In this third and final installment of The Garth Trinidad Interview, the legendary DJ drops on the return of the single, the absence of musical greatness in a Pop culture world of mediocrity, and… why he’d like to interview Britney Spears right now.

Cazembe Abena (LA2DAY) – Where do you see music going?

Garth Trinidad – That’s an expansive question… Record labels are dying. Major recording labels have had their day. And - bringing up the cyclical nature of everything again – usually things go in cycles because of human faux pas; most of the time it’s greed and power, fear and laziness. The Record Industry started to make an obscene amount of money by seeing artists go platinum after WWII… post Industrial Revolution, records are getting pressed up, no more WWI, etc. WWII came around and we were celebrating like no one had seen before, White, Black, everybody. So people were really going out and filling up their jukeboxes, and buying these records for their homes to listen to and celebrate because everybody was feeling good. And artists were really making names for themselves by performing, touring, and getting famous. There was this Jazz thing and Blues thing, and Rock & Roll was at its peak – people were making money! Labels were making money off the backs of these artists. And it was all based on a singles mentality, meaning it was all 7”. Full-length albums were reserved for big bands that had a tour record or something, when records were still being pressed on that 15” heavy-ass-could-kill-somebody-vinyl and you’d be throwing them across the room like the dude in that 1964 James Bond movie, slicing off statues heads and stuff.

(Laughter)

Garth – They were 15” because they were trying to fit 8 -12 tracks on each side. But, with Blues artists they were pressing up singles and there would be a B-Side. They would put out these singles and give these artists a couple bucks or less to record something with no rights to it or anything – just you come in and record it and we make you famous – and that’s it. Back then what Black people were doing musically was called Race music. There was no Rock & Roll, no R&B, and no Jazz where we were concerned - if it was Black music it was called Race music.

Cazembe – Do you think that the power is coming back to the artist now?

Garth – What I’m saying now, keeping in mind with what you’re talking about with the power coming back to the artist, is that if the artist is smart, which is the gospel that Prince teaches, you will see where the market is going. Now, he had all sorts of advantages of course because of early record label assistance, but if you work hard, hustle and grind, stay on the street, perform, get your craft right and really care about the product that you’re making, chances are you can be a success in your own right without the help of a major label. Unfortunately we are living in times where our generation is not accustomed to that sort of work ethic. So, most people would rather get a deal even though they know it may not be good for them, but because it is easier for them. But… going back to the idea of the singles culture… I was talking with a brother the other day who recently left Motown Universal because of how everything is going back to a singles culture because of the download culture.

Cazembe – That’s right.

Garth – And, once the labels started to utilize commercial radio to sell records without making full-length records, when they began to rely on one or two songs as hit records that kept getting more and more formulaic, with just all filler and fluff which is all garbage, people became aware of that. And when the labels lessened their dialogue with the public they began to lose. So [as a label with an artist] you may have one or two hot joints, but you’re trying to get this person to sound like Jay-Z or Beyoncé so the artist never gets to really have their own identity. They’re a sound a like because you want them to sound like so-and-so, so that they can keep up with the trend of what’s going on right now. Unfortunately, the result of that is they never get a chance to develop a fan base. They’re not going to go out on tour by themselves and sellout tickets. Comparatively speaking, if Sade goes on tour, or the Rolling Stones, or Prince… or damn near anybody from thirty some odd years ago that had consistent selling albums, they had a fan base; they connected with the audience – globally speaking. Now, you have to get a big corporation to put together a tour with all these young artists – at least five to ten of them on a tour – and they MIGHT sellout. Maybe. I’ve seen tours with the likes of 50 Cent and everybody else on the tour that had to be cancelled because they weren’t selling enough tickets.

Cazembe – That’s what happened when Justine Timberlake and Christina Aguilera tried to tour together a few years ago.

Garth – And Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera by the media standards today are major artists. Why are they not selling out? Because they got one or two hot joints, and then the other thing is (going back to the piece that I wrote) people have become so acclimated to the one or two hot songs that half the time they don’t even pay attention to the rest of the album. They just download the song. We have a generation of kids that have never seen a CD, have never been to a record store… they only know Napster, iTunes, etc. For them the only thing closest to holding a piece of product is the iPod, or sitting in front of their laptop or computer screen… and that’s it. How does the artists survive in the new marketplace? So, like I said earlier, that is an expansive question that really deserves more time, but that’s my general take on it. It’s going back to the singles culture… and the kids today… this is Generation Rip.

(Laughter)

Cazembe – In terms of today, with the exception of Prince whom you have mentioned, who do you think are the visionaries? Who has what it takes with the work ethic, and the innovation?

