Nigel Rojas of Orange Sky
by Deb Rao
Staff Writer
Nigel Rojas of Orange Sky has checked in with Hardrock Haven regarding the release of Dat Iz Voodoo and their tour with Kings X. Be sure to check out the recent concert review at Hardrockhaven.net
Q: Nigel, Orange Sky recently released their sophomore album, Dat Iz Voodoo via Star City Records. Musically, how does this album compare to your debut release Insight?
NIGEL: “This album, compared to our first album, Upstairs, is a bit more progressive and heavier. Upstairs was a very dreamy, romantic hard rock album; this album has a lot more socio-political insight, and the musical backdrop naturally is heavier. However, I would say that if anyone liked Upstairs, then they would love Dat Iz Voodoo.”
Q: What inspired Orange Sky to do a re-make of The Scorpions song “Is Anybody There?”
NIGEL: “We always loved the Scorpions, especially the early stuff. The song was on the radio at home since the late ‘70s, and the style in which it was done, which is with a reggae-type of groove and typical Scorpions melodic texture. I thought that song was made for us to cover. It is a destiny thing, and we actually got to play it live for them when we opened for them last year in front of about 15,000 people, and it went off really well; they loved it, and we were stoked about that.”
Q: Over how long a time period did it take to write and record, Dat Iz Voodoo?
NIGEL: “I wrote the songs during our downtime on Trinidad after our last label went bankrupt and we were sent home to our island after releasing Upstairs and doing 44 cities with Yngwie Malmsteen with no label and no management. We were very depressed, especially after starting to pick up some momentum and a fan base here in the U.S. The songs were written over a few weeks, and we recorded the album over a two-month period.”
Q: Is there special meaning behind the title of the album, Dat Iz Voodoo?
NIGEL: “No, we just wanted to do an album cover and theme with some dark, mystical, almost foreboding vibe, just like the old Zeppelin and Black Sabbath albums but with an Island twist. I guess it worked. (Laughter)
Q: Orange Sky has a sound that is very unique combining Reggae and Metal. As a singer, who are some of your influences?
NIGEL: “I am a huge music fan, long before I started to be a musician. My influences are vast, but I could name some of the main singers that were definitely influential like, Ozzy, Bob Marley, Jimi Hendrix and a few more.”
Q: Dat Iz Voodoo is embedded with powerful guitar riffs and vocals that have a true Island vibe. How you best describe the sound of Orange Sky and how important was it for the band to showcase the diverse styles of different genres on your latest release?
NIGEL: “We have been lucky to be exposed to all kinds of music from an early age. I always say that Metal is the brother of hard rock, Hard rock is the cousin of Punk, and Punk is the adopted Uncle of Reggae, and all these styles fall under the title “Rock and Roll.” We have all these styles in our music, so I call it “Rock and Roll” because Orange sky is filled with all these styles.”
Q: How did you come up with the name Orange Sky?
NIGEL: “At dawn and at dusk everyday on our island for a few minutes, the sky becomes totally orange, some days more than others. That Orange sky, to me, represents the beginning and the end “infinity,” so that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. (Laughter)
Q: Over the years, Orange Sky has supported major acts such as Skid Row, Hatebreed, and Yngwie Malmsteen. What were some of the highlights while supporting these major acts?
NIGEL: “The highlights are that most of these bands were in posters on our wall when we were young. We saw them as super heroes, so to be able to share a stage with them and to hang out and look them in the eye, share a bottle of whatever and just bask in the surreal moment, I am definitely taking most of those memories with me to the next life when I die.”
Q: Would you say that these tours were instrumental in establishing the band in your country of Trinidad and Port of Spain?
NIGEL: “I am assuming that you mean the “tours’ of the established rock acts passing through Trinidad, and if so, then the answer is yes. No arrogance meant, but at home we are like KISS, so when the big bands pass through, and the promoter calls Orange Sky to open, it is because we are a great addition to the show entertainment wise, and a couple thousand seats extra guaranteed, draw wise.”
