ECLECTIC BEATS, VINTAGE VIBES

From rats to riches: Redonda’s incredible transformation

ECLECTIC BEATS, VINTAGE VIBES

ONE OF ANTIGUA’S MOST ELECTRIFYING BANDS, THE STRAYS TALK ROOTS, REGGAE –AND WHY THEY NEVER RUN WITH THE PACK

Interviewing The Strays feels a bit like being invited onto the hip kids’ table at high school.

In addition to the fact they ooze cool, the plaintiff riffs and ruminative lyrics of early 90s bangers like Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ and Chili Peppers’ ‘Under The Bridge’ are enough to transport you straight back to the days of teenage angst and lumpy mashed potato.

In actual fact, the tunes they perform are as eclectic as the band members themselves. And collectively – like today on the beach at Catherine’s Café - they’re a tour de force, not least because they’re quite unlike any other band on Antigua’s entertainment scene.

The Strays may have their roots in rock but these days the vibes include reggae, soca, blues, jazz and funk too; their diversity is linked to the multifarious musical backgrounds of each of the six members.

The band’s name has a double meaning, with nods to both the convergence of musicians from other groups and The Strays’ very first performance in 2016 at a fundraiser for a local animal charity.

The event in aid of Parham-based dog and cat shelter PAAWS had been organised by singer Adam Kirby’s brother Adrian. ‘The Strays’ was a last-minute moniker invented by Adrian as the original ensemble prepared to walk on stage.

Most of those erstwhile members have since strayed off again. Today the band includes Adam, who’s a personal trainer when he’s not on the mic’, and manager and guitarist Hani Hechme, a sound engineer whose Irie Fire studio in Hodges Bay is a favoured haunt for some of the region’s biggest names.

There’s also fellow sound engineer, recording artist and beat producer Javan Murdoch, bassist Tony Mayers and drummer Nathan Dinard, who both work in banking, and keyboardist Khadijah Simon, a photographer.

Face to face they’re refreshingly down to earth, amiable, and eager to chat. They’ll even give considered answers to admittedly trite questions like, if you could perform with any musician living or dead… (We couldn’t resist. If you’re interested: Jimi Hendrix, Bruno Mars, Bono and – closer to home – Antiguan jazz guitarist Roland Prince.)

Their foray into reggae from rock came about as organically as their union. In late 2017, the band were rehearsing shortly after Hurricane Irma devastated Barbuda.

“Some of the guys took a smoke break, and I think it may have been Ed [George, former member] or Hani who started playing a Bob Marley song so I started singing it,” Adam recalls. “We kind of looked at each other for a second as if to say, this actually sounds really good, maybe we should sing some more reggae.”

One of Adam’s clients was helping organise the Caribbean Strong concert in October that year to raise money for Barbuda. An informal conversation later and The Strays were booked to open for Shaggy and soca legend Machel Montano.

“Meanwhile, I hadn’t been on a big stage since way back when I sang for [iconic Antiguan band] Burning Flames. I figured hey, we got two weeks, let’s just throw caution to the wind and do it.

“I put together a really nice reggae medley with the band that would fill our set for that evening perfectly. We rehearsed and rehearsed, but we were all still pretty nervous I think; I know I was. I was either going to make a complete a*s of myself, or die trying not to.

“This show was to be broadcast all over the world, live. I don’t think I could have chosen a higher pressured event for our debut if I tried.”

Happily, things went smoothly.

“The night went really well, we got a lot of great feedback, and two weeks later we were asked to open for Wyclef Jean at a private event on Jumby Bay. The

The Strays may have their roots in rock but these days the vibes include reggae, soca, blues, jazz and funk too.

rest is history - we have been performing together ever since,” Adam says.

Despite their sundry origins, The Strays’ esprit de corps just might be the secret to their musical alchemy.

“I absolutely love playing with the guys and girl in the band; there is, like, zero egos flying around, we all just love music and thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the gift of being able to play it,” Adam continues.

Tony concurs.

“I love the chemistry and camaraderie. We feel each other’s energy; playing with the band is the best high you can get,” he says.

There’s an “unspoken communication that happens” on stage, explains Hani. “That’s what I enjoy the most - the group just knows how to play with each other.

“The connection with the crowd is also a big part of it; when they’re really into it, it’s a shared experience.”

For Nathan, the sweeping setlists give him a chance to challenge himself.

“I enjoy executing the music. Plus, you don’t hear that kind of music anywhere else in Antigua. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ is something you would hear on American radio. To get the opportunity to play that here is great,” he smiles.

As proud Antiguans, The Strays are some of the country’s biggest ambassadors.

