INTERVIEW

Interview by : Maxime Nordez & Cecile Pictures by : Karl Joseph on Saturday, May 15th 2004 - 11 941 views  Print        Reactions  (0)    Born Everton Dennis William, he began singing in 1979. Everton Blender is one of the few singers to blend dancehall and roots so skilfully. With four albums to his credit plus a live one, he is experienced, equally at home in the studio and in the dancehall. Tunes like Lift up your head, Piece of the blender and his latest album "King Man" have established his sweet voice as a safe bet of conscious reggae dancehall. We met him on the occasion of the Marley Heritage Festival. Reggaefrance / First of all, it's a pleasure to be with you today... Everton Blender / It's a pleasure for me to be here... Today is an event in tribute to Bob Marley. What do you think of the idea of bringing together different groups from various backgrounds, from Europe, from Jamaica? It's a good idea, it's always good for us artists, because at the same time we can give people something real and we can live, eat and have everything we desire through the music! We have to look after that, and when I see these people doing their best to be active... it's really good for us, as it was for Bob Marley. He was a good singer, it's hard to forget him because his songs are Iivity and combat... he's no longer here but his songs are with us... & we give thanks... How do you place Bob Marley in your own career? To tell the truth, Bob Marley or anyone else is an entity, and each one of us is one, you see what I mean? So Everton Blender is just Everton Blender. I try to spread that spirit as Bob Marley did in his day. It wasn't Bob Marley alone who spread this spirit; other bredren took part in it too... Every time a prophet comes and exposes himself to the people, it brings forth many other prophets. We thank Bob Marley for what he is and because he did what he had to do... Do you perform on sound systems? Sometimes I sing on a sound system but I don't really like it. I do it for breddren in dancehalls, to liven things up... nice it up!... but in Jamaica you can't always afford to have a band, so he just asks me to sing tracks to get the crowd moving. But I don't like singing on a sound system, I like singing with a band, it gives you more vibes! Can you tell us about the writing of "Ghetto People Song"? Is a lot a fuss..... you have a young Mikey, we were all around turnable place ??? we found a little part like the one that goes "know who you give to, just make it chikkle..." then I found a verse and then Explosion found one ???? It's something that really came together in those years in the ghetto... it's a blessing for me to have been able to find lyrics for the people, the poorest class. You have people who don't live in well-being... some are healthy but are not in well-being (Wellthy and Healthy...). You have to set yourself priorities and know where you're going. Know whether you're going to put money or health first. Look after money and not Wis-Wise, people say Wisdom but I-Man prefers to say Wis-Wise, to make people understand that it's something bigger than you but that you can move towards, which is why I recommend Wis-Wise so that people understand... I see things before they happen. I see things before going to them, so if I don't feel the vibe, I don't go. Can you tell us your story with Star Trail? I'm no longer with Star Trail, but I recorded a "rougher" tune for him recently. On the same riddim, something with Sizzla, Anthony B and plenty of other artists... you know my cuts? Yes. Let's stop talking about Star Trail... "Blend Dem in explora!" You choose to write conscious lyrics. How do you find your inspiration? Sometimes I stop to look at the world. We're living on red alert with all these bombs, nuclear, nuclear power... a world made of destruction. I appreciate it when people come home from work and hear my songs and those songs help them hold on and face tomorrow! Sometimes, when you come home from work, you feel stressed. Paying the rent, the bills, school fees, buying school books for the children, transport... and sometimes it gets to you and you want to run away... just as you might feel like killing yourself! But when you think about it you know you can't do it, you mustn't let yourself be discouraged by troubles (...) so if you go to bed relaxed and with a rested mind, you'll feel on waking that you have a new strength. Conscious lyrics are made to educate and keep people's intelligence at a certain level. For the last 25 years, I have been spreading and capturing positive vibrations! I try to preserve the natural beauty of the Earth, like the blowing wind, the trees, the flowers, the grass... because it's from these things that you can draw fresh air. And that's how I preserve Nature. Some people don't even try to protect Mama Nature and just destroy her. Woman represents the Earth and the Earth represents woman. We have to be careful about the vibrations around us! I have to sing good songs... Sometimes I go to the rocks, along the river, the sea, and ideas come to me. I owe it to the power of His Majesty, who knows how to show me a clean world. What do you think of the Jamaican dancehall deejays who put fewer messages into their music? Some put fewer, but I'll tell you the truth, every man has his own livity... When you go to the office every day and do things that personally I don't know, you may feel the urge for those things, people listen and ask for more. These songs cause heart-rate problems. Some people can't stand riddims that are too hardcore. Our songs make people, somewhere, confess. These aren't the songs of someone who comes into the dancehall like a wicked man, but of someone who comes to laugh and dance. Some can't stand the Bling-Bling Things, but you see... Jamaica Nice! And lyrics are open to discussion, but everyone has their own and everybody is happy with what they have... Would you say, in a way, that you make music for your own good? I wouldn't say I make music for myself but for my health and that of others. I don't sing the songs people want but the ones people need! Like medicine... It's a therapy? Yes, that's why I won't sing love songs. My songs have to be active and to stay. Bob Marley did it and his tunes will be played for a long time yet. Our songs, you can play them whenever you want! You have to sing good songs that can last... Would you sing something for our health? Yes, man! He launches into "Hail the king" a cappella. Do you like being in France? Yes, I like it, but sometimes I see people talking and there are so many who want to meet me... Sometimes I think I'm going to go mad! Sometimes I need help and I find myself alone looking for Biddies or soup, and they look at me without understanding! There's no soup here... That's not it, it's that they don't understand what I'm saying to them! It's not like you, who can speak English and also... their language! Here, a lot of French people speak English but don't want to, out of laziness! OK... This morning, for example, I was at the hotel and I asked a woman where I could find a bureau de change and I couldn't make her understand... but if I'm here and I have someone with me who speaks English, I'm cool! On the other hand, on my own I'd be lost, I'd say to myself "What am I going to do now, there's nobody left to help me!" (laughs) But here, it's really good! Isn't this your first time in France? No, I've already come three times, notably with Frankie Paul and Prezident Brown. Have you heard, in Jamaica, about the French sound system championship? No, I've been told about French sounds but what is it? A competition? Yes, it's three months of competition separating 14 sound systems... So, one day you might meet our champions in Jamaica? (Addressing Cécile) Do you play in a sound? No, I just filmed the championship... Ah, OK, it's good that a girl has a sound. You'll see, after that you'll become more "ruff"! (laughs) So, take care of yourselves all, blessings.  Print       Reactions (0)

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