EXCLUSIVE: Eddy Grant – Reinventing Radio

Eddy Grant, best recognised for smash hits ‘Electric Avenue’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Dance’, has had a successful music career that is continuing to flourish. 2018 marks the year in which the artist will be making his presence known via radio in a project that is transforming the way in which music is presented to the public.
Eddy’s interest in music stemmed from an early age; at school he made a guitar with the assistance of his woodwork teacher which he used to hone his ability and meet other people who would become a central part of his life.
When discussing the formation of The Equals, one of the first interracial pop group to come out of the UK, Eddy described this as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ and referred to the educational influence which enabled him to explore both traditional and modern jazz.
“It wasn’t something I went out looking for,” Eddy explained. “I was born in the Caribbean so calypso music was my root. However, when I came to England I was introduced to rock & roll and met up with musicians from Africa so it became sort of a mish mash.”
This is also how you could describe ringbang, which was the genre Eddy is acknowledged for pioneering. “There was a time in the 60s when I was making songs that changed the dynamics of Caribbean music,” he detailed.
“The music, which was called calypso (and Trinidadians called soca) was formed chronologically, and you can see it happened, but people failed to recognise that this morphing took place.
“I decided to express this knowledge, and the opportunity came one day when a gentleman wanted to discuss soca music with me.
“I wrote a little dissertation and the press took this printed document; after which my friends started to take the mickey out of me and say ‘how can you have invented it?’
“They asked ‘why don’t you do another one?’ and I said, ‘do you think it’s that easy?!’. In one lifetime – two genres?! There was a guy trying to get me to sign him to Ice to record soca, and I told him I can make him into a ringbang artist (because he was not a soul singer).”
Eddy also expressed amusement about how this style of music is still present: “What you guys are listening to now – what you call grime – is ringbang.
“It has been present since way back to before I was born and has developed to become what it is now.”
Ringbang isn’t the only phenomenon which has remained popular over the decades. Eddy is a huge star himself, having performed at Glastonbury and many other major festivals in Europe.
Unbelievably, it had been a substantial length of time since he had stepped onstage when he was propelled onto the festival circuit: “Performing at these events was something I wanted to do for a long time, but I was so busy making new music with other people that I hadn’t noticed it had been 20 years since I had last appeared on stage!
“I was shocked that I had wasted so much time – the best years of my life had gone! My business manager asked about doing warm-up shows at clubs and I said: ‘what’s that got to do with 100,000 people?
“You can either do it or you can’t…I said I could and would execute it beautifully.”
This year Eddy has other plans in the pipeline. His main project revolves around radio, having connected with a network of industry professionals and agreeing to participate in a new show for a station called United DJs.
So, what prompted this change? “I am a person of destiny – I strongly believe in it,” Eddy told us. “During my early years in England I spent a lot of my nights listening to Radio Luxembourg and Radio Caroline.
“In the 70s I did a few radio programmes and was well grounded in this after a couple of years. The other day I was in London chatting with my friend Mike Reed who asked me about coming on board with this new project – when he said I could play whatever music I wanted, that got me.”
When asked what listeners can expect from this channel, Eddy emphasised its distinction: “What makes United DJs different is that when you tune in, you will know that you are listening to experts with credentials, not just itinerant Djs who blast out records,” he enthused.
“For me, it’s a beautiful opportunity to hear what new radio can do. The old version is still operating today – programmes telling people what to play – corrupted by commerce – whilst these guys (legendary disc jockeys who I have lots of respect for) can play whatever they want!
“They are all different practitioners and I have no fears whatsoever in being amongst them. Nothing bad comes from something good, and the guys who form United DJs all have a tremendous love and experience for radio, for people and for music.”
Eddy Grant’s new album, ‘Plaisance’, is out now. United DJs will launch this month on uniteddj.com for a weekly show, along with Tony Prince, Mike Read and Emperor Rosko.  Eddy’s show is scheduled for 10pm on Saturdays. The station will broadcast 24 hours a day live around the world.
> Hannah Montgomery