Onze laatste liverecensie.
Onze laatste albumrecensie.
Ons laatste interview.
Onze laatste video.
You had the world waiting for new material for about two years. What took you so long?
"Well, it's not like we haven't been doing anything. After Big World.
came out we have been touring a lot, playing all over the world, and we've
been in the studio as well, of course, writing and recording new stuff.
Besides, we all have families who need taking care of. We've been pretty
busy, I'd say."
What does an average day of a Smith & Mighty member look like?
"Apart from doing the regular stuff — you know, running a family, having a
life and all that — we spend a lot of time in the studio working on ideas
each of us has. Mainly, we just jam a lot; when someone comes with an idea
for a song, we jam around the idea. We experiment a lot, but go with the
flow, if you know what I mean."
I asked because your music is so laid-back; I was just wondering if you were
like that in real life, or if it's like a reaction to a hectic life.
"Our lives aren't really hectic, so, no. It's also because of where we
live. Bristol is a relaxed place to be, which is why we stay here instead
of moving to London like many artists. There's such an easy vibe here, you
know? It's like Bristol is a little bit behind; unlike London, where
there's something new every week. I don't think London would be good for
us. People in London are into 'the latest thing' — they don't like music
that's been there for years, like ours. Which is probably also why we're
not famous in the UK."
Where does your fascination for the big bass sounds come from?
"In the '80s there were a couple sound systems in and around Bristol, like
the Coxsone Sound System, Saxon, and Jah Shaka. They were Jamaicans living
here, and we used to go to their parties. That's where we fell in love with
the bass sounds. They used bass frequencies that were so low you could
hardly hear them, but you would feel them, you know what I mean? It was an
under-the-ground sound. Later on, we built our own sound system, and Rob
Smith was in a reggae band in those days. When we're in the studio, we try
to recreate that dancehall sound.The bigger the bass, the better."
How did you become a member of Smith & Mighty?
"We met in 1987; I was working on the production of Massive Attack's Blue
Lines album. Massive and Smith & Mighty shared the same manager — that's
how we got to know each other. I ended up doing a couple of remixes for
them, and then Rob and I started working on More Rockers. Ever since, I have
been working together with them, only in the background, in the studio; not
as an official member. Since Big World., I'm officially part of the band."
What happened to the Jaz Klash project?
"That's over. We still do a lot of things apart from Smith & Mighty though.
We're busy with a few productions for our More Rockers label, and we might
start on a project with the Full Cycle posse.
But for now, we'll be touring again to promote Life Is. We'll probably
play more abroad than in the U.K. As I said, the people here aren't really
into our music. I think the people in Britain are spoiled, music-wise. It's
all too much focused on fashion. Not that we care though. It's great to
play abroad."
Will you be playing with a live band?
"Not with a full band. We've tried that, but we're not really a live band.
Usually we just play the way we work at home, our live set-up is a
reflection of our studio setup. When we were touring for Big World., we
did a sound system kind of thing onstage; now it's going to be a mixture
of live instruments and electronic stuff."
Are you going to bring any vocalists with you?
"Probably, yes. We don't know who though, not yet anyway."
Who are they?
"There's Chantelle, who sings on I Saw You, and Hazel — she's on Maybe
It's Me, and You Said Always. Nitty 40 is on the album. We have worked
with him on previous albums, as well. They're all from Bristol. We like to
work with people we know. We try to have new talents on our records, as well
as people we've worked with before. It keeps things fresh. Fresh is good,
fresh is healthy."
http://www.kindamuzik.net/interview/smith-mighty/smith-mighty/1527/
Meer Smith & Mighty op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/smith-mighty
Deel dit artikel: