The Rise Of Eagles Productions Band
THE Eagles Production band has won not only the admiration of musical pundits, critics and local audiences, but also the support of distinguished international music promoters; SENGO, based in London.
By Elvis Basudde
The Eagles Production band has won not only the admiration of musical pundits, critics and local audiences, but also the support of distinguished international music promoters; SENGO, based in London. SENGO International Promoters has signed a contract with the band and offered to buy them musical instruments.
The band boasts of three of Uganda’s top five best pop musicians –– Geoffrey Lutaaya, Ronald Mayinja and Mesach Ssemakula, and it also boasts of having two of their hit ballads being nominated for best pop hits at the 2003 Pearl of Africa Music Awards (PAM).
Recently at the Ayrest club, Makindye, in Kampala, Lutaaya and the other members of the band were busy recording music. A huge bottle of orange juice was making rounds in the control room as Lutaaya repeated a dance stroke several times on a synthesiser.
Hi colleagues –– Mayinja, Fred Maiso, Fred Serugga, Ssemakula and Grace Ssekamatte were dancing about quietly, occasionally punctuating the beats with an enthusiastic “Yeah! kyekyo!’ During a break Lutaaya talked about his expectations for the new album. “This is going to be the best album I have ever made,†he said with confidence, as his colleagues nodded. “This is ballad at its best. It is going to be a landmark album,†Ssemakula adds.
These band members do their music together. Each of them has a specialised role to play in making a song a success. Lutaaya works on instrumentation, Mayinja does the intro, Ssemakula the chorus, Serugga does the back ups while Sekamate is mainly on chirography. It is a joint effort and if they do not approve of the song unanimously, it will not leave the studio.
They have written and sang songs that have touched the hearts of their fans. Some of their hit songs are; Tukwegomba bangi, Abamanyi omukwano, ebituwasiza Abakyala, necklace, ekimuli kya Roza, Nsasila, and many more.
Lutaaya says the band does not want to appear vulgar in their songs and on stage. “We want to give a fatherly image to our children. That is what our music is all about. We are trying to be models and bring about peace, love and unity.†The Eagles first received national attention when they released their joint album, Nsasila, which they released barely three months after forming the group. Nsasila sat atop the local pop music chart for six consecutive months. Nsasila (forgive me) is a love-packed-six-track album with a track for each of the six founder members.
The start was not smooth for the young men. Behind their immense success is a long story, a journey from the troubled and poorly equipped youth band –– Gebros (1993) to Diamond Production Band (1997), where they were unceremoniously thrown out like tired rags. All of them say their experience in showbiz goes back many years ago as they were growing up. Their parents motivated them as they sang nursery rhymes to them every night before bed.
“This early exposure gave some of us a precious taste of adoration and more importantly, made us start composing our own songs,†remembers Lutaaya.
They admit to have had trouble with their teachers because they did not approve of their involvement in music while studying at the same time.
“We all wanted to be entertainers and we had to pass through some trouble to get to the point where we are. This is not to say, however, that we messed our education. In fact, all of us completed O’ & A’ level before switching to commercial music,†Lutaaya quickly answers when asked whether music barred them from their studies.
In 1994, Lutaaya mobilised his fellow students and formed the Gebros band, but their hopes of a successful music career were crushed by lack of instruments of their own.
However, the Gebros band persisted against all the odds, and in less than two years had won over numerous fans. Lutaaya’s songs like Bamimwa Gyabwe and Mayinja’s Claire, Ekisakyolina and Lwembanawe put them into the limelight. Unfortunately, they failed to maintain their band and Kato Lubwama of Diamonds production recruited them in his band. That was 1996.
However, in 1997,the young stars were unceremoniously sacked. Interestingly, the sacking was done on phone.
“He (Kato) called one of us and said our services in Diamonds Production were no longer required. He hang up without giving us reasons,†recalls Lutaaya. Lutaaya says the sacking was a blessing in disguise because they could not have achieved what they have today, had they remained with Kato’s group.
“Our start was so abrupt. We were penyless, and we did not have instruments,†says Lutaaya. He had to sell his omnibus to raise money for musical instruments. But even after selling it, the money was not enough.
“I raised sh9m from the sale, yet we required at least sh13m for the basic machines. If it were not for our fan, the proprietor of Bella shop, who gave us instruments on installments, we would be in difficulty,†says Lutaaya.
The young artistes, then under the leadership of Fred Maiso, ‘vanished’ for six months, doing intensive practice.
And when they bounced back in late 1998, they stood toe and toe with already well established groups, and put on a maiden performance that surprised everybody. Today, the Eagles boast of over 19 albums. They have also recruited ladies –– Catherine Kusaasira, Sophie Nantongo and Irene Namatovu. The band will tour London, where they will stage a series of concerts, come June 17.
