Post by dawyked on May 5, 2006 9:37:21 GMT 1
part 2... ;D
Then there's the big project: a Fugees reunion album.
The group broke up in 1997, with Jean, Michel and Lauryn Hill all becoming solo artists. Hill, arguably, became even more famous on her own than she was with the group.
Various feuds between group members made a reunion seem unlikely. But apparently, everyone is getting along well again.
In late 2004, the trio made a surprise appearance at the Brooklyn street concert that was documented in the recent movie, "Dave Chappelle's Block Party." They also released a single last year ("Take It Easy") and toured in Europe in November and December.
Duplessis says the group has set no specific deadline for completing another album. "Whenever it's done, and is good, it's gonna come out," he says, adding that when after it is released, the group will tour extensively.
Veteran concert promoter John Scher says there's "a lot of anticipation" for a Fugees tour.
"I've been keeping my eye on it," he says. "I think there were some dates in Europe that were fabulously well attended, and a couple not so much so. But I think they're unique and legendary, and haven't toured in a long time."
To some degree, he says, the success of the tour "depends on what kind of record they make. But I think there's an enormous reservoir of good will, especially in Jersey, and I think (a tour) could be very successful."
In a sense, the Fugees story began 23 years ago, when Duplessis moved to the United States. Jean, the son of Duplessis' father's sister, was already here.
Duplessis lived in Brooklyn first, but his father soon sent him to Newark to join the Jean family
"I was a bad kid in Haiti," says Duplessis. "I started smoking weed when I was 15, and they brought me to America. I was so bad, they wouldn't keep me in Brooklyn. My dad was like, 'I'm gonna send you to my sister's house'."
Wyclef's father was a minister, and Duplessis' father thought the family would be a good influence.
Duplessis had been playing bass for a few years at that point. "I started playing in church," he says, "but all the other kids' parents were like, 'Whatever you do, don't play with this guy, 'cause he's a bad kid.' But since I played music, Clef was always close, 'cause he loved music."
Jean also gave Duplessis the "Wonda" nickname, "because he just does wonders to the track," Jean says.
After Duplessis' family relocated to East Orange, Duplessis built a studio, the Booga Basement, in the house's basement. That's where 1996's "The Score" -- the Fugees' breakthrough album, with sales of more than 18 million, worldwide -- was recorded. (The house burned down last year, so the Booga Basement no longer exists.)
In 2001, Jean and Duplessis created their own record label, also called Booga Basement, which is best known for releasing the self-titled debut album by Willingboro trio, City High. The album produced a Top 10 single, "What Would You Do."
Making records with Jean, Duplessis usually focuses on the beats. But it doesn't always work that way.
"I deal with melodies, lyrics, guitar and keyboards, but then we flip," says Jean. "Sometimes I do the drums and he does the bass, or he can do the guitar. Sometimes they think it's me playing guitar, and it's Jerry. And sometimes they think it's Jerry playing bass, and it's me."
Even though Duplessis was with the Fugees from the beginning, he says he never thought about lobbying to become a full-fledged member.
"Jerry ain't into all that kind of stuff," says Jean. "It's more like, he's just into the vibe of producing. His turn-on is to cut up samples and then get it crackin'."
"To me," says Duplessis, "I was always a member of the Fugees, because there's no group without a producer."
Or a bass player. Duplessis, like many bassists, started as a guitarist, but gravitated to his current instrument, which tends to have a more supportive, rhythm-oriented role.
"My (guitar) would be like, 'OK, play this bass line, and I'm going to show you how to play this guitar lick.' And I started playing it, and I started liking it.
"A good beat and a good bass line, that's what makes people move. Then everything else, the sparkle, goes on top."
Then there's the big project: a Fugees reunion album.
The group broke up in 1997, with Jean, Michel and Lauryn Hill all becoming solo artists. Hill, arguably, became even more famous on her own than she was with the group.
Various feuds between group members made a reunion seem unlikely. But apparently, everyone is getting along well again.
In late 2004, the trio made a surprise appearance at the Brooklyn street concert that was documented in the recent movie, "Dave Chappelle's Block Party." They also released a single last year ("Take It Easy") and toured in Europe in November and December.
Duplessis says the group has set no specific deadline for completing another album. "Whenever it's done, and is good, it's gonna come out," he says, adding that when after it is released, the group will tour extensively.
Veteran concert promoter John Scher says there's "a lot of anticipation" for a Fugees tour.
"I've been keeping my eye on it," he says. "I think there were some dates in Europe that were fabulously well attended, and a couple not so much so. But I think they're unique and legendary, and haven't toured in a long time."
To some degree, he says, the success of the tour "depends on what kind of record they make. But I think there's an enormous reservoir of good will, especially in Jersey, and I think (a tour) could be very successful."
In a sense, the Fugees story began 23 years ago, when Duplessis moved to the United States. Jean, the son of Duplessis' father's sister, was already here.
Duplessis lived in Brooklyn first, but his father soon sent him to Newark to join the Jean family
"I was a bad kid in Haiti," says Duplessis. "I started smoking weed when I was 15, and they brought me to America. I was so bad, they wouldn't keep me in Brooklyn. My dad was like, 'I'm gonna send you to my sister's house'."
Wyclef's father was a minister, and Duplessis' father thought the family would be a good influence.
Duplessis had been playing bass for a few years at that point. "I started playing in church," he says, "but all the other kids' parents were like, 'Whatever you do, don't play with this guy, 'cause he's a bad kid.' But since I played music, Clef was always close, 'cause he loved music."
Jean also gave Duplessis the "Wonda" nickname, "because he just does wonders to the track," Jean says.
After Duplessis' family relocated to East Orange, Duplessis built a studio, the Booga Basement, in the house's basement. That's where 1996's "The Score" -- the Fugees' breakthrough album, with sales of more than 18 million, worldwide -- was recorded. (The house burned down last year, so the Booga Basement no longer exists.)
In 2001, Jean and Duplessis created their own record label, also called Booga Basement, which is best known for releasing the self-titled debut album by Willingboro trio, City High. The album produced a Top 10 single, "What Would You Do."
Making records with Jean, Duplessis usually focuses on the beats. But it doesn't always work that way.
"I deal with melodies, lyrics, guitar and keyboards, but then we flip," says Jean. "Sometimes I do the drums and he does the bass, or he can do the guitar. Sometimes they think it's me playing guitar, and it's Jerry. And sometimes they think it's Jerry playing bass, and it's me."
Even though Duplessis was with the Fugees from the beginning, he says he never thought about lobbying to become a full-fledged member.
"Jerry ain't into all that kind of stuff," says Jean. "It's more like, he's just into the vibe of producing. His turn-on is to cut up samples and then get it crackin'."
"To me," says Duplessis, "I was always a member of the Fugees, because there's no group without a producer."
Or a bass player. Duplessis, like many bassists, started as a guitarist, but gravitated to his current instrument, which tends to have a more supportive, rhythm-oriented role.
"My (guitar) would be like, 'OK, play this bass line, and I'm going to show you how to play this guitar lick.' And I started playing it, and I started liking it.
"A good beat and a good bass line, that's what makes people move. Then everything else, the sparkle, goes on top."
