In conversation with The Professor, recorded
for "Lawless Street" - the Finest in Reggae, Ska and
Dub with The Professor on Sydney RRR 88.5fm Wednesday's 8 til
10am.
Professor: Burning Spear, welcome to the
Lawless Street
Burning Spear: Yes I - greetings
Prof: Thankyou very much for joining us. How should I address
you? Should it be Winston? or Spear? or Burning Spear? Or?
BS: I don’t mind y’know – Anything you feel
comfortable with doing is just right
Prof: Alright, I’ll go with Spear then sir
BS: OK
Prof: Thankyou. Thankyou for joining us here on the Lawless
Street programme, we’re a reggae programme and we go to
air Wednesday mornings in Sydney. I believe you’re coming
to Australia?
BS: Yes I’m coming there, again.
Prof: Good to see, I saw your shows here last time at the
Byron Bay Blues Festival. I really enjoyed it, a very powerful
performance and I thank you very much for that
BS: Yes I think it was a good good festival too
Prof: Yeah, it is quite a show and it is good that you’re
returning. Um, now I’d like to talk a little about your
history, your origins and your native country, Jamaica. You were
born in the parish of St Ann, is that correct?
BS: Yes I. I were born in the parish of St Ann y’know –
the capital which is St Ann there, and it was 12 King Street off
Market Street where I man were born
Prof: and that was in 1945
BS: 1945, March the 1st. It was the first day of this month and
this tour we’re going to be doing in the States, gets started
in Australia, it’s called Burning Spear’s 59th Earthday
tour 2004
Prof: Thankyou, that’s great – it’s good
to see that you’re starting the tour over here. You do tour
very prodigiously – gigs and shows all around the world.
How do you get your energy for that?
BS: Well my energy is… first of all my energy is from my
mind y’know and the people have a lot to do with my energy
and his majesty which is Rastafari, my way of life also have a
lot to do with my energy. So it is a mixture a t’ing that
create my energy, why I keep going and doing what I have to do.
Prof: and when you’re touring how do you keep healthy?
I’ve worked with bands myself touring and I find the lifestyle
difficult physically but particularly foodwise, and the constant
travel, it does wear you down – how do you keep you and
you band healthy?
BS: When I and I tour y’know – if one t’ink
healthy and behave the way one is supposed to behave, to be healthy,
then at all times we will all be healthy. And I think this is
how we do it on the road and we try fi adjust with ourselves at
times y’know? And sometimes you’re not going to bump
into the kind of meal you would like and you have fi adjust yourself
y’know – and try to do other t’ings where you’re
still feeding and y’know … and feeling and looking
good and still maintain your health and your strength. So, it
is not a problem when we is on the road touring, based upon food
– we know how to get around and know the kind of food you
can eat and it will help your body to function and which is very
important – the food on de road
Prof: Do you have a cook with you? that travels with you?
BS: Yes we cook when we get places where we can cook. I am a good
cook too y’know? I cook a lot of good food too y’know.
Prof: What sort of food do you cook?
BS: I love to cook fish – I will eat fish every day
Prof: Heh heh – have you got a good fish recipe for
us?
BS: Heh heh heh – well a couple of guys in the band who
know to put the pot on the fire, and put the food in the pot,
and stir the pot, and spice up the pot and eat from the pot for
Spear in the pot for it’s a musical pot!
Prof: Do you have a particular favourite dish from Jamaica?
BS: Ah – Fish!
Prof: just the fish?
BS: Fish, I’m a fish man as I say. Fish is my number one
y’know Fi-ish!
Prof: How do you prepare it – do you steam? Or do you
BS: all form – I can steam it, I can escabèche it,
y’know I can make fish soup from it. Y’know, I can
do so many t’ings with it. I can roast it y’know?
