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WELCOME
REMEMBERING DONNA SUMMERS
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L 3 M A G A Z I N E . C O M | J U LY 2 0 1 2
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February 2014
NO. 29
CEO AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF |
NATASHA VON CASTLE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
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JUNIOR RODIGAN
MARKETING DIRECTOR
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ROHAN BECKFORD
PUBLISHER
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L3 GROUP OF COMPANIES
MANAGING EDITOR AND LIFESTYLE EDITOR ALLIE DUKER CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AND CARIBBEAN AFFAIRS EDITOR TRICIA ‘ZJ SPARKS’ SPENCE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AND MUSIC EDITOR TRE CARN TRAVEL EDITOR STACIA VON CASTLE MUSIC REVIEW EDITOR JENNIFER MENSTER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS HEIKE DEMPSTER, MARCUS WELLER, PORTIA CLARKE, MIMI MAMICHULA, DAMON GATLING AYEOLA GEORGE, ZAKADA MILTON, JIMMY TAMBOU, RICO VIBES ANDRE GOMEZ
WELCOME
REMEMBERING DONNA SUMMERS
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L3MAGAZINE.COM | JUNE 2012
L3DESIGNS@HOTMAIL.COM | 1.289.217.2800
@L3DESIGNS
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Greetings; LIFE
The world lost a great man when Bunny Rugs passed away. Most people know him as the lead singer for the legendary group Third World, and many more, particularly the people in Jamaica and the Caribbean knew him for the kind heart he had.
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I will never forget the day I first met Mr. Rugs! I was at Mixing Lab recording studio, and happened to be at the front by the gate, when a man pulled up in a car which immediately drew attention. My attention was on the driver thinking he must have been the ‘star,’ only to see a swarm of people coral the passenger side, and out came the man I since called The President, Mr. Bunny Rugs. With Presidential greetings, Bunny addressed each and every person. He offered advice to those who needed it, introduced people who needed to be introduced, and kissed the cheek of a baby who was clearly enamored by the larger than life figure; all of this before attending his recording session that didn’t end until later that evening. Bunny always made time for people; artist and common man alike. I’ve had the pleasure to see Bunny perform in several cities around the world, and there was no other like him. He was the people’s President, A Reggae Ambassador and humble man from Jamaica. We love you Bunny; may you rest in peace…. connect with me on Twitter @NatashaVonC
Natasha Von Castle
C O N T E N T S 06 LIFE 08 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 14 RELATIONSHIPS 20 ART 32 ON THE SCENE 40 GAMING 42 BEAUTY 50 FASHION 66 MODELS OF THE MONTH 70 LOVE 72 CHARTS 84 LYRICS 86 TARRUS RILEY 102 FABIENNE COLAS 112 DUNCAN REID
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Style And Film Icon
Born in Mexico to Kenyan parents, Lupita is an actress and film director. Making her film debut in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave in the role of Patsey, the actress has received critical acclaim. Screen Actor’s Guild, Critics Choice and nominations for the Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress round out her recent accolades.
L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
This month, L3 Magazine recognizes the talented Lupita Amondi Nyong’o!
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LUPITA AMONDI NYONG’O
RELATIONSHIPS ISSUES THE ENEMY THAT SHARES MY BED by CRICKET We are supposedly part of a civilized society, and somehow I find it alarming that domestic violence keeps rising, year over year. The Office Against Violence on Women (OVW), states that a woman is assaulted or beaten every nine seconds. Domestic violence is without question the leading injury to women. Many of us have either experienced abuse, or know someone who was or is currently in a domestically abusive relationship. I have interviewed a few people, who told me that they witnessed their own mothers experience and stay in a violently abusive relationship. Sadly enough, they wound up in the same type union. I know it is not a learned behavior, but I feel there are serious factors that make it unfortunately impossible for some to immediately break the chains. Whether it is something that was witnessed while growing up, it is a true problem. The common thread seems to be, that the male predator if you will, preys on women who lack self-confidence, who are financially challenged or who are terrified of being alone. A lot of people throw a cold shoulder to women in abusive relationships, and feel that if they stay and tolerate it, they must “like it.” I can say that this is the furthest from the truth. No one ‘likes’ being abused! Having lived the horror of being in an abusive relationship, I can say that you are on the fringe of a mental lapse. Everything stops in place, you find yourself stuck in a maze, you are not yourself nor do you think rationally or clearly. Women desperately want to believe that the love of their life really means it this time, when he says “I will never do it again.” If your abuser physically hurt you the first time, he / she will do it again. Any promise made stating otherwise, is the biggest fantastical lie ever told. Add substances like drugs and alcohol to the emotional mix and that intensifies the frequency and propensity of the abuse. Domestic violence cuts across barriers.
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• Every year, 1 out of every 3 women are victims of homicide and are murdered by their current or former partner • Women between the ages of 20 to 25 are at the greatest risk of becoming victims of domestic abuse • Every year, more than 3 million children witness domestic violence right at home • More than 60% of domestic violence cases happen in their own households • Domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness among families • Most domestic violence cases are never reported
L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
Out of the 1.3 million victims of domestic violence, 38% of female victims are pregnant at the time of the abuse. Most times, pregnant women are struck in their abdominal area, when the abuser clearly knows their partner is pregnant. Safe House reports that the statistics on men being abused and assaulted is as equally high as with women. 4 million women have been assaulted and raped at the hands of their partners, and 3 million men are victims of domestic assaults. More alarming facts:
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One of the interviewees, who wanted to just be referred to as Sela, told me that she was not the only one in her family that was abused. She has a scar that wraps around her throat and down the center of her chest. Her ex-boyfriend decided that when she came home twenty minutes too late from work, the story of the bus she rode was late or delayed was simply not a worthy excuse. When he finished, she was being rushed to the hospital. In need of 103 stitches, she was blessed that she did not die. Her mother was also abused by her step father, as well as her two sisters. Sela does a lot of volunteer work, to help women free themselves from the grips of abusive relationships. Her abuser was a master manipulator and an alcoholic, who loved to mix his spirit of choice with pain medications. After being in the relationship for three years, she decided to leave, when her boyfriend at the time, could not keep his hands to himself, even with her being three months pregnant. “It was at that crucial point, that I felt strong. I knew that I had to fight for myself and my baby.” Sela is one of the lucky ones. She re-located herself and she is happy, in an abuse-free relationship, with her four year old son.
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Statistics span around the globe. It does not happen more with one race of people, or plague one geographic area, more than the other. It’s like a contaminated weed and traces of it are draped over the hopeless, and many who feel helpless, and think they are too weak to fight back. They are made to feel they did something wrong to deserve the abuse, and it rips away at the core of their spirit. It is not easy being in love with someone who does not think there is anything wrong with hurting you. True love is not supposed to feel like that. There are quite a few support systems and groups, whose doors are open, but most people who are dealing with abuse, are either in denial or too ashamed to seek help. There are studies that insist that most abusers were once abused as children. When they inflict their victim, it is in the form of sexual, physical or emotional abuse.
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After sitting down with Quadree, it was apparent to me how men can easily wind up in an abusive relationship. Mental manipulation could coldly extend to either a male or female victim. Quadree is a father of three daughters, stayed in his abusive relationship with his girlfriend for nearly 12 years. Diagnosed as a manic-depressive suffering with bipolar disorder, he stayed through the abuse for the sake of his three girls. His partner would even try to abuse their children, and that is when he would fight back.
