Interview mit T-Zion von Irie Crew
Am 04.09.2009 23:59:47
Der französische Sound Irie Crew ist seit dem Riddim Clash im letzten Jahr zu einem meiner Lieblings Sounds Europas avanciert. Nicht zuletzt liegt das sicher auch an dem Frontmann des Sounds T-Zion. Nachdem ich seit einiger Zeit mit T-Zion Mailkontakt habe, ist schnell der Plan entstanden ein ausführliches E-Mailinterview zu führen. Wie das bei Mailinterviews so ist, dauern diese schon Mal einige Zeit. Jetzt ist es aber soweit und ihr könnt euch das Interview hier durchlesen. T-Zion hat fleißig in die Tasten gehauen und ich habe alles gefragt, was mir in den Sinn gekommen ist. Viel Spaß beim Lesen!
Reggae-Town.de (Jens P. Neumann): Yes T-Zion, please introduce yourself to the readers of Reggae-Town.de.
Irie Crew (T-Zion): First, greetings from France to all the Reggae-Town readers and family. I'm T-Zion, Selecta for Irie Crew Sound, spreading Reggae music since 2003 but Reggae lover since years. I was born, grown and actually live in Nancy, north east France - not so far from the German border.
Jens P. Neumann: How did you get in contact with Reggae music? What where the first songs you listened too?
T-Zion: 15 years me a listen to Reggae music now. Some friends of mine, when I was around 15, were already Bob Marley and Peter Tosh fans and they introduced me to this music and culture. Definitely the first song I was listening to was “Legalize It” by Peter Tosh. (lacht) Then I was more and more inna it every year and I was straight Reggae addicted.
Jens P. Neumann: Since one year you're playing many shows in Germany. Can you explain us some differences between the scene in France and Germany?
T-Zion: Hmm, as everybody know in Germany, French people aren't the best when it come to English speaking. I think that's the difference between the two scenes actually. I could personally go to Germany and speak all day long English with all my German friends. I know it's impossible for you German people to do it the same way in France. So when it comes to music, especially Reggae and Dancehall, it's easier for German people to appreciate the vibes and to understand what we are talking about in the songs and at the mic.
In the dance you can see it straight. People in Germany them more inna it, more inna di new tunes segment and more in the lyrics understanding, too.
But things change in France too and more and more young people are interested by the Dancehall scene. They do their best to learn English and Patois more and more.
I would say the vibes could be the same in France and in Germany. It just needs time in France and Germany is the example still in term of how to do a wicked party for we French people.
Jens P. Neumann: Are there many MCs in your country that only speak French on the mic?
T-Zion: Unfortunately, yes! There are many sounds here that only speak French in the dance. I say unfortunately, cause in my opinion we should all do it in English at least. Many French people don't really speak a proper English or a good Jamaican Patois. They just can't understand a whole text or a whole speech in English and they are more just in the musical vibes than in the full lyrics understanding. I can't really blame them for that. I would say that it is a more French problem than a French Reggae scene problem, cause it's the same in any aspect of the society here.
We personally try our best to contribute to change this by introducing our set in English most of the time - even in France - and keeping inviting sounds from all over - just to show our massive here how international Reggae music is.
Jens P. Neumann: Are French artists played more in the French Dancehall than german Artists in the German one?
T-Zion: Yes, I think so. We even had a clash between different French sounds, only with French artist dubplates, here in France. A few years ago French Reggae and Dancehall artists had a real hype here. I can feel like things are changing in the French scene. To be honest French artists kind a pop down right now and Jamaican artists take it over again. Finally the French massive realises where the original ting is. (lacht)
But respect to any French artists who a try their ting same way! Reggae music has no barriers and I really like how certain French artists keep doing the real ting nowadays.
Jens P. Neumann: What are, in your opinion, the big French Reggae- and Dancehall live acts?
T-Zion: I would say Daddy Morry is one of the wickedest Reggae entertainers here in France. Admiral T on stage is really wicked and professional too and i think that to see him on stage is a must for any Reggae fan. There are many other good artists over here, big up Yaniss Odua, Baby G, Tonton David and Mad Killah everytime.
Jens P. Neumann: Please give us a little chronic of the history of Irie Crew...
T-Zion: We are a crew of people who are really passionated by the Reggae, the Jamaican culture and the music in general. In the crew you have Smockey, I-nity, Mr. 25, Zeeko, Alex and myself.
We work together since nearly six years now and developing the soundsystem activities. But we are producers actually too and we use to promote some Reggae show here in Nancy and in Luxemburg with our association, the most we can. Chronic little enough? (lacht)
Jens P. Neumann: Why did you choose the name Irie Crew for your sound?
T-Zion: Irie cause we are irie to the fullest! We love what we are doing each and everyday. We just keep it irie the most we can, smile in our face, everything should be irie, don't?
Crew cause we are a few people working on this everyday and we work as a real team. Everybody in the crew has his importance and united we stand.
Jens P. Neumann: The Riddim Clash was your first clash right? How come that your first Clash was such a big thing?
T-Zion: It was our first real clash, I mean the first clash set up with rules. But we did play “Back To Basics” in New York in 2007 which is actually a war dance where anything can happen. There was Trooper, Shashamane and a few other sounds like Revolution or King Turbo. We played on the first online world clash too on patalk.com. It was a different type of clash, cause it was an online one but it was a nice war still.
I think those two events did help us to reach the Riddim Clash, cause “Back To Basics” gave us a good exposition all over. Before that, we were already touring Europe for some juggling dances. So we started to have a name out of the French borders, especially in Germany. That's the reason why we were in the Riddim Clash 2008, I think.
Jens P. Neumann: Which experiences did you get there?
