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Free Radical Sounds'
journalist Louise Woodford went to meet Marjorie Paris
of Urban Dub on a rainy day in a Harlesden Studio. Marjorie,
having journeyed far in her life from her classical music roots
and also from her South of France native land, explained why
she is not afraid to cross boundaries and taste all flavours
of music. |
Marjorie: Surya Bonaly. She was a French Ice Skater.
Louise: What makes you bring up her name?
Marjorie: She was the best. She was doing moves that nobody
else could do. Then she was banned for doing those moves because
it was considered too dangerous. I believe she was being discriminated
against. At tournaments and stuff, the way they were counting. But
now the system has changed, I believe.
Louise: So are you French? If I were
to see you, I would probably think that you are a Rastafarian.
Marjorie: That's my way of life. Yes.
Louise: What do you mean "Way of Life"?
Marjorie: It's a global concept. I'm a Selassyite. I truly
believe that Haile Selassy I is a great man. There's so much to
talk about. He was the Emperor of Ethopia. He was crowned Emperor
in 1930. But ask me a question about music.
Louise: How did the Snuff Vs Urban Dub
Remix album come about?
Marjorie: Well, Roop and I are really in to music no matter
what or where it come from. We like to experiment, to explore new
areas. Basically I was doing my own thing and decided to record
it. I've been aware of what Snuff does. It reminds me of the Clash
and I said "yeah, why not". Then we got the singer Duncan Redmonds
in to add his voice to the tracks. I'm quite proud with the result.
There was interesting tracks. How I see the future is collaboration
with more people and expand our vision. There's something there
I'd like to explore in the future with my own singing voice. And
there's other things that interest me as well that I would like
to include in my music in the future - instrument and percussion.
Louise: I notice you wrote "The Last
Bar" on the Urban Dub - Urban Dub album. It seems to have quite
a filmic quality to it. Are you influenced by films?
Marjorie: I feel a bit ashamed. I'm not truly educated to
talk about films. I've been watching films non-stop in a recreational
way. I'm interested in all performing arts and visual arts - painting,
sculpture, architecture, photography. I try to bring description
and melody to the music. It tells a story.
Louise: Do you write the melodies on
the keyboard, the saxophone or in your head?
Marjorie: There's different ways for me in the process of
creating. I can hear something in my head and just draft it on a
piece of paper and try to harmonize it and arrange it. And then
go in the studio and just do it. The other way would just be starting
from a blank page and then, yeah, do something. My background is
classical and jazz. That's natural for someone playing the sax.
I've played in big bands - saxophone, tenor sax, baritone sax, drums,
timpani, vibraphone. As a teenager we played at the international
jazz festivals in France. But the urban music today is very much
alive. I feel that it's better for me to be in London, seeing myself
as a black person. So I came here. I worked with Winston Fergus
and Roop. We played live concerts in open space. I've been studying
all these years and I want to spend time to develop my music. But
I go through stages of happiness, depression and everything. Everything
was cool when I was younger, but now I'm always in two minds where
I want to be. I'm a Nomadic individual. I can live almost anywhere
in the world. I'm collective orientated. I believe in having people
around me and using our skills to achieve our goals artistically.
Louise: So are the highs and lows reflected
in your melodies?
Marjorie: Yes, normally I don't really go deep in to reasoning
with people. I'm not someone who is charismatic who can really speak.
I like more to express myself through music. Working with Urban
Dub, I really enjoy it, because we don't need to talk forever we
just make music.
Louise: Why did you call the band "Urban
Dub"?
Marjorie: I thought it was quite a good name, that's truly
reflecting urban life. There's much more, much more. I know Roop
likes Asian music - Turkish and Indian stuff. That's one area that
I will not deny needs to be explored.
Louise: How did Niger Cabon come to
appear as a guest vocalist on the Snuff Vs Urban Dub Album?
Marjorie: Where ever I am, Niger will be. He is always pushing
me in to doing more music and developing my creativity. He likes
to take the microphone. He liked that track and he wanted to do
something on it. Even yesterday he was telling me that he wants
to go back in to the studio to record the full lyrics on it. Music
is always in the process. Each day that passes by, there are new
experiences in the jungle that London is. It's tough. I've very
much become street-wise through a series of things
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