INTERVIEW : SANCHEZ

Interview by : Sébastien Jobart Pictures by : Romane Guillet on Monday, September 22nd 2014 - 6 036 views  Print        Reactions  (0)    Longevity has its perks: when he comes off stage, Sanchez has no desire to give in to the pressing interview requests, preferring to rest. But he recognises us: we met him on his first visit to France, when he was discovering Paris in 2003. Ten years later, Sanchez celebrated his reunion with the French public this summer, at the Garance Reggae Festival. "Sanchez is back", he wants us to know. After a parenthesis that lasted far too long, Sanchez, now settled in the United States, is more determined than ever to get back to the heights of old. Reggaefrance / Hello Sanchez, last time we met was in France ten years ago. It was your first visit in France, and now is the second time. Sanchez / I tell you man, for real… That’s why I said to the crowd: « it’s been a long way coming”. They may have not understood, but you know! I’m honored to be back, I’m grateful to be here. I want to be here every year! What do you answer if I say “Reggae Sunsplash 1988”? (Laughter) I would say 7 encores! (Laughter) This was my biggest moment, until this day. Easily! My God that was a moment! Your fans are pushing you, you just want to go! I would just go all night! For you guys, for real, you are awesome. You grew up in a Christian family, how did they react when you discover sound systems and dancehall culture? Going to church, I would pass the sound system streaming up, I look at the side of the box and I see King Jammy! “Oh my God that’s King Jammy!” Coming back from church, I would hear them play, I would hear the deejays and stuff and tell myself: “Oh My God that’s so good! That’s what I want to do!” I know it was wrong, but it’s just music, man. I love music, I swear to God.    Comme le disait Bob Marley : « Tu dois taper dans la balle ! »     Did your parents think that dancehall was wrong? Yes. I appreciated this music, and it’s been doing well for me. Yeah, it happened for me. Thank God! You worked with lots of producers but your name is tied to the Penthouse label… Penthouse is a great camp. We have done a lot of songs together, and most of my hits too. Donovan German is a “producer’s producer”. Penthouse, Xterminator, Techniques… And don’t forget Digital B! Those are the better producers of today and even until this day. There are still options of me working. It’s not off the table. I’m willing, because, they know what they’re doing and I want to be amongst the great. You released a gospel album in 1999. I did that with my mum in heart, and in my thoughts. Knowing that I used to go to church every Sunday and all that, I didn’t want to just turn my back completely against it. I wanted to hold her head above the waters (Laughter) so to speak. I tried, and it works. I mean, she is not dead with it, but she is not against it, and that makes me good. What about "The General" album? Oh man, that story behind that album… I think that album is going to be the album of the decade. I bet you! That album is going to be the album… I don’t know. It’s like promoting a show for five months (Laughter). It’s going to be good. Look out for it because I put my heart, I put my soul, I put everything in that album. I played most of the songs. I know my fans will hail it. Who produces the album? I did. I did everything. Do you have plans to release another gospel album? Yeah of course. But I’ve just started travelling back and stuff so I really want to get some mileage; you know, get out and let people know that Sanchez is ready again. So I’ll get back in the studio and do my thing. Do you still play football? Man… I’m not going to lie, for real. I can’t believe I stopped playing football. I can’t believe it! I’m abroad now, I don’t have the friends I used to have, we used to go kick ball every evening and stuff… I don’t have that facility… What should I say? I don’t have that. I try to just play football on the Xbox (Laughter). But I need to get physical, because I find out that I’m running on stage and I’m gasping for breath. So I need to do that. I’m going to incorporate the thing, because Bob Marley said so: “You have to kick some ball!”  Print       Reactions (0)

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