wishIcouldjustgouptothesepeople andjustchatnormallybut Iwillalways go“Celebrityandthenthereis littleme!” You’veplayedselloutgigs,across EuropetheUK,whatdifferencesdo youfindwiththeseaudiences? Idon’t thinkIhaveplayedenoughin Europetogiveanhonestanswerbut fromwhat Icansee, I thinkthatEurope tendtobeaslightlyyoungeraudience. I thinkthat reggaeis largelymoreaccepted withtheyoungeraudienceinEurope andinUKskaandreggaetendtobea slightlyoldergeneration.Theyarethe peoplethatgrewupinthe1960’swith TrojanRecordsandthenyouhavethe TwoToneMovement inthe70’sandthe 80’sandTrojaninthe70’sand80’sas well… Wherehasbeenyourfavouritegig, andwhy? Ohthat isagoodquestion! I thinkoneof myfavouritegigswas theManchester AlbertHallbecauseI’mjustmindblown thatwehaveabigfanbaseinManchester whichtomeseems tobetheother sideof theworldandit is suchalovelyvenue andImet someverylovelypeople backstage.Thereisastoryabout thisguy whowithhispartnercamebackstageat theManchesterAlbertHallandhehada scaronthebackofhisneckandaſter the gigtheycameuptomeandsaid“Weare sosorrytobotheryoubutwejustwanted totellyousomething”andtheywere bothtearyeyed. “Webookedtickets to comeandseeyouandthenhewas diagnosedwiththroatcancerbutall the waythroughtheonlythingweboth wantedtodowas tocomeandseeyou anddidn’twant this tobeathimbeforehe hadachancetoseeTheDualers.But Iam nowhereandIbeat it” Iwas somoved that theonethingthatkeptdrivinghim


forwardtobeatcancerwas tocomeand seeus.Thatwillalways stickinmyhead andtheactualAlbertHall is just stunning venuethat I love. Backtothebeginning,whatwasitlike learningyourcraſtinSouthEast London? Itwas likemuckingaroundwithmy brotheronahighstreet.Justas ifwewere athome…Iwasn’tevensureif Iwasa goodsinger…Wewerejust jumping aroundandnever reallytookourselves that seriously.So, itwas likejumpingoffa cliffwithsomeoneyouwereveryclose ….allyour lifeandbringingthatontothe highstreetandsingingthesongs thatour mumanddadhadbroughtusupwith andpeopleseemedtolikeit. Itwasalotof funandIgot tothestagewhereIwas dependentonthemoneysoIhadtogo andstandout intherainquitealot.…It was incrediblytiringaswehadtoget ontothehighstreetquiteearlytogetour pitch. Whoinfluencedyoumost? Thereisnotonepersonwhoinfluenced me– itwouldbeanyonefromSam Cooke,BobMarleytoOtisReadingand DeanMartin.AlsothecomedianMike Reid.AlsoFrankSinatraandToots Hibbert fromTootsandTheMaytalsand alsomybrother… Growingupinthe70’sIlovedska, reggaeandtwotone,oſtenIthinkthe genressimplymerge,whatisyour takeonthat? Yes theydidas that iswhat itwasderived from.Onehasapunkelement toitwhich is twotoneandisquitepoliticaland reggaeinthe70’swasn’tpolitical soyes theydomergebutoneiskindofayouth movementandoneisverymuch melodicandsweetmusic.Wetendedto gomoretowards thereggaesweetmusic


asmymumanddadwerenot into political songsandtwotonealthoughI wasawareof itandmybrotherandI quitelikedit. Clearlyyouguysenjoyyourgigsand creatingapositiveandupbeatvibe. Whatmotivatesyouatyourgigs? People. 100%people– just tohear them shoutingandcheeringandtoseethem dancingandfilmingandjust toseetheir reactions. It is thecrowd– Iplugintothem andtheymotivatemeconstantly. Forthosewhomaynotbefamiliar withTheDualers,whatcanthey expectiftheycomealongtoyour Norwichgig? Atotalhighenergyshow,youwon’t stop movingandyouwillcomeoutandfeel likeyouhavebeentoahealthbarandleſt allyourproblems foroneeveningand youwillcomeout feelingalotbetter than youdidwhenyouwalkedinandthatwill havearippleeffect intoyourweekendso abit likeadrugthatweall feel likewe’ve beenonajourneyforadayor twoand you’rebuzzingoffit for thatdayandnight andpossiblytherestof theweek. Whatisonthehorizonforthe Dualers? Ohwheretostart!Weareplaying Wembleyon14th


Maynextyear.Weare


releasinganalbumthatwillcomeout in August2022.Wehavequiteafewmore gigswithUB40featuringAliandAstro andI’mbringingoutabookat theendof nextyearaswell Thanksforyourtimeandlook forwardtoseeingyouatUEAin October Thankyousomuch!


Photo James David


14 / AUG-SEPT 2021 / OUTLINEONLINE.CO.UK


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