Horace Andy gets reggae deserved airing

Reggae aficionados have known Horace Andy’s name for over 30 years; a more casual listener of contemporary music should know him as a regularly featured vocalist (and touring member) of Massive Attack. He’s been collaborating with Bristol’s cyber Hip-Hop/dubbers ever since their debut disc, ‘Blue Lines’.

‘Mek It Burn’ follows fairly quickly after the 1999’s ‘Living In The Flood’, for the difference from a decade leading to it; excluding compilation ‘Skylarking’ in 1996, also on the Massive Attack’s Melankolic label, no solo material was being released although he worked with Neneh Cherry, Sly and Robbie, Prince Jazzbo, Mad Professor and, most notably, Massive Attack, during the period.

Andy’s ‘Mek It Burn’, is an obvious reference to the ‘sweet leaf’ cremation and amidst 10 original tunes are two exceptional (outta three) covers: ‘Horse With No Name’ (America’s 1971 hit) that gets beautifully reggae-fied and Gregory Isaacs’s ‘Night Nurse’.

Your new album is about herbalism; are you pro-lliberalisation?

“Yes, to both questions. But, this album is not about drugs, it’s just about the music.”

But, it appeared not to be about making music for about a decade, in your case?

“No, it’s always been about music even if I didn’t make any albums for a long time: the main reason was that I wasn’t getting paid for my work and there was no reason to record songs for nothing. That was during my American days and I moved to England where I discovered that it was a much better situation for reggae. But, due to different reasons I couldn’t make an album like ‘Living In The Flood’ and I waited. The last and this record I’d always wanted to make, with a vibe that could reach international audience and not just the locals. That’s what made Bob Marley popular around the world, he was making music for the international market.”

“He wasn’t only reflecting local problems, he was addressing the global situation… That’s why reggae music went back underground after Bob died; you can’t be just local, you need to know about the world and that’s the way I like it, knowing and reading is good, it gives you power. But, record companies keep reggae underground by not signing many artists and even when they do they don’t promote enough.”

Glorious past

The 51-year-old reggae maestro started recording at the age of 15, in 1966, under his real name of
Horace Hinds, known to friends as ‘Sleepy’ due to his habit of nodding off at any given opportunity, but nothing really happened until 1970 when he auditioned for the famed Jamaican Studio One and got renamed by its legendary owner Coxsone Dodd.

He is back living in his native Kingston where he can freely inhale his sacred Rasta herb, the former Clash-er Joe Strummer calls ‘herbal Prozac’, and Andy kept ganja on the go throughout the interview. The title song to ‘Living In The Flood’ was written, produced and recorded by Strummer at his home studio.

“After I refused to cover a song by The Clash my manager called Joe and asked if he had any new songs!? Joe wrote ‘Living In The Flood’ and I went down to his studio in Somerset and man, the nights were so dark you could catch it in your hand! It was unbelievable... Working with Joe was a great experience and I wish we recorded some more songs together... “

“The first time I got the demo-tape of the song it obviously had Strummer’s vocal on it and it was terrible... The melody and the lyrics were wicked but his way of singing was awful, just growling... When I got the lyrics it just lifted my head up and I had to sing it! But, after working with Joe I realised how great he was.”

Were you aware of The Clash’s role in bringing reggae to the punk rockers?

“It is shameful to admit but I didn’t really know The Clash before I recorded this song. I heard the name mentioned in connection with Bob Marley, back in the late 1970s (‘77, actually)... The story goes that Bob Marley came to London and got to know Don Letts (DJ/punk documentarist) and he was asking him ‘Who were these punks, some rubbish?’ but Don told him ‘No’ and introduced him to the punk scene by taking him to punk gigs and as the result Bob wrote ‘Punky Reggae Party’!”

“After our collaboration I listened to The Clash and then read a bit about them and realised how important the band was in spreading the word of reggae among the white audiences. If they weren’t fewer people would have known about reggae!”

The dancer upstairs

During his career Andy’s been resident in America and Britain where he spread a word of reggae although on a more modest level that the only-true Jamaican superstar, Marley, whose songs he covered on an LP simply entitled ‘Horace Andy Sings Bob Marley’ (funded by a Japanese label, curiously).

How did you happen to be a regular featured artist with Massive Attack?

“It’s a strange story but I was waiting for a bus to Peckham one day when I met an old friend who said he knew this group who wanted singers. I didn’t know it at the time but I was one of Daddy G’s favourite singer. So, when they heard my name they instantly sent over the track ‘One Love’. So, we’ve been together since 1990 when they sent me the rhythm tape; they loved what I did and I went to Bristol to meet them and properly record the tune! We keep on to working together...”

During you colourful past you were even shot in the arm (1981) and your songs deal with a topic of violence; is music a good vehicle for political messaging?

“Yes, I deeply believe so. At the same time it is not an artist’s duty to judge anyone. I just write and sing what I feel, see… You know, gang-mentality comes from the pre-historic times when people followed leaders, chiefs, and when you are a kid you follow the strongest kid... I wasn’t in a bad company as a kid but there are kids who are scared and use violence as a way to survive. There is a much bigger (social) problem than just a simple blame of children.”

Is reggae more indicative of the Jamaican weather or weed?

“That’s a good question… I think it reflects weather that is enhanced by weed. I think reggae makes good weather every time it is played, wherever you are.”