Eek-A-Mouse and The Eekanomics Band
Friday, January 30, 2004
The Chop Suey, Seattle, Washington
Saturday, January 31, 2004
Dantes, Portland, Oregon"We No Like Dat" by Valeria ValienteBaddy Baddy Mem Mem,
Me hangin in the W.C. with some mean men.
Mean and shady, they love the ladies
and I had to teach them-em,
That we no like dat, no we no like dat,
We da beganin and da end
And you crazy to act so improvident
No we no like dat, you rash man
De men take advantage of da women
Cuz of our sex ex. Oh our sex-ex
Forget dat we are da Mam yes
We da queens yes bing bing yes
So dont forget then you naughty man
No we no like dat, no we no like dat.
Those
lyrics are my inspired rant against sexual exploitation in the
backstage area of concerts and shows. Wait; let me take a step back,
for I am jumping onto the exploitation bandwagon a bit too early. Let
me start from the beganin.
I wrote these lyrics in the
"sing-jaying/toasting/bingy boingy" style as done by the reggae master
Eek-a-Mouse. Creating popular catchphrases such as "Biddy Biddy Beng
Beng", "How are you feeling tonight?", "What are you smoking tonight?",
and "Rude Boy Jamaican", the gigantic Jamaican born superstar carries
plenty of weight and influence. He is physically, professionally and
creatively, a powerful man who refers to himself in the third person
(or rodent, in this case), for he is "The Mouse."
I met
Jalawel, The Mouses tour manager, in the back of the Asian-themed music
venue, The Chop Suey, located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of
Seattle, Washington. Jalawel kindly granted my request for an impromptu
interview after I gushed about the stellar outdoor performance by
Eek-a-Mouse on a gorgeous Sunday night at the 2003 Bumbershoot Festival
at the Seattle Center last September. Jalawel loaded me with drink
tickets and the advantageous "artist wristband."
As soon as I
walked into the backstage green room, I knew I had fallen into
dangerous territory. The Mouse immediately took a liking to my backside
and made no ammends about telling me so.
I have been to many
backstage and VIP areas in my lifetime. Being a Los Angeles native with
music clubs as my playground, and having the tenacity and bravery to
gain possession of the coveted backstage pass whenever possible, I
understand that part of the excitement of this area is sexual tension
and debauchery. That being said, I will put it on the record that I am
not, nor ever will be, a groupie. A groupie is a term used for a person
who hangs onto musicians, seeking autographs, sex, and a good story to
share with friends about a hedonistic night of meeting their idols.
[BB]
I do love to recount my tales, but never has sex ever been part of my
backstage experience. See, there are two simple facts about myself that
bears repeating: I am not a groupie nor do I desire to sleep with my
favorite band mates or interviewees. I love going backstage so that I
may share my expressive opinions of awe and appreciation of great
music. I want to thank my music mentors for their originality, touching
lyrics, and if possible, ask them questions to further my understanding
and love of their music. The way I see it, it is about the music.
Therefore, it really chaps my hide when sex is thrown into the equation
and I am not taken seriously as a music lover. I will tell you this
much; if I were a man in the same position, sex would not be an issue.
I would be seen as a music lover and journalist. Nothing more, nothing
less.
I gracefully and expertly baited the Mouses brash
remarks with quips of my own that stunned the rodent and his entourage.
See, rats and mice are no match for the feline power of a woman on a
mission. I had an interview to complete and so I went to work. I set up
an 8 AM breakfast interview with the Mouse and his stage manager Ben
before show time. I thanked them for their time and went to the front
of the stage to photograph and review the show. Thanks to the rabid
energy of some of the fans at the show, I was unable to do either.
When
I gave a homeless woman $10 outside the venue, the group behind me in
line offered to buy me drinks since I gave away my beer money. Once
inside, one of these men reneged on his offer. Okey-dokey, no problem-
I'm working anyways. Then, this cheapskate liar attempted to take over
the front area of the floor. Over 6 feet tall with flailing arms and
heavy foot stomps, this man proceeded to shut out all the other fans
around him with his fanatic possession of the coveted first row
viewing. A group of tough cookies surrounded him and eventually we were
able to move his rude butt a few feet towards center so we could see
the show. I am happy to report that this loutish giant got himself
kicked out by the middle of his show. It does not pay to be an uncool,
aggressive, and selfish fanatic at any concert, my friends. I dont care
how much you love a band; please, if you are over six feet tall, dont
try to stand in the very front row.
