Toots and the Maytals

We spoke with the man possessing the golden pipes about being a part of the establishing scene of reggae, coining the term reggae, being great in an amazing scene, finding his voice, and tons of other topics.  Toots was definitely one of the most endearing and genuine musicians that we have interviewed over the years.

Interview with Toots Hibbert (Toots and the Maytals)

Brian Kracyla, Jacob Little and Monty Wiradilaga (Moe Train’s Tracks)

Hey, what’s going on reggae fans worldwide, you’re listening to a special reggae royalty edition of Moe Train’s Tracks.  In this very special show, the Tracks has the honor to bring you one of the most memorable voices and performers in all of music, Mr. Toots Hibbert from Toots and the Maytals.

We had the opportunity to interview the man with the golden pipes about being a part of the establishing scene of reggae, coining the term reggae, being great in an amazing scene, finding his voice, and tons of other topics.  Toots was definitely one of the most endearing and genuine musicians that we have interviewed over the years.  Toots and the Maytals just released their latest album, Flip and Twist, and we’re sure that it will further his legacy as one of the top reggae artists of all time.

So Moe Train’s Tracks is honored to bring to you, this very special interview with the legendary Toots from Toots and the Maytals.

Moe:  Absolutely amazing set today.  Were you really having as much fun as it looked like you were having?

Toots:  Yeah, a lot of fun.  The people are so nice that when you sing for them you have to have some fun.

M:  Feeding of the energy…

T:  Yes, that heart energy.

M:  After a long weekend like this, everyone’s energy is going down, but when you got out there…

T:  Everyone just liked it.  It’s a nice day!

M:  Your voice is one of the most recognizable and classic sounds in all music, where do you draw all of your positive energy from to bring it into the music?

T:  Well, my music is from good spirits, good spirit from the church, and from the people that come to my show with a good understanding to learn the ways of reggae music.  That’s part of my energy too.

M:  Your community of musicians, back in the day in Jamaica, included the most legendary performers of all time.

T:  Yeah, mon!

M:  Skatalites…  The Wailers…  How was the community of musicians back in the day when you coined the term “reggae”?

T:  It’s a good fellowship in music from that time until this time.  When I coined the word reggae it was just like now but people lived different.  It took a little time for people to know about my music and they are really into my music now.  So, it’s a good t’ing, the times have been changing and music has been better for Toots and the Maytals.  When I coined the word reggae, when I sang the song Do The Reggae, the music was already playing in Jamaica all over but nobody called it reggae.  People were searching for the name reggae but couldn’t find it.  People used to call the beat in Jamaica “blue beat” and “boogie beat” and those are the things that spread from America to Jamaica.  Boogie beat, blue beat, and “ska”, it’s like a slip.  My two friends, Jerry and Raleigh, we sat down one morning and the word came up.  We used to use a word in Jamaica called “streggae”, when the girl was looking so good you call her streggae, if she dressed raggity, you know.  So, maybe the word comes from that, but I was the one who said let’s Do The Reggae!  R-E-G-G-A-E.  Reggae was spelled a lot of different ways in those days, but this is what it’s spelled like now.  R-E-G-G-A-E.

M:  Did the community feel that there was something huge happening?  Because your music is universally recognized across all genres.

T:  Yeah, that’s why I have 31 number one records in Jamaica.  In those days, as it came out, people enjoyed it and knew that it was good.  I have a couple of number ones, 31 number ones in Jamaica, and on vinyl in those days.

M:  What was it like recording in Studio One?

T:  It was strange.  But, I started from Studio One.  I was a good t’ing.

M:  The whole process, working with Coxsone, was it just…

T:  It was great, the process was good.  Sing for very many, no good for many maybe, choose the songs.

M:  I heard that you have some members of your family in the band.

T:  My daughter and my son, my son play the bass and my daughter back up for me.

M:  You’ve got to be proud.

T:  I’m never proud of myself.  I know it’s good, but it’s not good to be proud, because the Lord says that you should not be proud.  You just know that it is good and give t’anks.

M:  Your music has been covered by some of the most recognizable names in all of music, like the Clash, the Specials, and Sublime.  What’s your take on their covers of your music?

T:  Well, I think it’s good, it’s a good t’ing to do.  If a song is good, you can cover it.  You can put your own line, your own style on it, and it’s still good.  A lot of people cover my songs, I never really say which one is the best.  I know I appreciate it, and they appreciate it also.

M:  54-46 is an amazing track…

T: I don’t even want to talk about that prison business.  I’m tired of talking about that crap…  It was a number one song though!

M:  Well, some of your tracks… When they think of you… They think of certain tracks…

T:  When I just came in, when I was like fifteen or sixteen…  Those things happened when I was getting my first tour abroad, to go to UK.  So I hardly talk about those t’ings again.  It was a frame-up.  When I didn’t get to go to UK, they sent a different group in my name, which never worked out for them.  It was a thing that was planned.  I just sang a song about it and it went number one.

