George Nooks still focused on the ‘Message in de Music’
Published:Monday | September 9, 2024 | 12:08 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Singer George Nooks is confident that a strong musical message is timeless, and he also believes that the success and longevity of a song is determined by the “right ingredients”, one of which is a live recording session with talented musicians.
His newest album, Message in de Music, he says, is testament to this. It was actually recorded nearly two decades ago, and upon release, the songs are as fresh as sun-dried laundry.
“This album was done 20 years ago … and I guess that now is just the right time to release it,” Nooks shared. “With musicians going into the studio and playing real music, it can come out at any time, especially if it has a message that remains relevant.”
The 15-track Message in de Music, at the request of the producer, mainly comprises brand new material. Nooks said he was only to happy to oblige and drew out his writing instrument and got the job done.
“Me and Pearl Howell … we wrote these songs together. Tads (the producer) wanted us to do an album of only originals, but there is one cover, a song made popular by Dennis Brown, featuring me and Josey Wales,” explained the veteran reggae singer, who also made his name in the dancehall as a deejay, and with a monster hit, Forty Leg Dread, under the name Prince Mohammed.
That collab is titled Leave Her Alone, and Nooks pointed out that it was Tads who reached out to Josey Wales about the song, and he actually heard the track when it was completed.
“I wasn’t in the studio when Josey was recording his part, but when I heard it I approved 100 per cent,” he said of the dancehall-flavoured song.
Message in de Music, a special release from Tad’s International Record, is described as “a blend of lovers rock and roots music”. Listed among the other tracks are Fly Away, Just One Date, Smile Today, Don’t Worry, It’s About Time, You’re Leaving Me, Pick Up the Pace, Slave Cry, Gangster From Jam Dung and Rude Bwoy.
Artistes are usually reluctant to name a favourite song from their albums or EPs and their usual response is, “I like them all.” Nooks, however, didn’t follow the script. He particularly loves the song Smile Today because it “resonates in a special way”.
“As the song says, “ there’s a lot one smile can do… it’s funny how a smile can go a long, long way, it’s funny how a frown can you feel down, it’s funny how a smile turns everything around …we should smile now because it is better than a frown,’” Nooks sang.
“It’s an uplifting song and all of us, especially when we are going through rough times, need something to smile about. I don’t want to blow my own trumpet, but overall this is a great album. To be honest, I forgot all about it … . That happens sometimes in our business; yuh record some songs for a producer and years later it is released, and everything comes right back to you as if you recorded it yesterday,” Nooks said.
The singer, who has also made his name in the gospel arena, dropped his last album in 2021. Through it All, a 13-songs offering, contained gospel favourites such as Amazing Grace, God On The Mountain, Come mi jus a Come, and the title track. Nooks penned two of the songs on that album, Prodigal Son and Nuh Badda Worry.
Prior to that, he had released For You, a collection of lovers rock ballads, which came out in 2018.
“What I have been doing for the last couple of years is rotating them … a secular album, then a gospel, and the cycle continues. So the next album I am working on is gospel. I have started already. I enjoy gospel albums; it reminds me of when I was much younger and singing in the church. And even now, it is a joy when people walk up to me and tell me, ‘I was down and your song lift me up.’ That tells me that I am doing a good job,” Nooks said.
Message in de Music is available on all digital platforms, including Apple Music, Amazon and Spotify.