INTERVIEW : ALPHEUS

Interview by : Sébastien Jobart Pictures by : Benoit Collin on Thursday, January 24th 2008 - 8 675 views    Related album Everything for ...        Print        Reactions  (1)    Coxsone Dodd's last signing at Studio One, Alpheus has since joined the ranks of the French label Special Delivery. It is with them that he made his second and latest album, "Everything for a reason", released at the end of October. Behind Alpheus's sturdy frame lies a beautiful soul voice that makes the most of the riddims (several of them classics) played by Bost & Bim. And even a Phil Collins cover! Reggaefrance / What have you done since the release of your first album, ''Quality Time'', at Studio One? Alpheus / Since the release of ''Quality Time'', I've tried, in a way, to regroup, to get to know myself better and to mature. It was perfect working with Special Delivery and their talented musicians, Bost & Bim. Slowly but surely. Coxsone died in 2004; what do you remember from all those years spent alongside the most famous reggae producer? I remember the love and respect ''Sir D'' showed me. I was simply (and still am) a conscientious worker stumbling through his career, and he and his family took me in and welcomed me with open arms. They believed in me and in my voice. It was a happy time in my life because I had been through troubles in New York beforehand. They healed my heart and my mind. I will never forget Coxsone Dodd. There is a big photo of him in my flat… and in my heart. You seem to have a preference for rocksteady, which isn't the most popular genre in Europe. Why did you leave the USA? I didn't really choose to come to Europe. I'm here for a while, and I'll end up leaving. I don't know when, but hey! if I hadn't met Special Delivery, maybe I'd have left long ago! Everything happens for a reason, you know. (''Everything for a reason'', the title of his album, editor's note). If you had told me five years ago that I was a rocksteady artist, I would have said no. But now, having matured as a person and a musician, hearing myself sing on this kind of riddim that suits me even better, maybe you're right. But seriously, I don't limit myself to rocksteady, I'm capable of singing pop, rock, soul… anything that is good musically and suits me, as you can hear on the album. Tracks like Rude Yute, Rest Assured, Mother Dearest, Sad Face… those tracks aren't rocksteady but the chemistry, the groove works. You know what I mean? Let's talk about your album, ''Everything for a reason''. This album is the fruit of collective work, thanks to the good relationship I have with JP and Pierre of Special Delivery. My lyrics deal with my experiences, good or bad, over the last seven or eight years. Many of the tracks were recorded in France over the last two years, with the help of Bost & Bim. We've got to know each other well over five years. Hence the musical chemistry that the album is the result of. There are only European producers: Special Delivery, Powpow, Irie Ites, Stingray… It was almost exclusively work with Special Delivery. As an artist, when you work in this way with musicians or a label, the result can only be better. Because you know each person's musical character perfectly, their desires. It encourages coherence in the result. All the other producers were Special Delivery's ideas, which means the tone of the album is combined rather than fixed. A good idea, I think… Tell him the truth with Kiprich is a very good song; how did it come about? Yes, there was a good vibe. The idea for the song came from me. It's a true story, like all my songs. It's about me and an artist friend who both liked the same girl. I wanted the girl to tell him the truth about her feelings for me, and my friend reacted the way Kiprich does on the track… I put the idea to Special Delivery and they were the ones who thought of Kiprich. They thought he would be ideal in the role of the friend who wants the girl, and they were right. There's also the track My Sound; why sing about sound systems? Sound systems have shaped reggae, from the days of Coxsone and Duke Reid until now. Deep down, I am a sound man, ever since I was small, when I grew up in London. Pierre of Special Delivery insisted a lot that I record a sound man track. At first I didn't want to, but he knew he would manage to convince me because he knows me well. I gave in quickly when he turned up with the Irie Ites version of Studio One's Rocking Time. My friend Nicky Jackson, who had a big sound system in London in the 80s, helped me write the lyrics. I love this tune! Your album blends roots, rock steady, one drop, lovers rock, ska… Do you love all these genres, or is the aim to reach as many listeners as possible? When I made this mix of reggae sub-genres for this album, I was thinking about reaching different kinds of people. We simply wanted to make good music, and here is the result… But I'm happy that it's a range of good reggae.    Related album Everything for ...        Print       Reactions (1)

REACTIONS

1 Comment General appreciation : belle voix ! bon chanteur ! Posted by multicarte Rating :  Thursday, February 14th 2008