Chad Bowar: How has the band’s sound progressed from Upstairs to Dat Iz Voodoo?
Nigel Rojas: Upstairs was a hard rock dreamy romantic angst type of album, Dat Iz Voodoo is more of a socio-political album expressing some of the third world strife that we face every day, so the musical backdrop became heavier and more spirited, even a bit more progressive.
How did you decide to cover the Scorpions song “Is There Anybody There?”
It was a song that I loved from childhood and always loved the Scorpions . When we were recording the album I played the song for the band and everybody wanted to cover it as well, so we tried jamming it and it was great so we recorded it. Late last year we actually opened for them in front of about 15,000 people and we got to play it for them and they loved it!
Where did the album title come from?
It came from nowhere. We just wanted to do something spooky and foreboding like the old Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin album covers in the mid seventies.
What inspired your lyrics on this CD?
I wrote the words and music at the same time that our country was at an all time low in terms of poverty, crime and murder. It was natural for me to express my disgust and contempt, that is what music is for. It’s a vessel, a cry for help out to the universe, but it is not just inspired by third world strife, but all human behavior of the worst kind. But don't worry, there are some other vibes on there as well, not just political mumbo jumbo.
How has the response been so far?
Unbelievable! We are getting a very open arms response from every crowd in every state, we are grateful and stoked. Every night has been a knockout punch.
What are your upcoming tour plans?
Right now we are opening for Kings X across the West and Upper Midwest of the U.S. We are going home in July for a week or two and then hoping to head out with Kings X across the East Coast, and some European festivals later in the year.
Does Orange Sky’s difficult to categorize style make it easier or more difficult to find bands to tour with?
It has been a bit tricky, but not because of our style. The real difficulty has been the large amount of bands competing for the coveted spots on major tours. Otherwise I can’t say that it has been that hard. I mean we are here with Kings X, which is a dream come true.
Any tour horror stories?
We have a few, but not that eventful or entertaining. We had to change our transmission last week, so we were stuck in Washington while Kings X did two shows without us in Seattle and Idaho while we waited on the van to get fixed. It was torture.
What are the best and worst shows you’ve ever played?
Right now we are playing the best shows ever, but we also had some great shows opening for Yngwie Malmsteen across 44 cities in 2006. We also had some epic shows at home in Trinidad. To be honest, every show is a great show for us. We really love doing this every night, it is incredible, we feel very lucky.
What band did you have the best time touring with?
We always have a good time, but we are close with Kings X and their crew , so we have a good time every night. This tour is a helluva lot of fun and lifelong memories being made.
How did you get started in music?
I was a musician from birth. My earliest memories are of certain chords and melodies filling my soul, like “Here Comes The Sun” by George Harrison, “The Godfather Theme,” Bob Marley and a lot of early seventies music that my father would play a whole lot. The feeling that I would get inside then is the same feeling that I get now when we jam. I always pictured myself on a stage from my earliest memories, so being a music lover to me is just as enchanting as being a musician.
Who were some of your musical inspirations?
A lot of people and bands: Jimi Hendrix, Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Marley, Metallica, Motorhead, The Police, The Beatles; local artists from our homeland like Andre Tanker, Ras Shorty I, Ella Andell, The Lord Kitchener.
What was your first band?
I had a band called Free Will when I was 14. I was the drummer and we covered Dio, Judas Priest and Rush. It was fun.
What was the first concert you attended?
My first live concert was Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers with Steel Pulse opening. That was 1985, four years after Bob died. Ziggy was about 11 years old and did not even have an album out yet, he just came out and sang Bob's songs and made the entire crowd cry. Then Steel Pulse came on and I remember a cloud of smoke filling the area. It was great, I was very young.
Talk about Orange Sky’s very first show.
Our first show was in Trinidad in April 1996. It was in a club called Flags, and it was packed out as the word was out about us. About 500 people came, it was awesome, and we never looked back..
Has your success inspired any other bands from Trinidad, or is the metal scene still pretty sparse?
We have a few bands at home , some punk-ish, some metal-ish, some alternative-ish . I don't know if we've inspired any other band, but I know that they are happy for us. We have way more rock lovers and metalheads than musicians, so thousands would show up to an Orange Sky concert or any other international band performing at home. We've had Six Feet Under, Hatebreed, Skid Row, Blue Oyster Cult, Kansas, Dokken, The Scorpions and many more, and we've opened for them all. So I would say that we have a thriving rock scene.
What’s currently in heavy rotation in your MP3/CD player?
Mastodon Crack the Skye is just pure genius. Also Mars Volta and Frank Zappa’s best of.
Anything else you’d like to promote or mention?
I would like to thank you for helping us plant our seeds, it means a lot. Check out our website. If we are coming to your town, come out to catch our live show, you won't be disappointed!