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“I stayed to protect my girls. My girlfriend did not develop the disorder until after we had all three children.” Quadree never reported the abuse for fear people would think he was weak. As a man, he knew many would view his problem as being nothing he shouldn’t be able to handle. He told me he woke up one time with her trying to choke him with one of his daughter’s belts. She would go from not talking much and being depressed, to flying into complete rages. Quadree sought out help for his girlfriend, but she would never stay compliant. She would take her medication for a short time, only to flip back into her toxic spiral. After his mother and other family members pleaded with him to do something before it got worse, it actually did. In a midst of a fight she took a cutting board from the kitchen and bashed him in the back of his head. The result of the injury was being rushed to the Emergency Room, needing stitches, CT scans, and multiple tests which led to the diagnosis that he now has cognitive brain disorder. His speech was slightly affected as well as his memory. “I developed a clot in my head, and if my oldest daughter did not call 911, who knows would have happened.” Once he was released from the hospital, he made a conscious decision to take the proper steps, to get help for him and his daughters, and end the abusive relationship. Today, he has full custody of his daughters; he also volunteers his time at a support group, for victims that have been domestically abused. What triggered me to write article this is simple; I was sitting on the train commuting in to work one day, and I heard someone say, that if a person is domestically abused, they deserve it. Not only did this statement hit me in the pit of my stomach and make me sick, it disturbed me how many people agreed. No one deserves to be beaten, or tortured or abused. It is so easy to say what a person should or should not do if they have never walked in that person’s shoes. Instead of shunning someone who has lived through this nightmare, we have to empathize and do something to offer something more than criticism. To the women who are being abused and reading this article, please get help. Do not feel ashamed, and don’t stay in the situation you may be in. Do not believe that ‘it won’t happen again.’ The enemy that shares your bed is just not worth the cost.
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L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
ART IBRAHIM EL-SALAHI A VISIONARY MODERNIST CONTRIBUTED AIbrahim El-Salahi: A Visionary Modernist is the first museum retrospective of the exemplary career of Sudanese artist Ibrahim El-Salahi. Bringing together approximately 80 works from five decades of the artist’s career, the retrospective highlights one of the most significant figures in African and Arab Modernist art, and reveals his place in the context of a global art history. The exhibition traces a personal journey that originates in Sudan and leads to the artist’s international schooling, his detention as a political prisoner in his home country, his self-imposed exile in Qatar, and his current life in the United Kingdom. The exhibition begins with paintings made before and after El-Salahi’s education at the prestigious Slade School of Fine Art at University College, London. Inspired by art ranging from ancient Islam, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance, to modernists such as Cézanne, Pissarro, and Braque, El-Salahi began to incorporate various techniques into his work, creating a new visual vocabulary. In 1957, he returned home to Sudan and infused his art school training with traditional Sudanese and Islamic art practices. This style would later become known as the Khartoum School, one of the most active movements of creative talent in Africa and a major contributor to the growth of a modern African art movement. Vision of the Tomb (1965), from the Museum for African Art’s collection, exemplifies the Khartoum School movement with its somber colors and abstracted elements of Arabic script. While employed as the deputy undersecretary for culture in Sudan, El-Salahi was falsely accused of anti-government activities in 1975 and imprisoned six months without trial. This experience would significantly change the artist’s life and art, resulting in stark black and white drawings that reference his incarceration and reflect on the trauma of isolation. Much of his post-prison work from the 1970s and 1980s, made during his self-imposed exile in Doha, Qatar, begins on a single sheet of paper to which he would add panels from a central nucleus.
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The exhibition concludes with paintings and drawings produced after El-Salahi’s return to Oxford, England in 1998, including his ongoing Tree series inspired by the haraz tree that grows along the banks of the Nile. Reflecting his joy for life, his deep spiritual faith, and a profound recognition for his place in the world, art from this time is characterized by brilliant color, sense of movement, and a relationship to nature. A stunning, three-panel painting, One Day I Happened to See a Ruler, commissioned by the Museum for African Art and produced in New York while El-Salahi was an artist-in-residence at Cornell University in 2008, is one of the concluding highlights of the exhibition. Ibrahim El-Salahi: A Visionary Modernist is supported, in part, by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Additional support has been provided by the Sharjah Art Museum and the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development. It is guest curated by Dr. Salah M. Hassan, Goldwin Smith Professor of African and African Diaspora art history and visual culture and director of the Institute for Comparative Modernities at Cornell University. A richly illustrated catalogue edited by Salah M. Hassan accompanies the exhibition with contributions by Sarah Adams, Ulli Beier, Iftikhar Dadi, Hassan Musa, and Chika Okeke-Agulu, as well as special texts by El-Salahi himself. For more information visit www.africanart.org
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NEW AFRICA CENTER Formerly Museum For African Art CONTRIBUTED
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Opened to the public in 1984, the Museum for African Art (now named the New Africa Center) is dedicated to the arts and cultures of Africa and the African Diaspora. The Museum is internationally acknowledged as a preeminent organizer of exhibitions and publications related to historical and contemporary African Art, with programs that are as diverse as the continent itself. The Museum is currently planning a new building that will enable the long needed expansion of the Museum’s exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives. Designed by the celebrated Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP, the new Museum for African Art will own and occupy about 90,000 square feet in a mixed-use joint-development project. The new Museum building is located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 110th Street, in New York City, where it will join Manhattan’s “Museum Mile.” With its expansive exhibition and programming spaces, the new facility will enable the institution to dramatically expand the audiences it serves. The Museum’s opening is scheduled for 2015. While it prepares for the public opening of its new quarters, the Museum continues to develop important exhibitions that travel to major venues internationally and are accompanied by scholarly publications. The Museum also presents a wide range of public programs for adults, families, and schoolchildren, held at locations throughout New York City. For more information visit www.africanart.org
GAMING
ON THE SECENE
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L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
GAMING BATTLEFIELD 4 ALI MOTAMED Battlefield 4 is a realistic first person shooter made by DICE that offers a very lively action based multiplayer. With this game the makers of the Battlefield franchise realized that the multiplayer was top priority so they chose the wise option of making it disc 1 of the game. However, there are many problems with Battlefield 4 multiplayer. One of the major issues being the server errors and the annoying random crashing of those servers Also a major lag that prevents gamers from experiencing what Battlefield promises to offer. It slows down the game and makes for choppy animation. Lastly ,the reason half my friends can’t play Battlefield 4 : it requires a hard drive in order to play which made many gamers upset. Battlefield 4 campaign was merely okay. The only reason any one would play it is probably because it gives you multiplayer unlocks, not for its very mediocre story. The new additions which makes the game give the player more freedom are the ability to break down more structures than you could in Battlefield 3, and the old commander mode from one of its earlier versions, Bad Company. If DICE could fix all the problems with the server errors and the lag, Battlefield 4 can be fun to play and a great experience especially with a friend. Available on : Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, PS4 and PS3.
BEAUTY BEAUTY TIPS & PRODUCTS KEREEN CUNNINGHAM We are now in the peak of winter and we always need that extra moisture and balance in our skin but sometimes we forget that our skin also needs renewal. I have discovered a lot of women blame their foundation saying it doesn’t ‘fix’ properly on their skin, but most of the time the foundation is not the problem, it’s normally the lacking of exfoliating or sometimes none at all. Women who wear makeup regularly need to exfoliate their skin every 4-5 days; it can easily be added to your beauty regime, so I’m going to share with you how to exfoliate without it being costly! Homemade recipes are simple to put together and require just a few ingredients. This one is one of my favourites: You will need Green tea, sugar and honey. Green tea is said to have anti-aging effects when applied to the skin. It reduces wrinkles and blemishes, and is even said to repair scar tissue (you can use 2 plain non flavour tea bags, but for best results use loose green tea and a strainer).
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Step1. Brew a cup of green tea in a bowl then leave to cool (if you are using a loose tea bag, strain before then pour 2 table spoons into a small bowl).
Step4. Wash your face with a cleanser leaving wet, then place an ample amount of your homemade scrub in the palm of your fingertips then rub together; apply the scrub to a freshly washed face. Rub the scrub all over your face in small circular motions and the side of your nose, avoid the eye area. Concentrate on areas which have spots and areas that are dry. Use a wet warm washcloth to remove the scrub then splash with cold water to close your pores until removed. You can store the scrub for later use in a jar sealed with a lid. Keep it in a cool, dry place. It should last for several weeks and remember to exfoliate every 4 to 5 days.
L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
Step3. Pour in a tablespoon of honey then mix into a nice paste. Honey has great moisturizing and antibacterial properties.
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Step2. Add a tablespoon of sugar preferably brown fine grain; keep adding the sugar until the mixture has a consistency that is gritty enough to scrub your skin, but still moist enough to apply easily.
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The How To Get That Look!
