The Shamen’s Mr C Talks Disco Biscuits With His Old Mate Ebeneezer Goode

It’s been 22 years since DJ Richard West (AKA Mr C) parted ways with mockney Dickensian and scourge of the tabloids, Ebeneezer Goode. Together they achieved notoriety with The Shamen’s anthem to Ecstasy as well as a number one in the UK charts for four weeks.Thump thought it would be a fun to reunite them for our column My First Pill.

Mr C: I suppose you’d better start by telling us where Ebeneezer Goode originated from…

Ebeneezer Goode: At a Shamen concert, a guy in the place with a bittersweet face put his hands on (The Shamen founding member) Colin Angus’ shoulders and said to him “Es are Good, Es are Goode”. They decided that night it would be fun to introduce me to the world. And Ebeneezer Goode was born.

But as you know, my friends call me ‘Eezer.

‘Ere, I’ve never asked you this – where did the name Mr C come from?

Am I allowed to say ‘cunt’ in print?

Ebeneezer Goode: Doubt it. There’s not enough DJ’s with made-up names any more, they’ve all got really boring normal names nowadays like Calvin Harris

It’s the downfall of cutting edge music. Silly music deserves a silly name. How did an upstanding Dickensian gent like yourself come across Ecstasy then?

Ebeneezer Goode: I was dancing like a loon as usual and someone liked my energy and popped one in my mouth.

Do you remember what pill it was?

Ebeneezer Goode: It was a White Dove. 120mg MDMA from America.

And where was it?

Ebeneezer Goode: I was raving alone and on the dancefloor at Shoom in early ’88, enjoying Colin Faver playing acid house and feeling great. An hour after consumption with eyes open wide, I travelled to a place of empathy somewhere deep inside. 

And can you describe the feeling? 

Ebeneezer Goode: At first I felt nothing. Then my hands started to become sweaty and my mouth kind of dry. All of a sudden I felt these tingles down my spine and the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Before I knew it I had these big overwhelming rushes passing though my body. The bass in the music felt like it was inside me and all of a sudden, everything made sense, like I knew why I was there. Something cleared deep in my subconscious and I was filled with empathy. I loved everyone, wanted to hug everyone and not just for the sake of it, but because I really did love them.

And how did the evening go?

Ebeneezer Goode: It literally flew by, mate. So fast that it almost felt like it was a dream. 

And how did you feel after?

Ebeneezer Goode: I was full of joy, but more importantly I felt like a new me. Like something that had been trapped in my subconscious was mysteriously released, freeing me to simply be me instead of trying to be like someone else. 

No regrets then?

Ebeneezer Goode: Of course no regrets.

And now you’re a bit older and wiser…design for life or recipe for disaster?

Ebeneezer Goode: Design for life, though E’s the kind of geezer who must never be abused.

You still remember the words of our song?

Ebeneezer Goode: Of course. It’s a real honour to have had such an diamond outfit like The Shamen write a song about little old me!

The song went “if you know ‘Eezer he’s a real crowd pleaser” – How important is the drug for the whole scene?

Ebeneezer Goode: I think E’s vital for helping people go to a place deep inside, previously unreached. It’s in this place that memories of past events can surface, things that have been suppressed, which can then be looked at, and one can then finish one’s thinking on these issues, thus clearing blockages. The scene, the music and even my favourite club The End may not have been what they were had it not been for my namesake. I think everyone should take one and go dancing, then there would be no more war!

Were you surprised we got so high in the charts?

Ebeneezer Goode: No. Were you?

No, I said to Colin when the vocals were recorded that this song would be number one.

Ebeneezer Goode: And why on earth did you think you’d get away with singing ‘E’s are good?’

Because I sang “Eezer Goode”, not “E’s are good.” The song was so well written. Being two parallel songs running side by side, one was airtight about your Goode self, a fun loving character. The other obvious, but only if you knew to remove the H from the word “He” in the verses.

Ebeneezer Goode: How did we get away with it?

By speaking only of you, Ebeneezer. Of course the chorus was the only problem that the media had, as they couldn’t see past their noses. We justified it by telling them that we call you ‘Eezer for short. Bit of a harsh come-down when the tabloids started cottoning onto what you represented. 

Ebeneezer Goode: We caused quite a kerfuffle in the press!

Melody Maker hated me as I was this dance kid who helped change their beloved indie-rock band The Shamen into a dance act. The Daily Star ran with the story about an evil acid house band subverting the minds of the nation’s children. It was all good fun though and I got to stuff the infamous codpiece I wore for the song on Top Of The Pops with the said articles from both the Monotony Maker and The Star.

Ebeneezer Goode: The Shamen became the first band in British pop history to delete a single while it was still at No 1 in September 1992. Why did you delete the song after four weeks at Number One?

It was ruining out release schedule. We really wanted to release Phorever People in December with the hope of a Christmas top 5, which we achieved and also had to get Boss Drum out before that too. It was also a statement of intent.​

Ebeneezer Goode: Looking back, was it the right decision?

Of course it was. If we hadn’t deleted it, it would’ve stayed at number one for months and to be fair, we were already sick of the attention it had received. 

Ebeneezer Goode: And what has the song meant for you?

Many things. Notoriety, fun, naughtiness, but most importantly, as the media rightly put it, the song did help to corrupt the nation’s youth. 

Ebeneezer Goode: And are you still as naughty as ever?

Wasn’t I supposed to be asking you the questions? So, are you?

Ebeneezer Goode: I will always be the naughtiest person in the place, I was designed that way. ;)

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