Mike:

Tell me about how you hooked up with Dome, what the deal means and what it is like to get the album out in the UK?

Bluey:

I've been aware of Peter Robinson from back in the days. I like the energy of the label as it reminds me of my early years with Chris Hill at Ensign.

My vision has always been global, but being as we live in the UK its very important to have our home in order. I like new beginnings and after a successful decade with Talkin' Loud, the independent nature of Dome is just the ticket!

Mike:

Does the deal cover anywhere else?

Bluey:

The deal with Dome is strictly for the UK.

Mike:

Previously only available in Japan, tell me about how that came about and how that works?

Bluey:

I have been solidly and fortunately for me, successfully building on relationships with the Japanese music industry for over a decade now, working with their domestic artists and introducing UK and US artists to them.

I launched my own label Rice over there a few years ago, and now with the help of Pony Canyon I have finally realised my dream to release an Incognito album on Rice.

Mike:

How do you regard Japan as a place to play and as a marketplace?

Bluey:

I have a deep love affair with Japan, its people and the culture.

I am also very Japanese in the way I work, very industrious and respectful of my colleagues and the working environment. So I get results in the marketplace.

The audiences are great and the fan base is hip to every thing we've ever done.

Mike:

You've been touring there haven't you, how did that go down?

Bluey:

Its like plugging in and getting our batteries recharged. Our annual trips to Japan have become the highlight of the year.

The December tour was probably our best to date. There was a whole lotta love man!

Mike:

Presumably you were always hopeful of, and were seeking a UK deal. Once the DJ's got hold of it it's been getting big reviews and plays.

Bluey:

We want people everywhere to hear the music, it's very important for us to strike deals worldwide.

DJ all over the world have been calling us and asking for a copy, my biggest thrill however was when the man who gave me my first break Chris Hill called me to tell me that he thought this was the best Incognito album to date. I have never sought the validation of others in my music, but that call got to me, because if anyone knows what making music means to me it's Chris.

There's been a favourable reaction to this album from our fan base (Cog Heads) and the vibe seems to be spreading like wild fire.

Mike:

What about the USA?

Bluey:

We have just begun to approach companies in the USA and early signs are favourable.

Mike:

When was it actually cut and where?

Bluey:

It was cut late September if I remember rightly (I hadn't slept for four days and night prior to the cut) at Metropolis in London. We mixed down to half-inch analogue for extra warmth and that sweet tape compression, I'm glad that Simon Cotsworth (Recording & Mixing engineer took the decision to do that.

Mike:

Tell me about some of the people you used, particularly the featured vocalists. You used Kelli Sae, Joy Rose, Joy Malcolm, and Tony Momrelle.

Bluey:

I purposely opened the doors for some co writing with our featured vocalists so that I could get some of their own stories into the songs, which in turn brings out emotional performances.

Kelli has a raw edge that I really love, she's great live. It's important try and capture that aspect of her performance, not easy to do in the sterile environment of a recording studio, but we got it down!

Joy Rose had toured with us in the past but clashing schedules had always prevented us from getting together in the studio. The wait was worth it though! Joy's range can go from Jazzy and sassy to dynamically soulful gospel tones. She blew me away on "Can't get you out of my head."

She brought down the house on our recent tour of Russia, Bulgaria and Japan.

Tony Momrelle helped me arrange a lot of the background vocals. He has great focus in the studio and ears of gold. Just when I think that we have exhausted all harmonic possibilities Tony comes up with another.

Though he is not featuring on any leads other than "Cada Dia", he has been a strong element in our recent live set and will definitely be featuring more extensively on our next album. His contribution to this album was invaluable.

Mike:

How do you select your vocalists? Song or artist first?

Bluey:

It works out about half and half.

Sometimes I have some songs already written whilst on the road and in-between projects, usually these are songs inspired by my travels or my personal experiences.

On the other hand there are the songs I write with the artists in mind. I guess that is why I tend to write for female vocalists more often, they tend to confide in me. But I don't think they mind me taking the liberty of writing about their lives because they can feel and perform the songs with greater conviction, as it is their story. "Deep Waters" from the Positivity album is a classic example. Maysa told my all about her shit, and I blabbed!

Mike:

You seem to create a kind of togetherness with your artists and musicians, is that the intention?

Bluey:

Rule number 1 baby!!!

At this level everyone can play, but the chemistry between us as people has to be right, we have got to have each other's back, and egos should be left at the door.

We spend a lot of time travelling, performing and socialising as a unit, if we show each other the respect and love that we would a brother or sister the experience is infinitely more rewarding.

Mike:

Picking up on a few tracks, any comments you'd like to make about these tracks or anything else on the album?

Where love shines is Kelli - right?

Great track for the dance floor!

Bluey:

Yeah that my girl Kelli Sae doing the business. Co-wrote and co-produced that track with Simon Grey from Australia. The keyboards played by Simon and those wicked Gavin Pearce bass lines were recorded down under.

