RICHIE ON PAIN/HAPPY SONGS & THE CD KICKOFF SONG RULE!

[kompamagazine]

___________________________________________________



*KOMPA MAGAZINE: You are a break the rules type of guy...so you are the perfect person to ask this one. Why do most Haitian Band CDS start with an up-tempo song? Is it against the rules or would it be a bad idea if it starts with a slow Love/mellow Song?
RICHIE: "It's true, it's like that, but NOT everyone kicks off a CD with an uptempo; but IT'S BETTER TO START A CD WITH AN UPTEMPO or MID-TEMPO. It's all about the HEAT...CHALEU a....unless the person already knows and has a song in there that he/she is going to look for on there from the beginning. If it's a CD that they have NOT yet heard, the first thing that they NEED to hear is something that brings HEAT/LIFE. It does not have to be a carnival...but the tempo must be ALIVE.

Back in the days, the bands used to kick off an album with mid-tempo songs. ZIN I remember one time started off a CD with "CHOKOLA". everyone HAS DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES, but it is generally recommended that the first song be an uptempo/mid-tempo number."

*KOMPA MAGAZINE: Do you think most fans relate to songs that deal with pain MORE; or do you think that they relate with songs that deal with having a good time/partying? Why do you think that is?
RICHIE: "PAIN songs, you will always get MORE PEOPLE that relate to it. For the people to connect to a HAPPY SONG...It has to be EXTREMELY GOOD. It's more DEMANDING (Difficult) to compose a HAPPY SONG in terms of Lyrics and all; whereas the PAIN theme song could be about a Cyclone, Lost lives, LOVE LOST in terms of couples...PEDI MENAJ OU, MOUN KAP PRAN KOU.

In my opinion, you don't really NEED music in order for you to BE or FEEL happy. Whereas if you are suffering, you are going to go look for a song that corresponds with the pain and hurt that you are going through, in order to make you feel a bit better. That is where I tend to agree that PAINFUL SONGS seem to have priority than HAPPY songs when it comes to the fans/public.

KM!