So just got back from a life changing trip. Where do I start... Jamaica. So I decided to take matters into my own hands. As much as I love my record label(lol) sometimes u just gotta do things urself, so decided to go out there with a friend of mine and make some links and somehow get my songs on the radio. The main station out there is called
Irie fm, and all it took was a little introduction, gave a couple the DJ's copy of the album, and then the next day Cold Town was playing on the
Ron Muschette show, not only being played, but wheeled up and played again. A few days later there were 3 DJ's playing it... on the same day, and that was the day b4 I left. So yeah the main reason 4 going out there was real successful, unfortunately didn't do no shows out there, but hopefully next time.
I also took a couple meetings,chatted to
Robbie Shakespeare bout working(from Sly and Robbie) and another couple producers. Whilst out there I did do a bit of travelling around. Went to St. Anne's. An elder bredrin of mine called Iqula set up a Rasta centre down in St Anne's where I met some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. I wish I could remember the name of the one elder who sat with me for hours talking about life. Also met a man called the Fire Priest who took me to a place where the water is flammable... yes fire water. We walked a litle while from the rasta camp to a small community by a spring.
We went to this spring which had been cordoned off by the local elders who look after it. I saw the man with my own eyes pull out a normal lighter and set fire to the water. Then i got in it... washed my face and locks, and drank some.... whilst the water was still on fire! It tasted nuff salty. I think he said cos there was a lot of sulphur in it. But apparently many scientists have been down there expecting to find methane or other gas, but didn't find anything conclusive yet so the Jamaican government will prob turn it into a tourist attraction very soon... But going there and witnessing that was pretty deep.
Also saw another side of JA as well, poverty is bad, not as bad as africa but still bad. Yet the value of life down there is crazy, people get shot over the smallest thing. There was a man shot by where we were staying and as we drove past we saw he couldn't have been older than 18... it was mad. Anyway all in all my 8 days in JA was heavy goin back soon.
Then i flew outta Mo bay to the Big Apple....
...Touched down in NYC. After being almost cleansed in JA due to all the fresh food and nice 'erb. Str8 away u can feel the hustle and bustle. Aint no place like New York.
Main reason for going out there was to do a couple writing/recording sessions out there. Now normally I don't like to do writing sessions with other people, cos it's always kinda weird an I think writing music sumn personal. But I am open to new ideas so I said cool.... plus I get to go to New York :)
The main session I did out there was with a lady called
Andrea Martin. She was real Cool! At first I was a little sceptical cos she had worked with huge superstar artists on str8 pop/r'n'b.
So I went in there with one eye on the door. And she showed up late... which anyone who knows me knows I find a dis.... But she showed up, with the warmest smile, and str8 away we got on. I was supposed to be doin just the one evening with her, but ended up doing 3... so was all good! Ended up doing three rough tunes with her... all with definate potential.
As well as Andrea i had a meeting with Dave Sitek from
TV On The Radio. He was real cool... We ended up really getting along, and what was supposed to be a meeting turned into a studio session till sunrise the next day... the tune we did was pretty mad... in a good way. Kinda sounds like Natty meets TV on the Radio in the dance tent of a festival(lol).
The last producers I met were two guys called
Truth and Soul. they were real cool too. Musical purists a little like me... They like to record everything organic, and use real instruments as much as possible. Unfortunately it was the last day of my trip so we couldn't really get into much of a session but all in all it was definately a worthwile trip.
In a ideal world I'm gonna be goin back there soon.... They got some different type of city vibes i could deff tap into. London is inspirational and iIcouldn't live anywhere else at this point in my life but NYC is def a place where songs just seem to come out of me real easy. Maybe cos there's so much to see.
Anyway I'm rambling, thanx 4 staying with me. Gotta go sort out rehearsals, off to Japan next week playing in a couple of festivals... its a hard life.
until next time.
N.