Reasons They Got Thrust Into The Top Spot
P credit: C. Harrison (R)Dir. Richard Lue, Kumar and Demar
By Editor: C. Harrison/January 10-12, 2017_
Raging Fyah is a prominent identity known worldwide as a Jamaican Reggae Band. A few months ago the group was nominated in the best reggae album category for the 2017 59th annual Grammy Awards, to showcase this February via their latest album “Everlasting;” a debut album for VP Records, dropped Spring, May 2016. It followed the group’s previous albums “Destiny” 2014 and “Judgement Day,” 2011. The group also has a 2017 tour lineup. Fyah stop in at VP, for the pre-Grammy interview to let us know why ‘Everlasting’ had been chosen for Best Reggae album of the year and bestowed upon a gift, a Grammy nomination. The interview took place at VP’s warehouse on Jamaica Ave, NY and was attended by a room full of media personalities. Raging Fyah got its inception 2006.
The Interview was conducted by Richard Lue, Director of Business Development for VP Records. The announcement was made by Dub Rocker Imprint, a VP Records in-house. “Everlasting” is produced by Llamar ‘Riff Raff’ Brown, a Tuff Gong studios Producer. A Grammy nomination and award are sort after dreams by every musician world over, who seek it as they progress in their musical journey. The resilient band has proven that they are the young ambassadors of reggae who have picked up the torch to carry on cultural reggae music and to show that cultural & roots reggae veteran musicians have in fact passed on to the next generation to ensure that this type music will be alive and well in the future.
The very cultivated Raging Fyah, is a five member band that’s said to be talented and dynamic. The group which started in 2002, consisted of three members: Demar Gayle, keyboard player, Anthony ‘Tony’ Watson, drummer and Delroy ‘Pele’ Hamilton bass player. The trio attended the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts, under the guidance of Ibo Cooper, a former Keyboardist with Third World and called themselves Inside-Out. Thereafter, two more band members Conroy Willis, singer and veteran Cortland ‘Gizme’ White, lead guitarist joined the group in 2005. And later in 2010, the group added Kumar Bent, a protege also of the Edna Manley College of Visual and Performing Arts, who helped the group to finalised their desires to write and perform original pieces.
The astute band was a touring band at first, they played all over Jamaica, backing several artists; but, it was after Kumar, who spearheaded the efforts in the birth of “Everlasting,” and inspired the single “Dash Wata,” along with “Ragga Muffin,” and “Getting Dread,” that the band took a perspective path…one that would shape, defined and solidified the identity the group carved out for themselves today. The group’s chosen path to stay roots reggae and to be uniquely versatile, was not surprising nor unsuspecting. It was a tactical move because the band toured and surmised what the world wanted as far as reggae sounds.
Moreover, they knew that their lyrical tunes and sounds were linked to iconic legends including Third World, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Inner Circle, Aswad, Maroon 5, Steel Pulse, and Bere Hammond. Thus, they realised what the world wanted more of. Furthermore, being a young and up coming band, they were poised to filled that gap. “From our last album until now, we have travelled so much and experienced different scenarios that we felt that they should be a part of Everlasting,” noted Pele. It also helped that the group was blessed; to record the monster hit album, at Tuff Gong studios and already have a Grammy ace Llamar, has a producer whose legacy includes: Stephen Marley, Damian Marley, and Morgan Heritage. The rest was history and was certain to be in the Grammy’s line of sight.
“Everlasting,” which significantly personified and propelled Raging Fyah, to acclaim status of top spot and is slated to fetch a Grammy award, put the group in the company of a selected few; basically cemented them to the industry’s creed. “The challenging lyrics on “Everlasting, challenged what we were able to do as musicians.” “Musically, we kept our roots but went way beyond them because there is not one shape to Fyah, it takes different forms,” stated keyboard player Demar. And according to Pat Meschino, of Billboard, the title “Everlasting”, was chosen to convey the durability of Raging Fyah’s music and the long term collaborating with Riff Raff, has had on the band.” Conversely, Demar also explained that “We had the choice to work with any producer we wanted locally and internationally and we chose Llamar. “We have learned so much from him and the way he helped to shape our sound is an everlasting lesson.”
