I am a 3rd Generation Indian. My maternal grandfather was born in the Punjab, Northern India.My birth surname is 'Dulamsingh' which really & truly could not be anymore 'Indian' sounding if it tried! He came with his father to Trinidad when he was just a little boy. This would have been in between 1910-1920 approx.
My great grandfather settled with his family in the town of Chaguanas, Central Trinidad.
My Grand-uncle(Grandfather's brother) was a well known musician in the Classical Indian music genre. I grew up listening to music such as his (Click image to listen) and also watching classical Indian movies that my maternal grandmother loved. My grandfather was Sikh and my grandmother was Hindu so until we left Trinidad to live in the UK my 1st taste of music and culture were deeply rooted in my Indian Heritage.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO HEAR THE SOUNDS OF MY GRAND-UNCLE 'KB SINGH'
I grew up on a diet of roti*, curry(anything and everything),rice, Indian sweetmeats, dhal, more roti...
*Roti-Also known as Chapati is an Indian style flatbread.
I remember always dancing..when our family visited other families and attended functions my younger sister and I tended to end up being the 'live entertainment'. There was always music as far back as I remember. Calypso, soca and of course classical Indian music which later gave birth to 'Chutney soca). I have always loved the beat of drums. My 1st introduction to drumming was 'The tassa drum' I remember seeing the 'Bollywood' movies (black and white back in those days and trying to copy the dancing. I have never felt inclined to learn to drum because I love dancing so much. I also loved listening to the steel-drum(pans) which actually originate from Trinidad&Tobago.
Click on the image above to listen to some original chutney soca music.
Fast forward to the late 1980's and my mother emigrated to the UK, my music influences then became all the Readers Digest favourites. All I remember is 60's music including Buddy Holly and Jim Reeves playing over and over again for years. I felt as if my culture was slowly being taken away from me. That and certain life experiences from the ages of 7-11 had me feeling despondent. Yes we still ate curry and roti, my mother hummed songs passed onto her from my maternal grandmother but now our diet also consisted of 'Sunday dinner' and all things British! Including stereotypical racism which was common place in the small town my mother and step-father had decided to settle down in.
Me with my two younger sisters- late 80's. Newark. Nottinghamshire.
One day I remember walking into a record store and seeing a group of black men on the front cover of a cassette album. I was so elated! I begged my mother to buy me it. I had no idea what they sounded like but I didnt care, finally I was able to identify with music again. The band was called 'The Drifters', I had stumbled upon music that would give me hope and enlightenment. Oh how I loved that album! I remember playing it over and over again and enjoying dance for the 1st time in many years. About 10yrs ago I spotted the same album(now in cd format!) and I brought it straight away. It was pure bliss singing along to all the words that had been embedded in my head as a child.
Click on the image to listen to 'Save the Last Dance For Me' by 'The Drifters'.
As I entered my teenage years TV and shows such as 'The Chart Show' and 'Top of the Pops' gave me the chance to explore music on my level. The first 4 albums I remember saving up and buying myself(or receiving as requested birthday/Christmas gifts) were as follows-- Mc. Hammer 'Hammertime', Chaka Demus&Pliers 'Tease Me' both in cassette form then Barry White 'The Icon is love' and R.Kelly '12 Play' (CD format). Personally I think I may be Barry White's youngest fan as I was about 14yrs old. Pop music just did not float my boat. I needed beats and lyrics I could identify with. Ok I know you may be thinking 'what 14yr old can relate to Barry Whites and R Kelly's sexual undertone lyrics?' but for me growing up loveless their lyrics gave me hope for the future. That yes one day my prince would come!
Chaka Demus and Pliers tune 'Tease me' actually got me by the waistline and gave me a juicy bite of what they called 'Reggae music'. I am thinking I must have been approx 12yrs old when I 1st saw the video for 'Tease me'. I had a vague idea of what they were singing about, I didn't really feel the urge to be 'teased' ; ) but my goodness the beat was infectious. I felt it from my heart, my waist down to my toes. My love affair with reggae music had begun.
Click on image to hear 'Tease Me'.
I had started my music rebellion! It was the one thing I could have full control over during my teenage years. I absorbed the 90's R&B scene, dabbled in a little bit of Hip Hop/Rap (Tupac,Biggie, Dr.Dre and co), I engulfed the dancehall vibes of Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, Beenie Man, Tanya Stephens and Lady Saw. I soaked up Jungle by enjoying the still infectious 'Incredible' by General Levy, Shy Fx and friends. I even enjoyed mainstream reggae such as Bob Marley,UB40, Bitty Mclean and Aswad. But I wanted more. Yes I enjoyed listening to the tracks but I started to crave conscious lyrics.At the time (Aged 15/16) I only concentrated on the beats and dancing. I was unaware of how profound and special the lyrics penned by Robert Nesta Marley would become until later on in my life.
My first taste of Conscious reggae music came in the form of the late great Garnet Silk. I remember my first boyfriend playing him over and over in his car. I was 17yrs old. I remember asking him again and again for information on this amazing singer. I cannot remember what he said now but he must have got fed up because he ended up giving me that cd. I do remember him saying that Garnett had died in a house fire, but in those days there was no internet so I just had to take that info and put it at the back of my mind.
Click on the image to hear one of my favourite Garnet tunes.
Through my late teens/early 20's I educated myself on more 'black influenced' music, I could not identify with the Bhangra that was played within the UK Asian Communities. I had been labelled as 'Black' at school so although I found my home life very conflicted and suffocating (at times I felt forced to become 'British') I also felt as if I now had an Identity that I could relate too. My Caribbean memories came back to me in the form of Jamaican Reggae music. I do not remember us being around any other Trinidadian families except when my Aunt and cousins came over to visit the UK in the early 90's.
I remember going out and buying all the reggae cd's I could get my hands on. Gregory Issacs, Freddie Mcgregor, John Holt,Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff etc. I remember feeling so proud when I first heard Bob Marley's 'Iron Lion Zion' on the radio. As if I had, had something to do with him getting airplay! All in all I just wanted something I could identify and be proud off. Reggae was mi ting!
Fast forward to 2002 and another boyfriend who had just started to embrace the Rastafari way of life introduced me to Dennis Brown and Jacob Miller(on the same day at the same time). I felt as if my musical puzzle was finally coming together. I then became interested in the Rastafari livity myself. It promoted peace, love and unity. Which was really what I lacked especially in my upbringing. My name 'Rastarella' actually started off life as a hotmail messenger id back in late 2002! I had decided to create a new account and wanted something that reflected how I felt. Now I have always been able to relate to the Disney Character 'Cinderella' and now I had gained an interest in the Rastafari livity. I put them both together and I came up with Rastarella.Job done!
I can say now that from the moment I heard Jacob's double cd 'A chapter a day' I fell in love with his lyrics, his tone, his look and his vibe. Another blow to my heart was finding out that he too had already passed away. I came to discover that almost all of my reggae idols had departed and taken the Zion Train out of Babylon. Jacob Miller to this day is the number 1 most influential musician I have ever had the pleasure of listening too.
Click on Jacob to hear one of my favourite songs.
So that is the end of part one..join me soon for part 2..my journey into Rastafari,Bob Marley, Freedom,event organising, dreadlocks,Culture plus more- 2003-present day. Rastarella--From ROTI 2 RASTA. One love!
