Gary Clail

Rip It Up, Issue 171, 1 October 1991, Page 6

Gary Clail

From dodgy Bristol hooligan to socially aware chart topper without losing an ounce of credibility, Gary Clail's made a seemingly impossible career transition. Actually, when you talk to him it dosen't seem so strange. He's friendly, intelligent, extremely articulate, a key . member of a very powerful and talented group of artists and this is all before breakfast and with a bit of a hangover courtesy of the manager of a venue he's about to play. So if it's not too much effort for this time of day, Mr Clail will explain how a white guy ended up at the helm of a cutting edge reggae sound system. "Basically I started out doing club promos. When I was 17 or 181 moved to a Black area of Bristol called St Pauls, and I used to go to a lot of Blues, which were illegal ‘ parties with speakers the size of wardrobes and a guy playing records while another guy toasted, and these were just brilliant. So I started doing two nights a week in clubs, mainly reggae and some hip hop when it started kicking. Around . this time I met Mark Stewart who introduced me to Adrian Sherwood, and I wound up going on tour - through Europe with Mark Stewart and the Mafia." "I don't know how I became the front man for the On-U Sound System, it just happened. I'm not really a musician, but with On-U Sound everyone has a job to do, and I just decided I had to have something to do as well. I asked Adrian if I could start remixing rhythm tracks for the Sound System and he said, 'Yeah, do it!'. So I took these early African Head Charge and Tackhead tracks and remixed them Dancehall style, then I do my .. thing over the top. That's the great thing about technology, I can take a

Doug Wimbush bassline and put it with an African Head Charge rhythm track and it's cool." Clail's lyrics are heavily contemptuous of society as we know it, and incredibly blunt and direct. It seems a miracle that the staid English establishment allowed such a thing anywhere near it's charts, let alone on it's pop program, but Clail fails to see what the fuss is about. "I never thought I was political. All I've learnt I've learnt from the media. When I was 15 or 161 would see kids starving on TV and I'd think What is this Third World they're talking about, why are they telling me about this place that dosen't really exist as a place?' and I'd ask questions like Why are my parent's taxes being used to stockpile frozen food in Europe when people are starving.' The more questions I asked, I just discovered more questions rather than answers. Basically politics are bollocks the world over. I'm only political because of the information the media gives me." As the British dance scene becomes positive and independent of American styles, On-U Sound has become more and more popular and representitive of the new mood, and as Gary Clail sees it this is just the beginning. "In 1988 this whole scene kicked in, everyone was well happy and

Ecstasy went massive, but now it's the start of the end. This drug seemed so nice, but now we're starting to see the casualties. The Raves are still happening too, but now they're packed with Teds, like 16 year olds basically, and all they want is techno. That scene is coming to an end, and now we're seeing real instruments as the next thing, people like Primal Scream infusing rock with a dance beat. It's a way of tapping your feet at the same time as assimilating information. Most kids nowadays don't know shit, and I'm trying to give them information in a positive way, I'm saying 'How about a little respect for people?' My way of fighting is through music, I've tried the other way, I've been there done that seen that, and I think it's time to move forward." On the subject of moving forward, what happens now for Gary Clail, poised as he is on the brink of massive public success? "I've had long discussions with Sherwood about this. It's like now the four record companies who; previously wouldn't sign me, who said Well Tackhead have promise,. but lose Clail.', are all wanting to sign! But as Sherwood says, I'm playing to the converted and I think it's time to bust out some young artists. I'm happy to make one more album, then use whatever mainstream power I've got to help ■ some newer artists. I'll take a step back and do some producing, On-U Sound System will go on and I'll still be involved in making music. It'll be like the Sir Coxsone Sound System, he kept the music alive by putting his name onto an idea, letting young people take the message out. I've done it without compromising so if I can open doors for others, it's all the better. I reckon music sells sex and jeans and cars, so why not sell respect for a change." And just in case any of you are ' having doubts about trooping off to see a Sound System, Gary Clail's parting comments should pretty much squash them. "It's gonna be heavy, I just hope the rig's up to it."

KIRK GEE