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1. Arbonne Primer 2. Arbonne Perfecting Liquid Foundation 3. Mac Studio Finish Concealer 4. Makeup Forever HD Powder 5. Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essential Nude 6. NYX Smokey Eye Shadow Palette 7. Trish McEvoy High Volume Mascara Jet Black 8. Mac Gel Liner Black Track 9. Mac Spiked Eye Brow 10. Bobbi Brown Lip Colour Ballerina Shimmer Finish 11. Trish McEvoy Lip Liner - Barely There 2. Bobbi brown lip gloss Bellini a nude pink with pearl 13. Bobbi brown Blush Peony Apply Arbonne Primer over your moisturiser. This can be used for any skin type with rich vitamins that visually diminishes fine lines and pores creating flawless makeup with green tea extract. While setting your skin you can go straight onto your eyes (saves you time from redoing your under eyes) apply Trish McEvoy Eye base on the eye lids with a medium eye brush very small amount from the inner layer to the outer eye lid which stops all creases and evens out the skin tone. Apply NYX Smokey Eye Palette starting with the lighter shade up to the eye crease, then work the second shade from the outer eye lid then into the eye socket. Apply the third shade similar but work more from the lash line to middle, then apply the deeper tone only half way from the outer eye lid. Keep applying bit by bit until it builds up to the look you want to achieve then blend it in. Apply the darkest shade only at the outer socket then stream the shade into the eye crease. Now apply the Gel Liner starting from the outer eye lid; apply a double line thick on outer then stream it to very thin line. Now it’s time to get your mascara on! Apply it from under lashes then make small zig-zag motions to fill each eye lash; the mascara by Trish McEvoy is perfect as it’s made with a coating that dries into tiny little tubes around the lashes for thickness, and it is also water resistant (it’s easily remove with warm water without leaving a trace)..
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Now it’s time for contouring; by now the primer should be set, so apply the Arbonne Perfecting Liquid Foundation with SPF 15. This is a multitasking foundation with skin firming properties that helps lift the appearance of facial contours, it’s very smooth and evens skin tone.
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Apply Mac concealer on top of foundation by making a triangle application starting from under eyes, then along the side of each nose then horizontal across above the check bones, pat it on until smoothly applied. Apply Makeup forever HD Powder a threetime award-winning universal translucent finishing powder to be applied over foundation and slightly mattifies the skin without changing its natural contours. It’s made of 100 percent mineral silica that softens the appearance of imperfections, fine lines, and pores and completely evens out your complexion for a glowing, healthy look. This translucent, dermatologist-tested, and talc-free formula does not dry the skin. Finish the look by applying Bobbi Peony Blush by sweeping it on the cheek bone in a semi-circular motion upwards. Next apply the mac Brow pencil avoid drawing a line instead apply small traces into forms of the eye brows. For highlights you can always add a shade lighter Mac Studio Finish conceal below the brow, then use the white shade from NYX eye shadow palette to highlight the brow bone. Now apply the Bobbi lip colour Ballerina Shimmer and Lip gloss, now you are ready for your perfect night out! Enjoy and email me your feedback: kereen.c@gmail.com
FASHION
AFRICAN FASHIONS BELYA DESIGNS Based out of Senegal, Belya Designs is an ode to beauty and a cry of joy through fashion. The name is simple and easy to remember, and the designs are seductive and inspiring to all women. With warmth, exoticism and enchantment, you will enjoy all Belya Designs has to offer. www. facebook.com/cridejoie Ethnic fashions are a nonverbal expression of pride that Amanda Wamunyima and Chiniqua Pettaway uphold and are proud to be adorned in cultural style!
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KAELA KAY
L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
Kaela Kay Designs is a forward thinking clothing line that transforms bold and extravagant prints into sexy, feminine and modern clothes with an African flare! Kaela Kay’s success is due in part to a unique and ultra modern coupling of style and prints; the attention to intricate detail and creative symbolisms catapult Kaela Kay into the realm of luxurious fashion. Kaela Kay is located in Toronto via www.kaelakay.com
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VICKY MUZADI
L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
Vicky Muzadi represents Angola using bold lines and eye catching patterns with her world famous designs. Designing for career oriented women, statements of power, success and intrigue are made by her pieces.
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AFRICA’S TOP 5
Elements In African Fashion 56 L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
Adirée of African Fashion Week New York There has always been a thing for exotic fashions, but today, African fashion seems to have people immersed within its’ bosoms. It’s now, more than ever, a fashion that’s IN fashion; it has evolved to become something more than each individual who chooses to clothe themselves with it. Designers today in African fashion combine elements that really bring these garments to life. Let’s explore what these key elements are!
1. Mixed Prints: This can be a very tricky and confusing trend to grasp, even outside African fashion. This can be difficult because mixing prints can easily be mistaken for mismatching. Catherine Addai from AFWNY (African Fashion Week New York) shows how to execute this trend well!designs are utilized today. Ruffles and wraps have ALWAYS been used for design; whether it’s on the sleeve of an elegant blouse or at the bottom of a mermaid skirt. Look at how Aliakim does it!
2. Fun Silhouettes: Other than colors, shapely silhouettes add vivacity to a garment. Admas Mahdere’s designs show that you don’t have to show much skin to be sexy
African clothing may not always be as vibrant as we picture it to be. Your dress may have a sleek and subtle design that when paired with the right accessories, can be taken to another level. On the other hand, you may just want a purse that brings out a certain color in the garment you’re wearing. We love how MAFI, Cinnamon & Pearl, and Catherine Addai execute this notion
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3. Colorful Accessories:
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4. Prints And Solids: Another fashionable way to wear African fabrics is to pair them with solid (uni-colored) tops OR bottoms. Watch and learn from AFWNY designers Sydney Davies and Farai Simoyi. .
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5. Ruffles OR Wraps: One thing that we adore about African fashion is that most of the traditional designs are utilized today. Ruffles and wraps have ALWAYS been used for design; whether it’s on the sleeve of an elegant blouse or at the bottom of a mermaid skirt. Look at how Aliakim does it! For more, visit www.africafashionweekny.com
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HEALING THROUGH CULTURAL FASHION & BEAUTY by McINTOSH SMITH . Photos by JERRY RUSSELL “This is a time of awakening for African-American self-preservation and beautification and a natural hair care guru is leading by example….”
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Isis Brantley of Dallas, Texas is a style influencer and the recent recipient of the “Nzuri 100 Carat Diamond Award” for pioneering natural hair care, and being a trailblazer for over 20 years in the natural hair care industry. Isis was recently awarded during the Nzuri Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Festival’s 100 Carat Diamond Award Gala event. Having been a practitioner of natural hair care in the African-American community for 30 years, she is also the brainchild of the annual Naturally Isis Hair Parade and Festival with celebrity songstress Erykah Badu as the Grand Marshall. As a natural hair care guru, Isis keeps her focus on the nexus of cultural beauty and ethnic style by wearing elaborate ethnic fashions. At the recent Nzuri Diamond Awards event, Isis wore a TeKay Designs gown with bronze, and gold embroidery that was hand made in Ghana, Africa. The gown has a mermaid silhouette with a sexy opening on the dress skirt with embroidered scalloped edges. The fabric is cotton jacquard, a high quality embossed cotton fabric, and the gown has a modern fit with embroidered African fabric which makes a significant cultural statement. Isis’s fight for preserving cultural identity for people of the African diaspora is represented from head to toe. Using ethnic fashions and beauty, Isis’s expression helps to heal the community by promoting cultural style. According to Isis, self-expression through cultural fashions is a part of a healing process.
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According to a popular belief of those who practice cosmetology formally and informally, the mindset is that, hair relaxers can be both a blessing and a curse for many African-American women. African-American woman are targeted with marketing by the chemical industry that offers hair-straightening products that provide for easy, time saving preparations when getting ready each day, however, when not applied professionally, the harsh chemicals can result in hair loss, breakage and even scalp burns. Isis explains, “The time we take grooming ourselves is a labor of love, and we should not regress into a mindset that we don’t have the time to take care of our natural hair.” Through her teachings, Isis Brantley re-establishes wellness, cultural identity, and reinforces the love of black beauty in the community one kinky curl strand at a time.
