As the release date for ‘Showdown’,
by The Mighty Mocambos, draws ever nearer (27th March 2015), we’re
still basking in our exclusive Mocambo feature with Bjorn Wagner, who we’re
thilled to say took time out of his busy schedule to fill us in on the new
album and the band’s future plans. Well,
Bjorn was actually so gracious that he took more time out than we had anticipated
giving us the privilege of an added bonus extra at the tail-end of our
interview which we’re more than happy to present to you oh-so-lucky readers right
here…
Are there any plans to get back in the studio
with Gizelle Smith for a follow-up release?
There are no concrete plans as of yet, and it would not exactly be a follow-up. It's been almost six years since we released the album of our collaboration. After the supporting tour, Gizelle wanted to be more in charge of the production, so she decided to form a group for herself and do a solo album. She found it hard to realise her own vision with a self-contained band such as we are – which, in addition, also live in another country. Plus, we also had our own ideas that we did not want to put too far on the back burner, for example, ‘The Future Is Here’ album, our collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa, the project with Caroline Lacaze and the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band.
There are no concrete plans as of yet, and it would not exactly be a follow-up. It's been almost six years since we released the album of our collaboration. After the supporting tour, Gizelle wanted to be more in charge of the production, so she decided to form a group for herself and do a solo album. She found it hard to realise her own vision with a self-contained band such as we are – which, in addition, also live in another country. Plus, we also had our own ideas that we did not want to put too far on the back burner, for example, ‘The Future Is Here’ album, our collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa, the project with Caroline Lacaze and the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band.
In a situation where you cannot generate joined forces out of
two different angles, you have to deal with compromises, which there was no
point doing for either of us. It worked for the one album we did, as we managed
to create an exciting, heterogenic release by uniting the different approaches,
but it would not have made sense beyond that. Time will tell if there's a
moment when we will create new music together. For now, she is still working on
her solo album, singing in an interesting live house/electronica project and
hosting a radio show, while we decided to keep up the pace making our records
and going on tour.
If you could hook up with any other vocalist for a full
album, who would it be?
If there would be someone, we probably would have made that record already – such as we did with Caroline Lacaze. We highly enjoy the diversity of a Mighty Mocambos album with instrumentals and different vocalists. This is what we are, but it could happen any other day that we cross paths with someone we do not know yet and record a full length. I am less interested in recording a whole album with someone well-known, let alone funk and soul legends.
If there would be someone, we probably would have made that record already – such as we did with Caroline Lacaze. We highly enjoy the diversity of a Mighty Mocambos album with instrumentals and different vocalists. This is what we are, but it could happen any other day that we cross paths with someone we do not know yet and record a full length. I am less interested in recording a whole album with someone well-known, let alone funk and soul legends.
Congratulations on the success with Caroline Lacaze - are
there any other artists for Mocambo Records that we can expect to be unveiled
soon?
Thank you! Recently, we have also been working on an album for our alter ego, the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, which mostly consists of the Mighty Mocambos, a bunch of friends and our touring entourage – it's a wild mix of steel pans and a funky rhythm section. We have put this project in the trustworthy hands of Truth & Soul Records, who already released a couple of 45s from it. We also did a remix for Lee Fields with the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band (for the song 'Just Can't Win' off his latest album 'Emma Jean'), and the debut album, '55', will follow later this year.
Thank you! Recently, we have also been working on an album for our alter ego, the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band, which mostly consists of the Mighty Mocambos, a bunch of friends and our touring entourage – it's a wild mix of steel pans and a funky rhythm section. We have put this project in the trustworthy hands of Truth & Soul Records, who already released a couple of 45s from it. We also did a remix for Lee Fields with the Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band (for the song 'Just Can't Win' off his latest album 'Emma Jean'), and the debut album, '55', will follow later this year.
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