reggae news

Reggae artiste Jimmy Riley appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's for hitting his wife. Allegations are that on January 3, both were travelling in a motor vehicle and an argument developed between them. Riley, whose birth name is Martin Riley, is accused of punching his wife, Sandra Bramwell-Riley, in the face, injuring her. She made a report to the Stony Hill police on January 4, and Riley, 54, was arrested and charged with assault occasioning bodily harm. Bramwell-Riley told the court that this was not the first time he had hit her, and that on the day of the incident he punched her in the face and also used a knife to threaten her.

She said since she made a report to the police he has been calling her "incessantly" and begging her to drop the charges. Work it out Bramwell-Riley said the last time he hit her and she went to the police station, the policeman to whom she made the report told her to go home and work out the dispute because it was a domestic matter. However, Riley's attorney, Peter Champagnie, said the incident did not occur in the same manner as the complainant was claiming. Champagnie also suggested that the matter be sent to the Dispute Resolution Foundation or for counselling. But the complainant said she was not interested in that as she had already moved out of the matrimonial home. Serious accusation Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown, who heard the matter, said it was a serious accusation and ordered the accused to give his fingerprints to the court. His bail was also extended until January 30 when the matter will again be mentioned.

Isn t it amazing how little we actually utilize our brains before taking certain courses of action? It is times like these that a time machine would come in handy. We could then change some of the ridiculous things we managed to do. Too often we people try to gain success at the expense of others. It follows, that whatever career path is chosen, professionalism is imperative at all times. This however was not to be the case at popular entertainer Bling Dawg s Summer Jam party. This sixth staging of the show started out smoothly with performances from Sizzla Kolonji, Voicemail, Movado and others. All this niceness came to a halt when the Dub duo Twin of Twins graced the stage. Their performance was nothing more than verbal attack on the Doctor Beenie Man who is undoubtedly a dancehall icon! This of course did not go down very well with the patrons who responded in disgust - with booing. Twin of Twins responded by hurling obscene and obnoxious words, which angered the crowd. The show came to a premature end when audience started hurling projectiles on stage..

Artistes such as Bounty Killer, Wayne Marshall, Vibes Cartel, Busy Signal and Idonia were unable to perform because of the abrupt ending of the show. Let s face it Twin of Twins have been around for quite some time but only got their big break like two years ago. It seems to me that they have run out of material and as such gnawing at a Super star like Beenie was just a desperate attempt to conceal their own inadequacies. Suffice to say Twin of Twins has cast a negative image of Bling Dawg s Summer Jam. Their behaviour perpetuates the stereotype of dancehall being vulgar and peripheral. At this stage the dancehall does not need this kind of disregard for the industry. With the negative perceptions held by powerful international groups - artistes need to maintain the highest level of professionalism. For Jamaican entertainers a significant proportion of their success particularly the financial aspect is determined by how well they figure into the international market. They should also take into consideration that their demeanour out in the world impacts on Jamaican society on a whole.

The simplest form of bad publicity can be like a virus that spreads through every institution, weakening and destroying the already fragile state of affairs in the island. Many may not look at it as unprofessional, but situations such as this put may alter the view of stage shows. For example, a tourists hearing of this incident may associate dancehall with hoodlum and hooliganism then that s how they re going to view the culture and the people. So a word of advice for entertainers think before you act, avoid making a mess that cannot be cleaned up.

Formerly known as Baby Cham, the Jamaican-born dancehall reggae star sat down with The Situation to talk about the industry, crime in his homeland, and hooking up with Alicia. Watch the video 'Ghetto Story ' He’s created the biggest Dancehall tune of the summer and has just dropped his sophomore album of the same name. Featuring guest appearances from the likes of Alicia Keys and Rihanna, Cham’s ‘Ghetto Story’ is set to be big. The Situation caught up with him to find out more.... Why did you decide to shorten your name from Baby Cham to just Cham? Oh, Baby’s still for the ladies, Cham is for the rudeboys. But I feel like I’ve grown so much in the past six years since my first album, in every way that you can think of, so there’s nothing baby about it. What would you say is the most important thing you’ve learnt in the industry? Just how fickle the business is. And I’ve learnt how hard you have to grind to make a record work. When a song starts to do its thing there’s so much to do on the next level, you end up without sleep for eight months. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but at the same time I’m willing to work hard. That’s what I’ve learnt, just to be a professional. What was it like working with people like Alicia Keys on the album, and how did you hook that up? It was a good vibe, all of them so talented, rah rah talented! Each person brought their own vibe and I love the results.

