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Boukman Eksperyans
A call for spiritual awakening
Paris
13/08/2009 -
RFI Musique: How should we interpret the title of your new album?
Lolo Beaubrun: As a group we've always believed in having album titles that express who we are and what we're experiencing in our lives. La Révolte des zombies (Revolt of the Zombies) is about the much-needed spiritual awakening we hope will bring about social, political and economic change. I kick off the new album by talking about how everything's ruled by the "market dictatorship", how we're all "conditioned" to accept this and I ask whether we're doomed to remain "zombified." The zombification we're talking about is the way people have come to accept this every-man-for-himself system which we should be revolting against. We should be trying to find other ways of organising life.
Is this a theme that runs throughout the entire album?
Yes. I think it's time to raise people's consciousness and make them aware that we really can't go on living this way. We need to show more solidarity. We have to be true disciples of the Spirit and stop being so materialistic in our lifestyles. When Jesus, Buddha and the other great masters came to Earth they weren't speaking about religion. The message they were trying to get across is about that special contact we call love - a thing that's greatly needed in life!
In many ways your message seems to follow on from what Bob Marley was saying in his songs. Were you influenced by him at all?
When I first discovered Bob Marley back in 1976 I was amazed by the power he had to raise people's consciousness. His music is beautiful but the most extraordinary thing about it is the lyrics. When I saw him live at Madison Square Garden (in New York) in June 1978 I was blown away by him and his band on stage. And, yes, that was an experience that meant a lot when we formed Boukman Eksperyans 31 years ago. We turned round and said "OK, if Marley can do that coming from Jamaica we're capable of doing something in Haiti, too!" We can take our country's musical roots and open them up to rock, reggae and other influences. Fourteen years later, Marley's producer Chris Blackwell chose us to record three albums on his Island label.
The CD booklet accompanying your new album ends with the declaration: "We don't need intermediaries!" Is this why your new album is a family affair?
We've become total slaves to intermediaries. There's always someone standing between us and God. There are always gurus, priests and other sorts of masters barring us from direct contact with the Spirit. But as far as our new album is concerned it was more a question of circumstances. I co-produced La Révolte des zombies with my son Teddy and my other son, Paul, plays guitar on it. My wife also appears on it as does her cousin... I think you always work better with your own kids. You're more in symbiosis. My kids understand me and they've also brought us something new and original - besides rock, reggae and voodoo culture we've also got a bit of hip-hop influence now!
Is this a way of regenerating the Boukman sound?
Well, the 2009 version of Boukman is definitely not the same as the 1998 or 2001 version. Times have changed and we're changing with them! Right now we're helping to launch rapsin, a vibrant mix of rap and rasin music. I believe in staying in touch with young people and I'm really happy to see that as a group we've managed to turn a corner in our work. To me, one of the important things in life is staying fresh and new!
Boukman Eksperyans La Révolte des zombies 2009
 Boukman Eksperyans La révolte des zombies |
Bertrand Lavaine
Translation : Julie Street
13/08/2009 -
10/04/2009 -
06/02/2007 -