The Mouse and The
Eekanomics band regaled the hot swaying crowd with tights beats, killer
bass lines, two keyboard players and seriously uplifting guitar riffs.
Eek-a-Mouse has over 20 years experience performing to earnest and
party-hearty crowds. His fan base spans the musical spectrum, from the
hippie reggae fans to the fratboy rock scene. Lyrics to songs such as
"Assassinator", "Operation Eradication", "Do You Remember", and "Ganja
Smuggling", speak of social ills such as slavery, racism, and murder.
His most popular songs at the Friday night show in Seattle and the
Saturday night show in Portland were those in which he unleashed his
maniac and incomprehensible skatting in rapid pace, driving the crowds
wild. The band and the Mouse played 2-hour (or longer) sets each night.
I was bombarded with stony fans trying to bestow ganja joints upon the
Mouse every time his baritone voice egged them with the falling
crescendo question, "Wat are You Smoookin' Tonight?"
A
combination of the inevitable "contact high," free drink tickets, and
complimentary Heinekens in the dressing room left this journalist too
bloody sloshed for driving Friday night. Thanks to the lovely kindness
of two cool women I had danced with that night, I was able to sober up
at a friends house. Ben, the tour manager, asked if I would like to
join the band for some more partying at their hotel, which I nattily
declined, knowing well enough, drunk or stone cold sober, that a single
woman alone hanging with a roomful of touring bandmates is not a good
idea.
Our party posse crossed Lake Washington to Bellevue, a world away from
the sweaty night we endured. We hung out with members of the band Three
Degrees West, sweet and fun local boys who tickled my heart by singing
nostalgic Sublime songs. As the night wore on and the buzz wore off, I
inquired about a ride back to the other side of the lake to make my 8
AM interview breakfast appointment. Belatedly, I learned that no one in
my new posse would be returning to the city any time that day. Left
with an expensive taxi option or the dreaded bus, I was giving up hope
of any journalistic recognition. Then the most satirical thing happened.
At
4:20 AM, my cell phone rings. Strange, I think, but I did pass my
business cards out all night. I answer the phone and its the Mouse. He
asks me if we can do the interview- he is ready to talk now. He asks me
to meet him in Room 420, his hotel room for the night. For those of you
who do not understand the outrageous coincidence of this reference, 420
is a code word amongst the more irie people in the world for a good
time.
I just cannot shake the giggles from the synchronicity of madness and
mayhem I am feeling now. Of course, I decline but after ten more
minutes of pleading for a ride and getting nowhere, I decide to take a
chance and take a free taxi ride into the city. I knew it was risky
business; I had two new girlfriends warning me of possibly unpleasant,
but not to be confused as unexpected, encounters that might be attached
to the offered ride, but my intuition told me to go forward into the
unknown.
Eek-a-Mouse surprised me with his restraint and
kindness. He spent the next three hours sharing his personal woes- ones
that I will not repeat in this article or anywhere else. He, of course,
shared his confession of attraction, but kept repeating that he found a
woman like me intriguing. Fearless, a bit insecure but strong, he
flattered me with these complimentary observations. They dont call me
Valeria Valiente for nothing! I sat there listening and more often,
trying to decipher the meaning hidden behind his thick Jamaican patois
and biddy-benging.
[BB]
I swear, the man speaks the way he sings! My good listening skills
proved invaluable that night and Eek treated me respectfully and kindly
as we talked on about expectations and stereotypes in the music
industry, reggae music, his family, and touring. Overall, my time with
the Mouse in his hotel room was a mix of professional and personal
discussion with no sex involved. That is what I expected and that is
what I got. Thanks, Mouse.
We did have one unpleasant encounter.
A female friend of his came over around 6 AM, and she was not too happy
to see me there with the Mouse. She assumed that the Mouse and I slept
together, as did Jalawel the next day, but its a sad sexist
misrepresentation of the female music lover as a "groupie." She ignored
my attempts of friendliness and I gave up trying to bridge the sexist
blinders covering her eyes.
I left the hotel with a promise that
I would go down to Portland to do the "real" interview and see another
great show. I took a male friend with me and we made it in time to see
the last three songs of the opening touring band, The Expendables. At
both shows, the Expendable guys shared feelings of insecurity about
their reception by the Eekster fans.
