THIRD WORLD HAS TOUCHED is here for the Naniki Music Festival and ready to let you feel at least 96 Degrees In The Shade. The band is no stranger to Barbados, having performed here over 12 times already, starting from 1977.
While the band has seen some changing faces over the years, the sound and sentiment remain the same.
“We are a band that will keep being us. We know our audiences. So we come with songs that Bajans know. We are a performing band so we have to figure out what we can do that is different . . . that is interesting, said guitarist Cat Coore.
“Third World is about performing and we pride ourselves on that.”
Coore said the band has had intense rehearsals as they leave tomorrow to perform the same night in Jamaica at the annual Rebel Salute.
“We were just there [Jamaica] last month putting on a charity show and we hope it will be an annual event. We are heavily involved in charity work.”
Coore, said the band has been together for over 43 years, longer than his marriages.
“It has been a long and successful journey. We are happy to have played our part.”
Third World’s success has been well documented in their albums and tours. The group has shared many memories, of which Coore highlighted three: “Working with Stevie Wonder tops the list. He is a phenomenal person. Someone that is so talented. We have toured with Carlos Santana and we opened for Bob Marley on his first big tour in Britain on his English leg in 1975.
“That really helped to start us and give us our break as we signed with Chris Blackwell label out of London.”
Coore, who said their latest album is in production with Damian Marley and Ghetto Youths said the olden days of recording music has changed.
“It is very much the same but very much different. Nowadays you have computers . . . . It is no longer running into a studio. It has broken down the cost of recording drastically. But in production we still lay the tracks, and so on but I would say it has changed for the better.”
With songs such as 96 Degrees In the Shade, Try Jah Love, Always Around, Now That We’ve Found Love among others, the band says their set always depends on their crowd.
Coore said the reggae scene isn’t national anymore but a world scene.
“We have performed in some great places and most of them have some Caribbean cultural element . . . whether a bar or even the reggae colours displayed.”
The band isn’t retiring anytime soon, Coore said, o keep playing”, he said and he sees the future of reggae in good hands.
“The Marleys, Chronixx, Protégé, are doing very well. I want them to keep the good vibes, keep singing songs that inspire people and keep the consciousness going.”
The band is now at six, having added vocalist A.J. Brown after the death of Bunny Rugs. Coore said the band will remain at that number.
