Reported By:
| Edited By: G Krishnan |Source: DNA |Updated: May 30, 2018, 07:39 AM IST
Former West Indies off-spinning all-rounder Omari Banks will enter Lord's Cricket Ground on Thursday not wearing his pads and gloves with bat in hand but with a guitar hung around his neck. Having played one of his 10 Tests for the West Indies (he also played 5 ODIs) at cricket's most revered stage in July 2004, the 35-year-old cricketer-turned-reggae star will perform at 'Home of Cricket' before the Hurricane Relief Twenty20 Challenge between West Indies and ICC World XI to raise funds towards restoration of cricket grounds in the Caribbean islands that were damaged last year by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
One of the cricket grounds damaged by the hurricanes was Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla, the country from where Banks hails. In this exclusive chat with G Krishnan, Banks, who was in Mumbai recently and performed in Pune and Mumbai during the last week of IPL, talks about performing as a reggae star at Lord's, his music career and his days as a West Indies cricketer. Excerpts:
It's always a pleasure to perform. But to perform and show my support for a good cause as this one, helping to contribute to the islands that were affected by the hurricanes that hit the region is even more meaningful. As a former player, it will be even more special as I will be in the company of some my past team-mates and opponents. Lord's is recognised as the 'Home of Cricket', so what better place for such an event to take place? It is my intention to inspire in song, and encourage the region to continue 'Move On' and be 'Caribbean Strong' (titles of his original songs) as we have been over the centuries. I am looking forward to my performance with great anticipation.
This is the first time in a long time. The first time I was here was with the West Indies 'A' team. The second time I came with the Somerset team for the Champions League. In my previous two visits, the energy of the people are really remembered. Now that I am back in a totally different capacity, which is music, it just as exciting. I am just happy to be able to be here, introducing my music to the people of India. Some would have remembered for my days of cricket. It is special to introduce to them myself in a completely different life.
We had a great show in Pune (May 19). The people who came to the show showed us some love. They reception was awesome. My friends Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo came. Murali Vijay as well. The event in Pune was a success. That's what is important. I played one or two songs with local musicians from Pune. It was a collaborated event. I hope to come back and introduce my music on bigger stages.
No, I think they were well receiving. The thing about reggae music and West Indian, the end of it is Indian (laughs), is about culture. In a lot of ways, the cultures merge. The Trinidadian as well as the Indian cultures are similar in a lot of ways to a Guyanese culture. The Caribbean is a kind of a pulao. Reggae music, a Jamaican art form, is purely an international thing. When you look at it, music is international. It is about how it makes you feel. The reggae music is kind of a fusion. When I came over, the beat of the music got the people into it. It is about the vibe. Once you connect with the people, you show them a smile, they can understand what you are saying, even if it is not your language, how you are connecting with them, they will appreciate your music, and they certainly did in Pune.
Music is the first thing I was introduced to. Before I knew myself, I was around music. My dad (Bankie Banx) being an international artiste, performing, having his practice and daily shows, from an early age I was able to see that. Music is something that I have always done, and it always taught me a lot about myself. I use music to inspire me, I use it to express myself. It is more than just the beat. We talk about the beat being a great thing to connect. But sometimes, it is about the lyrics. The lyrics mean so much and that is why when I write a song, I preach the message of love, peace, cohesiveness. As long as I do songs on social commentary, it is important when you have a platform. You use it for positive things. I have always done that. Love is a common theme. That is what music means to me. It is an expression to be able to connect with people and telling my stories.
Growing up in the Caribbean, sports is a big part of the culture. Sports and music. To me, the cricketing side was something that I had a passion for. I was always good with sport as a kid. Athletics, football... When I was 8, I fell in love with cricket in a big way. My coach Cardigan Connor came back to Anguilla after playing 16 years of professional cricket for Hampshire and he inspired me. He really played a big role in my development. Another coach, Jack Birkenshaw, who played for England (5 Tests) and became an umpire (2 Tests) was somebody who played a major role at Leicestershire. He got me to play my first international match, Leicestershire vs Pakistan. For me, cricket and sport have been a big part of my life.
After finishing my high school, I focussed more on cricket. My first job was entertaining people. So, music supported that. I was able to get some money so that I can train a lot for cricket. You need a bit of money to take care of your family, to take care of yourself. So, music and cricket have complemented each other. I am thankful to be talented enough to be able to pursue in two entertaining fields.
The theme of my music is one of cohesion, peace and love. The social element comes in. When you look outside, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that the balance of the world needs to be adjusted in some ways. It is important as an artiste, when you have a platform, you can't just act like everything is all hunky-dory. People are suffering, people are dying. The greatest gift we have is love, you have got to share that love. If we are to exist and move forward, we have go to promote peace. Social commentary is one of the themes. The other is you have got to inspire people. I also believe that once we believe in ourselves, no matter how bad the situation, you have got to take some responsibility.
A couple of places. I performed in Europe, the Morgan Heritage, a big reggae band that won the Grammy in reggae music in 2016. On that tour, I could feel I connected with the people of London, Germany in 2015. I just did last year in Baltimore. Just the vibe. Even in Pune, the first time in India. The sheer passion they had for me, the entire performance I will always remember. You live off good energy. I always believe in what you give will come back to me. When I travel, I try and put out the positive vibe and the energy that attracts people. So far, I have been successful.
It is entertainment, it is a love for people. It is a feel that you have. As cricketers, we are also entertainers. As entertainers, we are also performing. When I play on stages, it is performances as well. When we do sport and music, it is about how others feel that makes us feel (good). The vibrations in both are similar. In music, it is a little bit more relaxed. In sport, you are part of a team sport, you have to concentrated a little bit more. The principles you learn in sport, you can take them to any professional life. A lot of the people who play cricket go to music because music relaxes them on tour, helps them take their mind off cricket. For me, growing up in a house where there were all sorts of music, take my mind away.
