‘I have been closer to the end since the beginning’: Easenders, Stevie Wonder and British Soul Legend Omar in Industrial Wars | Music
HEMarm fans are united to believe that it is a genius that should be a superstar. “The undisputed architect of what we know as Neo-Soul right now” continues to comment on a YouTube interpretation by accepting that the albums of the British musician came before the US comparisons such as D’Engelo’s Brown Sugar and Erykah Badu’s Baduism. Another is: “I really don’t know why Omar doesn’t continue to be large worldwide.” And then: “D’Engelo was the closest [America] He had one of Omar’s caliber and even faded compared to a completely musical perspective. “
“This is a dangerous conversation!”, The musician laughs when I return the last quote to him. But 40 years later, he is proud of his music heritage. “When I started at the age of 14, as soon as I heard the first four sticks, I said I wanted to make music that you know it was, or he says. “I think I did this.” The other goal? “Making pure Bangers.”
The 56 -year -old MBE, born in Omar Lyefook, decorated by MBE, a very instrumentalist, producer, songwriter and the supreme singer, gaining musical scores and moving at Easenders. Stevie Wonder wanted to write 1 no 1 for her and worked with the Wonders of the Neo-Soul period, including Badu, Common and Late Angie Stone. Although they do not have profiles, it has been releasing music since the mid -80s, and its importance is accepted not only by Youtube commentators, but also by the following generations, from the sensation of live broadcasting. DJ AG -In the last times, Omar and London had a pop-up concert outside McDonald’s. As Konny Kony from the Manchester Neo-Soul duo said: “Omar is a national treasure that lays the foundations. Production should be known as its vocals.”
I meet LYEFOOK at the Canary Wharf Outpost of Plush Restaurant chain with Supergroup. British collective. The unaffected mission expression of websites: “Put the spirit back to the British R & B and keep it there.”
“Prince, Michael Jackson, I live in a world where Whitney Houston is still alive, L said Lyefook and not only nostalgic because of music. “There are some things where I am about this period, can we surround it? “There is a lot to come in. I’m just a vibes man.”
This is humble. Lyefook, Longs for Union in the Ninth Studio album of optimistic The days are brighterOriginally locking is a Magnum Opus that identifies more than 18 runways arising from disappointment. Orum I’m closer to the end and refuse to be negative about something, or he says. “I have to find good in everyone.” Personally, the extraordinary earth has a supernatural gift to blend species such as funk, jazz, samba, hip-hop and salsa in the record, and it charges it with lush wires on brighter days. There are many transatlantic guests, and others close to the house in Brighton – that is, young twin girls. “I had to pay them affordable prices. 200 £!”
Lyefook grew up in a musical family in Kent: This Latin effects could come from Cuba-born grandmother in the subconscious, a Chinese-jamatic father is a reggae Drummer and his brothers musicians who brought their son’s first single on their label. He was classically trained at the Guildhall Music School and Chetham’s, and his first professional concert was playing percussion with Paul Weller’s Style Council in Japan in 1989. Weller presented his studio for brighter days and played on my own on the track. “There was that man [about] Recently, five albums in a year ”, lyefook jokes.“ It took seven to remove one. “
Breakout moment in 1990 Nothing like this – And then there was really no. Riffing should be like this to the paradise of Ohio players, gently Soul-Caz Balad, a romantic night on a serious unforgettable groove. “I just dreamed of a fireplace, a carpet… ‘He knows what champagne wine’ is,” he shouts. A year later, the song and the album went to the top 20 when Norman Jay and Gilles Peterson were re -published on Talkin ‘Loud’.