I personally thought that they should focus more on tightening their
sound and less on what others think. As Ben told them outright, "Theres
a reason why you are touring as our opening band." That is compliment
enough to keep any band focused on their goal. It is a smart move on
their managements part to have the same booking agent as one of the
greatest reggae performers out there. The Expendables were professional
and on top of their game when it came to marketing their music and
merchandise. It was a pleasure to see them at work- and work, they did-
throughout the tour.
Eek put on another great show that night
at Dantes in Portland. We had a great time dancing once we escaped from
the competitive and ugly front row action. Backstage, we enjoyed good
food, good laughs, and cleared up some facts. Jalawel acted
disappointed when he saw me, sharing his disbelief that I would spend
the night with the Mouse. Of course, I reminded him that was'nt my
style and he happily hugged me and called me his goddaughter. On a
personal level, I enjoyed the term of endearment, but I left the whole
experience feeling disappointed by the chauvinistic attitudes of both
men and women when it comes to the fine line of appreciation and
exploitation of women in the music industry. Things are changing;
I did survive 48 hours of partying unscathed, untouched, and came out
with my reputation intact. But it is a sad world when a woman like
myself has her reputation tied to her sex and sexuality when I perform
a professional service as a journalist. I do not wear a sign that says
"I am a backstage prostitute" or "I love your music: Exploit me Now!"
To
all of you who work in the music industry, whether you are the hungry
musician with dreams of unlimited sex with beautiful women after your
shows, to the managers who organize the festivities during tours, and
everyone else in between: We are responsible for our actions and
intentions. There is nothing
wrong with wanting sex and having
fun, but there is a fine line between respect and sexist expectations.
It is is unnecessary and unfair to cross that line. Dont forget that
women are creators and we do not want to be treated as a sexual object
for you to enjoy as a backstage perk. Got it?
Peace to all of you. Spread positive loving vibrations through music.
Cheers, Valeria Valiente
Other Eek-a-Mouse Facts
Been in Business: As Ripton Joseph Hylton, The Mouses birth name, since the mid-70s. As Eek-a-Mouse since 1980.
Hailing from: Trench Town ghetto, Kingston, Jamaica, 1957.
Radio or record store section: Reggae
Current Label: Sanctuary.
Past
labels include Shanachie Entertainment, Greensleeves, Coach House
Records, RAS Records, Sunset Blvd., Island, Sunsplash Records, and
Thompson Sounds.
Discography: Mouse Gone Wild, due March 23, 2004.
Starting with the latest to the oldest, Mouses 20+ years as a hit making reggae star include:
The
Very Best Of-Vol.2, Greensleeves Wa-Do-Dem, Eeksperience, RAS
Portraits, Black Cowboy, U-Neek, Eek-A-Nomics, Mouse-A-Mania, The Very
Best of, The King and I, Live at Reggae Sunsplash, Mouseketeer, The
Assassinator, The Mouse and The Man, Skidip!, Wa-Do-Dem, Bubble UpYu
Hip.
Loves: "I luv ma age." He must have told me that
over 20 times. He loves his children. He wants to be in control and to
be controlled. He loves to love the women.
The newest news in
the Mouse Hole: Eek-a-Mouses newest album, Mouse Gone Wild, comes out
March 23, 2004 on Sanctuary records. Eek-a-Mouse rolling papers will be
available for all you tobacco smokers from
http://www.cafeshops.com/damouse .
The Mouse will be touring to the following U.S. venues in March 2004:
Thurs., March 11 S.O.B.'s, New York, N.Y.
Sat., March 13 Red Fox Inn, Bondville, V.T.
Sun., March 14 Big Easy, Portland, ME
Mon., March 15 Milky Way Lounge and Lanes, Jamaica Plain, MA
Tues., March 16 Castaways, Ithaca, NY
Wed., March 17 Funk Box, Baltimore, MD
Thurs., March 18 Stella Blue, Asheville, NC
Fri., March 19 Little Brother's, Columbus, OH
Sun., March 21 Pearl Street NightclubBallroom, Northampton, MA
Fri., March 26 The Coachhouse, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Sat., March 27 Canes, San Diego, CA
Tags:
Music unsigned indie reviews 