The Boom Boom with Rihanna is one of my favourite tracks, and the Alicia Keys speaks for itself, you can’t get better than Alicia Keys! I had complete creative control over the album and the label didn’t provide none of these artists. Alicia Keys is the one who’s responsible for being on the album, she called me up saying she loved the song because it’s really reflective of her childhood life, and she just wanted to reach out and see if she could get on the track. And when Alicia Keys give you a call, there’s no way you can say no! She’s so humble, so down to earth. Your song ‘Ghetto Story’ has become a worldwide hit. How does it feel for so many people around the world to be feeling that tune? I’m loving it. You sit and write a song about your life growing up in Jamaica and yet so much people around the world face that same life growing up elsewhere. That’s what reminds you that poverty’s poverty, ghetto is ghetto, trying to survive is trying to survive, no matter where you are. 70% of the song is about my personal life, the next 30% is just what I’ve read, what I’ve seen growing up in Jamaica. Did you realise when making it how big it would actually become? I knew it would be big, but what surprised me was how fast. It took like two days for it to become the biggest song in Jamaica. People do crazy stuff when they hear that song, they just lose it. I heard that once they broke down this wall in a club when it came on!

How do you feel about people saying it’s this year’s ‘Welcome to Jamrock’? I think it’s way, way different than ‘Jamrock’; it’s harder than ‘Jamrock’ by far. But at the end of the day I respect Damian so I don’t care if people compare our songs. It’s been six years since you released your first album ‘Wow: The Story’. Why did you wait so long to release another one? I went through so much problems with the first album trying to get distribution, getting the record into major chain stores, so after the first album me wanted to make sure I had a major deal before bringing out the next one. So that’s what I been working on, and me got signed in 2004 after the success of ‘Vitamin S’. And since 2004, I’ve been in the studio, working on the new album. Now that you have a major deal, do you worry that your sound will become watered down? Never worry, because before signing the paper me made sure I had creative control over the project. So whatever you hear, that’s what I wanna do. I listen to opinions but at the end of the day, I go with my good feeling. ‘Ghetto Story’ first dropped at the end of 2005, which was the worst year for crime in Jamaica. How do you see the situation over there? Politics is what’s messing up Jamaica; it’s like everywhere. Look like a couple of weeks ago in Lebanon and what’s going on in Israel, that’s politics. And that’s what’s going on everywhere you see crime and violence. Do you see a way forward? I think people need to realise that they shouldn’t fight about politics because at the end of the day, none of those at the top are fighting, they’re having cocktails and champagne, watching the news, seeing people fighting about them. I think they should put on gloves and get in the boxing ring, show that they’re ready to fight too. But that’s politics, politics is what’s messed up.

Can you see the situation changing? There have to be a change. The Bible tell you that God doesn’t give you more than you can bare. If you turn on your heater in the morning or your hot water and leave it too long, it will run out. So there must be a change, it’s just a question of how soon the change gonna be. What do you see as the reason for the massive growth in popularity in the Jamaican music scene in the passed few years? The Internet has made the world smaller, and people are sourcing music differently. Rather than waiting on the 45’s to come over, they’re checking what’s new online, going on myspace and listening to new stuff on there. Also you got so much kids coming up now over in Jamaica that understand the importance of promoting themselves, and they’re doing a good job of it. What do you think of the myspace revolution? Do you answer your own messages on there or is it your manager or record company that deal with that? I love it! I’m on there every day. We have people who set up the page, but as far as answering the emails, that’s me. I carry my laptop around and try to answer at least 50 messages a day, but sometimes I get 3,000, all in one day! What are your replies like? It depends, if I’m in a vibe I’ll send you back a letter but if I’m busy or on tour then I just send a short something, just ‘thank you for the support’. Because at the same time I want to be able to remember my fans when they come up to me in the concert. That way people see that you’re not just playing around; you’re taking what you do real serious. Is it hard to remember fans? I have a good memory. All you have to do is remind me. Don’t feel embarrassed, I say please remind me.

