A FEW DAYS AGO, I was watching a movie about the history of the blues. The flick is called Lightening In A Bottle and features some legendary American musicians. I am going to have to watch it again though, because midway into to the film I got distracted by the names of some of the musicians. Yes, I have the mind of a five year old and I am easily distracted.
One performer in the show had the name John Fogerty and John was doing a number that was first performed by another act called Lead Belly. Then there was this really superb guitarist who I later learned influenced Jimi Hendrix, so you know he must be good. The man was phenomenal, but his name got to me. He is called 'Buddy Guy' and he played some songs made popular by his mentor whose name was 'Muddy Waters'. No, I am not joking. Imagine the MC at a stage show like STING asking the audience "Are you ready for Buddy Guy?" Maybe only the women in the audience would answer. Homophobic Jamaican 'thuggies' would not support any guy who name Buddy. I can just picture two local musicians forming a duo called Muddy & Buddy. Everybody's question would be "a wha dem guy deh a study?"
Well, it got me thinking about the interesting names some Jamaican entertainers have adopted in their quest to be distinctive. Names like Half Pint, Coco Tea, Fabby Dally, Nitty Kutchie, Bling Dawg, Foota Hype and Round Head readily come to mind. And I used to live next door to a musical group called 'Hinds and the Invaders Combo Band the Mighty One'. True, true!
Then there was this singer called Brushy One String with a hit tune that had lyrics like "Chicken in the Corn, but the corn can't grow, mama, ah ah." Remember him? Yeah man. I saw him perform at a recent show in Mandeville, so he's still around, brushing his one string. But you tell me, does the name of the artiste really make any difference to our appreciation of their art? Look how Moses Davis big and his stage name so Beenie. And I believe Mr. Rodney Pryce would be just as lyrically awesome even if he wasn't called Bounty Killer. Do you think Ninja Man would be any less formidable if his public name was Desmond Balyntine? Would Ity & Fancy Cat be any less humorous if they were called by their birth names Ian & Alton? I don't think so.
But it is a personal choice on the performers' part and we can't fight that. Artistes can be very idiosyncratic, but they are not the only ones. I remember a guy in high school whose correct name was John Brown and he eventually changed it to something like Abwefiano Asiamigbe. But guess what? Everybody still called him John Brown. That is not nice though; any name a person chooses should be respected.
The truth is, name doesn't really make a difference as long as an entertainer has real ability. Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Bob Marley, Alton Ellis, Carl Dawkins, and Beresford Hammond for example, would be just as well appreciated if they had outlandish names like Left Side & Esco, Tanto Metro, Goofy, Red Rat, Red Dragon or King Yellowman. When you are good you are good. And if your act stinks, it won't matter if you call yourself King Cologne or Princess Perfume. Sure, a unique name adds to the mystique and helps to make an artiste distinctive. Yes, a good gimmick helps. But when all is said and done, good art and genuine talent really needs no gimmick.
Ah me name wha mi name!
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