Mike:

Can't get you out of my head with Joy Rose is jazzier vocally but quite 'current' in vocal styling.

Bluey:

Wrote that one with Jamie Norton who is currently playing keys on tour with us alongside Matt Cooper.

Joy's Bluesy / Jazzy tones were perfect for the song, it captured the pain and melancholy that I was feeling when I wrote this song.

I was overwhelmed by emotion when I heard her sing the opening lines "It's one of those days, and I need some distraction."

Mike:

"People at the top" is for me a great track (actually it's better than that!), bit of Curtis in there?

Bluey:

When I first got the idea for this song, I thought to myself "how are you going to get your message of politics and injustice over. So I went back to the king of social commentary for inspiration. Yes, Curtis Mayfield had a way of making you move your ass whilst he fed your brain at the same time. "People at the top" is a tribute to the man himself, R.I.P.

Mike:

Different styles and background with Paul Weller and Ed Motta.

Bluey:

I had been producing Terry Callier's album and Paul (I'd been a fan since the Jam) came in to duet with Terry, so a friendship was struck and musical conversations followed.

Ed came by my studio to give me a copy of his album and to tell me that he had been a fan of Incognito's music from its conception. Food and fine wines flowed, and you guessed it! Musical conversations followed.

They are both awesome talents!

I love collaborations and the new directions and possibilities that it offers, I live for those magical spontaneous exchanges, its what I'm all about.

Mike:

It's not complicated music as such but there's so much in there, so many layers. How do you put it all together?

Bluey:

I am heavily influenced by music that is dense in texture. It's like a huge jigsaw coming together, but once completed it's a single image. I have always been into bands that are big in numbers, The JB's, MFSB, Tower of Power, Rotary Connection, Santana, Earth Wind and Fire.

My favourite producers: Charles Stepney, The Mizelle Brothers, Quincy Jones, Arif Mardin all use percussion, claviers, guitars, strings, voices in the most extraordinary way.

My all time favourite album: Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On" is saturated in orchestration and arrangements, yet you never loose sight of the voice and the words. And that as they say is the trick! That is what I'm trying to achieve. I'm still learning though, maybe one day I'll attain that musical eloquence.

Mike:

Is the finished product in your head?

Bluey:

A version of the finished product is always in my head, and the bottom line is to achieve that. However, I get the greatest satisfaction when the finished product supersedes what was originally in my head.

Mike:

Right from the start. How much 'freedom' do the others get?

Bluey:

As much as they need. I step in when someone looses sight of a greater vision.

Mike:

You've always stayed hard and true to your path and as a result commanded so much respect. What drives you, and have you been tempted to 'commercialise', ('cos I bet you could!)?

Bluey:

Sometimes it's easier to be someone else rather than be yourself. That is always the struggle because you are the one person who knows when you're lying every time.

We all have a short while on this planet, we are merely visitors. Our legacy is the fruit of our labour, what we do or undo during our stay, what we create or destroy. Our children, our words, our paintings and sculptures, our music, our truths and our lies!

Commercialise? I am trying to get my message to as many people as possible but on my own terms and not at any cost.

The road taken by the masses can be over crowded and often comes to a stand still; there are avenues and smaller lanes that are often overlooked!

Mike:

You're obviously promoting the album right now, culminating in the week at the Jazz Cafe (I should be there). What's happening at what can we look forward to - who's singing with you?

Bluey:

Kelli Sae, Joy Rose, Tony Momrelle and Tyrone Henry will be handling the vocals but this is London and we may well see some guest appearances during that week.

Mike:

What's next, are you working on anything?

Bluey:

I am always working on something.

I've just finished a song writing collaboration with Brazilian artist Ed Motta for his new album.

Also recently completed is a song with Ski Oakenfull for Japanese singer Akiko, we got the production on that one as well.

I'm currently finishing off a remix for a Latin project from Los Angeles featuring UK's Matt Cooper.

Tomorrow I begin a theme song for a Japanese television series, it's a tight dead line and the pressure is on.

There are tons of production, writing and remixes to be done in the next few months.

In March I'll be returning to Japan for a five-city tour with Ed Motta featuring the Incognito horns.

As well as a new Incognito album, I'll be making three new albums for my Rice label this year.

Last but not least there will be extensive touring to promote "Who needs love" worldwide.

Mike:

There are a couple of your artists featured on your website, Maysa and Karen Bernod. I know they both regard you very highly. Are you likely to work with them again.

Bluey:

Maysa and Karen are beautiful sisters with great voices, they'll always be part of the family and as such it is likely that they'll come home for a visit!

Mike:

Hey and it's over 20 years of Incognito - still onwards and upwards?

Bluey:

Next Year we will be a quarter of a century old and we plan to celebrate with a huge concert featuring as many of our family members as possible, a wicked string section and some amazing guests.

I am at my halfway mark as a physical entity within this idea.

Incognito will be a vision that will go on long after I've left the planet. I aim to pass the baton to a younger person on the band's 50^th birthday.

This is not a band, it's time machine!