Throughout the season, music lovers can catch The Strays fortnightly at Catherine’s Café on Pigeon Beach, among other venues. Songs guaranteed to get people up and dancing range from 80s classics ‘Tainted Love’ – a richer, bassier version than the original – to Jamiroquai’s ‘Cosmic Girl’ and The Verve’s ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’, the latter another unexpected addition to their heterogeneous repertoire.

Hani’s favourites to perform include Chris Isaak’s haunting ‘Wicked Game’ and the eminently nostalgic 1985 hit ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ by Tears for Fears.

For Khadijah, it’s the irresistibly funky groove of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’.

Her enthusiasm for the industry is palpable.

“When I’m not playing music I’m listening to it,” she grins. “Seeing the crowd enjoying our music is the biggest thing for me. We are helping them to make memories.”

The Strays attract a solid local following wherever they go but for the tourists lucky enough to catch a gig, it’s a holiday highlight.

“When the tourism season is really kicking, the island’s social aspect is hard to beat,” Tony says. “Antigua has a real personality for that kind of stuff.”

As proud Antiguans, The Strays are some of the country’s biggest ambassadors.

“I just love how laidback it is here. The pace of life is much slower than other countries – you can have your bubble,” says Hani.

“It’s a good place to be disconnected from the worries of larger scale modern life,” picks up Javan. “Because things move at a slower pace we miss some of the more frantic or hectic energy from world events. We are kind of tucked away in a corner and no one is really paying attention to us,” he adds.

The country’s beaches undoubtedly garner more press than its rhythmical offerings. But as music buffs will testify, the twin island nation is something of a pioneer in the sector.

“Antigua is a really special place when it comes to music. This is the land of Burning Flames for goodness sakes, the best calypso/soca music ever made in the Caribbean,” Adam says.

“They were the first band to use a drum machine, which took traditional calypso music and turned it on its head, paving the way for what is now known as soca.”

Getting the chance to step in as lead singer when main man Onyan left, after growing up listening to them, was a moment of “shock and awe”, he recalls, followed by some “amazing memories”.

“I’ve always been a bit of a loner and singing has always been my company, my friend, my peace,” Adam adds.

“I honestly feel so grateful for the gift I’ve been given and I never take it for granted, and I never take The Strays for granted.

“We are so lucky to be able to go out there and play for people.” n By Gemma Handy

ART GALLERY: A WHOLE EXPERIENCE

Gilly Gobinet’s enchanting space stirs the senses and captivates the soul

Set among tropical gardens, Gilly Gobinet’s working Art Gallery offers scenes as pretty as a picture. And that’s before one even begins to browse the delightful paintings on display.

Inside the entrance, one wall is devoted to nudes, another to semiabstract paintings of boats. Further on, an effervescent collection of acrylics and watercolours, mostly inspired by nature - flowers, fruit, birds etc… adorn the walls.

In the kitchen, cartoons vie for position among pineapples, local veggie produce and classic yachts. And in the bathroom, a papier maché clown offers visitors lavatory paper with one tiny scarlet hand.

In the background, the effortless timbre of Mozart adds one final whimsical flourish.

Barely a square foot of Gilly’s Gallery, on the banks of Fitches Creek – a short drive from the international airport – has been excluded from this bacchanalia of colour and canvas. Hand-painted murals adorn exterior walls and even the periphery of the swimming pool.

“Inspiration is never lacking when you’re surrounded by all of this,” she says brightly, gesturing towards the sea and the pots of brilliant bougainvillea and other vibrant tropical flora; at least seven species of tropical birds, the numerous bananaquits being the most shrill, feed from the dishes on the veranda.

Anyone visiting the Gallery will be treated to a full tour of the property, beginning with the delightful Courtyard at the entrance right down to the dock with its painted table and comfy chairs at the water’s edge, shaded by an enormous mangrove tree: a whole experience not to be missed!

Inside are hundreds more original works, in all shapes and sizes, mainly in acrylic on canvas or wood, and watercolours, large and small, mounted in standard frame sizes. Nearly all are suitcase-friendly or can be shipped internationally.

Because of Gilly’s training as a biologist, she is very curious about how every plant or animal she paints is made before painting it. This may also explain her love of nature. She also strongly feels that a balanced composition is one of the most important aspects of any work of art.

While most of the pieces exhibited are the result of her own impulse, much of Gilly’s work is commissioned, particularly her portraits of pet dogs and cats for which she donates 10 percent to local animal charity Dogs and Cats of Antigua. Her love of animals includes her own five pet dogs! n Gilly in her Gallery