not just Cash fans, but weirdos, alcoholics, waifs and strays and the terminally delusional. The opening story, about a winter trip across the Clyde Estuary to play a gig in Dunoon is pretty indicative of what’s to follow - mishaps, madness and daft situations. I thought it best to get it all down on paper while I still could and funnily enough, I’ve actually remembered a few other tales that might get added if we do a second run!
Tribute bands get a pretty bad name but you chose Johnny Cash to cover which is an inspired choice...
I actually was only a very casual Johnny Cash fan; the band I’d previously been in had folded and I stuck an advert up looking for like-minded former punks and Bill Wright (who is 'Johnny Cash') responded, saying that he firmly believed that At Folsom Prison was the first punk album ever recorded and he’s not wrong. I went along to a rehearsal and we clicked right away. Someone once described us as "The Clash playing Cash” which is about right. We’ve played Rebellion a few times and the punks do, in fact, love those early rebel songs.
Do you have a favourite Cash song to play?
I like 'Wreck Of the Old 97' as it’s a banger. 'Ghost Riders' is another good one to play. The crowds always love 'Cocaine Blues, 'Folsom' and 'Jackson'. It’s mad how people enjoy all these songs of death, jail, spousal murder and other happy topics. It also always amazes me how every generation, from wee kids to pensioners know every word of these songs.
You have gigged all over the U.K and Ireland. What was the best gig - and the worst?
The first time we played the Wickerman Festival was special. Rammed out tent and the place going postal. The band are a good-time, party and drinking band so they all tend to be good. Barlinnie Prison was another notable one. There have been a few stinkers that you can read about in the book!
Have you ever had any feedback from anyone associated with Johnny Cash's estate on what they think of you?
Funnily enough, Charlene Boyd (our 'June Carter') went to Nashville and met some of the Cash-Carter family as she was researching June for a one-woman show that she has written and starred in that was a massive success at last year’s Edinburgh Festival. She ended up at the inauguration ceremony and at The Opry with the extended family and told them all about the band. Not bad, eh?
Finally-what’s next for Joe Whyte and Jericho Hill?
There might be another book about my life as a Community Mental Health nurse; there are forty-odd years of stories there but I might need to wait until I fully retire to protect my registration. I’m joking, of course, but there is a million war stories from the front line of psychiatry in Glasgow that are sad, funny and downright unbelievable. Jericho Hill will, of course continue to spread the gospel of Cash to the ends of the earth!
Chaos From Cash by Joe Whyte is available here.