T-Zion: The Riddim Clash is probably the main clash event in Europe and may be all over the world, nowadays. To play on an event like this necessarily teachs you good things about your own sound.
You learn more about your actual limits and what you have to work on in the future. But honestly, it's a very very good experience and we had a lot of fun that night.
Jens P. Neumann: Which things did you learn exactly about your own sound by playing there? (grinst)
T-Zion: We've learned a lot that night but what I will remember is that I personally realised that we was strong enough to compete with the best sounds on the scene right now. We learned about how good it is to clash in so good conditions, with the best European crowd and one of the best clash organisations in the world.
Jens P. Neumann: When will your next Clash be?
T-Zion: Our next official clash will take place in Germany in december one the 18th at the U-Club. A thing called “Payback Clash”, promoted by Guns – E – Num. We gonna kill Warrior Sound in his own territory. (lacht) Hothead! May be more to come soon, too.
Jens P. Neumann: In which countries did you play so far?
T-Zion: Wow, I think we've played in a lot of countries already. To mention all a them will be hard. Most important will be Jamaica, USA, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Turkey, Slovenia, France of course and Luxemburg. That's a reason why we love the music so much, cause thanks to the music, we travel all over and meet new people nearly every weekend. It's always a pleasure for us to discover nice new places and people.
Jens P. Neumann: Was there a special dance that was some kind like the best of all?
T-Zion: You will tell me that I reply with the usual ting but I think every party is a special one. No matter the amount of people who show up, it could be ten or 10.000, we will still appreciate the dance and give full show to the massive them. But I have to admit that dances a Germany are really wicked and every move we do in Germany is always pure enjoyment for Irie Crew.
Jens P. Neumann: What's important for you when cutting dubplates?
T-Zion: When it come to cutting dubs, we love to know who we talking or working with! It's important for us to build a real link with the artist, instead of just voicing a dub and go. Real connections with artists are an important thing for sounds.
Then, another important thing is the studio quality and the originality in the dub you choose to voice.
Nowadays any sound can order dubs by one way or another in Jamaica, so it means anybody is able to play some exclusive songs. You better be original for the massive to hear that your sound is something special.
Jens P. Neumann: Do you have any German dubplates?
T-Zion: Yes, we have a couple of Gentleman dubs, who is still the biggest European Reggae artist in my opinion. And a few other artists, let's mention my friend Jahcoustix. This guy has a bright future in the scene, he's very talented.
Jens P. Neumann: What was your first dubplate?
T-Zion: We had the honor to meet Don Carlos in Paris a few years ago. We had a whole session with him. That was our first dub session for ourself and then our first dubplates.
Jens P. Neumann: What are your Irie Crew hymns?
T-Zion: I have to mention this Capleton dub “Wah Dis” and the “Hit Maker Medley”. Even when certain people will call it a regular, the one we play is really a sample and it helps us to buss in a way, so i can't forget this one.
Then I would like to speak about our Da'Ville dub on the “Strange Things” riddim, which is one a mi favorite Irie Crew dubs. The Luciano medley on the “Lecturer” riddim is really amazing, too.
Jens P. Neumann: Are there any sounds that had an influence on you?
T-Zion: Hmm, to be honest, I think all those big sounds from the 90s and early 2000 influenced Irie Crew a bit. But we still create our own style and we don't copy a sound or something. We just try to have our own vibes and style on stage. We never follow nobody! Big up all the soundman and woman from all over.
Jens P. Neumann: What else can we expect of you during 2009?
T-Zion: You can expect more vibes and more music from us. But you can except more music, cause we are producers too. We soon release some new tunes on our catalog and I hope german people will love it. You also can expect to see us more on the road again, cause we love to spread our music all over the world. We hope to have our own website soon, too, cause we are tired of those MySpace. We have too much already. (lacht) But remember to check them still for more news and infos about Irie Crew and Irie Crew Production.
Jens P. Neumann: Tell us something about the productions you did so far.
T-Zion: Well, we decided to produce music cause we simply love the idea to build our own from top. We have friends close to the crew who play some real good Reggae and some other who can build some real wicked Dancehall riddims. After so many travel and after we've meet so many people and talented artists on the road, it was like a finality for us to start working as producers.
We started to record some songs on the “Blue Mountains” Riddim, something like two years ago. With some artists like Luciano, Turbulence, Ziggi, Mitch, Khari Kill and Baby G. That's our first release. But many more will follow, on some new riddims. We have a lot of ideas right now. (grinst)
Jens P. Neumann: What's your actual Top 5 Tunes and Top 5 Artists?
T-Zion: Top 5 tunes will be Konshens & Tarrus Riley “Good Girl Gone Bad”, G Whizz “Life”, Konshens “Pretty Devil”, Vybz Kartel “Gaza Commandments” and Erup “Fight”. Top 5 Artist, I will say for this year, Vybz Kartel, Konshens, Mr. Vegas, Romain Virgo and Laden.
Jens P. Neumann: What are the most interesting clashes you ever heard and why?
T-Zion: So many clashes I've heard already. (lacht) But the one I have in mind right now will be the last Tag Team in Holland. “War Inna East 2K9: Europe vs. USA”. It was really interesting in terms of innovation in the clash biz. The tag team work, the stage performance... and in terms of musical sounds, all four sounds were really wicked.
Jens P. Neumann: Any concluding statements for the readers of Reggae-Town.de?
T-Zion: We wish Reggae-Town.de a long life, just keep it up. We love the way you build the thing on the internet for Reggae music.
You can link us directly on our MySpace anytime you want, cause to share vibes with our fans is still the best! So just feel free to write us anytime. Facebook we deh pon too. (lacht)
Jens P. Neumann: Give thanks for the interview...
T-Zion: Respect, bless up!