interview
‘In the Sixties I tried to make a
kind of Calypso music that would
hopefully be more successful than
the classic Calypso that was not
being paid any attention,’ he says.
Here, a pop-soul calypso
mash-up was born and became
known as ‘soca’. Black Skin
Blue-Eyed Boys was the first soca
record created and it was one of
the fastest selling Equals record.
So yes, I hear you cry, the roots of
soca were in the Caribbean, but its
creation was here in the UK.
Then the guard changed and
Eddy went on to create ringbang,
a development of soca music,
faster, more aggressive and with a
whole host of new younger artists.
Ringbang was created in order to
unite the rhythms originating from
Africa, but also to affirm the values
of Caribbean culture.
Pushing boundaries
The development of music at that
time was progressive. The style of
Eighties Star: songs like Electric
production and the lyrical content
Avenue were huge global hits
pushed boundaries. But it appears
Eddy isn’t impressed with the new
Eddy Grant
style ringbang or modern music.
He thinks that by not spending
sufficient time writing quality
songs, today’s musicians are
Back on the live scene after 20 years,
holding themselves back from
creating new classics.
his eclecticism is greater than ever
‘The guys who have taken over,
they aren’t really songwriters, they
copy, they take bits from here and
E
ddy Grant is the musician your America we were bordered by they take bits from there. This is a
mum and dad will remember, Spanish and Dutch stations. That big part of the problem in trying to
so if like me, you were born in music together with the rock music move the music along.
the Eighties, then you’re probably and soul music of the States and ‘If you see a video with ten of
not ready for Eddy and if you don’t the African music that I started these artists, they all end up saying
know about him you had better find listening to a little later on made me and singing the same kind of thing.
out soon because the veteran of into a very different kind of creature This is where these guys are failing
all things soca is back again. Now – a different kind of artist. The ringbang,’ says Eddy.
don’t be fooled by his vintage, this lifestyles of this music helped me
man is on fire when he’s on stage. to develop something that wasn’t Back after 20 years
But in person, he’s your average happening in the UK,’ said Eddy. Eddy disappeared off the live
tropical, calm and collected dude. music scene when he realised that
It’s hard to believe that a man Creating a new style the music industry had lost focus
with his music CV isn’t blowing The mix and blend of sounds that and he kept away for 20 years.
his own horn especially when he surrounded Eddy meant that when With the climate so overcast, one
has laid down so many roots in he was called upon to create a new can’t help but wonder – what has
music and has paved the way style of music, he was able to brought Eddy back?
for so many other musicians. His draw upon his influences and ‘I wanted to play Glastonbury
entry into music wasn’t spurred on create something completely new and other great festivals that I
by parental pressure and endless to the music scene at the time. haven’t played in the interim,’ he
music competitions – so there’s no
Peter Pan hysteria here.
“The guys who have taken over, they are
Musical passion
not really writers, they copy, they take bits
In fact when Eddy came to England
from here and they take bits from there”
at a young age he was encouraged
to take part in school activities, Eddy created The Equals, a replies with such confidence it was
in particular sports. Inspired by multicultural pop/rock band, while no wonder he was able to take to
his trumpet-playing father and he was still at school and among the stage at Nelson Mandela’s 90th
influenced by his Guyana roots, his their many successes was their birthday and deliver such a lively,
passion for music seeped through. creation of a new genre of music. full spirited performance. It was
ds by Selina Campbell
‘I listened to a lot of the Latin Because of Eddy’s love of Calypso almost as if he’d never been away
or
American radio stations. Because music, The Equals set out to create in the first place. It looks like Eddy
W we were a British colony in South something along the same lines. is just continuing where he left off.
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