An interview with Fatboy aka James Onen on Maximum Rock show at Ugandan online radio station RX Radio (https://www.rxradio.ug/). We talk about my music, the current state of rock music, my origins, and played three of my tracks.

Interview with Fatboy aka James Onen of RX Radio for Maximum Rock

Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode ( guitar instrumental cover)

Stories from the Heart

Looking at You - Drew & The Devotees

 A song about the plight of the migrant workers in Brunei.

 Contains mild explicit profanities.

Vocals and lyrics by Abdullah Kamit
Music and backing vocals by Alif Ahmad

Second class citizens,
Treated with contempt,
Below my social class, 
At least that is the taught concept,
Suspects of crime and vice,
That’s the mentality,
We think we’re better than the lot,
Complain constantly,
They do the dirty work and yet are underpaid,
 Contractors and cleaners,
And a lot of them are maids,
What is happening to Brunei?
Oh, this is some society!
Try to treat them equally,
Have some humanity!

On they go treated like shit,
Hired by us,
So I go ride along with them,
On the Purple Bus,
I am not above them,
And neither below,
So I pay my bus fare and off I go!

They keep the grass clean and cut my hair,
Some of their jobs are dangerous,
Oh, is this even fair?
Working hard out in the scorching heat,
I wouldn’t even last a month, 
Let alone a week!
I have been spoiled by the perks of Brunei,
I try to be independent,
It’s not easy but I try,
I wash my own dishes,
Whenever I can,
Start with the little things,
At least that is the master plan!

We need the labour badly,
Attitudes we must adjust,
You should ride along with them,
On the Purple Bus,
You are not above them,
And neither below,
Some of them are really nice or kinder than you know!

Strike a conversation with their help when you are bored,
And maybe afterwards  you might be friends and you could score (Hey hey!),
You might find some common grounds and similar interests,
And if you spill your beverage,
You should clean up your own mess,
Filthy and dirty scum riding the back of trucks (Eww!)
Don’t you dare cuss them,
Without them, you are fucked!
They are part of the unexpected treasures,
So,don’t exploit them too much for your own leisure......

Why does it have to be them and us?
We should all just ride together on the Purple Bus,
We are not above them and neither below,
So pay your fucking bus fare and off we go,
Off we go!
Ride the Purple Bus (c’mon, everybody!) 
Which is not purple anymore but multiple colours (ride the Purple Bus!)
At least yellow, red, orange,grey,
Green, brown, and blue,
Purple bus!


Purple Bus by Abdullah Kamit

Doom Retro

All instruments, programming, mixing and mastering done by yours truly.

Gentle Warning

A short recording of a South African hymn in Zulu ,written by Andries Van Tonder, and sung by the Isamilo International School Mwanza student choir (conducted by Noah Odera).

 Drums by Noah Odera
 Production, mixing and mastering by yours truly.

Siyahamba

A short recording of a South African song by the Isamilo International School Mwanza choir group, conducted by Noah Odera.

Drums by Noah Odera.
Production done by yours truly.

Sangena

Originally recorded by Perfect Scums, I have always wanted to cover this song for a long time.

Thank you Perfect Scums and Bitpulse Records for granting permission to record this.

CREDITS
released November 30, 2018
Production,mixing and mastering done by yours truly.
All vocals, instruments and programming by yours truly.

Cover art by Constructivist Works

Akhlys

Bangili was originally written by Leo Mkanyia, which featured first on his debut EP, Dunia Hii, and later rerecorded for his second LP, also titled Bangili, which featured guest singers, Makadem and Winyo.

This is my take on what I consider to be a great example of Swahili Blues, a term originated by Mkanyia himself.

CREDITS
released April 8, 2019
Lyrics by Leo Mkanyia and Makadem
Production, mixing, mastering, vocals and instrumentation by Alifchief

Bangili

My ode to Mother Africa after living here for three years (and counting!)

Cover photograph by Baraka Nyororo .

CREDITS
released August 5, 2019
Vocal, guitar, bass, mixing and production by me.
Drums by Ryan Lerigo-Jones
Mastering by Danish Nordin (Neez Studio)
Lyrics by me.

Special thanks to the following for crowdfunding the drums recording session in the UK:

Eddy Hassan
Alexander Bounty
Rina Zaini
Gregory Brooks

alifchief

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