There are so many different ways to deal with fish
Prof: Yeah true … Now St Anns when you were young, it
was a rural area, but I’ve passed through there, I’ve
not stayed there, but it is a beautiful place
BS: It’s always been a beautiful place y’know. Knowing
that, things have changed over the past years, y’know they’ve
start to do other things in the town, or in the area, and some
of that original flavour and that orginal roots look and that
is not there no more a new generation and t’ings develop
and stuff like that y’know? But it’s always been a
beautiful place y’know? It is really a good place
Prof: yeah true – Now I see that change in Jamaica reflected
in the music to an extent. These days you have artists with slackness
and fire burn lyrics and acrimony expressed through music
BS: (laughter) There are so many t’ings that are taking
place today with the music but regardless of what taking place,
it is one big house of reggae music and within this house there
are so many different kind of music and the people have to choose
the music what make them feel comfortable listening to. Y’know
– but I can remember that in the late 50s, the beginning
of the 60s, 70s and early 80s, the music would be talking about
the roots and the culture and the history that surrounded the
roots and the culture the music would be talking about the struggling
of the people and the suffering of the people and the everyday
lifestyle of living of the people. The music would also be talking
about di system and other t’ings that are connected to the
system. Those are the t’ings that the music would be talking
about at that time. Today the music been talkin’ a different
talk. Today I don’t know why this talk is like it is today
and why they have to make dis kind of talk. But who am I to say
that one should not have talked that talk – y’know?
Prof: that’s right – it’s not up to us.
I do see though, some artists who are seemingly contradictory
in what they do, they perform both slack lyrics and conscious
lyrics. How does that sit with you?
BS: well, to be honest, as I was saying before – Who am
I to say a man shouldn’t say what he has been saying? Regardless
it is not my style? Regardless I mightn’t like what I hear.
In this business there are a lot of people not going to like what
other people do – a lot of people don’t like Burning
Spear y’unnerstand?
Prof: I’ve never met them!
BS: It ‘appens! Y’have all sort of people who Burning
Spear is not their singer. Y’know everybody have different
people. So when a singer come with lyrics like those of course
he has his people who are dere wherein they are going to welcome
that kind of music, and they always have to do this for those
kind of people. As I say, it is one big house of reggae music,
and it involve all different kind of music, and you have to choose
the music that when you listen to it you are feeling comfortable
listening to it.
Prof: Yeah, did you feel comfortable going back to the Harry
J studio and recording “Freeman”?
BS: Of course! Everyt’ing that I do which is good and which
is right, I feel comfortable when I’m doing it. It was good
going back to Harry J for Harry J has a sound but I usually be
there early on y’know? And I knew that it has a sound and
that studio is an outstanding studio...
Prof: is it much as it was?
BS: in terms?
Prof: in terms of equipment and of structure? Is it the same
as it was back in the day?
BS: the structure is good the equipment, the equipment what is
in the studio now is more modern than before. So, I t’ink
it is sounding good. Of Course its going to need more equipment
in the studio for that sort of size studio like dat, so a lot
of stuff can take place in that studio. But right now I think
that it still have that original sound
Prof: Yes, it’s a beautiful record -I love it a lot
BS: The place is that same place – that yard out front,
that little mango tree, everyt’ing is there with all these
paintings of various artists on the wall and stuff like dat
Prof: Wow.
BS: Still dere
Prof: Yeah that’s great. Now, Studio One where you began
your career is seen by many as a musical college – the band
there were some of the greatest players to play. How did you feel
when you first came to there
BS: When I first been to Studio One, is like … to be honest
I never start recognise my feeling when I just been to Studio
One. I take me a time before I start to recognise my feeling
Prof: Distance gives perspective
BS: Yeah, when I do start to recognise my feeling, when I start
to face the fact that yes, I’m in, this is it y’know
this is what Jah want I to do, and I prepare myself to do what
Jah want I to do, and I just face it and say: this is it y’know
and it was a sign of happiness, y’know, it was joy and it
was strength. It was like a family y’know? All these artists
we on top of the studio and hang out and smoke and talk and eat
and have fun. Y’know, it was like y’know – like
one big house of family
Prof: a community as well as a place of work
BS: Yeah, it was nice even though we wasn’t getting anything
like from Mr Dodd financially and stuff like dat. Nobody wasn’t
getting no pay and Mr Dodd would just give you two box a’
record and you have to walk the street and sell dose records and
that’s what you ended up getting. Y’know but it’s
alright in a sense, that we learn so much, and after we learning
that man still is so greedy with himself and still never been
paid – paid out nothing to no-one. Some people possibly
he bought them out for a cheap t’ing, bargain and stuff
like dat, but there are so many other people who didn’t
get anything but we don’t worry ‘bout dat! we have
to respect that we still around and we have to give thanks for
what we have received from life and what life has give to us
Prof: Yeah
BS: Y’know? Regardless him never do anyt’ing y’know?
But I been around fi so long y’know and to be honest it
is only like in the mid-90s I start to achieve something from
what I have been doing since 1969 and the people should know this.
