N.Z. Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

Rip It Up, Issue 81, 1 April 1984, Page 32

N.Z. Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

Jumbo Cluney

When the legends of Kiwi rock are recalled, too often forgotten are the men ho made it all roll the roadies. Road crew feats are legion within the business, but when crews gather round the house bar to practise standing up, one name dominates the stories that Jumbo Cluney.

Now time has of course inflated the myths but even the most cynical would hare to admit Jumbo was quite a man. He stood over six feet and. although his weight

was never really determined, it was a sturdy hotel bed which survived a Cluney . one night stand. Among those to work with Cluney was weathered rock star “Dick” Dribbler. “I remember Jumbo, said Dribbler, leaving his walking stick enthusiastically. “New Year Eve in Taupo. The whole bloody pub’s been condemened for years and we ’ve got 4000 bloody watts and there’s bits of plaster falling on the tables and the floor’s sagging. Jumbo spends the whole night holding up the stack with one arm and fighting off the local bikie gang who re trying to flog the power amps for their clubhouse. And the whole time he 's got a 40-ounce Johnny Walker clenched in his teeth. What a roadie, why ... gurgle ... splutter ...” /Is his reputation grew, Jumbo worked only with the biggest of bands. Indeed, it was only these acts who could afford to keep him in whisky, hamburgers and amphetamine sulphate. But in all his time on the road no one can ever recall seeing Jumbo shave, sleep or wash. Some claimed he never changed his clothes either, but since he only ever wore filthy jeans and black T-shirts it was hard to tell. He had a habit of disappearing for a couple of months ever}’year, during which time it was presumed he did these things. But just as it seemed Jumbo was about to make the big time, he drank three bottles of whisky after a Queenstown gig and announced he was going swimming in the icy waters of Lake Wakatipu. Legless band members were unable to stop him. Jumbo never came back. But ever since then crates of scotch have disappeared with regularity from local pubs and locals tell of seeing a huge black shape break the calm lake surface. But that’s just for tourists ...