Semboga braces for big comeback
Dec 13, 2007
FOR the first time since veteran musician Kabuye Semboga set out on the musical path, he is forking out money for studio time as he prepares to bounce back with a new album. For a man who comes from the old musical school, Kabuye finds the situation strange.<br>
By Moses Opobo
FOR the first time since veteran musician Kabuye Semboga set out on the musical path, he is forking out money for studio time as he prepares to bounce back with a new album. For a man who comes from the old musical school, Kabuye finds the situation strange.
“Back then, music promoters hunted for us to buy copyrights to our music. They would pay for our studio time and a down-payment on the album even before recording.
That is until the era of computer CD duplication came, pushing genuine distributors out of business. Now, I have to fork out sh1.8m with the help of corporate sponsors, for the six-track album I am recording at Dream Studios,†he says.
You only have to know where Semboga comes from musically, to put this in context. As far back as the late 1970s, Semboga was already getting apprenticeship from the then Mascots Band of the late Elly Wamala. Over the years, he has worked with several bands before going solo.
In the early 1990s, Kabuye started digging in-roads in the local industry with songs like Jangu Eno, Tuligabana Edda and Omponyezza Oguyumba. These songs were greatly inspired by the Congolese soukous music, but were no match for the latter when it came to popularity.
Semboga seemed destined to shine nevertheless, perhaps the time was just not ripe. That time came in 1999, with his Ebisaanyi album, in a classic case of musical re-invention.
The title track, Ebisaanyi, defined his turning point. Done in a lover’s rock-hip hop style, Ebisaanyi endeared Semboga to many music fans. The song generated debate on whether he was a youthful musician or the mature band musician he actually was.
There was also the song’s meaning. For his heavy use of imagery (ebisaanyi is Luganda for caterpillars), many people believed the song to be about AIDS — the bisaanyi being the HIV virus.
But as Kabuye notes; “Ebisaanyi refers to the itch that one gets when a caterpillar crawls on them. I was alluding to the feeling I got when a dear one deserted me.â€
Semboga followed this success with four albums in succession, spawning such hits as Sheila, Mariana, Onyamba Nga Mukama and Faima. But one thing seemed to run parallel to Semboga’s popularity: He was never visible. One was hard- pressed to get someone who knew what this man looked like.
It was the logical result of his next-to-zero appearances in the media, as well as having no videos to his songs. For instance, the Ebisaanyi video was shot last year, while Onyamba Nga Mukama was released on the increasingly less popular video tape.
“The problem with videos is that the moment people watch them, they see no reason to attend your shows,†he argues against talk that financial hiccups stopped him from shooting videos for his songs. Semboga is also skeptical about the new trend of music concerts in town.
“These shows are designed for artistes with current hits because you go on stage, perform two songs and that is it. For me, I do productions which marry music and drama. Such performances are tailored for theatres. They are popular upcountry.â€
Two of the songs off the upcoming album, Julie Tambula, Nyazaala, and the remix of Philly Lutaaya’s Tulo Tulo are complete. The album will be out by early January.
FOR the first time since veteran musician Kabuye Semboga set out on the musical path, he is forking out money for studio time as he prepares to bounce back with a new album. For a man who comes from the old musical school, Kabuye finds the situation strange.
“Back then, music promoters hunted for us to buy copyrights to our music. They would pay for our studio time and a down-payment on the album even before recording.
That is until the era of computer CD duplication came, pushing genuine distributors out of business. Now, I have to fork out sh1.8m with the help of corporate sponsors, for the six-track album I am recording at Dream Studios,†he says.
You only have to know where Semboga comes from musically, to put this in context. As far back as the late 1970s, Semboga was already getting apprenticeship from the then Mascots Band of the late Elly Wamala. Over the years, he has worked with several bands before going solo.
In the early 1990s, Kabuye started digging in-roads in the local industry with songs like Jangu Eno, Tuligabana Edda and Omponyezza Oguyumba. These songs were greatly inspired by the Congolese soukous music, but were no match for the latter when it came to popularity.
Semboga seemed destined to shine nevertheless, perhaps the time was just not ripe. That time came in 1999, with his Ebisaanyi album, in a classic case of musical re-invention.
The title track, Ebisaanyi, defined his turning point. Done in a lover’s rock-hip hop style, Ebisaanyi endeared Semboga to many music fans. The song generated debate on whether he was a youthful musician or the mature band musician he actually was.
There was also the song’s meaning. For his heavy use of imagery (ebisaanyi is Luganda for caterpillars), many people believed the song to be about AIDS — the bisaanyi being the HIV virus.
But as Kabuye notes; “Ebisaanyi refers to the itch that one gets when a caterpillar crawls on them. I was alluding to the feeling I got when a dear one deserted me.â€
Semboga followed this success with four albums in succession, spawning such hits as Sheila, Mariana, Onyamba Nga Mukama and Faima. But one thing seemed to run parallel to Semboga’s popularity: He was never visible. One was hard- pressed to get someone who knew what this man looked like.
It was the logical result of his next-to-zero appearances in the media, as well as having no videos to his songs. For instance, the Ebisaanyi video was shot last year, while Onyamba Nga Mukama was released on the increasingly less popular video tape.
“The problem with videos is that the moment people watch them, they see no reason to attend your shows,†he argues against talk that financial hiccups stopped him from shooting videos for his songs. Semboga is also skeptical about the new trend of music concerts in town.
“These shows are designed for artistes with current hits because you go on stage, perform two songs and that is it. For me, I do productions which marry music and drama. Such performances are tailored for theatres. They are popular upcountry.â€
Two of the songs off the upcoming album, Julie Tambula, Nyazaala, and the remix of Philly Lutaaya’s Tulo Tulo are complete. The album will be out by early January.