Trumpeter C-Money talks Batman, public office, and vodka and grape juice

‘We play social music, a mixture of styles based on the principle of making people dance and think,” says Players Inc. trumpeter/keyboardist Christofer “C-Money” Welter. “Social music is a term coined by Miles Davis, and it sums up a lot of new music that is hard to define in a genre.”

C-Money spent nearly a decade with Boston band John Brown’s Body before joining Ocean Beach jamsters Slightly Stoopid in 2006, eventually relocating to San Diego. His debut solo album Family Business melded both bands a bit, with recording and songwriting assist from Craig Welsch (who’s worked with both Body and Stoopid) and songs by Stoopid bandmate Kyle McDonald and Body buddy Elliot Martin. His sophomore full-length The Rebirth of Hip-Hop coincided with the birth of his newest ensemble, C-Money and the Players Inc.

Though still constantly on tour with Slightly Stoopid, C-Money says his solo ventures have allowed him to meet several musical idols. “Don Carlos and G Love treated me as a fellow musician and gave me very solid advice on many things. [Players Inc.] may not have the same name recognition as Slightly Stoopid, but working and playing on a smaller scale sometimes can keep you fresh, musically speaking. I’m a country boy from birth, so keeping it simple is what works best for me.”

WHAT’S IN YOUR MUSIC PLAYER?

1) Pink Floyd, Animals. “A classic I always need.”

2) Miles Davis with Gil Evans, Quiet Nights. “One the best of his work with ol’ Gil.”

3) Snoop Dogg, Murder Was the Case: The Soundtrack. “Not well known, but the beats and raps are A-plus.”

4) Old and in the Way, Live. “An American classic and a revival all at once, they played a real style of bluegrass during its revival in the 1970s. We all should know this band’s stuff.”

5) Gustav Holst, Suite No. 1 for Military Band in E Flat Major. “Bet you didn’t think I took it this far!”

BEST ADVICE YOU EVER GOT?

“My grandfather used to say, ‘Keep your nose clean and your pecker up.’ Seriously, it was something they said to each other in World War II that he brought back from England.”

MAC OR PC?

“I think the youth should know both. They run on similar platforms, even though they have major obvious differences. I can use a PC or Mac because I’m a poor musician who never has enough money to use a consistent brand and therefore can use either to get a task done. If all youth could do this, they would open up their job possibilities and add a way to hustle to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.”

WHAT’S YOUR POISON?

“Fruit juice mixed with soda water during the day and grape juice and vodka at night.”

WEBSITE BOOKMARKS?

1) “YouTube, for music research.”

2) “Facebook, for social-media upkeep.”

3) “Gmail, to keep in touch.”

4) “Google, to find stuff.”

5) “Wikipedia, to close an argument.”

FIRST BOOK READ?

“A George Washington biography.”

IF YOU COULD READ OUR MINDS?

“I’d ask powerful people questions and see if they’re telling the truth.”

YOUR RECIPE FOR SUCCESS?

“One thing I’ve learned in my biz is that, if you want to be somewhere bad enough, nothing can stop the human spirit...it’s not that far out of your reach.”

WORST MOVIE?

“The last Batman was not what the vibe should be, and it put me to sleep. Too much terror and not enough heroism! We focus on the bad guy too much right now. We focus on bad news too much in general...bad and good exist in equal, so why not let the good news be heard just as much as we freak out about whatever witch-hunt the media is onto today?”

WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THE YOUNGER YOU?

“To never borrow money from anybody.”

SOMETHING YOU NEVER RUN OUT OF?

“Herbs.”

STILL ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?

“Run for a public office.”

BIGGEST LIE YOU EVER TOLD?

“All lies are big.”

BACKUP CAREER PLAN?

“Own a medium-size, diverse, and functional farm — organic — that gives food to poor areas and teaches people how to farm their own land.”

THREE THINGS WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU?

1) “I love American history.”

2) “I maintain several fishtanks.”

3) “When I’m not a musician, I’m a carpenter.”