In its live incarnation Oojami combines belly dancers with mesmerising Sufi dancing, providing a vivid musical experience for the eyes. Therefore it is no wonder that the band is building up a strong fan base of open-minded music fans eager to appreciate new and exciting global sounds.
AlternativeInformant: How long have you been involved with music?
Oojami: 15 years
AlternativeInformant: How would you describe you genre of music?
Oojami: Global Roots!
AlternativeInformant: What do you think differentiates about you and other groups who are in the same genre of music as you?
Oojami: We always aim to be a more song based band than a project based i.e. Bhangra, Sufi beats, Balkan beats, Belly Dancing Beats etc. Songs stay but project goes out with fashion and bands disappear after lots of hype created around them!
AlternativeInformant: What do you find the most enjoyable thing about performing?
Oojami: To connect to the other people emotionally and share your ideas musically and philosophically. Make sure that you are not alone and isolated in the society! Put a smiles on other people's face. Make an enjoyable leaving, meeting with other people, seeing other places and having a fun!
AlternativeInformant: Does your music have a message?
Oojami: Yes, it is a conscious partying! We aim to turn some ethnic sounds to protest music. Like Bob Marley did with Reggae. He turned the beach music to an international protest music.
AlternativeInformant: How do you feel about the music industry as a whole at this moment?
Oojami: Music market is becoming less artist based and more project based from Girls/Boy bands to other fabricated middle class rock band etc. Same goes for the so called world music as well. Artist needs long term investment but everyone wants quick return, maximum profit with minimum investment. Cover bands, Compilations make money for record labels and venues but kills the artist and creativity. Fast food and fast music consumption! Format is more important then content to sell. In the past, 50% was show business other 50% was about writing good songs and creativity. Now days, 90% is show business and 10% is about creativity, being original and taking risk to create something new!
AlternativeInformant: There’s a lot of energy during one of your shows, any preparation needed beforehand?
Oojami: Having and keeping a regular band is a very expensive and time consuming business particularly when there is no more label support and income from record sells. At the ground level there is no artist support from organisations that they are supposed to support artists. They are all manipulated by organisations that exploit artists. All help goes to promoters and agencies rather then artists! To keep the energy we got is not easy all the time. We end up doing gigs that they are not musically necessary but keeps us going on economically even though the band get exosted and end up doing some below the average gigs to damage our reputation! I always aimed to work with nice people even they are musically not as good as others because I believe to have the energy on the stage and enjoy being on the stage with other band members is more important. 50% of the good performance is to do what happens at the back stage!
AlternativeInformant: Where are you all from originally?
Oojami: We are a truly global band. We got Turkish, Spanish, Bengali,
Oojami: Made up in a way that people in the West thinks it is Turkish and people in
AlternativeInformant: What does the future hold for Oojami?
Oojami: We are writing a new album and aiming to breakout in to the main stream market without loosing our roots. We want to make an international hit with an edge and attitude without compromising our direction but take it to the next level with better songs then we have produced before. Upwards and forwards we don't feel like we have started yet!
1 comment:
oya thats well sick .Ill be checking for mroe sick interviews =) =P
I love der music.
x
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