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“There is healing through cultural expression. This is a culturally related industry, so ethnic fashion complements our identity. This is how I represent! My wardrobe is styled by Tekay Designs because I love the bold colors, soft fabrics and Afrique Chic styles. For me it’s important to support other creatives from the African diaspora. Africans are trendsetters and influencers of style. Other ethnic groups have fashioned products to the African-American consumer’s demand; we need to also patron black owned businesses that offer African cultural products. Patronizing is apart of the healing process for the black community. This is a time of awakening for African-American self-preservation and beautification, and I’m leading by example by changing suppressive policies and social conformity, while promoting cultural awareness and wellness through my profession.”
GBENRO AJIBADE
MODELS OF THE MONTH
UNIQUE BELLA
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L
O
V
E
WARD 21 Mic Magician
JAH BOUKS Call Angola
RICHIE STEPHENS Murdah
MAXI PRIEST Easy To Love
STYLO G
feat SISTER NANCY
Badd
CHAN DIZZY Informah
BUSY SIGNAL
KING ALI BABA Herbalist
RICKY TEETZ Poverty
DEMARCO Loyal
BIG KENNY
feat KYMANI & KJ MARLEY
AIDONIA One Voice
SHAGGY
SANCHEZ Him Buy Yu A Drink
CUTTY RANKS Dem A Twerk
feat DAMIAN ‘JR GONG’ MARLEY
CHINO Larger Than Life
MR STIFF Ghetto Cry
CHAM
STEPHEN MARLEY
Fighter
Bongo Nyah
feat EXCO LEVI
WICKED EVIL MAN
feat BERES HAMMOND
Fight This Feeling SEAN PAUL
Riot
feat DAMIAN ‘JR GONG’ MARLEY
Hope Chant
feat SPRAGGA BENZ & JR GONG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQrXXpmdeoc
NEW RELEASES
L3 ENDORSED
MIXRELEASES TAPE FEATURES NEW
NEW RELEASES
CHITA MOVALEZ
LOVE
DANCEHALL FROM GHANA VIA
CONTRIBUTED
“Give to the Needy” and “Badmind People” are examples of songs Chita has been able to attain success with, as well as a composition he put together to educate the people of Ghana about the outbreak of Malaria, and ways to prevent and combat the epidemic. Anyone listening to the works of Chita Movalez can’t help but be captivated and encouraged by his words when combined with his humble and helpful character. What began as a local endeavor has caused Chita’s message to travel overseas to showcase his talent and perform at the Black History month celebration in Toronto. Working hard on a daily basis to reach people from coast to coast its clear to see that his journey is well on the way to reaching the apex of his dream and that is for his musical voice carry him worldwide his messages reaching the four corners of the Earth.
L3 MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2014
Beginning his career at the age of 11, Chita impresses people with his lyrics that are based on hands on experiences. Delivering these experiences that is relatable to audiences, the young artist stands out as his delivery centres around encouragement and upliftment.
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Standing at the forefront of the Dancehall and Reggae community in Ghana, Chita Movalez is one of the most respected artists who began his career by entertaining artists in the Cape Coast. Developing a style of delivering his lyrics, Chito went from entertaining tourists to educating his community and spreading positive messages through his music.
LOVE
HARD AND
Mr. STIFF CONTRIBUTED
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With the talents of Johnny Ringo, Echo General, Ranking Joe, Dennis Brown and Jacob Miller as his idols, it is not a stretch for fans to recognize that when it comes to Reggae and Dancehall, this artist comes hard and is known as Mr. Stiff! Emigrating to New York from Jamaica in the 1980’s, Lloyd aka Mr. Stiff made music his focus, often having to balance the demand of studies with his commitment to perfecting his vocal instrument. Stiff’s first memorable song was “Jamaican Girls” which led to “Boom Boom Fatty” and “Skin to Skin.” His latest song, “Bumpa Roll” is doing well in Dancehall arena’s on the East Coast. With a commitment to giving fans good music that they can have fun with, and music with lyrics that reflect matters of the day, Mr. Stiff’s guarantee’s his placement in Dancehall and Reggae for years to come. His new Mixtape called ‘Unfinished Business’ includes music produced by Phillip Brian aka Dark Vader, and tells a musical story about some of the artists experience to get to where he is today, and his unwavering determination to be hard, and Mr. Stiff!
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L3 MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2014
TR
FROM CHALLENGES TO PARABLES TO THE LIMIT
On a beautiful day just after the Superstar returned from his performance in Trinidad & Tobago, I sat down with the artist and of course, we talked about music. We also talked about taking things … to the limit with his new album Love Situation!
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I
have a confession to make … I LOVE Tarrus Riley! I’m not sure if I love him because he has an incredible heart and gives so much of himself when he performs; I’m not sure if I love him because he’s an awesome Chef and agreed to cook for me when I come to Jamaica, or maybe I love him because he so willingly gives to his fans, especially when he touches social media. Hmmm! Maybe I love Tarrus because we currently have a ‘Love Situation!’
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NATASHA VON CASTLE
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TARRUS RILEY
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NVC: The world is in Love with Tarrus Riley … is Tarrus Riley in Love with the world?! TR: It depends on what you’re talking about when you speak about the world. Tarrus is definitely in love with love and I’m a lover of people, I love culture, I love the arts, I love the good things of the world. I’m a people person, I love making music, and I love making people think, especially about relationships; different scenarios, history etc. So if being in love with the world are those things, then yes, I’m in love with the world!
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NVC: Every note you sing and every string you strum; you cannot to us (your fans) do any wrong. How do you balance your human-ness with your Superman-ness? TR: (Laughs)! I don’t know if I’m doing that but I’m trying my best to make the music as real to me as possible so I’m not really singing fiction. I’m keeping the music in a way where people can relate to it. As a man, I’ll sing a love song about a man being hurt, but there are some who won’t because of ego, and trying to be macho. As an example, sometimes I’m Superman and sometimes I’m Clark Kent! It’s all good! NVC: Quickly looking back to your beginning in the mid 90’s and comparing yourself to where you are now, would you say the vision you had then is in sync with what you are seeing now for your career? What if any are the differences? TR: That’s a good questions, and not totally. My career really started in 2000, but I was in the music from in the 90’s; not professionally at all. At that time I was a likkle youth and I idolized people like Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Capleton. Those were my hero’s. I never got professionally into music until 2003 and 2004. That’s when I started singing. Before that I used to DJ and emulate these people. I would practice, and for example, Mavado had a label called Love and Promotion and I used to record for friends such as Jack Scorpio, Willie Lindo. All of that was practice. At that time it was Dancehall oriented and definitely DJ stuff. Wanting to go full force, and seeing that the 90’s was over, I’m growing up, now in my 20’s, I had to figure out what I’m going to do. I knew I wanted to be here for a long time so I started playing my piano and learn more about music and started to write songs. That is where everything changed for me. I wanted to be like Shabba but later on I realized I can be myself and I gained confidence. So my career really started in 2003 and 2004. To say my career is in sync with where I thought it would be, or to ask if I’m comfortable with where it is now, I would say yes. I’m not easily relaxed and I’m always aiming high. I’m pleased with how it’s going; it’s going really well. In terms of the fans, we have a lot of people listening to the music. I’m young; I’m travelling and doing what I always wanted to do so it’s nice in that sense. But I’m really looking at the bigger picture and I want to be like the people who inspired me so I can inspire the youths and they can look and say ‘I want to be like Tarrus Riley!’ I am still young and growing and I am definitely pleased with that.
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L3 MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2013
VC: Touching back to the chune “To the Limit,” is there a double meaning to that chune?! TR: (Laughs again)! There is triple meaning to that song. There are endless meanings to that song but at the end of the day we have to push it to the limit with our love, and express ourselves because love has no limit!
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Most of the people we call great, they do that too! Bob Marley was not a one vein artist (sings “Exodus” and “Turn the Lights Down Low” as examples) like Stevie Wonder, or Jr. Gong (Damian Marley) who does different styles of music and that is what I personally think it’s all about. Like Usher, Sizzla, who all do different styles of music. You have different people in the world with different moods and like different things so I want to get all the ears as possible.