Lyefook remembers this time with love: acid-caze explosion, Saab can be converted London clubs and trademark eyebrows around. However, while gaining the respect of the critics, managers offered less support on the big label with Talkin ‘Loud’. “Norman and Gilles DJs are in music. Not higher exits,” he explains “No budget for videos’, but then they give budget to all rock actions.” These managers wanted the string sections to be played in Synths, “That’s why we don’t have to pay to musicians. Then Jason Donovan had a song on the same label and one -to -one The same string section I use. “
Although his subsequent albums were named as “10 big, two prostitutes and a bottle Bailey üne on the 1997 track of Wu-Tang Clan,“ I didn’t break it despite the cameras like dirty bastard. there is. ‘It doesn’t matter where I go, there is something that prevents me from attracting this attention. ”But he doesn’t like to focus on it.“ If I spend time to think about it, it may affect my creativity. ”
In the following years, Lyefook has released plenty of albums, and Is Is IS in 2004, for the first time in DJ sets since he burned the dance slopes. DJ sets up. He just released a LP, but he hasn’t put a LP since 2017. Instead, since 2022, since 2022, he has doubled, a grass was built for the two, for the two, a grass was built for the two, a Forai, for a Forai, for a Forai, for a Forai, for a Forai, for a Forai, a Forai, a Forai, a chewing, a chewing. Mitch Baker’s alienated brother. “When they show me the piece, a dude wearing a three -piece suit, drinking cigar, driving bentley and playing piano in the bar.” I mean, isn’t it so far from real life? “Absolutely. ‘This was mine’.”
The brighter days took some time on a few fronts: finishing songs, finding a label and terminating the documents with collaborators (also underwent brachytherapy for early stage prostate cancer in 2024). Lyefook asked the Rapper’s 2002 album Electric Circus, but it wasn’t like that. “I am a great belief in timing. For the first time I wanted to work with Stevie, it took eight years.
He was in La in 1992 and his manager was also wondering as a customer. “He stole my album to him. Stevie wants to write my first No 1. Fantastic! Midnight, I got the call: come to the studio. Finally, ready. We talk. And then…” Horlar. “This was the end of this session. I waited for him to fall asleep all day.”
“Then seven or eight years later, when I was in London, I got a blue phone call: ‘Yo, my man, your son’. Who is this? ‘Steve!’ Steve Kim ‘Stevie Wonder?’ Yes, Bollocks – Tell me something.
For the next two weeks, ım I was like the ambassador. I had to take him to restaurants, clubs, hotels. Finally we went to the studio, but the song we started, but not the problem, but then I had an idea to take him to my friend’s studio where they stuck. To feel you).
Another session included the late Beater J Dilla, which Lyefook met in 2000 through Common in Detroit. “We went to a strip club, J made for a stripper with a tongue, and then we went to the studio. It looked like a normal Tuesday for him!” A hit The brother of Lyefook, which was recently made by Lilla, which was held in mind, has been rediscovered by producer Scratch Professer, but “Probably not ready for the next album”.
British rapper Giggs is among the guests who make the days brighter. “I wasn’t aware of him before,” says Lyefook – Giggs “Yo, Uncs!” He wrote. Laying over Instagram. “Now they call me that. Well, better than his grandfather.”
British Rap, “You should be brave and hardcore” – “Good times, barbecue, creepy” souls (couple, even if they find mutual ground, we can go anywhere Giggs invite you to help yourself to the party buffet). Lyefook appreciates Grime, but “This is not my world. I mean, I mean, Stormzy’s album cover [2017’s Gang Signs and Prayer] How many men were in Balaclavas? The great artist, but they didn’t have it in Canterbury. “
Lyefook protested Mobos once because he did not have a category of spirit. Mobos: Reading Posters Reading Red Carpet, including Bluey from Incognito: Where is your soul? Lyefook, “And so they made R&B/Soul – but these are two different animals”. “I nominated for a year and Adele is in the same category. This is not just a black and white thing, but generations.
However, the musician, the role of the old statesman these days. “In the past, ‘My sister loves music’. Then ‘My mother loves music’. Now ‘ nan He loves your music, ‘he says. I am lucky – they passed through generations. ”Even though other musicians were part -time, ım I managed to make a career that could pay the bills. Not flashy. I would love to happen. But the love I bought was enough. “
