Interview by Cisou
Greetings Kevor and Brady, can you introduce Pentateuch to our readers?
Pentateuch is Kevor “Vor” Williams on Lead vocals, Andrew “Worm” Ayre on Bass, Brady “ Jah Bradez” Robinson on Drums, Andrade “Drade” Bowen on keyboards and Garth “Duckie” Forester on Guitars.
It’s a roots reggae band, you are all young guys… I have to ask how do young guys perform Roots like this, I mean inspired, conscious, wise music?
That has to come from our background, we all grew up in christian homes, so the foundation was built on principles of love and unity. I guess the teachings of our grand parents just set it up.
Is that also why you named your album The Genesis, because of your christian background ?
Not really, we called it The Genesis because Pentateuch is the first five books in the Bible, it’s a greek word for the first five books, that most people (christian, rasta man, jews) can relate to because there are principles and guidelines of humanity. Pentateuch is based on those principles of life, so it’s not a religious thing, it’s a roots radical movement to the name of Love, in roots reggae music.
Talking about Love, your album is really full with love and wise thoughts, what is your message to the world, and probably I guess to the youths ?
Unity ! The message to the world is unity, come together, let’s put aside all religious believes, our colour skin, everything and just come together as people.
You’re not alone, there’s also Raging Fyah, Sherieta Lewis and many other young people singing Roots Reggae with this type of message. I’ve read in The Gleaner an article asking if Reggae has lost its soul? What do you think about that ?
Reggae is still there, it’s just what the media push in the front, that’s what people get, what people feel, but people have always been into positive reggae music it’s just that at time now they are just giving us that type of light and no opportunity for people to hear all type of reggae music. It has always been there, it’s just that the medias don’t put it in the front.
What does inspire you, which artists?
Bunny Wailer, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Mickael Jackson…
Interesting, Mickael Jackson ?
Yeah man, he sings some powerful songs inna creation …Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me, and the entire human race… He sings some powerful tunes, he touched the soul of people.
If you had to tell us 5 songs that you really enjoy and listen often, which ones would they be?
I don’t really listen to 5 songs, I (we) listen to all songs of Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid, Midnite, Jesse Royal, Protoje, Raging Fyah, Dubtonic Kru, Dre Island.. All of them, we haffi support !
You are all out of the Edna Manley College, can you tell us a few words about this school and what’s going on there ’cause there are a lot of artists who studied there !
It’s just a music college, they teach you how to play music, with practical lessons.
It helps you to link many people maybe ?
Definitely yes !
What would you say then to the young musicians who are still in college and who would like to follow your route, release an album… ?
If you believe in what you do and you know what you want, and you want to help humanity, ’cause that’s all that imports, to help brothers and sisters, make sure it’s a contribution to humanity, a way to uplift humanity. Make sure your music is to uplift the human kind, if it’s dancing music, make people dance but on a positive side.
That’s incredible, I’ve listened to your album many times now, and it’s really peaceful, and it makes people think about what they’re doing, and it brings joy. So I have to thank you for that because it’s not really usual and specially in those times when people are really into slackness dancehall music.
The problem that I find is that dancehall music is suppose to make people dance, but some people believe that if it is not slackness, if it not about gun or sex, it won’t make people dance, which is a lie. Dancehall music doesn’t have to talk about guns and sex. Talking about reality and promoting things are two different things. You can talk about the reality of Kingston, Jamaica, the reality of world which is gun and sex, but don’t you promote guns and sex, teenage pregnancy, rape, divorce, murder, everything like that. It’s one thing to say yes, girls are prostituting inna di streets ’cause that’s reality, but when you are going to say, yes girl it is right to prostitute, then that’s a problem, you promote it. You have wonderful dancehall that I listen to and dance to, it is not promoting any kind of negative vibe.
What can we wish to you guy for this year ? Are you coming to Europe, are you touring all over the world?
We are organizing everything, we should be in Europe this summer. The tour is just a minus step in reality, the real thing we want to see is the fruits of our work. We want to see if people are really living the life they’re suppose to, what we sing about because for us, the music is basically how we try to balance the unity and the peace, just as the policemen try to balance the peace with their guns, we don’t use guns, we use our music. It is peaceful balance we deal with to make people enjoy themselves, so we can come together and unite. And when people will start come together and unite then that will be the fruits.
One last word?
It’s just love and oneness, I say to people to come together, recognize themselves, know them roots, know the truth, know yourself, I&I, know your capabilities as man, know what you can do as a man, don’t limit yourself, give thanks and go through, treat your brothers with love, where apologize is due, apologize, where love is due, then show love.
Their album The Genesis is like a diamond, I just can’t stop listening to it. They are inspired, and have incredibles and powerful voices and lyrics. 14 songs, all amazing, talking one after the other about cancer, love, Africa, respect, womens, love. We can clearly feel their moral values and modesty. Cancer Survivor, Unwritten, Time Bomb, Change, Will you be there and Kingston are for me the most unstoppable songs on this wonderful album. So press play, then repeat.
http://www.reverbnation.com/pentateuchband