In our featured video, 10-year-old Jake Collisson holds a sign asking to play guitar with RPJ Band. In this case, it was an epic win. Young Jake was great, an audience video went viral (6.3m views in one month!), and they all made the TV news. Bear in mind that even when you can play a bit, there’s always a chance of disaster in a live setting, even for experienced players. The guitar could be out of tune, you might have feedback, you might not hear yourself in the monitors – a lot can go wrong.
We see Rick Parfitt Jr’s concern at the beginning of the video. With their broad repertoire of covers of singalong classics, RPJ Band is an event band with a reputation for turning events into full-on concerts. A polished, professional, crowd-pleasing outfit, they pride themselves on bringing the party and stand out for being helmed by the son of Rick Parfitt, the Status Quo frontman. The last thing Rick Parfitt Junior needed was a chastened child or miffed parents. What if the kid mucks up?
10-year-old Jake slayed it. All was well! Music Man readers know that many big acts invite an audience member to join in on the odd song. Michael Bublé regularly duets with audience members. Bruce Springsteen likes calling a child onstage for Waiting on a Sunny Day. The Music Man archives are full of great performances by audience members. Still, it can be a risk for both the act and the lucky audience member. Bands can’t invite people on stage willy-nilly just because they’re holding a sign!
Luckily, Rick Parfitt trusted young Jake Collisson. Amy Stuttle comments, “I was so lucky to see this live. My chin is still on the floor and I am telling everyone I meet about Jake!” Will Morris writes, “Well done to the band for being such good sports; many bands would have ignored the lad.” Bill Ceve says, “Amazing how this can make a 65-year-old father cry. When you have children, you know how special the moment is for Jake, amazing.” This is BBC1’s news report on the story:
In the first video, you don’t really see how young Jake is, as he pulls it off so well. You know he’s ten, but he doesn’t look it. In the news clip, you see that he’s a boy, a real youngster. Good on you, Jake. You pulled it off like a pro. You didn’t even need to watch the other musicians for nods and cues. It’s hard to fit into a band like that. Players have their quirks. So credit all around – to the RPJ Band for their professionalism, to Jake for his good ear for music, and to all for knowing the Guns & Roses original inside out.
As you heard in the BBC video, Jake is invited to guest with RPJ Band when they play on the main stage at CarFest 2024. Founded by radio and television personality Chris Evans in 2011, CarFest raises money for the Children in Need charity. It’s a big gig! It’s bound to be a blast for Jake and a bonus for RPJ Band. They’ve got a platform; eyes will be on the collaboration. Jake has raced to 61.8K YouTube followers. What will they play? Jake does a mean Voodoo Chile.
Jake’s first appearance with RPJ Band – where he held up his cardboard sign – was a fundraiser for the upkeep of the Painshill Park estate in Surrey. A survivor from the English Landscape Movement, the splendid 18th-century park was created as a living painting by Charles Hamilton. On 19 June 2024, RPJ Band was the featured act – Painshill hosts weekly evening concerts when the park stays open until 9 pm. It’s a splendid spot – complete with a gothic folly on a hill – so the extended evening access is popular. The Collisson family decided to go. Jake had a notion to make a sign…
Besides fronting the RPJ Band, Rick Parfitt Junior is a successful modified saloon car racer. As for young Jake Collisson, he has music videos on his YouTube channel going back to when he was six. His guitar covers include While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Voodoo Chile. The Music Man wishes Jake all the best on his journey.
If you would like to hear more from this talented guitarist you can subscribe to his YouTube Channel for more incredible music. To stay updated with his latest posts, follow him on Instagram.
