Entrevista com Michael Rose

Entrevista via telefone com Michael Rose (ex-Black Uhuru) realizada a 22 de Março de 2003 (Apenas em Inglês)

Paulo Matos : Michael Rose, welcome to Solar Reggae and also to Reggaeportugal.com, let's talk a little about the past, and i'm going to start asking, where and when you born Michael ?

Michael Rose : In Kingston Jamaica.

Paulo Matos : yeah man, tell us about the begining of your career, first recordings...

Michael Rose : one of my first recordings was done with niney the observer, "guess who's coming to dinner", "freedom over me", and "love between us", at the same time i recorded a song for Lee Perry Scratch called "observe life", i had a solo career before Black Uhuru, you know man....

Paulo Matos : yes i know that, you did your first version of "guess who's coming to dinner" for the producer Niney The Observer" like you've said, have been a big hit on that time in Jamaica ? or only when you have recorded it again with Sly & Robbie in the 80's ?

Michael Rose : have been bigger, have been very big in England on those times,......

Paulo Matos : not in Jamaica.......

Michael Rose :yeah man, in Jamaica, in new york, canada, in those places, maybe in South africa too....

"Guess Who's Coming To Dinner" song have been played on the Solar Reggae Radio Show.

Paulo Matos : how the Black Uhuru getted together ?

Michael Rose : well, after i recorded those songs for Niney, i was singing with a band after that, you know, i was on the north coast with the band called "Happiness Unlimited", we were there almost six months to a year, you know, entertaining the tourists of North coast, in those times, was the best way of going about music, it was teh only chance, so, it was a good vibes you know, and one of teh members was smoking marijuana, and they wanted me to smoke with him, and i said i don't want you know, and i was fired from the band, so then i came to kingston, that's why i'm originally from, and Sly lives in teh same neigborwood for where i was born, and i went to see him cause, he and my brother were good friends, you know, and when my brother died on tragic circunstances on a car accident, so then i went to see Sly, and we recorded "Artibella", and "Sun Is Shining"...

Paulo Matos : "Artibella" and original from Ken Boothe, and "Sun Is Shining" from Bob Marley...

Michael Rose : yes, "Sun Is Shining" came on the Simple Simon label, yeah...

"Sun Is Shining" song have been played on the Solar Reggae Radio Show.

Michael Rose :you know, after i link up with Duckie, and start doing some rehersals with them, you know, as Black Uhuru, and i recorded it.......

Paulo Matos : and a lot of big hits after that, true ?

Michael Rose :yeah, and it was supposed to record teh album "Love Crisis" with Sly & Robbie, but they went on tour with Peter Tosh, so when they've back from tour, we had already recorded the album for Prince Jammy's.

Paulo Matos : that it was precisely my next question, Blac Uhuru first album have been produced by Prince Jammy's, but after that you've moved to a close association with Sly & Robbie, how it happen.....

Michael Rose : after that we recorded the "Showcase" album...

Paulo Matos : first album for Sly & Robbie...

Michael Rose : yes, and in between that we recorded "Rent man", "wood from a fire" for DEB label, wich is Denns Brown label,

Paulo Matos : Dennis brown, yes...

Michael Rose : and we just keep trying, we recorded teh "Sinsemilla" album and they give it to Island recs, cause they liked teh album, and we got signed after that.

Paulo Matos : it's a big album, yes. Tell me, after that you left Black Uhuru, when ?

Michael Rose : in 1984.

Paulo Matos :and then you moved on to solo career, but only in the begining of the 90's, you've back again with solid singles such "Bad Boy", "One A We Two a Wi", where were you on that period after you left Black Uhuru ?

Michael Rose : i was like, i took the hills, i went up the mountains...you know...

Paulo Matos : hard times for you ?

Michael Rose : yes, hard times, but sometimes you have to start allover again, you know, it's how life it is...

Paulo Matos : yes man, it's true...i agree with you man...

"One A Wi Two A Wi" song have been played on the Solar Reggae Radio Show.

Paulo Matos : other important moment in your career, have been when you signed with Heartbeat recs in 1995 ...

Michael Rose : oh yes, when i have recored that album with Observer Niney, One More Time, you know, the self titled Michael Rose album, you know, "hard temper" and those songs.......

Paulo Matos : the 90's have been good for you...

Michael Rose : yes, cause i got a deal with RCA recs, and album called "Proud", released in England, in Europe, in Japan, never came to America...

Paulo Matos : Michael let's talk about the present, past is important, but the present and teh future is more important, you're now on tour with Sly & Robbie, you have two shows booked here in Portugal, one in Lisbon tonight, and how have been the reactions yesterday in Gaia ?

Michael Rose : yes, have been very good, have been excellent,

Paulo Matos : teh place was fulled....

Michael Rose : yeah man, it was a good show, very good show...

Paulo Matos : Michael Rose, plans for the future, any new album soon ?

Michael Rose : yes, there's any album on love injection england spider, i finished that album in Jamaica, before i came on tour.

Paulo Matos :with sly & robbie as well ?

Michael Rose : they play teh tracks for the guy, he's name is spider, love injection.

Paulo Matos : and teh plans for the future ?

Michael Rose : my plans, well we break teh tour, we finish in May, we hope to record a new album, this time for Sly & Robbie, you know, like a band together and everything you know...

Paulo Matos : that's the most important on Reggae music, keep the live instruments on a studio album.

Michael Rose : yes man.

"Jah Never Fail I Yet" song have been played on the Solar Reggae Radio Show.

Paulo Matos : what's your opinion, this is a question that i always make to all teh artists that i make interviews, what you think, what's your personal opinion about Dancehall / Ragga ?

Michael Rose : what do i think of it ?, well, to tell you the truth, if it's cultural base, you know, if it's cultural, but if it's like dirty mouth, you know, dirty mouth music, you understand me ?

Paulo Matos : yes.

Michael Rose : if it's cultural base, it's OK for me...

Paulo Matos : you're thinking of Sizzla, that sings cultural things !

Paulo Matos : if it's cultural, it's OK for you !

Michael Rose : yeah...and Capleton, yeah, and Beenie Man sings culture sometimes...

Paulo Matos : sometimes, yes.

Michael Rose : yes man...

Paulo Matos :Ok Michael, to finish this phone interview, to all the listeners of Solar Reggae Show, and of course to all your fans worldwide that will check this interview on reggaeportugal.com, there's any message that you would like to give them ?

Michael Rose : yes, i would like to tell them, to have peace in the world, and we to bless to be stress.

Paulo Matos : yes man, OK Michael, nuff thanks for this interview, all teh best for the tour, and for tonight of course, Max RESPECT Paulo Matos Say So...

Michael Rose : Yes I, it's the Solid Direct World Tour.

"Marcus Garvey" song have been played on the Solar Reggae Radio Show.

NUFF RESPECT TO MICHAEL ROSE, BLESS.