Sometime an artist in the business for years and people t’inking
that this artist eating food from whatsoever, and doing well from
so many years, that this artist is meant to be well taken care
of, or are alright, but it is not so, based upon a lot of us.
Y’know and I have been around and I happens to deal with
various record companies over the past years and it was in the
mid-90s that I started to earn somet’ing, gain somet’ing
and benefit somet’ing from what I been doing since 1969.
Prof: well it is richly deserved and congratulations for finally
making it. I see you tour constantly, is that out of necessity
or love or what?
BS: What is it?
Prof: your constant touring – is it out of necessity
financially? Or is it love for what you do? Or is it an urge to
see the world
BS: it is a work yknow? I t’ink if it is was about money
I wouldn’t be doing it up to now even though I’m going
to be retired. But, if it was like for the money, maybe I wouldn’t
be around until this time. Maybe I would back out of it from a
longer time … if it was about money. For, if you’re
into something for money, and you’re not getting no money,
you’re going to back out, you’re not going to continue.
And, even when I was getting anyt’ing I still in it, and
I still stay in it up ‘til today I don’t believe is
really money – I don’t want to be greedy. I don’t
think it’s money. If I stop today, everyt’ing is alright
Prof: yeah. Now you’re living in New York these days
– or you base yourself there
BS: Of course, I’m living here, but y’know I been
coming to this country from in the 70s. Yes - in the early 70s
I been coming to this country so, I kinda get familiar wit dis
country and know this country and see how t’ings going in
this country. I was living in Long Island at one time at a place
called Garden City Park and then I decided to go back to Jamaica
and I go forward down Yard man, and I hang out down dere for some
time, and whole heap a t’ing take place and the music start
change and singers start go up and down and at that time a lot
violence, a lot of unnecessary violence and y’know w’happen?
The business is in New York and dat’s where the records
sell and I think you should be very closer to where the business
is going on – so I decided to come up back, and I come up
back, and I buy this lickle place here and I live here going on
18 years now if not more and still have my place back in Jamaica
where when I go dung there and hang out and just be nice there
Prof: is that in St Anns
BS: Yes! – the capital of St Anns, the parish, the garden
parish man! O god man!
Prof: Now, to a baldhead, to a whiteman, the practice and
the theology of Rastafari is confusing – could you explain
to us the central tenets or the way of life, the Rasta way of
life?
BS: Rastafari is a way of life mon. The way them hold themselves.
If a man choose fi live the way of life as a Rastaman, you nah
have fi think about colour, race or where him come from. Dat nah
in it. Jah never talk ‘bout dat y’know y’know
a one people y’know? So we can’t just make this colour
t’ing kinda blindfold we, where we start fi see people as
colour. We have fi see people as people as person – that
is how we is supposed to be seeing people. Then it is based upon
the individual attitude or ways of behaviour y’know, so
you just know how fi deal with dat person.
But, Rastafari is a way of life and some people call it a concept,
some call it a religion – it is one Creator y’know?
It is one creator regardless and glory be to Jah. So, It is not
a colour t’ing, Rastafari is a way of life and anyone, who
see themself, and decide to humble themself and decided to live
up to the rules and regulations of the spirituality of Rastafari,
and choose fi live Rastafari as his way of life, it is not a problem
Prof: No. I see it as an immensely positive way of life. I
see beauty in it and I see compassion and tolerance in it. Yeah,
I think it is a wonderful thing and I appreciate the learning
you’ve brought to the wider community about it – it
really helps. Now, the movie “Rockers” you appeared
in that. Could you tell me a little bit about your time making
that? It seemed to me to be a meeting of some of the greatest
talents of that time
BS: Ha ha ha! Rockers! Rockers! Rockers! Rockers was nice. A lot
of joke y’know? Le-roy, which is Mister Wallace
Prof: Horsey
BS: Mister Wallace was my drummer y’know. Yeah, he usually
play also at Studio One too and in the earlier time of Burning
Spear touring he was my drummer also. Y’know, and when they
were putting Rockers together they call upon I and have I playing
the part where I would be comforting the man due to him struggling
that him been through. It was fun being in that place, and that
location was a location from weh back y’know ? … where
they usually store a lot slaves at that location y’know?
Prof: which beach was it?
BS: It was on the beach in my town. That was on one J Lane
Prof: So, that scene at Jack Ruby’s soundsystem –
that was in St Ann?
BS: Yeah. Jack Ruby soundystem was in St Ann – Ocho Rios.
