COURTESY OF LUKAS SENO
It's been 15 years since Shinehead has been on the pop album charts but the musician says nothing much has changed -- except that he's gained a little weight.
He still strives
to shineShinehead returns to
the stage tomorrow
It's been 15 years since "Unity" put Shinehead on the pop album charts, and although the world has changed tremendously in the interim, he still finds inspiration riding the New York City subway system.
"That's one of the ways that I keep my edge, my sharpness, and practice my craft. You're too far removed when you're in a comfortable vehicle. You gotta ride the bus like the masses, gotta ride the trains like the masses. Even if you don't speak to anyone, just get the feel, hear the sounds, smell the smells, keep sharp," said Shinehead (aka Edmund Carl Aiken) via cell phone from somewhere in Los Angeles late last week.
Shinehead and Sleepy Wonder
Where: Don Ho's Island Grill, Aloha Tower MarketplaceWhen: 10 p.m. tomorrow
Tickets: $15 presale and $20 at the door, available at 1-877-71-GROOVE or online at groovetickets.com, 21 and over
Call: 528-0807
Knowledgeable reggae fans familiar with the "Unity" album know what to expect tomorrow night when Shinehead headlines a double-bill concert with Sleepy Wonder at Don Ho's in the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Fans know that Shinehead excels at sampling hits from artists as Marty Robbins and the Singing Nun, and makes them part of his insights on subjects ranging from Greek mythology to the importance of education and the danger of crack.
They also know that the man knows how to take a show over the top. Shinehead had charisma to burn when he emerged from the moat at the Waikiki Shell and went out into the crowd when he performed as the closing act at "Reggae Sunsplash '90," and was just as impressive the following year at the Shell. He promises the same type of high energy performance tomorrow.
"I still do it. Not much has changed except that I've gained a little weight, I'm told. I jokingly say it's old age, but I've put on a few extra grams, that's it."
Shinehead enjoys doing a moderate amount of exercise and plays golf, and when he's not on tour, enjoys working on his home in New York.
"I'm not really gung-ho or overboard -- I just buy the tools I need -- but Home Depot is my Toys-R-Us," he said, explaining that when the renovations are completed, he plans to sell the property and take on another fixer-upper.
And although he says that he's not as "high profile as it was back in the day," he hasn't been idle in recent years. In addition to his tour schedule, he released another album, "Praises," in 1999.
A second album that he refers to as "the bootleg," a collection of collaborations with different producers, is due for release as a compilation later this year.
He says the actual title will be "Strive," and the title track will be an update of a song he included on 1990's "The Real Rock." (The song can be downloaded from his new Web site shinehead.com.) As with much of his popular songs -- "Unity," "The Truth" and "Who the Cap Fits," for example -- "Strive" will offer a positive and uplifting message.
"Sometimes it's hard, but try and you'll make it, believe you me, in order to achieve, go forth and take it. ... It's not what you wear, it's how you wear it. It's not where you live, it's how you live in it, and when you visualize, it will materialize. White collar workers, blue collar workers, school students, all hard-working and smart-working folks, strive.
"People have approached me and thanked me (for that song) saying 'When I was on drugs, or when I was considering suicide, or when my baby's father abandoned me or my baby's mother abandoned me, or when it looked like there was no hope for me ... it was your song that pulled me through."
Not surprisingly, "Strive" will be the leadoff track on the new CD.
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