Q: What actually happened with the group after the 'Heart of the Congos' release? A: What happened after 'Heart of the Congos'; Island Records came down, Virgin Records came to Jamaica... Q: But Island never picked up the album - why? A: No. What happened, Virgin Records came and... it was something. I mean, it's like... some blackmailing going down! Island Records had it firs' in their hands, and they didn't know what to do with it. Beca' it was a fight between Virgin Records, and them. Q: They (Island) just took a couple of singles off that album - released on Black Swan? A: Yeah, and the group start to swell up very big. I mean, it's like "how that group come from so suddenly??". And a lot of big groups in Jamaica start to worry and then "this group Congos come out a nowhere!". But everybody know everybody... as good musicians before, y'know? Ca' Cedric have singles, everybody have singles. So we seh if we three guys come together, this is a group. And then it's a problem now because money start to go around and I didn't want to leave Scratch. That's where the greater problems started. When CBS (France) come and they produce the album ('Image of Africa' in 1979), the money there that's when the problem started, OK? Right there the problem started, right there. Q: Must have been an enormous disappointment with that album ('Heart of...'), that it didn't reach a major label deal and took off the way it should? A: Yeah. You know why? The vibes... wasn't right. If Lee Perry produced t'ings like that (the following Congos albums), it would be just as good as 'Heart of the Congos'! I think they jumped the ship too quick. And that was my problem. I knew it, yunno!? I wanted to stay with Perry and they didn't want to because they had a likkle difference and I was torn between two acts. Q: Can you say what the difference was about, between Perry and the other Congos? A: With money I would say... the first thing. They didn't think they was getting the right amount of money. Which I know nobody in Jamaica was getting - the right amount of money. Not even the producer. So nobody got the right amount of money in Jamaica at that time. Because when the songs reach Europe it's a different t'ing. It's like, no over-key business... everybody just do what they wanna do, and tell you anything. That it sell 500, take up 5000, or 5 millions, whatever - I could take that. I could bear with that a little bit. I could actually... I know that it is not right but I could hold on and achieve more. If we didn't jump the ship. Because, some guys head swell too easily. OK, we're a big group now, one of the biggest vocal groups... I know that. But it get to some of our heads, yunno? And, that's what blew it! Q: OK. So what happened for the group around '78 - 79? Was there any tours to follow the release of the album? A: '78 - 79? Yeah, we do some in Paris and all those places...

Q: That was when you got the French deal with CBS for those albums? A: No, this was before. After they picked up that label (deal) that's when the tour started. After CBS picked up that album 'Image of Africa', and 'Congo Ashanty' - that's when the tour started. I mean, suppose to be a good... tour. But it was mismanagement, mishandling, misplaced... and "mis-" everything! Q: Where did you play? A: In France, and Amsterdam. In England, and a couple in New York there. Then everything jus' fade away again. Q: Who backed you on that tour? A: It was Tony Allen on bass, Gibby (Morrison) on guitar, Orville (?)... the drummer, I forget his name. But Congos, we had our own band. Some young kids, which was going to college, high school and everyt'ing. So that's what happen, we had our own band. And then everybody came to New York and everybody start to go in individual ways, some go to Bullwackies studio, and t'ings start to go out of hand. And I jus' go back home, do my thing. Q: So then you were idle for a couple of years and came back in late 90s with this 'Revival' album for VP? A: Yeah, right. We were idle for a couple of years, some six years, and came up with that album. Q: How did that record come about? A: Well, I didn't want to go back in the group afterward but Cedric called me from London, and he came and we sit down an' talk and we come back to an agreement. An' we say: OK, let's do another try again. And I give it another try and t'ings looking up again, we're getting a lot of work again. Tour. And then, the same problem start again! And I still hold on a couple years, like in California doing "Reggae On the River" and everything like that. Then it start get bad again an' I say "look, man - I'm too old for this, I can't deal with this". I mean, nothing is good enough. Let me go, I'll go. I left exact two years ago, in May on my birthday two years ago.

Q: What do you think of Blood & Fires reissue of the 'Heart of the Congos' album? A: I could say they did one of the best work, great work. I could tell they did a great, great job by reissuing the album - the "rebirth". And the artwork and everything is incredible. A great job. I have nothing else to say. I think they did a great, great masterpiece. I think it's one of the best revival or reissue of an album I've seen.

Q: This deal, in '81, with the English 'Go Feet' label for the reissue of "Heart of the Congos" lp, what was the link-up there? A: Well, that's when the problem started. Through it's like... somebody doing something behind everyone else's back and I didn't know about it until the deal went through. And it was just un-truth and un-truthfulness going down from there and I said "I love you guys, but I gotta leave". But, I still hung around, yunno? I still talk, but my heart wasn't in it no more. My heart wasn't there, beca' I get screwed. That's why money's the root of all evil. And it's the way how you handle it. Because money doesn't make you happy, it doesn't. And I know that in my heart, beca' I know what is money. Humanity comes first. You can't put money in front. We all need money, but that doesn't make you happy. Q: So after the final split, after you severed ties with Congos, you had a bunch of songs already, to use? A: I (am) always writing. I had a bunch of songs recorded. I mean, some of them outdated, but... I'm always working. Q: How come you went into the studio and did such a wide mix of songs and styles for this new album? A: It jus' grow. It just... whatever come to me in style, I just do what I want. That's really me. It's my colour. You know, I see the music as very wide. I can be lovey, and I can be political, and jus' stupid-crazy! Can make you laugh, depends on what kind of mood I'm in. But this album is just how I am. I'm a man of very different colors. It has something to do with living in New York too. I had a band in New York named Mother Funk. It's an all-white band, couple of years ago. Used to do shows on the college circuit, and we used to do a reggae-funk stuff - that mixture. I see the response again when I'm playing in college with all those kinda style, the younger kids they really go for it. It's that kind of idea I have in the back of my mind sometimes and it rub off in the track. So the album came about like that. New York has a lot to do with some of the tracks.