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My musical influences are Michael Jackson who inspired me to do “Human Nature,” and then again my musical influences are Bob Marley, Buju Banton and Terror Fabulous so this is a big pot of stew with carrots and onions and potatoes and pumpkin. So I have to express all of it. I can’t stay in one lane. Also I get bored with things very fast. If I’m doing one thing too long, I’m ready to switch it up. I need people to know that Tarrus Riley is all about creating different music and different sounds and still keep it indigenous to Jamaican music so I’m still representing and keeping it flavorful.
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NVC: Musically speaking, you are one of the few Reggae artists to maintain a balance between traditional one drop riddims with Dancehall riddims. With a song like “To the Limit” you’re showing us a Pop style. How did your comfort zone react to that record when you first heard the record, and when you stepped in the recording booth to perform? TR: I LOVE it! I’m totally in Love with that song and I have to make more songs like that, and it’s still Reggae and Dancehall flavored! That is one of the things Tarrus Riley is about. I’m not genre prejudiced so I want to do Rocksteady, Reggae, Ska, Dancehall, Pop, Rap everything. All of this is a reflection of the all the music I listen to. If I do one style of music then it’s an injustice to myself. I think I would be fighting against my own creativity if I did that.
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NVC: Speaking of music, and being that we are in an age of social media, do you ever chuckle when you see a fan tweet you about a song from your album “Parables” then a minute later tweet you about “Gimme Likkle One Drop” which speaks to your time span in this business? TR: Can I be completely honest with you?! I’m the biggest fan of my fans so I love it when they interact with me. Things they say I take very personally and I’m very emotional. I have an opinion and I wear my emotions on my sleeve, I read tweets and look at pictures on Instagram and the reason why is because, if Bob Marley and other greats were around, they would use these mediums to spread their music. It’s good that someone in China can hear my song is a minute after release. I chuckle sometimes and sometimes I cry. It comes with the territory.
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I’m also learning that Tarrus Riley doesn’t belong to me anymore. Omar Riley belongs to me and Tarrus Riley belongs to the world. I’m growing and finding that out which is a part of the reason why I’m so active on Social Media. If you check my album before Parables, we were talking about the microchip and look at me now with the microchip being Social Media. NVC: Another one of your recent hits, “Gimme Likkle One Drop;” that song sounds like you were performing … literally on stage performing, when you recorded that chune! True?! TR: (With a broad smile) that’s what it’s about! Thank you! Every time we go into the recording booth it’s a performance you know. It’s just a different kind of performance. “To the Limit” is a performance, just one of a different kind; it’s cool and mellow. “Gimme Likkle One Drop” is the same thing. It was recorded at my bredrin’s studio, Romeich who is a designer and producer and into artist promotion. He’s a good yute, so me and Jordan McClure (from Chimney Records) were there, and we have a chemistry that is going on good. So! The Tropical Escapes riddim is Jordan’s first One Drop riddim, so in the chune I’m telling him to give us likkle one drop and congratulating him on his one drop effort. NVC: Your album Love Situation has been released and it’s a masterpiece! You give us what we expect, and you give us a little more. Do you feel like telling fans ‘surprise?!’ TR: Yes I do! We released the album on February 4th and the reaction has been met with Love and surprise! One of the songs has a Hip Hop artist featured, and we also give fans the remix to “Gimme Likkle One Drop” as well as “To The Limit.” Everyone had a good feeling when we listened to the album, and I was confident it was an album the fans would love!
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NVC: “Gimme Likkle One Drop” and “To the Limit” are hot songs as originals. Were you nervous to remix them knowing both originals are so good? TR: No I wasn’t nervous because of the work of Shane Brown and of course Dean Fraser. They are both masters at what they do, and I trust them so I knew the remixes were going to be good. They didn’t disappoint did they?! (Tarrus laughs)!
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NVC: Shane Brown is now your manager, and he is also an excellent producer having worked with some of the most elite people in the industry. With that said, when the two of you meet in the studio, what does your ‘reasoning’ sessions sound like? Do you reason about genre, bass line, riddim guitar, the key the song should be performed in, future opportunities, a combination of all?! TR: Let me tell you and I also have to say that Shane Brown produced the chune “Start Anew” (on the Nylon Riddim) which was a number 1 hit record for me and spoke out against domestic violence. That’s just the start and we have other recordings too. When I did my first album called Challenges, I had a chune called “Larger than Life” which he produced too. He has done my recordings, mixing and engineering so we are not strangers at all, so to tell you what we talk about in the studio would be like giving away the Kernels secret recipe! We can’t do that at all! (Tarrus laughs)! One thing I can say is that we push it to the limit as far as the quality of music is concerned, but I can’t give away the secret! NVC: When the legend Dean Fraser steps into the reasoning, how do things change, or do they stay the same?! TR: That’s a different Kernel and a different recipe and I can’t give away that one either! Once again, look at the track record, “Superman,” “Beware,” “She’s Royal,” “Lion Paw” and the list goes on. We have a great chemistry and Dean hears things in music that other people just can’t hear. He’s the best! NVC: God gave you the gift of song, and you have used that gift to better the world, and inspire others to be better people and by extension develop their own gifts. With that said, when you hold a reasoning with God, what is one, just one thing the two of you talk about as it relates to your gift?! TR: The only thing I say to the Almighty is Thank You; just thank you. NVC: Your voice shines brightly when you perform the song “Marcus Garvey.” Like a light, you illuminate the path for us to walk in our understanding of the Hero. What do you most appreciate about Garvey’s teaching? TR: I appreciate his confidence and ambition. For someone to come from where he came from and become this master and great role model and leader and gather so many people and drive; he’s like a Superman and unstoppable. His teachings on self preservation and loving oneself … I LOVE it!
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He heard the song and he loved it. He loved the concept of the song. When we met and spoke I told him I’m a yute … people try to make me out to be this big old man but I’m young, and we need to make Culture relevant to the youths. People hear about Marcus Garvey, and about Africa and they think it’s old people talk. I wanted to talk about a young Malcolm X, a young Garvey, a young Nanny etc. I want the young people to know it’s cool to talk about our leaders and show how it’s relevant today. So when you see the doubles who look like Garvey, Martin, Malcolm etc, know that they’re young youths. I want the culture to be a part of the Pop Culture because a lot of times people have me as a prophet from long time but I’m not. It’s the knowledge that I have that I want to pass on. Everywhere I go people tell me they love the video and I think to myself ‘yes, mission accomplished!’ NVC: Do you find that the more successful you become in music, the more you’re willing to share your personal beliefs, or is it that due to evolution, now is the time to voice your inner thoughts? TR: I take it day by day and take it in stride. I don’t know how to answer that really. Sometimes I share what I know and sometimes I keep quiet because I’m still learning. I take that day by day.
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As for the video, it was shot by a really good director named Sam Salter who produced the movie Betta Mus Come. I am a big fan of the movie, I must have watched it about 100 times, and when I heard the final cut of the song, and I decided I’m going to link Sam. I didn’t know if he was going to say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but this man is the real deal and I wanted him to direct the video.
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All of this was happening on Hero’s weekend in Jamaica and I didn’t even know. I think that was the spirit in the air at that time. I didn’t consciously think to make a Hero’s song, that’s just what it was. The cool part again was this was Bassie’s first riddim so we had a launch party for him which was nice. We have a bredrin named Joe, who called himself ‘Jah Ova Evil,’ who recorded a track and he too was at the launch; we had a great celebration, then the next day Joe passed away. The night when he was there, he was telling us how much he loves the riddim. He also told us he was kind of sick before, and he was still sick with a brain tumor. Life.
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NVC: One of your most outstanding songs and video’s is “Shaka Zulu Pickney.” Tell us how that song came about, as well as the shooting of the video. TR: The song is produced by a personal friend of mine named Bay-Cee Clarke from TOK, and he had the riddim, and came to check me at Grafton Studios and he called the riddim Nyabinghi. He played the riddim in the studio, and to me it sounded African and Roots so Marcus Garvey came to me and I felt our African Kings running through my veins so we wrote the song right there, and the next day we recorded it in the studio.