How do you see the music industry in Jamaica in comparison with other countries, for example, over here? It’s the same; music is music. It’s just over here (the UK) it’s bigger and you have a wider range of media and press. But it’s the same; everyone is on the grind, working hard trying to get out there. Do you think Sean Paul’s incredible commercial success is well deserved? Yeah, cos there’s no way he would be so successful if he didn’t work. He’s worked hard to achieve what he’s achieved and for those who don’t believe so, I think he should just do what he’s been doing, don’t pay them no mind. He’s holding the flag and has been carrying it for years, so ‘nuff respect to Sean. What do you think about the whole debate surrounding Dancehall and homophobia? I think it’s been blown out of proportion. At the end of the day, each to his own. I’m gonna stay on my side, there’s so much to elaborate about, why talk about homosexuals? I’d rather just talk about my females and what I love about them, as well as my social commentaries like ‘Ghetto Story’. But at the end of the day, each to his own. Finally, one for the ladies: How would you describe your ideal woman? Smart, jovial, pretty, sexy, curvaceous and just fun to be around. Is there anything you’d like to say to your fans? I just wanna say thanks very much for supporting. You gotta get the new album! Cham’s album ‘Ghetto Story’ is out now on Atlantic Records.

And it was so beautiful to watch her go through that! It was such a wonderful thing to see her hold it in one breath! It was very nice because at the end of the day that’s what I really wanted. You’ve also chosen to include your big hit Daddy, which is about incest. Are you pleased with the impact the song has had? I am definitely pleased at the impact for many reasons. And most important is the fact that many people, especially young, helpless people whom would not normally have the courage to say to somebody that this is happening to them have now gotten that chance and acted upon it. And that is enough for me. I wrote the song specifically because I knew the reaction I would get. And therefore there is no incite of violence in it. There’s no implications of anyone in particular. I’m just saying it like it is, the way it happens, and when I was writing it, the mother or the father who knew they had done stuff like this, I wanted them to have a reality check. When they heard it I wanted them to have a shock of conscience, of something going through their bodies. I’ve heard stories of it actually taking place and I’ve seen it in action for myself personally in the form of an individual that is around us that we are aware of that does that kind of stuff. And in the society that we are in it’s hard to say because people are afraid that they might want to come and kill you or might try to harm you if they know that you talked. And so these are some of the reasons [why] this individual, when he heard it for the first time, he came back and when we saw him the following day his eyes were so swollen from crying. We could see that he was crying all night. And nobody said anything to him. He had just heard the song. Those are physical ways in which the song has done its work and it is still doing its work. And I am so happy that I took it upon myself to become that martyr to bring that to light for the many who did not think it would be happening any time soon. And was it a specific case of abuse or many cases that inspired the song? It was many cases and also specifical cases of people that we know close to us who have experienced [it]. We know people who have committed suicide. Growing up carrying around this thing and they couldn’t carry it any more. They’ve gone through school, university, graduated and just committed suicide you know? To me there has to be more that’s done to help these kind of people because it really does affect psychologically a lot of their brains and the way they do stuff. My thing is, looking into society it’s as though we blame young people for behaving the way they behave but we don’t really look at what is causing them to behave in these kind of ways. And so it’s unfair to point a finger at a child who might be going through abuse in her surroundings or his surroundings. So my thing is to look at the thing that is causing the problem as opposed to pointing at the problem, each time we get a chance. You have also voiced old on old roots rhythms like Movie Star and Satta. How important is it to keep a link with the past? It’s very important because it’s what determines how the present play out itself you know? As we are in the present now, we are creating a past and so we have to be conscious of how go about our everyday life and how we appreciate what was there before. You’ve [not?] got a lot of that anymore in the industry where young artists like myself really appreciate what their elders did and the love they put in too. Because the reason why these rhythms can’t go away is because of the love that was placed in them.

You’ve got a lot people giving of themselves when these rhythms were being built and so it carries on to now. I am actually privileged to be one of those kind of artists who gets to lend my voice to those kind of rhythms that I know was done for the real love of the music. So it’s definitely a pleasure. You’ve probably been asked about this many times but do you hear any similarity between your own music and that of your father? Yes I think so. He is very strong in his vocals and he has done a little prerogative music in his taste too, in some of the lyrics he has done. I definitely see he can sing and he can deejay. He can a do kind of like a point thing with his voice also. So I guess I draw a lot from that. Who out of family friends and mentors has been the biggest inspiration in your music career? In my family I’d definitely say it has to be my mom. She’s passionate about music. When you hear her sing so beautifully it’s not funny. And it’s like when she sees me now she sees herself when she was coming up in music. And from time to time I invite her on stage to sing because she loves to do that. So she is the greatest inspiration where music is concerned. What advice do you have for any of your fans who wants to follow your path into music? Be very self-conscious. Be aware. Know why you want to come into it. The talent that you get is a gift from the almighty and what you do with it is your gift back to him. So make up your mind as to what you want. Do you want to have morals or do you want to have a lot of money? Because you can have morals and a lot of money, it depends on how you go about it. But if you have a lot of money and no morals then something is wrong there. So you have to think hard, figure out your surroundings. The people that have your interests, who are not about hustling, who are there to show you the ins and outs, the ups and downs, all the obstacles you have to face, making you realise immediately that it is not a bed of roses. It’s hard work. It’s dedication. It’s what you put in and get out. It’s not a quick fix. You have to be willing to go all the way. Interview by Angus Taylor