On why they chose the name ‘Eagles’, Lutaaya explains, “Biblically, an eagle is a sporting bird with a target. It flies a long distance, mounts up with wings and runs without tiring. That is us and the sky is the limit.â€
Ends
The Eagles Production band has won not only the admiration of musical pundits, critics and local audiences, but also the support of distinguished international music promoters; SENGO, based in London. SENGO International Promoters has signed a contract with the band and offered to buy them musical instruments.
The band boasts of three of Uganda’s top five best pop musicians –– Geoffrey Lutaaya, Ronald Mayinja and Mesach Ssemakula, and it also boasts of having two of their hit ballads being nominated for best pop hits at the 2003 Pearl of Africa Music Awards (PAM).
Recently at the Ayrest club, Makindye, in Kampala, Lutaaya and the other members of the band were busy recording music. A huge bottle of orange juice was making rounds in the control room as Lutaaya repeated a dance stroke several times on a synthesiser.
Hi colleagues –– Mayinja, Fred Maiso, Fred Serugga, Ssemakula and Grace Ssekamatte were dancing about quietly, occasionally punctuating the beats with an enthusiastic “Yeah! kyekyo!’ During a break Lutaaya talked about his expectations for the new album. “This is going to be the best album I have ever made,†he said with confidence, as his colleagues nodded. “This is ballad at its best. It is going to be a landmark album,†Ssemakula adds.
These band members do their music together. Each of them has a specialised role to play in making a song a success. Lutaaya works on instrumentation, Mayinja does the intro, Ssemakula the chorus, Serugga does the back ups while Sekamate is mainly on chirography. It is a joint effort and if they do not approve of the song unanimously, it will not leave the studio.
They have written and sang songs that have touched the hearts of their fans. Some of their hit songs are; Tukwegomba bangi, Abamanyi omukwano, ebituwasiza Abakyala, necklace, ekimuli kya Roza, Nsasila, and many more.
Lutaaya says the band does not want to appear vulgar in their songs and on stage. “We want to give a fatherly image to our children. That is what our music is all about. We are trying to be models and bring about peace, love and unity.†The Eagles first received national attention when they released their joint album, Nsasila, which they released barely three months after forming the group. Nsasila sat atop the local pop music chart for six consecutive months. Nsasila (forgive me) is a love-packed-six-track album with a track for each of the six founder members.
The start was not smooth for the young men. Behind their immense success is a long story, a journey from the troubled and poorly equipped youth band –– Gebros (1993) to Diamond Production Band (1997), where they were unceremoniously thrown out like tired rags. All of them say their experience in showbiz goes back many years ago as they were growing up. Their parents motivated them as they sang nursery rhymes to them every night before bed.
“This early exposure gave some of us a precious taste of adoration and more importantly, made us start composing our own songs,†remembers Lutaaya.
They admit to have had trouble with their teachers because they did not approve of their involvement in music while studying at the same time.
“We all wanted to be entertainers and we had to pass through some trouble to get to the point where we are. This is not to say, however, that we messed our education. In fact, all of us completed O’ & A’ level before switching to commercial music,†Lutaaya quickly answers when asked whether music barred them from their studies.
In 1994, Lutaaya mobilised his fellow students and formed the Gebros band, but their hopes of a successful music career were crushed by lack of instruments of their own.
However, the Gebros band persisted against all the odds, and in less than two years had won over numerous fans. Lutaaya’s songs like Bamimwa Gyabwe and Mayinja’s Claire, Ekisakyolina and Lwembanawe put them into the limelight. Unfortunately, they failed to maintain their band and Kato Lubwama of Diamonds production recruited them in his band. That was 1996.
However, in 1997,the young stars were unceremoniously sacked. Interestingly, the sacking was done on phone.
“He (Kato) called one of us and said our services in Diamonds Production were no longer required. He hang up without giving us reasons,†recalls Lutaaya. Lutaaya says the sacking was a blessing in disguise because they could not have achieved what they have today, had they remained with Kato’s group.
“Our start was so abrupt. We were penyless, and we did not have instruments,†says Lutaaya. He had to sell his omnibus to raise money for musical instruments. But even after selling it, the money was not enough.
“I raised sh9m from the sale, yet we required at least sh13m for the basic machines. If it were not for our fan, the proprietor of Bella shop, who gave us instruments on installments, we would be in difficulty,†says Lutaaya.
The young artistes, then under the leadership of Fred Maiso, ‘vanished’ for six months, doing intensive practice.
And when they bounced back in late 1998, they stood toe and toe with already well established groups, and put on a maiden performance that surprised everybody. Today, the Eagles boast of over 19 albums. They have also recruited ladies –– Catherine Kusaasira, Sophie Nantongo and Irene Namatovu. The band will tour London, where they will stage a series of concerts, come June 17.
On why they chose the name ‘Eagles’, Lutaaya explains, “Biblically, an eagle is a sporting bird with a target. It flies a long distance, mounts up with wings and runs without tiring. That is us and the sky is the limit.â€
Ends