TORCH Interview @ Reggaespace-Studio, Hamburg, 18.04.2014

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TORCH, Reggaespace-Studio, Hamburg, 18.04.2014

Interview by Gardy Stein, Fotos by Dorothee Georg

Gentleman lately called him “one of Jamaica’s most underrated artists”, and even though this statement is somehow true, Kevin Campbell a.k.a. TORCH is working hard to make people realize what treasures there are to discover in his music. Currently on his first tour in Europe, Irie Ites met the likeable young man to talk about his career, his family and upcoming projects:

First things first: welcome to Germany! Have you been to Europe before?

Well, I transited, but it’s my first real stay here. Hamburg was my first show of the tour!

How many shows you have altogether?

I have seven fixed, one is on the way, so I think it’s gonna be eight.

Going back to the roots of your career, you used to call yourself Honeycone. How come?

It’s a mixture actually. When it comes to music, there is a sweet side with a little roughness. But after a while I had to change that name because Tony Rebels Brother had that name too. His was Honeycomb, I was Honeycone. So, when it came to shows and appearances and all that it was one big mix-up. It’s pretty ironic, because when I met Donovan Germaine, it was his brother [Tony Rebel, author’s note] who gave me the name Torch. Because I was searching a name at that time and one day I was busy recording and he passed by the studio and said “Wow, this youth is blazing like a torch!” And then Germaine came to me and told me about it and asked if I like the name and I said yes. You know, Torch really represents a light and it’s also a source of fire.

So that’s when it all started! I read that you had to put your career aside because of family issues. Like, you had to take care of your seven siblings. Are you the oldest?

No, I’m actually the last from my mother. Basically, we grew up not having much. This career, from time to time I wanted to go forward, but priorities always lie with my family. So, sometimes I had to skip working on my music and do some nine-to-five jobs or some hustling on the road to see if you can make ends meet. That was the basic issue. Even now, you know, my father is getting up in age right now and then I have my two daughters, so I have to find school fees and do all it takes to be a good father.

That’s great!

That really took me away a bit. But now I’m actually grateful because things are picking up and I can really balance my time more with doing stuff for them and being on the road at the same time.

And would you say that your collaboration with Silly Walks was a kind of kick off? You had a lot of airplay from that!

Yeah, a lot of acknowledgement, worldwide I should say. Because, you know, in Jamaica you have to know a thing about Reggae Industries, it’s kind of stifling. And if you don’t really have a link or – I’m gonna be totally honest – money, it’s basically like as if you don’t exist. That’s why good music often goes unheard, because of the politics in the music business. But Silly Walks really stepped in and they changed all that. When they came to Jamaica after they sent me the Email and the tracks, we worked on them and it really came out nice. They came back to Jamaica again to shoot the video and then they made sure that they went to every major TV- and Radio-station and let them know that this is the songs they are promoting. So they did the full work, they even went to the newspapers and got it published and my name was mentioned as the flag-artist they are working with. That really went far.

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Torch & Silly Walks Discotheque, Hamburg, 17.4.14

And then Chronixx came and smashed that riddim too and propelled it to a next level, so the riddim keeps building and growing. My song is getting more popular and now it’s like one of the household-songs in Jamaica and practically around the world (smiles).

And will you work with them again for the new album? Is there something coming up?

Well, I’m doing my EP first before my album. I’m not sure as yet if it will be a free download or what, since I’m not focusing on the monetary part right now, but on the message and the mission. I’m putting a lot of work into that right now. I’ve been creating some different type of music, trying to connect with people on a daily basis and the way they live, trying to find solutions in songs for the problems they are facing because we look out on the world and we see many things. Probably I can’t help you physically but I can help you with some words and it might just manifest in flesh and help you to be a better person.

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Let’s leave Jamaica now. I’ve seen the video to Fatal Attraction which was shot in Bali while you were touring there. Tell us, how did the people react?

First of all, Indonesia is not really a Reggae Country. The only person they know different from Bob Marley down there is a bredda called Ras Mohammed. So, me going there it’s like the third Reggae Act actually showing up (laughs), so… But it was great! The people don’t really speak English, but I think music is a universal language, because whenever it starts to play, people react. The promoter of the tour did a pretty good job to promote the shows and they found ways of looking up my music on the internet. So, by the time I got there people knew my songs, so the atmosphere was lovely and they were warm and receptive. That was a great experience. And then to shoot the video was another thing because I met so many people who were supporting the work. By the way, the lady in the video is the daughter of the president!

Are there other countries you really wish to go?

I would love to shoot a video in every country if I could! (laughs) Actually, it always has to fit the background. Right now, I want to create a song for Germany, so I’ll be in the studio with Hakan and record some stuff. I think it’s gonna be called “In Germany”, so I will write down everything that has to do with my stay and we could do a video while I’m here.

Well, then I hope you have good experiences!

(laughs) Well, I haven’t had any bad experience so far, so…

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That’s great. We have a labelling here called Reggae Revival or Roots Reggae Revival, represented by artists like Chronixx, Jah 9 and so on. What do you think of this, do you call it like this in Jamaica as well? What do you think of it?

I think highly of it! I have to count in Jah 9, Kabaka, Chronixx, Dre Island, Kelissa, they really stand up and represent for Reggae Music. As you know, Reggae Music can never die. One time in Jamaica it wasn’t so prevalent, you wouldn’t hear Reggae Music that often on the Radio anymore. It’s like Dancehall came in and took over everything because it’s the hype and it’s faster, so everybody was gravitating towards that for a moment. I always keep the firm. No matter what, I always have been doing Reggae Music, I’ve never changed. It’s great when you have others on board who come and keep the strength and create this Reggae Revival, it’s a real good thing for the people, cause in every case we need balance. Life doesn’t go one way. Dancehall isn’t necessary that positive, it’s basically whatever you feel and see around you, everyone can sing about what happens to them, so it’s very individual. Reggae Music is more of connecting with the people. It’s more like message music. I love this Reggae Revival, it’s big in Jamaica because Reggae Music is now playing more often and it’s like it’s captivating the world now.

Would you consider yourself being part of it?

I’m a part of it in my own way. You know, me and Chronixx and those people, I know them but we are not like friends friends. He’s been on the road, so we just like shake hands when we meet once in a while. I mean, I know what he’s doing and he knows what I’m doing and we respect each other. I’m holding the flag high for Reggae just the same, whether or not we are together, it’s just one big family going out there and representing Reggae Music.

Actually that was all from our side. Do you have anything to add?

Well, all I got to say to the people is: be strong in yourself, in your culture. Love yourself, love others. Be caring and sharing. Do to someone as you would have them do to you.

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Torch & Queen Easy (Reggaespace)

 

About Karsten

Founder of the Irie Ites radio show & the Irie Ites Music label, author, art- and geography-teacher and (very rare) DJ under the name Dub Teacha. Host of the "Foward The Bass"-radio show at ByteFM.