What’s the most important thing people outside Jamaica should know about Montego Bay? Montego Bay is the friendly city. It’s known that way because of the hospitality of the locals. The people who are in the craft markets. The people who are in the poorer communities. When you get to know these people then you understand that the separation is not necessary. Because it’s the tourists getting an opportunity getting an opportunity to mingle with the locals and understand their way of living. And also by spending with these people they are helping to increase growth in the communities. When you lock us away you are locking away opportunities from the people who really need it. And the people who can afford it, they just continue to get more while the ones that need it don’t get enough. So it’s just to say, give the tourists a chance to meet and greet with the locals and to support them also. And then you make your decision based on the reaction of everybody to that type of situation. Lioness On The Rise is a very empowering tune. Lyrically and spiritually it reminds me of the Wailers’ Small Axe. Yes! What was the inspiration behind that song? It’s about women empowerment without being sexist. A lot of times we tend to empower woman by saying the day will come when woman will take over from men or woman will be equal to men. It’s more saying strength of self. It is a regular woman on an everyday quest of life. Acknowledging the fact that she can still contribute in another way to society. Not just by being an everyday mom but by giving back to her community in every little way she thinks possible that she can. Whatever it is, whether you a corporate, housewife, or outlaw. Whatever type of woman you find yourself to be there is strength in each and every individual and it’s about recognising that and moving towards it without saying that you are less or more than man per se, you know? Another song where your principles come across is Keep It To Yourself, where you say you don’t want fish in your ital dish. Do you believe everyone should be vegetarian? (BIG LAUGH) Because of the health implications and facts that come with it, it would be nice, you know? If you look around you see a lot of mercury and lead and all these things that are polluting the sea these days. But as I say, it is Haile Selassie that we worship so that religion is personal. At the end of the day, it’s what an individual wants to do for themselves… (PAUSES) It’s up to the individual. That’s right. And if you notice I tend to personalise a lot of my songs by using “me” and “I”. Because at the end of the day it begins with you the individual, what it is that YOU want. It’s not about dictating, it’s about sharing what I do with then hope that you understand. And if you don’t understand we could have a conversation.

In the song Calling Africa there is a recording of a call I’ve heard in Touareg/Kel Tamashek music. Can you tell me a bit about this sound? When I was doing this song I had the rhythm first. And while I was listening to the rhythm I was hearing that kind of sound coming out of it so that’s how I wrote the song. When I was about to record the song I told [Tony] Rebel that I wanted to get the cry sound that I always hear people who have travelled to Africa associate with Africa. In Jamaica you have a sister called Andrea Williams who does a programme called Running African. And every morning when she comes on you will have that cry sound which is known as “the sound of the ancestors” to bring forth a message of strength and awareness. So I called Andrea Williams and told her that I wanted somebody who could do that cry sound as the intro of this particular song. She introduced me to a sister from Africa who came in from Ocho Rios and she came into the studio and actually did it. What you are hearing is not a sample, she did it live.

So it depends on the energy you are getting at that moment from the rhythms so when you put all these songs together you hear the sequence in which they come together: whether it’s the topics or the way the rhythms are flowing. It’s a contrast and when you get the contrast correct then the finished product is what you have there. The rhythms you use are a mix of one drop, Rasta drumming and dancehall styles. Do you feel happy with any style of track? Is there a favourite type of rhythm you like to work with? There’s no particular favourite. I just did a combination with Bobby Sinclair from Europe. He’s a house musician. That’s beautiful because that’s a whole other genre of music right there. My thing is, the rhythm is what accommodates the message you’re trying to send. They both work together. So my focus is on the lyrics that go around these rhythms, not so much the rhythm. Because the rhythms is spirituality, likewise the words, so when you match it equally then you get something that’s overwhelming and beautiful. So the rhythms are what we need whatever rhythm it is, and then the lyrics we put around it is what makes the difference. Now let’s talk about some of the songs on the album. You choose a very cultural track to be the first song on the album. Tribute To The Pitfour Nyabinghi Centre. Tell us about this decision. Yes. Montego Bay is the title of the album, Montego Bay is where I grew up, and my Rastafarian roots is there. Nyabinghi Pitfour Centre is where all my knowledge of Rastafari grew you know? That’s the foundation. So I thought it would be fitting to do a tribute to that part of my life that is responsible for my consciousness. In the song Montego Bay you talk about life in a place most non Jamaicans know as a beach paradise.

