Zoot Money obit

Zoot Money Has Died

 

He was not on the list.

UK R&B pioneer Zoot Money has died.

The news was confirmed on his social media channels this weekend, with a simple notice on Zoot Money’s Facebook feed:

Ladies and gentlemen – Zoot Money has left the building.

May the circle be unbroken.

George Bruno Money

17th July 1942 – 8th September 2024

Born and brought up in Bournemouth, Zoot Money was drawn to music from a young age, becoming obsessed with Black American rhythm ‘n’ blues. Taking his stage name from jazz musicians Zoot Sims, he became a key fixture on the London and south coast club scene.

Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band could command huge crowds in the metropolis and beyond, particularly amongst the nascent Mod scene. While a big concert draw, a hit eluded them – the band’s version of ‘Big Time Operator’ perhaps becoming their best-known moment.

Often compared to John Mayall – himself recently passed – the Big Roll Band becoming a finishing school for UK R&B musicians. Zoot Money and Andy Summers – later of the Police – developed a close partnership, and when the counter culture blossomed the band was overhauled as the psychedelia-oriented Dantalian’s Chariot.

Dressed in white and with a wonderful live show, the band had one golden moment – ‘Madman Running Through The Fields’ – but found audiences beyond the London underground eluded them.

Returning to his blues and soul roots, Zoot Money was an in-demand session musician over the following decades, as well as a consistent touring act. Amongst his more curious achievements was overseeing the soundtrack for cult classic TV series Tutti Frutti.

Zoot Money passed away on September 8th – he was 82 years old.

He is best known for his playing of the Hammond organ and association with his Big Roll Band. Inspired by Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles, he was drawn to rock and roll music and became a leading light in the vibrant music scene of Bournemouth and Soho during the 1960s. He took his stage name 'Zoot' from Zoot Sims after seeing him in concert

Money was associated with The Animals, Eric Burdon, Peter Green, Steve Marriott, Kevin Coyne, Kevin Ayers, Humble Pie, Steve Ellis, Alexis Korner, Snowy White, Mick Taylor, Spencer Davis, Vivian Stanshall, Geno Washington, Brian Friel, the Hard Travelers, Widowmaker, Georgie Fame and Alan Price. He is also known as a bit part and character actor.

Film appearances

Red Hair, one of Leonard Rossiter's fellow commuters, in the 1978 short film The Waterloo Bridge Handicap

Lotterby in the 1979 film Porridge

a promotions man in the 1980 UK film Breaking Glass

a music-publishing executive in the 1981 Madness film Take It or Leave It

Dorking, alongside Eddie Kidd in the 1981 film Riding High

Chalky White in the 1983 film Bullshot

a pirate in the 1983 film The Pirates of Penzance

a party guest in the 1984 film Supergirl

the first taxi driver in the 1984 film Scandalous

Supersonic Sam in the 1985 film Billy the Kid and the Green Baize Vampire

Chez Nobody Barman in the 1986 film Absolute Beginners

In 2000 he starred in a film based on guitarist Syd Barrett, as a fanatical fan stalking the rock star Roger Bannerman in the underground cult film Remember a Day.

 

Television appearances

Sometimes credited as G.B. Money or G.B, he has appeared in a number of other small roles in British television programmes including ‘’Rutland Weekend Television (season 1, episode 4) with John Halsey as The Fabulous Bingo Brothers, Bergerac, The Professionals, Shoestring, Big Deal, The Bill, London's Burning, The Piglet Files and EastEnders. In 1989 he played a New Age Traveller in the ITV drama Forever Green. In 1992 and 1993 he appeared in the BBC sitcom Get Back as a dim but well meaning family friend 'Bungalow Bill' alongside Ray Winstone, Larry Lamb and Kate Winslet.