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NVC: You have a special relationship with Canadian fans. Your shows are always sold out, and you’re one of the few artists who attract 4 generation fans; daughter, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. How do you feel about the span of 4 generations?! TR: Wow! You’re making me nervous! Listen, this is a blessing and as far as I can see, music is for everyone so it’s cool and a good thing, and knowing that my music can be played, whether One Drop, Dancehall, whatever it is, if feels good that youths can listen to it, and parents can listen to it and everybody is cool! So all these generations, listening to my music and coming out to shows; I feel good!
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This is the reason why we rehearse so hard and we push it to the limit with making music. I’ll tell you again that I’m the biggest fan of my fans. I’ll give you a joke, Shane and I were on the road for a performance, and we couldn’t leave the venue. There were so many people there, we couldn’t get out of the venue. We almost missed our flight; I swear! We had Police escorts, and that couldn’t help us … that’s how many people were there. Cars couldn’t move, and people wouldn’t move. People thought I was getting upset, but I looked at the situation and I said ‘how can this upset you?! All of these people have come to see you. This is a great thing!’ As for the Canadian fans, all I can say is thank you. I am here to give you good music and that’s what I’m going to continue to do! Music for more generations to come! NVC: Being on the road as much as you are, and having revisited several countries, do you have food locations mapped out, or do you cook while on the road? TR: I cook my own food and I cook for the crew on my tour bus. Cooking is a personal hobby and something that I love to do. I love to be in the kitchen and when you come back to Jamaica, I’ll cook for you! I never brag about music or anything, but I brag about my cooking and the kitchen! As for the world, I haven’t been everywhere, but I will say that all countries are beautiful in their own little way. I would like to see all countries. It’s only now I see the cities I perform in. Before it was plane, hotel, venue, hotel, plane. Now I get to see a little more and that’s nice! NVC: The name of the magazine is L3 and each L has a meaning. The first L is for Life, the second is for Love and the third for Lyrics. What general advice can you give our readers on Life, Love and Lyrics? TR: I would tell anyone is to get into yourself so you can hear your conscious and your inner voice. If you listen you will hear what your calling is. For example, when it comes to life you will know how you’re living and what you need to stop. When it comes to love, you will know when you’re in Love, and Lyrics, you know to think before you speak. If you listen to that inner voice in you, you’ll know if your Life is on the right path which is Love and if you’re speaking the right Lyrics! Connect with Tarrus on Twitter >>> @tarrusrileyja
FC BLACK FILM WITH
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FABIENNE COLAS NATASHA VON CASTLE Fabienne Colas (pronounced Fay-B-enne) is the reason why Black Film holds a position of prominence in Canada. Upon arriving in Montreal from Haiti, she noticed that there was a lack of platforms available for Black film makers to showcase their artistry and talents. Her motto, ‘if it doesn’t exist, create it’ took root 9 years ago with the creation of the Montreal International Black Film Festival (2014 will mark 10 years), and the Toronto Black Film Festival which this year, is in its second year. Because of Fabienne, producers and directors from as far away as South Africa to the Caribbean, to as close to home as Canada and all points in between have an opportunity to have their film showcased to an appreciative audience. Fabienne’s determination and focus has made Black film a reality in Canada. There are several reasons as to why Fabienne has accomplished what she has, and these are just some of the reasons…
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L3: Of all the art forms we have around us; music, canvass art, dance etc, your passion is film! Why Film and what was your experience that confirmed film is where you are supposed to be? FC: Let me tell you that maybe it’s because I cannot sing why I’m in Film (Fabienne laughs)! I would have been singing if I could have, but I really feel that cinema is a powerful tool that can educate and bring people together on common matters and important issues in a good and powerful ways.
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Film is a medium that allows people to witness something … a message and feel great an empowered and inspired. Another reason is I feel film is the best way for people to travel. People can be in Toronto and know what’s going on in Pakistan or Nigeria, or Haiti or Australia, Brazil … anywhere in the world through film. It can be in a foreign language or in English; but for me this is the most powerful medium we can have to impact people and to make change where change needs to be made. We can also celebrate what needs to be celebrated. Growing up I realized that we can use film for so much more than what we think and I am privileged to be an actor, director and producer in Film.
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L3: You have accomplished one of the highest plateau’s; two Film Festivals, that are internationally respected. Did you face obstacles on your journey because you are a female, or were you embraced more because you are a female whom the community knew could get this job done? FC: No, No, No; not at all. I never ever felt people put obstacles in my way because I’m a female; if anything I think there are some things that are easier because I am a female! I’ve experienced obstacles because of being black, yes, sometimes, and not because of racism per say, but because of prejudice. I sometimes wonder ‘would this still be happening to be if I wasn’t black?’ To be clear, the prejudice of which I’m speaking is not with the Festivals, but speaking generally. To go deeper, the main obstacle I had to overcome was me! I needed to prove to myself that I am capable of doing both Festivals; putting them together. I’m a ‘little girl’ from Haiti, and I had to convince myself that I can do this in this huge country of Canada. It didn’t take me long … I relied on my instincts a lot. I knew it was the right time, and everything came together to support that. After I realized I could do it, and I built my confidence, I built my team and asked them to embark on the journey with me, and trusted that my team would help me bring everything together which they have done! After convincing the team, we worked to convince the partners which was difficult at first because we didn’t have anything previous … this was the first, but after we got through that, we’ve been fine. I would like to say that I hope people get to see Steadman Graham because he talks about the 9 steps to success, and one of the steps talks about the fact that people will put you in a box, and you have to work your way out of that box. In my case, I was new to Canada, and didn’t have experience with a festival, so partners had me in a box, but I worked my way out of that box to show them that the vision is greater and outside the box they had put me in. Today, the people who put me in the box work with me, and understand that there is so much more than what they thought! I have to say thank you to Global Toronto and Global Montreal because they saw and see the vision and without their support we would not have made it this far.
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L3: Your origins in terms of being a model have always had you in the spotlight and centre stage. Even at that time, did you have a feeling that you were destined to be the ‘face of’ many things to come, especially being one of the faces of diversity in Canada? FC: No I didn’t. I knew, while I was in Haiti, that my life was going to be exciting. I knew my life would be great and that I would live in a foreign country. I thought I would be in the United States and not Canada because the US was my dream. I wanted to be a Hollywood actress, and then when I discovered Canada, I fell in love, and then when I got to Montreal, I really fell in love!
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L3: Speaking of growth, you have applied for 2 television licenses for 2 new stations. Your aim is to broaden cultural diversity on TV in the Quebec market place which is needed. So far, how has the application process been, and how similar is it to the planning and launch of MIBFF? FC: Oh for me that was a simple process! I / we applied, and we asked people to support the application process. We got the support that we needed, so now it’s a matter of planning the functioning of the station. I think we need more diversity in Canada, so any platform, any window that is open, we will use to reach that goal.
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L3: You are now in your 9th year with MIBFF! You started primarily as a platform for Haitian Film and now it’s expanded to include all film. Are there any other ways that the festival has grown that you are most proud of? FC: Yes! I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve been able to accomplish so much in such a short period of time. Ten years is a lot in festival time (referring to MIBFF) as a lot of festivals end after 3 years or so and it costs a lot to run. I wish we had enough money in the world to make every festival free, but that is not the reality, so I am proud that we are able to bring quality films to the screen, and still have it affordable for film goers to enjoy. This year we included some free events such as the TBFF community events which has been very well received. We also included live performances at one of the cinemas which too was well received. I’m very proud and certain that we have a long way to go in terms of what I want the festival to be, and I’m proud that the work is done my majority women!
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L3: What is unique to TBFF and MIBFF are your holding workshops for filmmakers and others associated with film throughout the year, and not just at festival time. Tell us about those workshops and initiatives! FC: Well we feel that there are people that fans and moviegoers should have a chance to hear speak, and the way for us to do that was by having the workshops. Steadman Graham for example and as I mentioned before has a great workshop on achieving success. We met because of MIBFF, and we invited him to speak at TBFF and he said yes. The yes is not just about the speaking, but about connecting with the community and unlocking some of the doors that need to be opened so creativity can flow. His workshops are tremendously inspiring. After you come away from his workshop, you don’t conduct you life in the same way, and I want as many people to experience that! People come away with tools to expand their business and not just in film, but in all areas.
