Clive Bean’s ‘Underground Our Home’ is 1 of the deepest Deep House mixtapes you will find out there. He truly puts his heart into them and the mixtapes have featured twice on Soul Candi’s Candi Cast. This is a clear indication that his sound is 1 to hear.
I had the honour of interviewing him and asking him about ‘Underground Our Home’. The interview is below.
1. ‘Underground Our Home’ is 1 of my favourite mixtapes (I hope you don’t mind me calling it that). What was the inspiration behind it, when you started making them?
– The inspiration behind these mixtapes (‘Underground Our Home’) is the underground itself. I am sole believer of the Underground and this for me is an avenue where I don’t compromise myself nor think about what it may sound like to an unfamiliar ear but my own instinct.
2. What inspired the name?
– For me a name is like a wrapper for sweets, chocolate or any beverage for that matter…if it does not look good (in this case sound good or rhythm well) then it will never be appealing to the buyer, listener, or aficionado. Moreover, good names (for me at-least) distinguish and segregate the good from the not so good, of course with the expectation that product (in this case) being the mix itself needs to be good. Never package kak hoping it will turn out to be manna!
3. What story do you wish to portray with your
‘Underground Our Home’ releases?
– I wish to portray that, in the country that embraces House music so much, the underground scene/music/ lifestyle has given birth to the over-ground. That is, there could never be the “commercial” success (we seeing or rather hearing today) if the underground did not exit. Fact is I grew up listening to underground music, so I can only narrate (through my mixtapes) underground stories.
4. Decades from now, when your son (congratulations, by the way, sir), listens to them, what do you think will go through his head?
– Thank You,…I think what will go through Zuri’s head (then) would be, His Dad believed in the power being you (yourself) and that Jah made all of us as different and unique individuals, we can only show that (individualism) through taste!
5. Can he carry on the legacy of ‘Underground Our Home’, if ever he asked to? And will you teach him your famous backspin?
– Hahahahaha – funny. Nah I do not want him to do anything He does not aspire to do, believe in or feels like doing. Therefore, that will be entirely up-to him. Art is no obligation but free will and choice of oneself!
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