Queen Ifrica (born Ventrice Morgan, March 25, 1975) is the daughter of the ska and rocksteady legend Derrick Morgan, but was raised by her mother and stepfather in a Rastafarian community in Montego Bay. She kick-started her career in the 90s having caught the attention of vocalist, producer and Rebel Salute festival founder Tony Rebel and is now one of Jamaica’s brightest stars. Angus Taylor spoke to her in the United States about her life and her mature sounding second album for VP, named after the place from which she hails. It’s been a very successful time for female singers lately – are the ladies taking over? (LAUGHS) I wouldn’t say taking over because I would not want to take over personally! I think there’s more recognition and I’m happy to be one of those sisters that can say, “I stood the ground” to make these little sisters have the courage and help encourage them along. The first time it wasn’t like that. It wasn’t as easy for women to be recognised. But I think that for anyone to be recognised, male or female, you have to have that determination, that focus as to what you really want, and then most naturally you’ll get the attention that you really want.

Tell us about your new album Montego Bay. It’s going to be done for VP records. It’s going to have 12 or 13 tracks. It’s got a whole lot of message, there’s also fun, there’s a little about love from a relationship point of view. And it’s just Queen Ifrica presenting herself once more in the form of this beautiful project. How do you feel it compares to your previous album Fyah Muma? Does it represent a progression? Yes I would say so. Fyah Muma is very much loved and appreciated, henceforth the reasons for Montego Bay. Because that’s where Fyah Muma, Queen Ifrica is from you know?

So it’s Fyah Muma from Montego Bay, so it’s like a continuation. What was life like growing up in that part of Jamaica? Well I was not raised in the resort area [of Montego Bay]. I was raised in somewhat of an outskirts community called Belmont. And it was up in the hills, among birds, so it wasn’t really an attraction. But we were all involved in the communities of Montego Bay. We were always in town. So we know where the attractions are and we know where the locals hang out and stuff like that. So we were very much educated as to the runnings of Montego. And who were your favourite singers and deejays when growing up? My favourite singers and deejays would have been… Tony Rebel, Garnet Silk, Anthony B, Luciano. Those cultural acts that were coming up in the nineties. And Capleton, Sizzla. Those early songs that they came out with were very much appreciated by the Rastafarian community that I was a part of. So it was natural to gravitate to these type of artists that were coming with a conscious message.

And what first inspired you to make music yourself? I was chosen to do music. I must say so. I was always forced into doing it. Forced in the sense of my friends. [They] Would always encourage me to take it seriously because they recognised that I have a voice that sound beautiful when I sing you know? So they were always encouraging me. But it was when I met Tony Rebel at a stage show in Montego Bay that was commemorating the death of Garnett Silk. I went on stage and sang one of Garnett Silk’s songs and I was introduced after to Tony Rebel by one individual who was at the company at the time. And it was his telling me how much I reminded him of Garnett Silk that really brought it home to me because Garnett Silk was like my overall favourite artist when I heard him you know? To hear him speak that way, to compare me with Garnett and the whole energy. And he invited me to Flames and that’s where I’ve been ever since. So I found my niche you know? Are you primarily a singer or deejay? I was always known to be singing. Deejay came about as an accident really. Not a bad accident! (LAUGHS) No one died! But I did a song when Rebel did Just Friends. We did a version of it, myself and Lady G. And so it was when he took me to England for the first time and I was supposed to perform the song without Lady G that I ended up having to deejay Lady G’s part of the song. The response of the crowd was… overwhelming! Because they were so shocked when they heard me deejay. And that’s where the whole deejay thing was born. But most of the songs I recorded in the early stages for Flames and for other producers were singing songs. But both of them came naturally and so they have now become an item! (LAUGHS) You chose to work with a variety of different producers this time. How did you decide which tracks to include? It became based upon the energy that you get from the tracks themselves. We wanted to make sure that all the tracks were good to listen to and the rhythms makes a difference too. Because when you are writing and there’s a connection with the lyrics and the rhythm it makes it better to understand the song and to understand the rhythm itself as it tells a different message. All so that brings it to one you know?

