May 2007, David Hillyard, saxsofonista, co-founder of the Slackers, Hepcat member of the first steps in 1996, band founder and leader of the Rocksteady Seven, lives in NYC.
1) I saw you play many times in Italy with the Slackers, but this (February 4, 1997, macobomboklan, Ventimiglia) was the first time I saw the Rocksteady 7 live and I really enjoyed it. What about that concert?
- was one of the most beautiful concerts in Italy in recent years for me, the audience was fantastic, most people dancing from the beginning of the concert, many others listened to music with a lot of attention, and I was very pleased I like when the audience is diverse, there are those of the ska scene, a little more than jocks, kids ... and I am always delighted when people who do not know you listen carefully to what we do, this gives value to our work.
2) During most of the year you're on tour with the Slackers, how much space you can devote to RS7 and how you live now?
- usually play about 120 concerts a year with the Slackers and 20 with RS7 ... heh heh! It 's a fun project but it is hard, last year we managed to have a fixed date at a jazz club in NY, there was always a lot of people and the audience was very hot, we played on September 3 every night! Unfortunately, the other bands were not going so well and the room had to close ... so in the life of a band, there are many ups and downs.
3) Tell us a bit of this project (RS7)
- RS7 The project seeks to find a point of communion between the language of jazz, improvisation and rhythms of Jamaica, LI, where the Skatalites have left then take different directions, much of our music is modal and refers to the masters as John Coltrane and Pharaoh Saunders, move up a few moments of free jazz in the sense that the agreements are no longer important ... but other songs like "Baby" and "Come and Get Me" instead feel the influence of Miles Davis sound of the first of the 50 tracks are from the circular structure, namely that the "sections" are never repeated within the same structure until it ends and starts again from scratch, but some other tracks have the typical progression of jazz classics or two chords of reggae music.
4) You recently released a live album by Brixton Records called "WAY OUT EAST" Can you tell why a live album?
- Well, the other two CDs were recorded live except for vocals, we played in a studio as if it were a regular gig and we started the band ... I have to say though that I was very nervous in the first disc because when you record live there is not much space between one instrument to another and if someone makes a mistake, keep it all ... so I played a little bit more conservative about how I wanted. With WAY OUT EAST we captured a very special time of relaxation, we were just having fun but at the same time we managed to bring out the emotions of that tour, no one cares to make mistakes and then you play more relaxed and I am very happy with the result, this disc is exactly the sound of this band, much more of the disks in the studio, I'll think about it for the future.
5) Currently, you are one of the busiest musicians of the ska scene and one of the most qualified to tell us what is happening in the ska scene on the planet ... you've played in the U.S., Europe, Japan, Brazil, Mexico ... seems like you're going?
- For me it's great that the music I love is heard around the world, playing with the Slackers was (and is) an incredible experience, we traveled a lot really ... I'm not sure what's going to ska music, it is amazing how for some obscure reason can still remain in existence, and that so many people in the world to know what is!
6) What do you like to do when you're on tour? I mean ... music, books ... never write music when you travel?
- eh he ... The last books I read are "The Plot Against America" \u200b\u200bby Phillip Roth, is a book about how America would have been if it had not entered the Second World War and had become simpatizante Nazi, a Another is "1491", which sees the Americas before the arrival of Columbus, I like historical books and biographies, sometimes a story ... I'm starting to read a book on the future of Bukharin post-communist Russia ... I happen to be inspired while traveling but most of the time the notes they leave, I forget! I like listening to music when I'm on tour ... or just be quiet and look out the window at the places where we're going ...
7) Many of us will know who you are on stage as a musician ... but those who try to hide behind your sax? Who is Mr. David Hilyard when at home?
- When I'm on stage I do not hide, I let out the emotions that I hold inside all day ... ha ha I hide at home, I live in NY north of Manhattan in a neighborhood called Washington Heights, I take great care my son doing normal things like going to the playground ... I really enjoy cooking, pasta and other European dishes, sometimes Caribbean food, other times the typical American food like fried chicken, I also like to turn to NY and look for new cheap places to eat well ...
8) Serving and favorite drink?
- These are the questions that I like, a real musician, always thinking about food, the Slackers are obsessed with food, we spend whole days to discuss what we cooked at home, etc etc ... as my specialty pens arrabbiata, fried chicken, chicken with paprika potatoes and shrimp in olive oil with chili, I like the food very tasty ... with regard to drink because I like the Cuba Libre with Havana Club, I also like the Jim Beam whiskey specifically.
9) The best and the worst thing in the world for you?
- Best: My son, a good concert, a good Havana Club after a gig, a nice dinner with my family ... other things I'd rather not say! Worst: An overcooked pasta with cream of mushroom.
10) This November 2007 in America is to vote the new president. Who do you think is the best ... or the least worst to try to save what he did the Bush family?
- Hard to say, none of the candidates really inspires me.
11) You did a tour in Japan must be a crazy world! Tell us something more about that tour.
- I just got back from Japan and Korea, it's fantastic, we did many concerts sold out in Tokyo, generally there was always a lot of people, including two in the concerts in Korea. I am fan of very hot over there and are also big Collectors will, their reggae record stores have things that I'd never seen before, weird things like have a lot of Count Machuki 45 laps, I thought I had made it more 3 or 4 in total, they probably have them all.
12) We are trying to prommuovere this music in Italy and you probably played around the world have heard many new bands, Could you recommend some? bands ... cd ...
- I am sure that many of the good ones you have already heard at this time but I must say that the Aggrolites are having a huge impact on the scene, they did not try to do everything, play only "early reggae" during the period 1968 to 1971, perhaps only 68 / 70 he he ... the result is a very similar area skinhead music.
13) Last question. Heard him play, no matter if with or with RS7 Slackers, I always hear your sound straight into the stomach, like something really strong and I was wrapped in what you were playing. and now a tough question ... try to explain to our friends what you feel when you close your eyes and blow your sax. -
As I was saying before, I try to bring out all the emotions while sound, is a bit easier to do it live in the studio, I try to pull out all the things I keep inside during the day while trying to feel comfortable with the RS7 takes me a while to find a way to express myself and even if sometimes it happens to fall, we got up and start again. I spend a lot time trying to get a good warm sound and decided, if the sound is not good does not matter how fast you are, every note must be beautifull itself.
DAVE, THANKS FOR THE TIME AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'VE DEDICATED TO SEEING YOU SOON IN ITALY! GOOD LUCK!
Dave Hillyard myspace: http://www.myspace.com/davidhillyardrocksteady7
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