Interview: Beres Hammond (2012)

November 20, 2012

Anyone who thinks there is a time limit on success in popular music should take note and inspiration from the example of Anotto Bay, Jamaica’s Beresford Hammond. Hammond had a respectable career during the 1970s as an adolescent frontman to soulful reggae group Zap Pow but blossomed into a megastar in the 80s and 90s, working with producers including Willie Lindo, Fatis Burrell and Donovan Germain, as well as his for his own Harmony House label. Renowned as a singer and writer of witty observant love songs (a skill he puts down to being one of the only boys in a family mainly composed of girls), Hammond is also an underrated chronicler of reality themes. Both sides are given voice on his new double album, ‘One Love One Life’, his 19th, released this week. Angus Taylor spoke to reggae’s 57 year old fine wine as he was celebrating a triumphant show at London’s Wembley arena about his loves, his life and, most importantly, his laughs, of which there are more than a few…

Beres Hammond

Your new album is as double album – did you feel you had more to share this time?

Every day that passes, one has new experiences. Some experiences are unique. But you don’t need to keep them to yourself, you need to share them with people. And so I always do it within a song. Share my experiences. If people like it then it might make a difference within their lives. Every single day I get a chance to sing a song about what I had learned today – it’s a wonderful thing for me to do.

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