Revisiting Alex Mukulu's classic: Banakampala nga boogera

Throw - back Thursday: Banakampala nga Boogera, Alex Mukulu

Alex Mukulu was something of a multiple platform artiste. While he really made his mark through his theatre productions as a playwright, a director and an actor, he was less heralded for his music, which still played a significant role in his life.

He focused a lot of his musical energy on producing material he used in his theatre productions.

His discography includes songs like Emikwano, Kindi Kumutima, Maama, Sharifah, Sweet Jenifer, and Tuli Baana Ba Nambi.

His most popular musical release, however, gained prominence as a single, burning its way through the airwaves around 2005/2006.

That song was Banakampala nga Boogera, a song which had a lot to do with Alex’s other preferred pastime: social commentary. Mukulu had a lot to say about society.

He was certainly passionate about music, he started out in a band named The River Nile band, where he performed alongside a name you might know: Philly Bongole Lutaya.

He loved the guitar and the saxophone and they feature strongly in the intro for Banakampala nga Boogera. That intro is one of my favorite things about the song. The song opens with a dramatic bass guitar lick, before a semi acoustic responds. Percussion kicks in before a drawling saxophone solo.

Mukulu was clever when arranging this song, going for a simple melody to drum home the message that indeed, Kampala folks run their mouths.

The bassline and percussion create a rollicking effect that the song rides with. He uses a choral sing, along to great effect, an echo of a Greek chorus, a popular theatre tool.

But his strength was always his words. On Banakampala nga Boogera, his vocals come off as somewhat limited, but it is his cutting delivery that stands out. Folks listening to this track must have been wincing, especially possibly his neighbours or idlers he often ran into. The lyrics are brutal.

I loved the production quality of Banakampala nga Boogera when it first hit the market – it was obvious it wasn’t produced in Kampala. The production values were too clean, and that guitar riff was delicious (this was about 2006/2007).

Banakampala nga Boogera featured within Alex Mukulu’s theatrical work but really flourished as a radio single.

May his soul rest in peace.