Tony Matterhorn rides a 'blue streak' to dancehall's peak
Courtesy: Kevin Jackson, Observer Writer
Monday, September 11, 2006
His feisty attitude has kept him at or near the top of the sound system game for many years. Tony Matterhorn has now found new territory as a dancehall deejay with a handful of hits pounding the dancehall both locally and overseas.
Dubbed 'Mr. Fully Loaded' for his intense battles at the annual beach event, Matterhorn has captured a new fan base with the globe-trotting Dutty Wine single which spent 13 weeks at number one on the RETV Dancehall Chart, and eleven weeks at the top of the UK's BBC 1Xtra Dancehall chart. Dutty Wine's success hasn't been confined to the dancehall charts. The song last week peaked at number 35 on Billboard's R&B Hip Hop Singles & Tracks chart in the US. A follow-up single, Goodas Fi Dem from producer Mark Pinnock's Gully Slime rhythm on the Natural Bridge label, has taken over the number one spot on the charts.
Matterhorn, whose real name is Dufton Taylor has now found himself much busier than in previous years. In a recent interview, Matterhorn pointed out that his career is enjoying an all- time high and he is capitalizing on every moment that presents itself. "Pretty much things have changed a lot now. I am in the studios more than before, doing dubs for other sounds but its all good," he explained.
Matterhorn got his initial start in the sound system arena in the early 1990s. "I was going to school when Wally from Inner City sound and Mark dem decide to teach mi one day about the sound thing. I was always listening to people like Professor Nuts and Stichie from back in the day. The deejay thing just evolved from being around artistes like Bounty Killer and Mad Cobra,"said Matterhorn.
Asked whether he was surprised at the success of Dutty Wine, Mattehorn said "The song took about 15 minutes to do, right in my living room couch. Me and Ding Dong and some friends were running a boat. The song was created for the girls from Montego Bay who were doing the Dutty Wine dance. I did had the feeling that the song was going to be big, but not as big as it turned out to be."
With plans for an album of material almost completed, a touring schedule being finalised and attention coming from major record labels including Atlantic and Universal Records, Matterhorn said that his selector persona will always be active, despite his new-found success as a vocalist. "The album is almost complete. I need about two more tracks for it, but the selector Tony Matterhorn isn't going anywhere," he said.
Added Matterhorn, "I have about four or five new singles to drop on the road, but mi kinda hold them back still. There is a song called Man From Mars that's doing well in New York right now. Goodas Fi Dem is doing well. I just have to give thanks for all that's happening".
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