Q: The approach to recording an album must be - more or less - that you follow some kind of red line, but this one has directions here, there and everywhere. But it's up to each and everyone to decide what is suitable... A: Yeah, it wasn't intended that way anyhow. Beca' when I put certain tracks way upfront, and even in 'Ska Music', and certain t'ing like dat, it's a... I know what you're saying beca' some people here say the same thing, too. But even here in New York, to get certain airplay an' certain type of t'ing, they're playing the track which nobody else would play. Like a whiter crowd in New York would actually play that track. But if a roots reggae person who would deal with reggae alone, right? They're not gonna like it since it's too much of a vain (?) thing. But at least a reggae person would have four - five tracks on it which they love and I feel a lot better when I do it that way. Like the rootsman them hear... they say "OK, I like five tracks", and to me that's a lot, and they might not care about the rest. At least, I get more than one. Now, that's a draw now, beca' the next thing I'm coming out with now is a totally different t'ing. Because, living here it has to happen. The colours, I have to paint it that way. Now I know where I am so I'm going straight on my road now. Like I know the direction, like I know directly what to do now. Q: So how has the feedback been to the album so far? A: In New York here they listen to different musics so I'm not looking to the New York market too much, but in Europe and California... Anywhere they love Congos, they (the tracks of the new album) get a lot of airplay. The people know what it is, an' seh "wow! it's different". And I'm getting some great feedback, California alone, I can tell you - good feedback. And the Europeans them... even Africa. I'm dealing with someone down there who wanted to license something dung there which I don't know what I'm gonna do with. So, feedback is good. And I can't look for better, because I know that the roots reggae all-together, the rootsman, not gonna like certain tracks. And I understand that, yunno? But I'm looking for another critic, that's what it was for. So the next one now which I've started a couple of months ago will be straight in the vein. Right in the vein. That's what I'm doing right now. Like, I have white kids in certain age, (they) like certain tracks. Black kids in certain age, like certain tracks. And then I have the older people now... like 40 an' up, love certain tracks. So, that's what it is. Q: When was the album released? In October? A: No, just December here. December the 15th ('02). Or the 10th, something like that. It not even fully released yet. It's just for... I'm doing the promotion now. Like, doing radio interviews. And certain stores in California have it, like Ernie B's. Q: To bring some more attention to the album, like what we spoke about two days ago, what could be a potential single for it? A: 'Warning' would be a good track. 'On the Run', 'Ska Music' - that's good, strong tracks right now. Walking the road...'Warning' is like the track reggae guys start sing. So I just listen to what everybody saying, to proceed...

Watty Burnett and Steve Young mastering Watty's vintage album "Klassic 70's - Unedited, Uncensored, Undiluted".

Since this interview was done, now over a year ago, several things turned up. For example, Watty got blocked by a publisher who, just up until December last year, refused to permit release of one of the album's cover tracks, meaning that he had to simply withdraw the whole project for general release, drop this particular song and reprint the record. But permission came finally and the 'To Hell & Back' is now "officially" released. He may press a few singles in Jamaica from the album as well. Never one to rest on his laurels, I also got a promo copy the other week of the vintage album Watty is presently putting the final touches to. Titled 'Klassic 70's - Unedited, Uncensored, Undiluted', it contains much of the rare solo cuts we spoke about throughout this interview. From the start with Soul Twins to the duet with Clinton Fearon and the Black Ark hits 'Rainy Night In Portland' as well as the monumental 'Open the Gate' plus the 12" 'Cum By Yah'. We are also treated to some fine Burnett productions with Augustus Pablo blowing that unmistakable melodica, Ranking Joe doing 'Psalm 54'in fine style, as well as Junior Satchmo's 'Perfidia'. My only criticism of this project is some unnecessary percussion overdubs on a few songs... Original music shall not be tampered with. Watty's vocal intro's to some of the tracks could just be looked upon as the creators narration over the songs we have here, and isn't as out of place as they seem to be. Apart from that, this music is just faultless. So, buy without hesitation. Let's hope this will bring Watty Burnett on the road too, with Val Douglas, Ronnie Butler, Sidney Mills and Noel Alphonso in the line-up. It's about time. To keep yourself updated on what's happening in the Watty B camp, please check out his website, at: www.wattyb.com. Give thanks.

Watty Burnett. Photo courtesy of Joshua Blood.

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