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Mr. Fly Ska Band
ID
Name: Mr Fly Ska Band
Born in: Igualada (Catalonia)
Date: 6 september 1997
Nationality: Catalan (Spain)
Particular sign: MFSB Finest Jamaican Sounds
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What does it mean “Mr Fly Ska Band"?
When the band was formed we were all young guys of 14/15 years old, with the lack of “imagination" that this age cause; It was simply the less horrible name that we found. “Fly" refeers to a joint (“Smoking it’s an habit!"), and we put the denomination of “Ska Band" in order to make clear that we play SKA MUSIC, trying to respect (to di maximum!) the roots of Jamaican Music.
The Spanish language is so passional, why do you sing in english?
Well, in the case that we didn’t sing in english we would make it in catalan (never in spanish); I explain, we live in Catalonia, a region that forms part (politicaly talking) of Spain, but we have our own culture and lenguage, and we are so proud of it (anyway, catalan it’s more passional than spanish... Jejeje)
In any case, maybe we write the lyrics in english because we are always listening to that classic Jamaican bands and artists (Ken Boothe, The Blues Busters,The Melodians, Derrick Morgan...) and actual bands (Hepcat, Dr Ring Ding, The Slackers...) that sing in english; so, our refferences are in that idiom, and our lyrics always become in english...
In your first cd "Musical Store Room" there is the special collaboration of Paul Carter and Albert Font, where do you meet them and speaking about how is started this collaboration.
Well, after 4 years making gigs around all Catalonia (and recording 1 EP) we decided that we must record something with more quality. In that time, La Jeta Band, a finest ska band from Ripollet, recorded one song with David Hillyard (from The Slackers and David Hillyard & The Rocksteady 7), and that thing made me think about the possibility to record with some good international musician. And, as I had some connection with Steve Harrington (guitar and songwriter of Intensified), I ask him for Paul Carter. And we were so surprised when Paul said that there was no problem, he would come to record with MFSB! He took the plane and came to pass one week with us; the necessary time to show that he’s not only a great singer, he’s also a great person. He taught us in a lot of ways, and we improved lots of things, enjoying at the maximum! He sang many songs, making chorus, duets or alone.
And Albert Font, from Amusic Skazz Band, was a special colaboration too. But his case was a little bit different, because we already knew him (he uses to come to our city frequently), and nowadays he’s a good friend of us, colaborating in many shows that we make. He put his magical flute touch in two songs (making a magnificent solo on “Sleeping Cat").
We are been thankifull with both, and we’ll never forget those days. Even now, we don’t believe that we have recorded with members of those great bands: Amusic Skazz Band and Intensified...
You say, in your biography, that yuo are fell in love of Jamaican sound, I too! Try to explain to the other people what’s mean love jamaican music.
In the 5 years (more or less) that I’m listening to this lovely music, I have lived with it everyday. The thing that make GREAT the jamaican music is his capacity of adaptation and motomorphosis: you can go from the mellow rocksteady of The Gaylads to the latin ska jazz of Yeska, passing by the critical ragga songs of Raggasonic, the original Jamaican Ska of The Skatalites, the killer reggae Hammond of Jackie Mittoo or Glen Adams, or the Jamaican revival that many bands practice with so much success: Hepcat, Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters, Intensified, Dr Ring Ding...
It’s more than a kind of music, it’s a way of life... After the years you realize that people who hears to jamaican music really lives it, it’s not only to hear some music to pass the time. There is who pays hundreds of Euros to reach that wished Pama 7"; there is who plays with a local band in his little town, filling with magical music that old pub every saturday; there is who makes zines, looking for info all around; and there is who never looses any show of The Skatalites when they play in his city... All those examples explain what is to love Jamaican music.
Who write the songs’s words? And who compose the sound?
We have the great luck to have the bigges.... I mean, the best musician all around Catalonia Jejeje Well, our alto sax (Marc) has studied music for lot of years, so, all the songs are made by him.The lyrics are made by Marc, Lluri and Joan (and some special colaboration from me Jejejje).
In “Musical Store Room" 3 songs: Jewish girl, My darling and Julie speaking about girls and love, the song's’ girls are true or are only fantasy?
Unfortunately, are only a fantasy... Anyone wants to become one of them?
"You’re my friend" seems a friendship treatise, do you believe in friendship?
MFSB is a friendship. If not, we couldn’t stand to each other for five years!
What are the bands that influence your music?
As you can listen to the CD, we are multi-inlfuenced by many kinds of music and many bands, but we always try to respect the roots of Jamaican Music in every way. We could name the bands and artists as Prince Buster, Jackie Mittoo, The Skatalites, The Wailers, Hepcat, The Slackers, Amusic Skazz Band, Dr Ring Ding and T.S.A., Intensified o Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters as our major influences.
What do you think about ska scene in Spain?
There are lots of “young", and non well known, bands that practice a great classic ska music, but the problem is that there isn’t enough people in the shows, enough people that buy CD’s, enough people to stand in good health this “jamaican scene". The problem is always the same: people preffers going to the disco and listen to the commercial music than going to the shows of alternative music. There isn’t a “scene" like you can see in Germany, where it seems that there is a great ska show everyday! Is an estructural problem: if ska music doesn’t give money, there is no promotion in any way (labels, shows promotes...). We have to be so thankful to the individual efforts of jamaican music lovers (bands, fanzines, web sites...) that keeps this music alive!
If someone give you 100.000,00 euro for open a Britney Spears’s performance, what do you do?
The first thing? Ask for a free backstage ticket, to have some “words" with Britney...
If you could chose a group in all the story of music for playing a concert together, who do you choose?
Bufffffffffffff It’s impossible to say only one name... I will give you five: The Skatalites of the 60’s (with all his original members: McCook, Drummond, Mittoo...), Rico Rodriguez, Hepcat, Intensified and Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters.
Do you know some italians ska bands?
There are great bands in Italy!!! The Orobians, Jamaica Liberation Orchestra, Africa Unite, Giuliano Palma & The Bluebeaters... We would love to play with any of them some time! (specially GP & The Bluebeaters)
I think that there are another bands that mix ska with punk/hardcore/pachanga, but I don’t know much about them...
When do you come in Italy?
When we will have some bed to rest, when we will have some free beer, and when we will have a gig with The Bluebeaters ;)
Why the people must to buy your cd?
Our CD is make for the pleasure of all the jamaican music lovers: ska/rocksteady/reggae sounds to all the rudies!
Why the people must to come to your concert?
Because of our streeptease session!
Tell me 3 words for describe "Mr Fly Ska Band"
Finest Jamaican Sounds
Do you want to thanks someone? Do you want to say fuck off to someone!?
Thanks to all the people who makes that jamaican music continues staying alive: bands, fanzines, promoters...
Specially thanks to Paul Carter (Intensified) and Albert Font (Amusic Skazz Band).
And thanks to you, for making this G-R-E-A-T (and long) interview ;)
Tinto o cerveza?
Without any doubt.... CERVESA! (Estrella Damm for ever)
Arroz con Jamon o sopa de pescados?
Pà amb tomaquet (bread with tomato, exclusive from Catalonia) and some meat or cheese over it.
Lea (my name) mean something in Spanish?
Such a beautiful name... ;p
Well, it means “READ" (the imperative form)
Tell Skabadip’s friends something
Hope to play in Italy soon!!! We are so expecting to come and meet to all those italian ska lovers!
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Web Site: www.mrflyskaband.com
April 2003
by Lea Borelli
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