Explain a little about the title of your album, Real Rebels Can't Die. NEREUS: Real Rebels is about all those Rebels that came forth. Reggae music is a funny thing. We're teaching people things too you know? When I started listening to reggae music it was like a newspaper. Things were happening in the Caribbean that we didn't get to know of. So Real Rebels tells us of all the people that came before us. Bob Marley, Martin Luther King… Marcus Garvey! Those rebels that were determined to change things for the betterment of people. Do you see yourself as one of those rebels? NEREUS: Yes I suppose I do. Because some of the things I'm saying with my music nowadays… it's kind of defying a few borders if you know what I'm saying? If you speak the truth you are a rebel anyway. If you comply and just go along with normal everyday things and how the system tell you you have to live you're just like a sheep. I define myself as a rebel because there are certain things I don't like to do and I choose to say something about it. So yes, I'm a kind of rebel. Did you see Michael Jackson [who died the night before] as one of those rebels? NEREUS: Hmmm… Not to me. He was a real good musician and in my early days I really loved his music. I still love his music. But he didn't say anything controversial in the sense of within his music. He didn't talk of the betterment for African people, the betterment for poor people. He talked about the world… (PAUSES) I suppose the way he felt about the world and the way the world was running makes him a kind of rebel. When I think about it, yes! Give me a little of the background to this set up and how Sirius Records got started. NEREUS: Well this set up and studio is a direct duplicate of Ruff Cut studio. We used to use Ruff Cut studio for my last album Hope Faith and Love for Ruff Cut Records. And we loved the sound by Ruff Cut so we did our best to keep that kind of sound because most of our early recordings were at Ruff Cut. So the recordings at Ruff Cut and the realisation that we could be more self sufficient, and the facilities Ruff Cut gave us to make us more self sufficient meant we felt we had to carry this on with our own studio.

Now you and Kenny share production and arrangement duties. Do you find it easy to share these responsibilities? NEREUS: Yeah very easy. Easier than with any other company because this is our own company. It belongs to us. We can work when we want to work. We can think about our work way in advance before we start implementing things. Most other companies you work for, you tend to have to go with the flow that they're running, you know what I'm saying? With this now we are able to make our own flow. How do you like to write together? NEREUS: (LAUGHS) Well it's something we keep changing all the time! We don't have no set way of jumping into things. As a matter of fact we try to take out that… how you call it? KENNY: Routine. NEREUS: We don't like routine. We realised that years ago, that the bigger artists like Puff Daddy and those people, who have their own studios, they don't care about what time it is and how long they've spent on something. They just do what they got to do. We've got our own studio so we use it just like that. We're not going to rush out of here because it's getting late or we're feeling hungry - we're gonna cook! (LAUGHS) Make A Plan and Make A Stand are two of the strongest tracks. Self reliance and strength seem to feature in your writing. NEREUS: Well it's all about independence see? Being independent enough in this system because if you're looking to do something for Africa that is the only way you can move forward, you know? Make A Plan for instance, it's all about my father. My father left the Caribbean to come here to make a plan for me. Not stay here indefinitely but to go home eventually. Just making a sacrifice to be able to do that. But how good would it be if we didn't have to do that. If we could do that in our own country. But that's how it go you know? It's all about being self reliant and your children after you becoming that self reliant and not having to start from the beginning again you get me? Give me your thoughts about the overall sound of the new album in terms of the arrangements and heaviness, stuff like that. NEREUS: Well the drums are digital but everything else is live. But then out of everything that's on the album you'd say the drums were live. The drums are not played by a live drummer (except by the person who's programming it in) but it does sound live. So it's an album that's been made to sound as live as possible and it is being played as live as possible. It's not heavy in the sense that you've got some really heavy slow tunes that's dropping like a ton of bricks but… (PAUSES) It's got the capacity to be heavy? NEREUS: Yes. It's like this: if you're listening at home it's not heavy but if you go to a dance, not because of the volume but because of the way the sound penetrates, it's heavy. But I would say it light like feather but still heavy like lead! (LAUGHS)