A good song is when you reach the heart and the feelings of the people
“ A good song is when you reach the heart and the feelings of the people,” declares Don Rico (birth name Federico Vaglio), one of the lead singers of Italian dancehall reggae troupe Sud Sound System. That’s right, ‘Italian dancehall reggae troupe’… Though the country may not be known for its connection to the music genre of West Indian origin, the Italian quintet have been making waves on the Italian music scene for nearly two decades with their fusion of Italian and Jamaican sounds. Rico is only too happy to explain how it is that five friends from Salento ended up redefining the ragga sound. “We live in a deep region of south Italy called Apulia and in the eighties that place was very poor and full of bad situations like the Mafia and drugs.”
Like many, Rico and friends decided to try find a way out of the situation that surrounded them. It turned out that they had a talent that their peers may not have, and it was only a matter of tapping into it to secure their release. Rico believes that “the only way to escape from those things was to be together and find a different way; not be involved in such a terrible life.
“Some of us,” he continues, “were attracted to reggae and dancehall music, in particular the DJing and singing of the ‘riddims’.” While the initial appeal was one born out of pure escapism, their mutual love of Dennis Brown and Sugar Minott was soon to evolve into something bigger and better.
What initially started as friends simply listening to music, quickly grew into them throwing extensive parties. Rico recalls “the ‘parties became very popular, very quickly, and soon our houses were full of people coming to sing and dance!” Spurned on by the sudden ability to spread good vibes, the group of friends found themselves forming a collective to create and produce their own music.
Though their initial inspiration stemmed directly from the burgeoning dancehall scene, Rico realised that the collective, now named Sud Sound System needed to be more than a copycat collective. In a teacher-like tone, Rico informs that “our region is famous for the traditional ‘pizzica tarantata sound’. It is an ancient music our grandfathers used to play to get free the soul of the people bitten by ‘Tarantola’; a sort of demon possession.”
Given that their sound was designed to liberate, it only seemed right to pay tribute to their forefathers who had devised a sound to do the same. Though their music is directly derived from dancehall and reggae, lyrically the troupe pay tribute to their local region by singing in the area’s dialect, the Salentino.
Sud Sound System soon enough had Italians dancing, laughing and partying their troubles away. So, what inspired the now liberated Sud Sound System to continue on that track? Rico explains that while his own troupe may have found a route to freedom, his fellow countrymen has not. He sadly informs that “we’re still, still carrying on our battle against the evil forces; for the last 15 years our country has been suffering from poor politics and environmental discomfort.”
For Rico, the bleak outlook and the continuing financial crisis are worries that still require a form of escapism. While suffering exists, he knows that Sud Sound System still have work to do. Their intention is the same, just as at the outset, he sighs “we want to inform the people and give them the strength to be reactive always. Spreading good sound and good vibes.”
With their upcoming Byron Bay Reggae Fest appearance proof that, while their sound is driven by Italian sufferance, it translates globally and its objective never changes. Yet, something within Rico hopes that despite a non-Italian location, he will still be able to perform to at least a handful of his countrymen at the festival. Adamantly he states “we expect to see Italians, of course, maybe some of them that have not been to one of our shows for a long time.” While Rico would rather have some Italians in attendance, he promises that, regardless, “we are going to put a lot of energy on stage as in all our shows. Our target is to involve the people to sing with us and dance with us.”
Clearly excited about the prospect of performing in a new country, there is an element of in-completion to the Sud Sound System journey. While their whole sound has been developed out of a passion for reggae and dancehall, the group have never been invited to perform in the genre’s birthplace.
Rico closes by sadly informing that “we have never performed to Jamaica. We are working to come there with the right respect. Jamaica is not open to the west coast reggae acts,” but with just a glimmer of hope in his eyes, “but something is changing now.”
SUD SOUND SYSTEM – supported by UJAHMAA Soundsystem, Jesse I and 555 – play Monastery (1 Church Street, Richmond) this Friday December 3. Tickets through moshtix.com.au.
