Surforeggae interviews the reggae band Anti Babylon! Check it out!

Surforeggae: The style you present on stage, which I know you do very well, who influences that? T: I always like to see the musicians I enjoy doing amazing things on stage, that is, playing like crazy, all the stage production, etc. I care a lot about the crowd that enjoys the band's sound. So it's very important that we give 100%, after all we receive double in return, a very good vicious circle. P: Influences are many, reggae, rock, hip hop, jazz, black music, we try to blend all of that in the best way possible. Surforeggae: I was reading an article about you and saw that you have influences not only from Reggae like Bob, Peter Tosh, Midnite, Steel Pulse but also from Blues, Jazz... Can you name a few? D: One thing I always say is that we have a different style. I think Thiago has a lot of hip hop and Ragga influence, which is why our Reggae is a bit more forward, more upbeat (for dancing and jumping) without ceasing to be Roots Reggae. I listen a lot to Miles Davis and Art Blakey, myths in the jazz world, as does Monkey (bassist) who loves funk and jazz and Douglas (guitar), a Blues lover. Surforeggae: Now, getting into politics a bit, do you think Gilberto Gil, as Minister of Culture, will give a boost to independent bands? T: Are you kidding?? (Laughs...) I'd like to make a protest..., I hope our Minister of Culture ends the Ordem dos Músicos do Brasil, the OMB, because it doesn't give you any benefit. You pay a huge annual fee, and they just make money, the musician has to keep struggling at night, because of the lack of oversight and support. D: What is the OMB card for? For you to play at SESC, for you to work with the City Hall, with the Government, that's what it's for. The only benefits are a singing course and a music theory course that the OMB offers. And the Union and the OMB have the same president, that is, an agency that should "oversee" the other, with the same person in charge.... an outright absurdity. Not even musicians' cover charges are exempt at night..... They should at least fight for our rights, presenting a report on what they did with our money!! The other day a leaflet from the OMB arrived at my house in which the entity's president "explained" why the annual fee to the Musicians' Union and the OMB must be paid..... in short he wanted to say that this is in the labor law and that's it, end of story!.... I believe the labor law also states that the Union must always protect the rights of its members and I have NEVER seen the OMB or the Musicians' Union do that!! I seriously doubt the current Minister of Culture will do anything about this or about independent bands P: I think contractors should have more respect and attention for musicians, who get stiffed and don't have their work valued. It's very hard to leave your house, grab your instruments, hire production, get there and the contractor doesn't honor what was promised... D: Many bands that are starting out aren't respected, the issue isn't money but respect as a person, as a musician, as a professional. T: People think it's all wonderful when you get on stage, but there's a lot of hustle behind it. There's a lot of envy, but the strength we have to make the music is much greater. D: We musicians are also to blame, because we complain, complain, but don't take organized collective action. T: The main thing is for us to value ourselves first of all. Surforeggae: What do you think President Lula should do to change Brazil? I think education needs to change! D: I also agree that education is the foundation, with education you change people's attitudes and health, culture, end up being a natural consequence. T: Equal social conditions and music are also very important. I heard the latest CD by Racionais and they reached a level of musical revolution so great, it's black, white, favela kid, preppy, they manage to take the message to everyone speaking about what really happens,... We have a lot to do regarding culture and education. A good example: in Rio de Janeiro, O Rappa is running the FURTO project (Frente Urbana de Trabalho Organizado), they go to the favela, to the community and start social work with music, without depending on anyone. We have to do something, go after it, ATTITUDE. Start of the Band!!! T: Since I was little I listened to Jorge Ben Jor, Samba Rock and Tim Maia like crazy with my mother. I had Hardcore bands, like everyone in the band..... It was when I teamed up with a neighbor, Tiago Solano, who today plays in Leões de Israel, he also listened to a lot of Reggae, and the sound won me over. Through Ricardo, a buddy from parties and hangouts, I met a drummer, Denis Abi Jaudi. We called Denis, started making sounds, but nothing Reggae came out, only Hardcore and at most some Ska..... laughs... it took at least 1 year for Reggae to enter our lives definitively and that was almost 10 years ago. Albert, Douglas, Monkey and Edy came a bit later... we got together 4 years ago, fought for our ideals and try to pass that through Reggae Music, a rhythm blessed by JAH - RASTAFARI-I. Anti-Babylon was born in São Paulo's North Zone in June 1999.

NEWS

D: We recorded a CD with 5 songs about 2 years ago and it's more than time to record the new compositions and re-record the old ones..... We intended to release the CD this year, but due to some setbacks along the way, we believe the CD will be ready in early 2004. The new CD (still without a defined name) will include, besides the 5 songs on the current CD, the band's new compositions such as: "Homens no Poder", "Babylon is Falling", "A Trilha Sonora dos Aventureiros", "Dádiva".... Anti-Babylon, supporting events that bring culture and fun to the community, has been partnering with Regional Offices and Sub-Prefectures of the city of SP, taking its message and music to people who don't always have access. Some members are associated with NGOs linked to animal and environmental preservation.

MORE INFORMATION

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