Groundins
By: Charles H.E. Campbell
The very success of Reggae in the European market could spell the reduction of market share for Jamaican acts in the future. Unless we review and adjust our business, production and promotional strategies, aimed at that continent, Jamaica runs the risk of forfeiting considerable market share to European Reggae artistes and bands who have become extremely popular in these domestic markets.
Reggae is no longer categorised by European promoters as world beat music rather, because of its tremendous popularity, it is now considered by them to be mainstream music, alongside Pop. This theoretically, should be good news for our Jamaica artistes and musicians, potentially generating increasing sales of musical products, and performance bookings. That direct correlation however, is far from the reality on the ground.
On my first tour of the exhibition booths at the World Music Expo (WOMEX), held in Copenhagen, Denmark, October 28 to November 1, I had moments of nationalistic ecstasy. Out of a total of 280 displays, Reggae music featured in approximately 10. These displays were owned and operated by commercial interests form Spain, Netherlands, France, Austria and Brazil. On the surface, this was marvellous, making me a proud Jamaican witnessing first hand and appreciating the global reach and integration of Reggae music into the popular cultures of various European nations.
Then I began holding substantive discussions with several major European event and festival promoters, as well as artiste booking agents.
On the last day of the exposition, I took time out to visit Christiania and attend an event called Rubadub Sundays. These experiences reinforced what I was learning from my meetings. By the time I was departing Denmark, reality set in, flipping my emotions between bouts of depression, followed by renewed determination to lobby from within the industry for a new mindset, a new blueprint for the Jamaican music industry, so we may reap more of the benefits of this great musical legacy which we have bequeathed “to di worl’”.
What the average Jamaican has so far failed to understand is that in these markets, Reggae is not simply another successful musical genre; to most Europeans it represents a movement and attendant lifestyle. The major factor sustaining Reggae’s phenomenal penetration of the European market is the alluring appeal and adoption of many cultural features of the Rastafari movement. Rasta’s global philosophy of peace and love, promoted by its musical troubadours- its apostles and disciples- is buffeted by the mystique of Jamaica. Our island is perceived as a cultural Mecca, a melting pot and the musical capital of the world, located in the most exotic and tropical of environments. Meanwhile, Rastafari is regarded as a self-liberating force, breaking down outdated, restrictive and oppressive social philosophies, modes and practices like xenophobia, while facilitating cross-fertilisation, creativity, freedom of expression and association. This is an affinity which began and was recognised in the late 1960’s with the hippie movement. In Jamaica and the USA, it was manifested in the Coptic Rastafarians, a unique mix of rural-based African-Jamaicans and Caucasian hippies. Looking back at pictures of the first two stagings of Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica (1978 and 1979) is a revelation and confirmation of the large percentage of hippies which helped to make up the audience in those early days.
In fact, this was a pivotal boost to Negril’s international reputation as a tourist destination, then promoting an integrated, self-sustaining product. What evolved was community-based cultural tourism with a strong emphasis on Reggae music, vegetarian diet and healthy, eco-friendly alternative lifestyle, long before that philosophy became universally en vogue. In the year 1971, hippies captured, squatted and eventually established a large commune on a section of an island adjacent and linked with Copenhagen, traditionally called Christian Wharf. They renamed it Christiania, set up their own system of government, economy, collected taxes from their residents, while promoting an alternative lifestyle.
Throughout the next 3-plus decades, they have facilitated a continuous influx and integration into Denmark’s society, of Africans and indigenous Indians from South America, among others. Reggae music blares from the sound systems in the bars, restaurants and in the open town square where vendors are located selling art, craft and trinkets, many of which feature Rastafari symbols and colours. In fact, one of our guides commented that “buying souvenirs here is not wise. As everyone back home will be convinced it was made in Jamaica.” Everywhere in Christiania residents were wearing the dreadlock hairstyle and greeted us in the name of Rastafari. This refutes the description of the Rastafari religion as a cult by Leonard Lee Barrett, in his book The Rastafarians, since the classical definition of a cult is a phenomenon which gives birth and dies in the area it is developed.
At Rubadub, which was attended mostly by a majority of native Danes (picture blonde, blue-eyed Vikings) many were wearing dreadlocks and the music consisted in large part of what they call roots Reggae, plus the latest Dancehall songs. Mavado and Vybz Kartel were being played alternately. What was profoundly disturbing however, was that the songs were almost all remixes of the originals. These had been re-engineered and produced by Danes, primarily for their domestic market. In addition to these, the dance floor would get incredibly busy whenever Reggae/Dancehall songs originating from Denmark were played. This bore out what I had been learning from the music industry practitioners at WOMEX.
The European Reggae scene is dynamic and has matured to the point where the native populations are now accustomed to and now more readily identify with their own home-grown talent. It is therefore more challenging to headline major shows and festivals with Jamaica artistes, as these European acts saturate and have more audience pulling power in their countries of origin. This is a fact of life that our artistes have to accept and adjust their fees accordingly, especially while Europe is going through a recession. Right now, the only Jamaican headliner touring Europe is Sizzla! Our artistes will have to consider more collaborative works with European artistes and producers as a way of introducing themselves in these countries.
Secondly, the musical trend has swung back to live instrumentation, featuring unusual instruments and sounds, indigenous to Africa, Asia and South America, creating a new kaleidoscope of harmonised sounds embedded in their music. Our producers therefore have to expose themselves to the different forms of emerging music and fusions, so as to keep abreast of the current market trends. We may even have to throw away the Pro-Tools and go back to the big recording studios and professional musicians.
Thirdly, the owners of venues, clubs and festivals, trust and prefer to do business with booking agents established in Europe. The tendency of our artistes to have more than one entity conducting their affairs does not help their cause with these agencies. They told me so themselves.
Fourthly, because of the large numbers of upcoming European/dancehall acts, competing to gain a foothold in the market, the club circuit, which is the niche below the big festivals is amply supplied by local talent without the extra costs of air fares, visas accommodations and per diems.
For years, some of us- most notably Junior Lincoln- have been agitating for the need to unite in our mutual interests, specifically to set up a multi-national marketing agency encompassing such functions as promotions, distribution and the booking of our acts. In the meantime, we have to quickly establish working alliances with major European agencies and a more collaborative, structured relationship with their festival organisers, in order to more effectively lobby our and European governments to facilitate the issuance of visas in a more timely manner , and fund the cost of air travel to Europe.
Email: che.campbell@gmail.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/checampbell
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