Interviews
Tarrus Riley "The music have a fire and we have to burn it still"
On the 11th of februari Tarrus Riley is coming to Ghent, together with Dean Fraser, I-Octane and Duane Stephenson. We had an interview with Tarrus at the Sundance festival in august 2008 and surely we want to share it with you.
Did U enjoy the performance ?
Yes most definitely, because I like to perform and I like to sing, so when I get on the stage it’s all good.
Was it your first appearance in Europe ?
No, I was here (Reggae Sundance) last year with Jah Cure. Good vibes
Was it inherited, the way U perform and the way U sing?
Well I’ve been singing for a long time, even though I’m still a young youth. But stage and movements and all of that is natural. I don’t really plan like dance movements or so, I just sing with my feelings. But also we rehearse. The musicianship is very well rehearsed and it makes a difference.
U have a strong musical vibe and also strong opinions that U express in your music…. Like in a tune called “One Two Order”…
Well it’s not my idea alone, it’s the teachings of Rastafari that tell you about such topics. In tune with nature, the Rastaman teach us such things since I’ve been a youth. And I admired the life of the Rastaman and I said that this is the life I want to live. Because I see him as an example. Teaching of Selassie is like food for my soul. I don’t even believe it, I know that it’s right.
Same time we are dealing with everyday topics. Selassie and Marcus Garvey are people who dealt also with day-to-day topics. So I put their teachings inna musical vibe. I try to make people learn and still get a musical vibe.
In a tune like Computer World, U criticize the power of computers…Is it a new way for Babylon to control the world?
Well we definitely need the computer but we also need to be in tune with Mother Nature. So I’m just saying don’t get in too deep into it. I use the computer, I even want to get more computer literate, but you got to measure the right balance. Because it’s man who make the machine, not the machine who make the man.
As a son of a reggae legend Jimy Riley, you’ve been growing in the reggae music.
Yes man, Father was a singer so I used to hang around in the studios. But my Mother is my main influence in the music because she always give me a push and an encouragement. She’s not highlighted in the music fraternity because it’s not her profession but she did a lot.
My father put me in a musical environment very early and that help me a lot…. Music is Life !
It’s funny to hear U say this last sentence : it’s the name of a Beres Hammond album…
….Beres is a brethren to my Father and I know him well…
…When we watch U on stage U give us the feeling of Beres on stage : cool and bad !
…(Laugh) … The feeling is just definitely good to be compared to him.
Sometimes I get ragamuffin because it’s a militant world. So some kind of songs may sound a bit aggressive. It’s not to be disrespectful or anything like that… The music have a fire and we have to burn it still. Because if it don’t burn that way, people might take it physical. So we have to sing things and free up the people of those pressures of life.
So there’s no bad vibes, all the vibes are good and it’s all expression. Me sing love songs, me sing ragamuffin songs, we just do what we do.
Have you ever been to Africa ?
No I’ve never been there yet. Africa is in my heart and I well be there hopefully soon….
Published on 30/01/2010 by Irie Nation
Comments
There are no comments.
You need to be registered and logged in to post comments.
