Music in Guyana is getting better all the time, but there is need for more guidance from producers to the youngsters entering the arena. So says veteran musician Compton ‘Coody' Hodges.
After years of contributing to the development of the budding local music industry, he says that, in his opinion, “ Guyana is full of talent, and it's nice to be creating music, but some guidance is needed urgently or the young ones will perish and be embarrassed if they make it to the international stage.”
The 54-year-old singer, who now does most of his singing on cruise ships to raving reviews, has been missing for a while on the local shores. But he's back for Mash, to deal with the subject of “Bumsey Rolling.”
Aside from all the hot soca rotations on the local airwaves, Hodges plans to, as he puts it, teach and share some direct lyrical discussions on ‘Bumsey Rolling.' After preparations in New York , and filming and editing in Guyana , his new ‘Bumsey Rolling' video and soca song hit the airwaves this weekend.
This bouncy, high energy song, Hodges guarantees, “will cause Soca lovers to unleash their gyration potentials as they sing along whenever it is played.”
Compton has proven himself, time and again, as an accomplished singer/performer in all aspects of music, and he's established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the local Soca arena.
Boasting singles on several compilations of various artistes, he has to his name both the Road March and the Soca Monarch crowns with hits such as “Extra Soca” in 2002, “Umbrella Party” in 2003, and “ Balloon City ” in 2004.
He is aiming for the Road March title yet again, he says. “Bumsey Rolling” is an extension of what he does as a Soca artiste.
He loves to experiment with various styles of the art form. This pulsating song captures all of the energy movements that occur among revellers when they're out to party, whether in fetes or on the streets on Mash Day.
He encourages all to “leh we roll it,” come Mash Day.
While to some he went missing in action from the local music arena, he says that he was actually flying the Golden Arrowhead on the Princess Cruises cruise liner, entertaining in the Eastern and Western Caribbean, and in New York .
During those many trips, he was bestowed with awards in Barbados , Los Angeles , and in New York for his musical abilities.
He is also the voice behind this year's Carib Soca Road March song titled “Crib Crew Anthem.”
He is going to be around for another four months, during which he plans to offer guidance, where necessary, to singers seeking such.
The Bumsey Rolling song was arranged by Guyanese Philip Nichols and recorded at his studio in NY. Currently, he is recording a ‘back in time' album and a Reggae/Hip Hop album for releases shortly.
Of music in the Guyana industry, he says that there is need for intellectual property rights legislation to better protect the artistes as “it is also a bread and butter issue for most artistes, who deserve to earn from their abilities.”