Q: As an artist, what are some of the differences of touring in Trinidad versus the U.S.?
NIGEL: “Well the first difference is distance. Trinidad is an island; I live in the north of the island. I used to think that it was a long drive to get to the south of the island to play a show, which is about 50 miles away. Now, in the U.S., we have driven over 42,000 miles since last July; sometimes the distance from one gig to another could be as much as 700 miles, so when I think about it, if ever I am in Trinidad again and I need to perform in the south, I think I could walk it. Also in Trinidad, because it is such a small island, when we do a concert and there are 1,500 people or so, I feel like I know everyone there, but when we play the U.S., even if the entire crowd totals 20 people, it stills feels very potent because it is a fresh audience. You see, in Trinidad, we are like KISS, a big fish in a small pond, and here we are a small fish in a very big pond, and that brings a new challenge and an even greater conquest.”
Q: Would you say that Dat Iz Voodoo has an underlying political theme?
Nigel: “No, I’ll say that it is very much on the surface; it is not underlying. But the entire album is not all political mumbo jumbo; we covered a wide range of vibes.”
Q: Dat Iz Voodoo has a vast array of different musical styles. What inspired the slower tunes and ballads such as “Alone,” “Rainbows,” and “Roses?”
NIGEL: “Alone” is about living in this crazy world, and with all people in this world, we still have billions of lonely people. “Rainbows” is about life and death. The older we get, the more preoccupied we tend to get about the mystery of death, and “Roses” is about romantic angst Orange-Sky style.”
Q: Also there are thrash/punk songs such as “Psycho World.” What inspired this song?
NIGEL: “Psycho World” is about mankind being the most dangerous monkey on this planet; monkeys with guns and money.”
Q: Orange Sky is touring with Kings X. What can the fans for the first time seeing Orange Sky in the U.S. expect to see on this tour? It is the perfect bill for the band.
NIGEL: “Well, actually, we are touring the entire West Coast and upper Midwest with them over 20 shows. It is great; we are very excited. We always loved Kings X, and we expect to make a whole lot of new friends every night on this tour. They could expect a typical Orange sky live show, which is a total spiritual body slam and maximum emotional exfoliation. We give 100% every time, no less.”
Q: Nigel would you like to break down Dat Iz Voodoo, track by track?
l. “Yesterdays And Tomorrows:” “A glimpse of the socio/political life in the Third world.”
2. “s There Anybody There?”: A Scorpions cover, this is a song that I always loved and wanted to do it as a tribute to them and also as a fun song to jam.”
3. “Alone:” “In a world of so many people, we are all still so lonely.”
4. ‘”Dark Room:”’ “A Chinese philosopher called Confucius said, ‘Ignorance is the night of the mind, the night without moon and stars.’ The Dark Room is in our minds, where we shut away the negative horse shit that politics and religion tend to force upon us.”
5. “Roses:” “’Roses’ is about Romantic angst done in a typical Orange-Sky style.”
6. “Rainbows:” “The never-ending preoccupation that we, as mortals, have with the mystery of death.”
7. “Psycho World:” “’Psycho World’ is about us, as humans, being the most dangerous monkey on the planet, programmed to destroy everything in sight.”
8. “Never:” “A love song, a break-up /make-up song.”
9. “Run:” “Third-world politics and strife”.
10. “Second Wind:” “A song about seeking clarity, turning on the windshield wipers of the mind, to see the road ahead and gaining a second wind from that clarity, a renewed energy.”
11. “The End:” “This an apocalyptic view of the world and a desire to start everything all over, to press ‘RESET’ on history.”
12. “Closer:” “Exactly what it says? The need for us, as humans, to rise up and wipe our tears away after the storm of life and its adversities.”
NIGEL: “Thanks for your interest. It means a lot that you are helping us to plant our seeds. We appreciate it very much.”