So that location where I sing the song fi Mister Wallace. That
place was di first prison in the parish of St Ann. That is a historical
spot
Prof: How did they come to select Leroy Wallce to play the
lead role? He was a drummer. I mean he’s an obvious star
when you see the movie …
BS: He was a drummer but him was an all-arounder too y’unnerstand?
Him was a man who knew how fi get around and do t’ings and
dey t’inking dat him was the man with the best figure. Him
look di heart a di whole t’ing – so dey just have
him playing dat part and had me singing that song for him “Jah
no dead”
Prof: Yeah that is a beautiful moment in that film. I love
that whole film but that is probably my favourite scene
BS: Yeah! Heh heh huh!
Prof: That, and where they take over the discotheque, him
and Dirty Harry!
BS: Yeah, yeah.
Prof: Lemme see – your singing style, it is unsual.
Most reggae singers you can point to someone who sounds similar
or somewhat like them. I don’t think that can be done with
your singing – how did …
BS: I don’t think that . I don’t think that. That
can never happen: it’s one Burning Spear and one Burning
Spear sound, there’s not a second one
Prof: That’s correct
BS: There’s no such people can create that sound –
dat sound will never create again. It create, and it will remain
the way it create.
Prof: How… when did you begin singing?
BS: I begin singing in like 1967 – late 66 early 67
Prof: So you’re about 22
BS: that was the first time I begin to feel musical
Prof: So… but you’re 22 by that stage …
BS: Yes very green
Prof: Yeah, but what did you do before you sang
BS: Well I was a… at one time I was doing mechanic, and
one time I involve with tiling, and what I involve wit’
again? … one time I involve in like a laundry t’ing
with cleaning clothes and stuff like dat dose are the three t’ings
that so far I remember involving in as a young man and growing
up before even feeling anyt’ing ‘bout music. Y’know,
that was it. It’s not like I was t’inking about singing
y’know. It’s not like I did want to be a singer, it’s
not like dat y’know. It just happen.
Prof: Yeah. Now you’re a sportsman too I believe. You
love football? Soccer?
BS: Yeah, I develop a few hobbies like swimming and playing soccer
and running – dose are my three main t’ings y’know.
And other things what are connected to the old Fitness programme.
For I do … I go gym and I still do outdoor running and I
still juggle my ball sometime
Prof: Uh Huh – when you play football what position
do you play
BS: Ah – inside left or outside left
Prof: left-handed player eh?
BS: (laughter)
Prof: Does the Burning band play when you are on tour
BS: Ah, sometime early on we go places like Africa and we play
matches and stuff among other friends and somet’ing like
that. In the states we might get some venue outside where we might
juggle couple balls and stuff. Y’know
Prof: Now how do you … when you are touring, do you
have a bus? When you’re in the states? Or do you fly
BS: Bus – in the states we got a coach. Big sleepers where
you can sleep like 13 people and bathroom, living room and kitchen
area and stuff like dat. Big kinda t’ing we travel wit’
in the States when we touring
Prof: Reasonably comfortable then?
BS: Yeah pretty comfortable
Prof: well that’s good then. OK, well lemme see …
now … coming to Australia our Aboriginal people are still
afflicted with poor health problems and low life expectancies
and stuff – have you any advice to the Aboriginal community?
BS: Well, to be honest – the people … No force is
stronger than the people wit’ de music, this is how I see
it and this is original strength – for music is a powerful
t’ing. and the people also put with it. So no force is stronger
than the people and the music
Prof: Right
BS: and once the people know what they want y’know. And
once they know what they want they should know how to go about
demanding what dey want. Demanding what they want in a way wherein
somebody will identify whatsoever they say and how they say what
they say. But the whole t’ing is how you are going to ask
fi what you want y’know. You can’t demand it in a
way wherein it will given to you. But if you’re not going
to stand up together and going to demand this t’ing together
we’re not going to get anyt’ing. And if we supposed
to meet today, and half of us meet there, then it is a sign of
weakness. So anyt’ing you are going fi ask for, anyt’ing
you are going do, you are going haf fi do it on an educational
level and a more polite and intelligent way so therefore the system
or the people who is there, to observe whatsoever we do, don’t
thinking that we stupid. So, at all time you haf fi have a plan,
and the plan haf fi go to someone and someone haf fi look within
the plan and answer your call.
Prof: Right! Thankyou very much. Thankyou Spear!
BS: OK
Prof: Thankyou, I’ll see you at the shows
BS: Keep the Spear burning!