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I knew that by being in Canada I could contribute to a bigger cause because of being in drama school , taking acting classes and all those things. I started to meet some people and the rest is history. I did know though that everything I did would have an impact on people.
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L3: In an era where launching a festival are easier, or pursuing television is easier, people sometimes lose touch with the inner man, and the spiritual balance we need to keep. If you had to speak to room of younger women (pursuing various professions), what would you tell them about Spirituality and its importance to their development? FC: First thing I would say here in Canada is to see men and treat men as your ally. Men are not your enemy, and they are not a threat, they are your partner. They are people to work with and accomplish with; grow with them and build with them. Men are people we need to have in our corner. The common thinking here in North America is that we can do it in our own as women, and YEAH, we can do it on our own but we cannot see the other side as being the enemy, and we don’t have to ‘prove’ to them we can do it. We know we can do anything. When I was growing up, my Father, my Brother, and all of their friends, and friends, friends were always there for me; to push me and to root for me and to tell me that I can do it. This is what I know, and this is how we were raised in Haiti. All the examples we had were of women and men working together, and not as a threat that needs to be overcome or to ‘beat’ in the sense of competition. Men are players we need to have on our team and vice versa for that matter. When we have that we have balance, and spiritually, we are working from a balanced place, and not a place of having to ‘prove’ that we don’t need a man, or that a man is our enemy. Spiritually, we must start from a place of being balanced. L3: Thinking back to when you were a child growing up, what were some of the anecdotes your parents shared with you that you still hold to this day? FC: Hmmm! There are so many of them, but I remember words my Father shared with me. Before I tell you, I should say that my Father reads a lot, and he especially liked to read motivational books. He showed me a quote saying, and I translate to English from French, ‘the world will always make a way as long as you know where you want to go!’ If you know where you want to go, everything will open up for you, and as well, Alice in Wonderland! One day she was in the middle of a 4 way street and she had a choice to make as to which direction to go. There was a wise man sitting in the corner and she asked him ‘where do I go now?’ He said well, tell me where you want to go and I can tell you which road to take, and she replied ‘it doesn’t matter.’ So the wise man said well ‘take any of the roads.’
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Connect with Fabienne via Twitter >>> @FabienneColas
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FC: Oh wow! On life, it will be what you make of it. It will only mean the meaning that you give to it. That might sound philosophical, but it’s true. Enjoy the process of getting that meaning which includes the obstacles and the great times. For love, it’s simple to articulate … we will get more support once it’s expressed. For lyrics, the words you say will manifest!
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L3: The name of our magazine is L3 and each ‘L’ has a meaning. The first is for Life, the second for Love and the third for Lyrics. What general advice can you give our readers on Life, Love, and Lyrics?!
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The point is, if it doesn’t matter where you want to go, then the road will lead you anywhere. If you know where you want to go, that is where the road will take you. That taught me when you really know where you want to go and what you want to do, it will be easier to make choices. You need to have an idea. You can change your mind, but you at least need to have a place in your mind to know where you want to go so you can make some great choices.
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L3 MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
DR
THE LITTLE BIG HEAD
DR: I definitely do. It was a red Hoffner bass that looked like the Gibson that BB King plays. One of these: Hofner Bass,but red. Like all Hoffners’ it was light as a feather and had a shorter scale than most bass guitars. The Boys started out as a sixties beat group so I traded it in for a proper Hoffner violin bass a la- Paul McCartney. That bass got traded in for a Fender Mustang before I eventually ended up with the vintage mono Rickenbacker which I still play today. I bought a Hoffner violin again recently though. They are beautiful. And yes, when I grew up there was none of this wanting to be a geek for Apple or Google. You either wanted to be a footballer, a rock star or both (laughs). Being both would have suited me.
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SR: I hear football (European football) was your desire, but a bass guitar plunked your stage in life instead. Do you recall the brand of the bass?
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SONG RIVER
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DUNCAN REID
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SR: How old were you when you picked up the bass? Self taught? Were your parents musically inclined? Any other instruments you’ve picked up along the way? Do you have a favorite instrument? DR: (Pause) I think I was about 13 and yes, I taught myself by playing along to records. My father played bass which is why I found one hidden in a cupboard and decided that was the weapon of choice for me. On my album, Little Big Head, I play guitar and keyboards as well, but bass is what I do well. Or at least I’m very good at singing and jumping about while I play the bass (laughs)!
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SR: You landed in London, it’s the beginning of punk. Describe for us what it looked like. DR: Well I landed in London just before punk got started and it was a long way from being an explosion! At the beginning it was just a few people who went round to The Boys’ guitarist Mat Dangerfield’s apartment in West London. People like Mick Jones, Billy Idol, Brian James, Steve Jones etc. It seemed like these were the only people in the world who had heard of Iggy Pop, The Flamin Groovies and The New York Dolls. Casino Steel’s previous band, The Hollywood Brats, were also a big favourite.
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Different people would play together very badly in different combinations in the little studio Matt and his flat mate, Barry, had rigged up, with electricity tapped in illegally for free from the streetlight outside. Then everyone coalesced into different bands, The Pistols, The Clash etc, started playing little gigs and suddenly the explosion happened. You’d start to see other people with short hair on the street and know they were in on what was going on. Johnny Thunders came over from New York, The Ramones and Blondie played London, The Undertones emerged from Ireland, The Buzzcocks came from up north, and The Rezillos from Scotland. It seemed like the whole world had changed. By this time The Boys were out on the road and recording. It seemed slightly dangerous. Taking a sound that was alien to the long haired, “prog rock” world that existed at the time. People’s reaction was mixed, to say the least, but there was a core of people who thought it was great and went mad for it. SR: Did you have any idea what was going on around you musically at that time? What influences were occurring politically, socially and economically in Britain and globally that were factors in the punk explosion? Do you feel that you as a performer/writer were being influenced by the social climate? Who were some of those influences both musically and in your personal life? DR: Oh yes. We were totally aware of everything that was going on musically. We knew everyone and would also read the music press like it was the bible. You would wait for it to come out each week and rush down the newsagent to buy it. The weeklies had enormous power then. At the beginning it was a fight against the sea of funky Average White Band crap that seemed to surround us. And then, punk was everywhere blowing that away! At the time everyone was jumping on the political band wagon created by The Clash and spouting on about “no future” etc. It worked for The Clash, but seemed a bit hollow for many. The Boys deliberately steered clear of that, although it finds its way in subtly in songs like No Money; songs about the everyday reality of living in hard times.
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SR: Really? Why, was it not a barrel of laughs? Delve further into the topic of why you thought it was the right decision. DR: They were a very unhappy band and this was before Johnny went off with Joey’s girlfriend Linda! They were disillusioned that they hadn’t cracked the US, that they hadn’t made any money and generally tired of the treadmill they were on. Johnny was a menacing bully, Joey was really friendly but had all the aspersers related issues, and Dee Dee was Dee Dee: a bundle of unhappiness. Not people you’d really have a laugh and a joke with. But all that made for one of the greatest bands of all time. SR: A total of four albums recorded, extensive US and Europe touring the group called, The Boys- then what happened to the band? DR: Everything runs its course. The world moved on to the Culture Club 80s. The Boys lost the desire to keep going and so we broke up.
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Everyone around The Ramones came up to us on the first night saying ‘Do you know what an honour this is? They never let anyone play with them.’ It certainly was an honour. They tried to get Cas to leave The Boys after that tour and join The Ramones on keyboards as Casino Ramone. I think he made the right decision not to go because being in The Ramones was not a barrel of laughs.
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SR: You’re in the mix of The Damned, Sex Pistols, The Church, Gen X, and so much more happening- as the group The Boys-enveloped you as their bass player and lead vocalist what connections were you making to the other bands? Memorable stories to share during those times... such as I understand you doing backing vocals for The Ramones? Was it only the live version you did backing vocals for or did you also for a studio version? DR: We toured with The Ramones at the time of the End of the Century album. We were Joey’s favourite band. There’s an article he wrote in a paper where he says so. “Baby I Love You” was just breaking into the charts in the UK, but they weren’t playing it live. We said to them, ‘Why not? Are you nuts?!’ Johnny said he didn’t know how to play it because he wasn’t on the record. So we had to teach them how it went and Casino Steel and I backed them each night with Cas playing the string parts on his keyboard and us both singing backing vocals. There’s a recording of Joey introducing us as The Boys Choir.
