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How did Dean and yourself decide to make an acoustic album and how did the project come to fruition?
We decided to make the album last year while we were on the tour bus, thinking about giving people some of the special, personal Tarrus Riley songs that they never probably got on singles. Songs with strong lyrics, real wholesome songs. It was Mr Fraser's idea to do it acoustic, I liked it and we started recording. It took about six months to record.
A lot of acoustic albums are just a voice and guitar but you and Dean have put a lot more into it than that.
Yes! For there is more to acoustic than just a voice and a guitar. Remember, acoustic is not electric so you have a whole heap of instruments you can use on an acoustic album and that's what you get on this album right here. So it's just like you said: "A lot more than just a voice and guitar" - and I've done that already on Parables with My Baby (Cyaan Sleep) where it was just my baby, a voice and guitar! So it wasn't just that, it was much more than that.
How did Dean and yourself decide to make an acoustic album and how did the project come to fruition?
We decided to make the album last year while we were on the tour bus, thinking about giving people some of the special, personal Tarrus Riley songs that they never probably got on singles. Songs with strong lyrics, real wholesome songs. It was Mr Fraser's idea to do it acoustic, I liked it and we started recording. It took about six months to record.
A lot of acoustic albums are just a voice and guitar but you and Dean have put a lot more into it than that.
Yes! For there is more to acoustic than just a voice and a guitar. Remember, acoustic is not electric so you have a whole heap of instruments you can use on an acoustic album and that's what you get on this album right here. So it's just like you said: "A lot more than just a voice and guitar" - and I've done that already on Parables with My Baby (Cyaan Sleep) where it was just my baby, a voice and guitar! So it wasn't just that, it was much more than that.
Let's talk about some tracks you've been doing with other people. You were vibing in the studio with your old tourmate I-Octane for the very uplifting song All We Need Is Love on his new album.
That was all courtesy of Robert Livingstone. He brought me to the studio and he wanted me on Octane's CD. As you know the first time Octane was on tour in Europe he was with us and we wish Octane all the best in what he's doing. All We Need Is Love is what the song is saying and it's true that all we need is love. We support Octane music and Konshens music and a lot of the new youths rising like C-Sharp and Protoje. We need more of them on the road so when we're touring we tour it up nice! And you see Jamaican music is bright just like how you see R&B with all the Ushers and the Chris Brown's and all of them. We have a whole heap of youth doing good music.
We have a whole heap of
youth doing good music
I was just going to mention Konshens as both you and your brother Wrath guested on the remix of his Rasta Impostor on his new album too.
(laughs) You know about my brother too? Both him and Konshens went to Excelsior and they are friends. They play football together because Konshens is a good footballer and enough people don't know about that! My brother plays football and he deejays in his spare time and because I was on the album Konshens said "Yow, bring your bredda and mek him give me a verse!" So it was all fun and we'll see how far it goes.
Both I-Octane and Konshens have talked about the guidance you give to newer artists. Konshens said being in the studio with you is like being in a school class where you have fun.
Well that's a big compliment and I really respect Konshens with that talk there! Konshens is crazy and we always have good fun in the studio! It's funny because we do this without even trying to do it when the man them like Octane call me their big brother! I'm not even approaching it like that. I'm not even trying anything - I'm just being myself! So it's good when the energy is up and it's good, like we say, that we really expect great things from the youth. Trust me. Because I can't do it by myself and I really want great things to happen to those youths to show you how powerful reggae music and Jamaican music is!
As a deejay when you started out you must have no problem helping both deejays and singers with their technique.
Honestly, that is my first music influences like Shabba Ranks, Bounty, Buju, that whole music. It was just the love of music and wanting to do music long term that led me into singing as well as encouragement from people like Mr Fraser and my brethren Gibby Morrison. I used to tell my brethrens at the time "If you're doing music I want to go for the long run" so they'd tell me "You need to sing" and I'd say "I can't sing!" I recorded a song for Danny Browne and I was singing "SCREW FACE LEFT FROM BOUT YAH" and he stopped the tape and started laughing! I said "W'happen?" and he said "Haha you think you're a deejay!" I said "Wha? I'm a deejay!" and he said "You're wasting your voice man!" But he still recorded me and he still put out the song. So now I can sing, I can deejay, I can rap, I can play a little instrument, I'm on a roll! (laughs)
We are working on some
music right now that London is going to just eat up!You're a big fan of the singer Amy Winehouse. Did you ever get to meet her?
No, I didn't and that was a big big big bad bad bad thing. I wish I met her and I would love her to rest in peace. I am a big fan of Amy Winehouse for real - that is true!
You have lots of European tour dates lined up. Will you and the band be playing acoustic, electric, both?
Well the way I play it is, the tour was around before the album was around! So now the tour and album work together because now we are on tour promoting the album. We've been in France for almost a week now doing acoustic sessions and they've been real good so that's probably the whole of the acoustic part! But you're still going to get the songs and it's good because we play every kind of music - reggae, rocksteady, nyabinghi , dancehall , the different diversity of the music and that's what the show is all about. Where are you from?
London.
London! My place! I like to come to London. Mr Fraser is just telling me that the 4th August is his birthday and we will be going to England. And listen, let me tell you, I have a special love for London trust me! I come to London and all of a sudden I am an Englishman! (laughs) Every time I come to England it is a big deal. The last time I was there with Beres Hammond, trust me, I had the best time of my life! And I am working on a project right now that London is going to love! We are working on some music right now that London is going to just eat up! You are going to love it.
The one thing we don't
switch is the messageAll the while you have been making this acoustic album you have been stacking up tunes in the dancehall. Will these be collected on your next electric album?
(big laugh) Nah man! No dancehall album! I know you all love them but listen! That is just another part of me that I had to express and we give thanks that everybody love it. It's nice because it makes the concert nice and it shows you the diversity of me . But I am Tarrus Riley and I have to surprise you. The minute I stop surprising you we have a problem! I have to keep you all on your toes so just as you think I'm doing it this way, I just switch it on you the next way. But one thing we don't switch is the message. Even though the beat might change we are still telling you to love yourself, love your culture, self esteem. It's all about BLAKSOIL and what BLAKSOIL represents - unity and gathering so you don't have to worry!
Interview by Angus Taylor
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