Garth – Prince is the last on that train of greatness. Other than him, there is nobody great today, because this generation has been trained by a popular culture. This generation wants to think of greatness, but does not want to walk the path of greatness. It’s almost like the culture, in order to continue to market and sell, has lowered the standard so that certain artists can be called great. When you line them up against someone like Prince, who is the youngest in a line of generations of greats [there is no comparison]…

Cazembe – Who else is of that generation of greats?

Garth – Earth, Wind & Fire, Chaka Khan, Rufus, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, James, the JBs… artists overseas like Masekela, who were doing that revolutionary thing… Fela… these people were driven. You take someone like Fela and you see that he lived his life in war so that he could do his own thing. The Kalakuta Republic [his self-declared sovereign state] was his own thing and the [Nigerian] government tried to crush him over and over and over again, yet he continued on in his struggle. He was so charismatic that at one point the people wanted to vote him in as president of Nigeria, because he was calling out everybody. He was putting out music that called Haile Selassie [Ethiopian Emperor] out. That was serious, but yet when he died there were over a million people at his funeral. That’s greatness. So, who in the Hell can you take from our generation today and put them up against anybody like that? There are a lot of good artists, but as far as I’m concerned there’s no one great right now in this generation.

Cazembe – Earlier, you mentioned differences in radio from the 60s and 70s compared to now. What are some of those differences?

Garth – Things were a lot less corporate. After the Telecommunications Act [of 1996] passed it allowed what were at one point mid-sized corporate media conglomerates like Clear Channel to purchase, at very low prices, hundreds and hundreds of radio stations. That in a nutshell is what happened. When you try to fit music and art into a corporate company protocol, it will most times, not be good for the music and the art due to those things that drive the cycles that I mentioned earlier - greed, power, politics, laziness, fear, etc. “Gotta please the stockholders! Dammit, I need a Jay-Z! If you want this record deal you’re going to have to open your shirt up. You’re going to have to show some ass, and you’re going to have to sound like Beyoncé. I’m sorry there’s no other choice.”

(Laughter)

Garth – “If you can’t bring me the Pussy Cat Dolls, get out!”

(Laughter)

Cazembe – I hear you…

Garth – You know who I would like to talk to now? And get inside her head?

Cazembe – Who?

Garth - Britney Spears. Because I believe that what she’s going through right now is the rebellion of everything that she has been pressed into doing all this time. And I think she’s looking back going “Fuck that”.

Cazembe – “My life has been bullshit!”

(Laughter)

Garth – She’s like “Imma wear these boots, Imma shave my head and wear these booty shorts, and do drugs and I’m just gonna act a fool. Because I can’t take this shit!”

Cazembe – You think she’ll come out centered?

Garth – I hope she does. Most people don’t, but I hope she does. But imagine all that pressure – gotta be Britney. The Britney we made you into. She was just a kid. She came out of the Mickey Mouse Club and they told her to dress and act like a ho in a little schoolgirl uniform. Her and Justin used to have Mickey Mouse ears on.

Cazembe – What advice would you give to the aspiring musician today?

Garth – Work! Put in work. Sacrifice. There are too many opportunities that will allow people who bust their ass to succeed. If you bust your ass you have more opportunities than you had 10 or 15 years ago to succeed on your own.

Cazembe – Would you advise starting your own label?

Garth – You could do that. No Problem. Let’s take Peven Everett, who by the way is one of the most talented musicians out right now, dudes got like a dozen albums that he put out on his own. Sure it’s limited edition stuff put out by him and his own label Studio Confession, and he’s teamed up with websites like Dusty Grooves where you can find his records, but he’s got his little audience. Same thing with Eric Roberson… people like that and they’re out there doing it. Do I think they could do more? Yeah, but they are part of this generation. The market is flooded, they get caught up with trying to keep a standard of living… and I understand that. But, I think as people get older there are more and more opportunities for people to discover new things via iTunes, pod casts, public radio, satellite radio, etc. you know, to feel something different. The only reason why Chocolate City has such an effect now is because I began before the wave of technology hit. Because after I started within the span of five years there were like a hundred wannabee Garth Trinidads. I get hit up all the time with cats who have this new alternative Soul, Electronica thing going on and it’s wonderful because the seed was planted and it spawned this whole movement. I’m not saying I’m responsible, but I’m partially responsible.

Cazembe – Sure you are. Brother Garth, it was a pleasure. Thank you.

Garth – Anytime, brother Cazembe. Thank you.

Garth Trinidad’s List Of Top Ten Artists He’s Vibing On Now:

J Davey
Ruth Anne Cunningham
Black Spade
Cool Kids
Wale
D'Angelo
The Politik
G&D
Chi Turner
Vieux Farka Toure

by Cazembe Abena

Also Read Part 2

Also Read Part 1

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