M:  You have the Toots Foundation…

T:  Well, we planned this foundation for helping the youths, not only in Jamaica but wherever help is needed.  My foundation is going to be bringing a lot of assistance.  We founded it a few years ago and it’s been doing well.  We did foundation things for the children in Jamaica, for the hospitals, for the blind, for the cancer society.  We gave to the schools, we gave to the old age homes.  We gave to the school in Clarendon, where I was born.  The foundation is going good and I hope that we can give a helping hand whenever I do my show, which charges one dollar extra to go towards the foundation.

M:  What does it mean to you to be able to give back to Jamaica, to give back to your country?

T:  It’s been good, that’s why I do it.  I couldn’t do it by myself, not without the people in America and all over the world.

M:  We are also doing a special on the passing of Michael.  How has Michael Jackson affected you musically?  Or do you have any stories dealing with Michael Jackson?

T:  No, his music never affected me.  His music refreshed me.  He was a cool guy, I liked him.  I loved him too.  It’s a pity that what happened happened, but it’s like you knew something was going to happen too.  I figure he’ll always be innocent for me.  He will always be missed by Toots and the Maytals.

M:  With your music, with so many albums, so many number ones…  When you are looking at your career as a whole, how do you think it lays in the history of music?

T:  It’s history.  My music is history. It’s antique… and it’s unique… and it’s good.  It’s fattening.  It’ll make you strong.

M:  (Laughing) That’s the best quote I’ve heard all weekend!

T:  It’s full of love and happiness.

M:  How much longer are you going to be doing it?

T:  Well, I’ve got no limit.  We have to live good to one another, whether you’re black or you’re white.  Show love to one another.  Show respect.  Learn to say good morning again, and good evening, good afternoon, good night, hey how are you doing, hello.  Just be good, be nice, be Rastafari.  That’s the way God would love we to do.  His name is Rastafari and I’m just a son of God.  I look at myself as an angel and a son of God.

M:  So you’re looking to further the message…

T:  My songs will always be a message of spirituality and happiness.  My words have to be positive, if the words are negative than its not real reggae.  They have to be positive, that’s the fulfillment of reggae music.

M:  So, you just draw from the energy, from that positive energy, and put it through your music to your listeners.

T:  Yeah, because it’s for real.  Music is for real, for Toots and the Maytals, it’s for real.  And love is for real.  It’s not just “one love”.  True love and real love is for real, there’s more than one love.

M:  And that fuels everything you do?

T:  Yeah.  I love to do this, I love to do that.  So many love, you know.  What’s love is real… So make it reveal… Whenever you feel… It make you feel good!  Wake up in the night and rejoice that you’re gonna live to see another day.  There’s no limit in my career.  I do it as I can.  You will always hear about Toots and the Maytals.

M: What’s your responsibility to all your listeners, to the world, through your music?

T:  My responsibility to the world and for everywhere is that I’m truly responsible to the people and my music is to be positive, as it used to be and as it is right now.  You have to be positive, that’s my responsibility, to make music positive for the world and for God to give us more blessings.  He gave me the talent.  (Singing)  And I sing everything I talk!  Hey-aay!  (speaking again)  I have to give thanks for giving me that kind of voice.  I can sing it without music, I can sing it with music.  It’s a revelation, a message of salvation.

M:  Getting your start, how did you really come to find your own voice?

T:  I give praise, I grew up in the church with my parents.  Over the radio, I listened to Ray Charles, I listened to every artist, and I listened to every artist in Jamaica also.  I founded my voice, and I have to learn it more, and I have to do things with my voice like (making sounds with throat).  It’s a thing you have to do, like practicing a guitar.  (making yodeling sounds)  It’s thing that’s coming for the church, from the Lord God Rastafari, and I have it.

M:  Absolutely.  When did you know that ‘this is my voice’?

T:  Well, I haven’t got one special voice, I have a lot of voices.  I can make it turn to sing any kind of way.  I know that I can sing, and people call me great, but I don’t think I’m great.  I just want to be simple, and make people think I’m great.

M:  (Laughing) Gems…  I’m loving it!  Is there anything else that you want to do in your career that you haven’t done yet?

T:  Yes, there are a lot of things I want to do that I haven’t done yet.  I wanna make a straight-up R&B record, well it will have some reggae in it, but mostly R&B flavor.  I’m doing that.  I want to be able to extend my foundation’s reach.  I want to do things in Africa where a lot of black, and white people, is also, cuz there are a lot of white people born in Africa also.  They’re African, so it’s not a black t’ing.  If people need help, you help them when you can.  My plan is to spread out my foundation and see what people think of it, and they can donate things for my foundation, and I could help.  From American to Jamaica, and from America straight to Africa, all over the world, I want to do something for some people who need help, each and everywhere, north, west, east, and south.  That’s my plan and my good thought and my wish.

M:  That’s excellent.  Thank you very much for being with us.  It’s an honor and we appreciate it!

T:  Yeah, mon.