King Flashman

Music:

Member Since: 2/25/2007
Band Website: apps.bebo.com/my-band/artist/kingflashman
Band Members: Startin way back in 1978 by learning some Bob Marley en Burning Spear songs from a book, ras Fil (SingJay, percussion) & ras Pat (bass), formed their first band around 79 called "King Fruitgrape & His Royal Noseblowers". Rehearsals took place at Bongo Harry's place (Bongoboys). Amongst the invited musicians we noticed RastaPasta (guitars), a well talented musician wift a true reggae feel. After a short New Wave intermezzo called "Synthax Error", Pat became a drummer and Rastapasta started to play the bass, and we formed a band called "Outer Squaire", beca' we rehearsed in a very small room at the local youth club, in the projector-room of their ex-movie theatre! At Musical Snack Attack (one of the few local reggae cafés in Antwerp 1980), we met Kojo Tuffour, a Ghanean journalist who fled his country thru de Moroccan desert, and he became our lead singer/percussionist and mentor. The other members of the band were: "The Rico" ..boards and Steve and Peter on guitars. When we started to perform live, we changed our name into "King Flashman Players", while the sound system (dub system style King Tubby's, Jah Shaka) was baptised "King Flashman Electro". Around 1982 we released two dub-cassettes called "Donald Dub" (1980) and "Conquering Of Space" (1981); Handmade in 25 copies and with a handprinted screenprint sleeve, these are now highly collectable items! In 1983, ras Fil distributed the first strickly roots & reggae related magazine in Antwerp: "Jah Messenger" (made, stencilled and printed in the Belgian army!!!, distributed thru Musical Snack Attack etc...) Around 1985 we split and went our separate ways, but kept on playing and recording reggae music ever since. Pat Flashman played with several groups and recorded with his computer from as early as 1985. Ras Fil kept on writing songs, mainly using Studio One riddims. 1988 they got together again to form the band "Irie Vibes featuring The Iries". It was a 12 member band and our goal was to perform at Reggae Sunsplash Jamaica, because "the Japanese were there already" ;-) We splitt before we could do one gig! The core of the band became "Crucial Crew" and ras Fil began his "Rainbow Arch Studio" gradually midi-izing his analogue set-up. From there he released several cassettes, mainly dance hall (1989-1991) and One Riddim versionist styled items, which found no interest with the (at that time very small) audience. After 1992, realizing the damage slackness and guntalk can bring to the youths, he started to create a more roots approach to the music: modern reggae with a message. Also His Imperial Majesty's Centennial was an inspiring year. In 1996 ras Feel formed a new band called "King Flashman Band II", operating from Kontich, Belgium, they played various gigs amongst others Hove Live Festival. The members were: "daddy Radics" on drums, "Rikke" on bass, "The Rico" on guitars, "Roel Rules" on percussion, and guests... After the split the core members of the band reformed and became "Calabash". The Aethiopia exposition in The Museum of Middle Africa in Brussels (Tervuren, 1996 - 1997) was very interesting learning to paint and interpret Ethiopian icons with Berhane Gebre Selassie, painter for the Tewahedo Church. In 1997 ras Fil (by then ras Feel) joined Ras Fire & The Righteous Rockers and toured Belgium and Holland (opening the first edition of Reggae Sundance, Eindhoven). After another split several attempts were made to restart a King Flashman Electro sound system, but a good crew could not be found. Until 1999 ras Fil kept on working with his Rainbow Arch Studio, releasing, from 1997 and onward, CDR's handmade and by mail-order. He also started a "Rastafari University of Zion" distribution network (web-site via Reggae Vibes Maastricht and a po box), distributing Books and scriptures about ras Tafari and related livity; "Kebre Negast, Selected Speeches,.." to name but a few. Because of no succes with his Rainbow Arch Productions, ras Feel gave his entire midi production studio, with the exeption of the monitoring section, to his brother in law: "Jaojoby, King of Salegy" (popular dance music) of Madagascar. From the beginning of the 21st century, he remastered and released his best music on CDR and distributed several CD productions thru Bam Bam record store in Antwerp. He also made rastafarian artworks and posters for several (reggae) festivals in Belgium and Holland.
Influences:
I made this MySpace Music Player at MyFlashFetish .com.

ras Feel Flashman: STUDIO ONE SPECIAL 20 tracks voiced over between 1997-981: ONE WORLD MARKET: written 1997 inspired by 1st edition of Reggae Sundance Eindhoven2: HISTORY OF KING FLASHMAN: written 1985, voiced 19983: MORE ROOTS MUSIC: written 1990, voiced 19974: THAT JAH JAH: written 1990 voiced 19975: JAH LOVE IS SPECIAL: reworkings on a lovers written in 1984, this one voice over dates from 19986: WORLD SOUP: written and voiced 1997; "life is a soup and we are the meat balls" is a popular Flamish expression...7: 2000 YEARS: improvisation voiced over after visiting Aethiopia exposition at Museum for Middle frica in Tervuren, Belgium. 19978: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AFRICAN QUEEN: written for my wife in 1990, voiced in 1998; in all cases African, she's my mother, in all cases Belgian, she's my daughter... ;-)9: MY SPECIAL ANGEL: written 1984, this is a 1997 remake10: LUCY IN THE SKY: in 1984 I was listening to Sugar Minott's overvoicing of "You can have the whole wide world, but Give me Jah Jah" on some popular Studio One riddims and I tought by myself: "yuh gotta be a very skilled artist to improvise an existing song on a different riddim" Then that same day I found out I was humming "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" on the "Mo Jo Rock Steady" riddim... so I worked it out and it fits like a glove... waaaw!11: TIME WILL TELL: Found out a lot of Bob Marley classics could be done on the "Declaration of Rights" riddim (Rainbow Arch Studio 1993); this remake from 199812: STEPPIN OUTTAH MESS: written 1982, voiced in 1997, existing also in Flamish and French translations...13: WORD SOUND & POWER: written 1984, voiced 199714: WITH THE RIGHT VIBES: written 1983, voiced 199715: PSALMS 16: 199816: KEEP THE FAITH: written 1997 for one of my own riddims, this version dates from 199817: OH WHAT A BAM BAM: written 1982, voiced over in 199718: HEY MR GOVERNMENTMAN: written 1982, voiced over in 199819: FREE NATURE LIVING: try out on the "Heavenless" 12" version dating from 199820: LOVE RAS TAFARI & LIVE: written 1981 (one of my first songs) done on this jazz outing (with extra bingi percussion) in 1997One Love, ras Feel Flashman
Sounds Like: From the docu-movie: "Welkom, Wilkommen, Bienvenue" (2005 - 80min) regie Marc Schepers, Muziek: Pat Flashman, Lyrics & voices: Feel Flashman.http://www.youtube.com/user/rasFeelFlashman

Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: None