They have their own band and perform quite regularly. The famous Test when we chased 418, after the match, we went to Richie's bar, performed there. It was just good fun. It is connection that music brings. They don't do full time as artistes, it is more of a hobby. For me it is my career. I write my own songs, produce my songs, travel. I don't do 9-5 job. I share the message of love and peace.
Any time. Life inspires me. One of my secret weapons is I always have my phone with me. When a thought occurs, I jot it down. If I have a conversation with you and I find it quite interesting, I jot it down on my phone. It is the start of something that culminates into an entire song. I walk around, listening to what people say, what I am thinking by having a conversation, that thought takes the shape of song or a poem. There is so much inspiration in experience, in nature. There is no shortage of ideas when it comes to creating. As a musician, my music starts from an idea, melody, put some words and make something special.
Of course. That is a way I do as well. My whole island is a beach. My dad has got a beach bar. When I write a song, I always go with myself. I like to have that time alone so I am not distracted so I can follow the path in creating something.
I am not sure if it is easier to say which I enjoyed the most. In cricket, you can enjoy the moment but you have got to go to the next ball. In music, you can have high points on the stage, you are always connecting. In music, you have got to be responding to what is going on around you. You cannot have at tunnel vision. The more they connect with you, the more energy you give back to them.
A lot of them. Bob Marley, Carlos Santana, Stevie Wonder, Michael Bolton, Lauryn Hill, R Kelly, Luther Vandross, John Mayer, George Benson... I can go on and on. When I grew up, I sang a lot of ballads. I listen to a wide variety of music – Jazz, Blues, Rock Music. Our music inspires me. It is about ideas.
One of the producers I like is AR Rahman. He sang Jai Ho. I am familiar with that music from Slumdog Millionnaire. It is the first Indian music I was exposed to. Driving to Pune, 'Jing Jing Jingat (from Sairat movie) was one that I found really catchy. I am not familiar with loads of it. I have great respect for Indian music and culture. Just the movement caught me off-guard in pune. I was not expecting them to be so into it.
I have had some great times. I could have played a little longer, I could have got a little more chance. But this is life. That's what you learn from. In my first year in international cricket, I was nominated for Rookie of the Year with Graeme Smith and James Anderson. That speaks volumes. In my penultimate ODI, I was man of the match. There was a lot that was going on in Windies cricket, a bit of politics. I got to a point where I did not want to put up with it. Something more I would have liked to accomplish. What's most important is I learnt from those experiences and carried over those ethics into my music. Now I am able to do something that will take me far beyond what I would have been able to contribute in cricket.
As a sportsman, your career lasts 15-16 years if you are great. I played professional cricket for 11 years. I am happy. I was the first Anguillan to represent the West Indies team. I had a great time playing a part in the history of the game. I am happy with my contribution. We all would have liked to have contributed a little bit more. Majority of the sportspersons will say that but I am happy where my life is right now. I just want to continue inspiring people, telling my story and sharing the message that I am doing right now. My life gave me an inspiration that you can fall now and you get back up, you keep running, you keep moving forward and keep inspiring people. Live a positive peaceful life and tell your message to whoever you meet. My music or reggae music is about it. Sports and music bring people together. I look at it as a blessing to contribute as an international sportsman and in my second career, performing at a high level in music.
In my mind, I had already decided what I wanted. I did not retire from cricket and say what I am going to do? I retired from cricket to do music. Within my mind, I knew what I wanted. A lot of people thought I was crazy. They did not know as a kid I had the ability. It took may be one or two years for people to see what was happening. Within the third year, I got the artiste of the year award in Anguilla. That speaks volumes. By the fourth year, I was travelling internationally with the Morgan Heritage. Because I was focussed, what I learned from cricketing days, I brought in some discipline. I took the passion into music, which a lot of the musicians lack. With live performance, those who connect me with cricket, they see the talent I am showing, they know this is not a farce.
Some musicians drink a lot, party a lot, smoke a lot. That's what is affiliated with music. Not everybody. You find across the board the environment music creates. It is a very liberal, very emotionally driven and spontaneous kind of industry. If you get caught up in that mentality, you can sidetrack. I went to music, I wanted to get the job done, I want to enjoy the moment. Someone who sought a career in music as a 29-year-old, I had to maximise my time. I did not have the luxury of wasting 7-8 years and then see yourself at 29. I had to start my career at 29. I tried to bring my positivity, the message to move on, that kind of theme of inspiring people. I made it a point with my music that I really want them to hear what I am saying, want them to appreciate the point I am trying to get over.
Plenty. A lot of my music, 90-95% are from experience. We are artistes in the manner you paint something for somebody to judge. I am getting into myself. I am telling my story, emotion plays a big role. When I am writing them, I am writing for myself as well – 'Don't look back on what you have done, just move on'. I am not singing for somebody else, I am actually singing for myself as well. A lot of the times, we write songs for ourselves. That happens with my music. It is really an opportunity for me to kind of meditate, to kind of evaluate my life as well, and say something which maybe if I am talking to someone, I won't be able to say but if I say it in my song, it gives me a platform to be able to say and give me a feeling like I am talking about myself.
First single: Move On in 2012
Toured Europe with Grammy award winning reggae bank Morgan Heritage in 2015
Music albums: Caribbean Strong, Reggae Summertime, Sunlight, Naturally, System Set, You & Me, More Than Friends, No Point To Prove and Move On
