The Wailing Souls tell us how Independence affected their lives, and the evolution of Reggae music
Jamworld876: How was the show tonight?
Bread: The show was great. Great vibes.
Jamworld876: Better than in Switzerland?
Bread: Hmm. Probably, same, same. Because last night was amazing too. Switzerland was really amazing last night. Great vibes.
Jamworld876: Do you plan to go to any festival this summer?
Bread: This year? We would love to. But you know it all depends on the promoters, if they invite us. Because we always do. Especially the Rototom Sunsplash. We have done that a lot. We did Rototom, and France tour. We will tour a lot of European countries. So we hope that may happen this year again.
Jamaican Independence
Jamworld876: You were very young at the time Jamaica became independent…
Bread: Oh yes, we were like 12/13 years old at the time.
Jamworld876: Do you remember it?
Bread: Yeah man.
Jamworld876: Did it actually affect your life, or you were too young to really notice any change?
Bread: No, we remember everything man. Because you see, before independence, we had a lot of cricket balls, and sport equipment from the British. Because, you know, the British was ruling the country.
Pipe: Social development.
Bread: When we get independence, we lost all of those things, because the British draw away.
Pipe: Yeah, they pull away. They stopped subsidize us.
Bread: They stopped subsidize our sport program in Jamaica. So it affected us in that way.
Jamworld876: You had just started your musical career at that time…
Bread: We were just starting at that time.
Pipe had already recorded a song by the time of independence.
“Reggae music is people’s music…”
Jamworld876: So, you have seen the evolution of music in terms of style and technology…
Bread: Yeah, we go through the whole thing. When we started, it was like just two tracks. We used to go into the studio, and recorded the music and the voice at the same time. They take everything at the same time. Now you go and record the riddim. Then you go, do the voice.
Jamworld876: How did you perceive the emergence of digital music in the 80’s?
Bread: We escape away into technology. We know the whole world don’t stand still. Everything move forward. Sometimes it’s for the good, sometimes it’s not for the good. But, we just have to take it as it comes. Because it is the world that we live in.
Jamworld876: A couple years ago, you were saying that the future of Reggae music is promising and safe. Do you still think this is true today?
Bread: Yeah man, Reggae music a no dead. Reggae music can’t die.
Pipe: And as long as there’s people, music can’t finish. Because, Reggae music is people’s music.
Bread: It’s people’s music. Even when they fight it, the people still call for it. You know what I mean, because it’s their music.
Jamworld876: What do you think of the new Reggae revival movement?
Bread: Well, it’s just a part of the Roots. We have the Roots, and then you have branches of the Roots. That’s what it is. Branches of the Roots. It’s nothing new. It’s just the same thing coming around again. It goes around, and comes around.
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