More Importantly, the group inserted some of their experiences noting , “When you are on tour you make a lot of sacrifices; the last time we were on tour we were being driven in a little van sitting up for 18 hours. We were tire miserable and uncomfortable, we wanted to go home to our wives, kids and love ones but couldn’t. We had to sacrifice and enjoyed doing it. It wasn’t that we wanted to tour using a little van, but in terms of cutting cost, and staying within our budget we have had to do so, especially, because we had little money.” “It’s not fun it’s a business,” they conceded.
Additionally, the group confessed that they would go back to that little tiny van, if they had to do it, to break into another market even through they have come into acclaimed status. Their reason were that one, or (artists) don’t know his/her or their true worth. They explained that if an artist were to go on tour with numerous artists or 50 artists, the artist won’t know who is there to see him/her. For example, they said that when they first went to Europe, they only had one hundred people in the room but, by their last show they had 800 fans showed up to see them. The band also pointed out that success doesn’t come as easy as one might think, they contended that they didn’t see major success in Jamaica and that it was not until Europe that they saw and started getting some successes. They did Europe to get some play in Jamaica. Noting here, that fifty percent of the tourist came on board for them and that it was the tourist that called upon them for 2016. Here, interviewer Lue assured them that they have already made it and that the Grammy’s nomination and hopefully trophy, is just reflecting the point.
Confidently, the group revealed that they have been trying since 2010 to structure themselves into the crest of the music industry, where they could literally realized what they are working for as well as worth. They conveyed that for the past five years they have been seriously working towards a Grammy.nomination, should they win thereafter, its back to the drawing board looking towards the future five years.
Raging Fyah, collectively comes from all over Jamaica, they have been writing together for the last ten years. The group explained that they basically talked to each other every single day and that sometimes they talk la little and sing a little; if what is manifested sounds good the excerpts get turned into songs. The ultimate goal they said is to, produce particular types of music that the entire family can listen to. The group stressed that now that they’re set for bigger and better shows, they need to do some shows in Jamaica. “We were invited to Dominica to do the boat show,” they revealed.
“Everlasting,” carries 13 tracks, and its strategic simplicity divulged innovative sophistication; which is embedded in the array of music styles on the album. Some track favourites are: “Happiness,” “Try Again,” “Justice,” and “Ready For Love.” The album also collaborated tracks with heavy weight like Busy Signal, who nestled us with “Would you Love Me,” and “Live Your Life.” Also on the collaborative, tail are Jesse Royal, who threw down with “Humble,” and California’s up coming reggae gem J. Boog.
The album’s other raving tracks are “Wondering,” lauded to bring about attention to the plight of Haiti and “Get Up,” which fringes on the idea of progresson of Africans and the historical smite they faced down. Further defending “Get Up,” Kumar reiterated that the song is also about a belief system via the advancement of the black race; creeping first then walking as a people and taking pride in our history. Kumar said, ” The classical pieces put into the set is to represent colonialism.”
Raging Fyah’s performances has brought them to the crust of the world’s pathways which includes: the South Pacific Island of New Caledonia, Siberia, Russia, Europe, and now vested in the middle of an extensive tour already in progress here in United States, which begun March 2016, in San Diego and is set to last through to March 2017; ending at the Rialto Theater in Tucson, AZ. From there, its back to Europe beginning May 10, 2017, to support UB40 and ending August 2017. The group had also performed in Santa Cruz, CA at the Emerald Cup…along side Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley, Dirty Heads, Tribal seeds and Stick Figure. The band have been supported by networks such as the BBC, Robert Elms Show, David Rodigan and Toddla T. Raging Fyah is one of five artists nominated for the BBC’s freshman session for 2017 and is the only reggae band in the running. Other nominees sited are Nadia Rose, A.J Tracy, Afro B, and Murder He Wrote.
The Grammy’s other nominees are Sly & Robbie, Devin D J Dakta, J. L, J. Boog, Ziggy Marley, Revolution and SOJA. In ending the spirited interview, Raging Fyah assured us that they’re always working even if we don’t see or hear them on radio.
Photo credit: C. Harrison
VP Records Team Kumar, C. Harrison, Demar
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Plugin in here….Monday, February 6, 2017 come celebrate the great one himself Bob Marley’s Birthday… His earth strong wil be held @ SOBs Verdict Street, Manhattan.
p-credit: C. Harrison