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SR: Do you believe it takes a certain persona to come off shouting about the government, parliament, the world in general? Perhaps only bands like the Sex Pistols could scream ‘anarchy’ and The Clash could slam politics. What do you think? DR: It takes a certain type of person to pull anything off well. Mick Jones was not a political person when I first met him before The Clash, and Joe Strummer came from a comfortable background. They pulled off the attitude well though. For others it looked a bit copy-cat. I guess you can’t beat the originals at anything. We tried to be original... by going the other way.
SR: As I understand it 18 years later The Boys were brought back together for a couple of shows in Tokyo. During that period of time in between (18 years) what were you involved in musically or otherwise? LY R I C S
DR: I decided to stop playing music and set about making a career and bringing up a family. I honestly thought I would never play again, but something must have stopped me from giving up altogether because I never let my old Rickenbacker go. It just sat there in the cupboard biding its time. SR: During that period of time when your beloved Rickenbacker (by the way did you name her) sat in the cupboard, what was your profession? And when did you step back in to music? Was it gradual or was it work by day...write, perform by night?
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DR: No she’s never had a name. Everybody says how lovely she is now by the way. It’s really nice for the old lady to be so flattered! I did a host of things including working for Andrew Lloyd Webber which was actually great fun although I apologise for it. I also ran a football club, Nottingham Forest, which was in the English Premier League at the time. When The Boys started playing again it was in between working.
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SR: A new generation finds the music The Boys and the world is hungry once again for harmonics, punch, bite and punk wave... The Mattless Boys, The Cute Lepers... and then you take a step out; why was it time? DR: At the time leaving The Boys was so painful, but with hindsight it was the best thing that could possibly have happened to me. Bands are funny things. They are dysfunctional pressure cookers. It’s part of what makes them work but it can also rip them apart. That’s what happened with The Boys. We were a world class group and my main contribution was as the live front man, bringing energy to the live shows to match those great songs. And what an honour it was to sing lead on great songs like, First Time. But it was time to strike out on my own and start again. And what a fantastic journey it’s been. Firstly, from the huge help I’ve had from people like Tony Barber who produced the record and Vom Ritchie who drummed on it. And not least, Alex Gold who plays guitar and keyboard in the Big Heads and has been my rock throughout. And secondly the massive reaction there has been to our record and the live shows we have played. It’s been a joy. SR: Duncan Reid and the Big Heads just released, Little Big Head . When I listen to your music I hear a musician who is finally relaxed, creating fun, and sharing passion from their heart; the passion of music. Where did, the name Big Head, come from? What genre or style of music would you call it? DR: I don’t know if you have the same expression in the states, but in the UK a big head is someone who thinks a lot of themselves. I certainly am not known for being short on self confidence and I’m not the tallest guy in the world. So Little Big Head is a joke on myself as a diminutive figure who is not slow to come forward! The Big Heads followed on from that as a name for the band. People call us ‘pop punk,’ which I think is accurate. I prefer it to ‘power pop,’ not that I’ve got anything against that label. Melodic songs set to a fast beat, although we are happy to play the odd slow song as well.
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SR: Where do your ideas for music come from? DR: The tunes just arrive in my head. I have to get them down straight away or they are gone for good. So you’ll often see me in an inappropriate place like the cinema running for the door so that I can sing a tune into my phone. Then later you can put the bits together like a jigsaw puzzle. It’s really great when you go back to the phone and listen to the bits. It’s like hearing them for the first time. I have no memory of them but I know it’s me because it’s my voice. The lyrics tend to take some time. Generally the best ones come when you look at an aspect of your life and write a little 3 minute story around it.
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SR: What do you want to share or make happen with your fans? DR: What do I want to happen? I just want to play. I don’t care to how many people. It would be nice to have a little bit of success everywhere so that we could gradually make our way around the world and see those smiles on faces which always happen at our gigs. And now we are working on the next album. It’s going to be great!
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SR: I was noticing that some of your videos have a recurring theme of two things: your appreciation for women, and a period time generational speaking. Share your thoughts. DR: What can I say. I like women! I even wrote the song, Aren’t Women Wonderful, which we made a video to. There are a certain number of men who’ve let me know they don’t agree with the whole concept. I guess they haven’t had my experience! A young Brazilian lady, Andrea Stern, made the video and had the great idea to cut in snippets of classic female movie stars. Coincidentally Martin Bannister who made the clip for, Gotta Call Simone, had a similar idea, cutting in go-go girls dancing to the song. For, Rolling On, I asked him to use archive footage as it’s a song looking back to my early days. Therefore you have 3 people all thinking of period piece videos. Great minds think alike! SR: If you had to describe Duncan Reid’s style of music- how would you describe it? DR: The Beach Boys meet The Ramones at John Lennon’s house (laughs)! SR: Do you feel that music is open to more diversity today than it was back in the 70’s when you began? DR: Most of the time, but at times it seems the charts are full of rubbish. They always have been and today is the same as every decade. The guitar music I like seems to be out of fashion at the moment, but then I like being different. It’s great to play in places where your natural audience isn’t there and you have to win them over. Makes you try harder. SR: Is that better or worse in your estimation? DR: I still get a thrill from discovering stuff I like and have never heard of before. I came across a band called, Mrs. Magician, while having breakfast at a hotel in Hamburg a few weeks ago. The CD was playing in the room, which lead me to dig up all that surf punk stuff like, The Mind Spiders, who I’ve never heard of before. It’s easier to discover for yourself now which is better.
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SR: Your latest release, Kelly’s Gone Insane, there seems to be a truth telling story to this song, what is it? DR: It’s about a young lady called, Kelly Navarro who I’ve never met in real life but I know through Facebook. She worked in a record store in the Bay area and used to crack me up with stories of horrible customers. I just thought: what would happen if she actually did what she threatened to do with them. I was a bit afraid she might sue me for depicting her as a psychopath, but she seems delighted! SR: Where do you want your music to go? Tours in Europe and are the states in your future? DR: I’m always putting out feelers to play in the US. Just need someone to book the venues. It’ll happen.
SR: Who would you like to perform with? DR: There’s a guy called Petter Baarli, a genius guitarist with Norwegian band, The Backstreet Girls. He’s mad as a bag of cats but he shows off like me on stage. It would be great to play with him. We did make a record together called, The Mattless Boys, because it has all The Boys on it except Matt Dangerfield. Petter’s playing is genius on that record. It would be great to play live with him. SR: It’s a Friday night; no playing yourself tonight. You have your choice to pick which band you can go relax and hang out to just listen to; who is it? Do you have a favorite pub you frequent to hear new music? DR: Hearing live music in London seems to get harder and harder. There’s a classic venue called the 12 Bar Club which has been in London for decades. I just heard it is being pulled down soon… Criminal! The two best live bands I’ve seen in recent years are The Urban Voodoo Machine and The Jim Jones Revue. SR: Duncan thank you for taking us on a journey; the past, present and future into your music, and that peek into the affects and how they’ve correlated themselves into something special. If you were to give any advice to musician’s considering, or forming bands what would you say to them? DR: The main question is “Do you need to do this.” Because, believe me, there are people who need to do it and that is what gets you through the early days when you aren’t any good and all the doors are shut. If you are really serious find a lifestyle and job that will support your music financially and will give you the time to take opportunities. Lastly, learn as much as you can about all aspects of the business, so you can do it all yourself, since the chances are no one else is going to do it for you!
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SR: Do you have any other artistic passions you pursue? DR: It’s not so much artistic but I like learning languages. I love going places and talking to people. I hate it when I’m somewhere and can’t talk. It feels like a mental affliction.
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SR: Do you have children that you’ve shared your musical passions with? Have any of them picked them up as well? If you have musically inclined children would you share a stage with them? DR: I’ve been the cool dad to my daughter for a while now. She loves our gigs. The funny thing is I would be very rich indeed if I had $10 for every person who has asked me if Alex Gold is my son. I’m going to adopt him so that I can just say yes. So, I have therefore shared a stage with my future children!