Quaye looks forward to summer festival

4:45pm Wednesday 25th June 2008

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Reggae artist Finley Quaye is one of the top acts on the bill at this year's Summer Festival in Lloyd Park. Here the Edinburgh-born singer talks about collaborating with headliners Stereo MCs and recording his new album when living penniless in Clapham.

GM: The Croydon Summer Festival is a celebration of all types of culture and music, are you excited about performing there?

"I wrote and sang these songs when I had zero money. I'd walk to the studio from Clapham each day and sing from the heart. I wrote from heart and sang from heart. It has had nobody meddling with it in order to market it, it�s purely a labour of love."

Finley Quaye

FQ: For me it's a fantastic opportunity to play to the people. I know the Stereo MCs are playing too and we are good friends. The Stereos produced some of my songs so who knows, we may do a couple of songs together...

GM: You have a best of album out this year, are you pleased with it?

FQ: It is a compilation of the best tracks from 1995-2003, but it is by no means the best of my music. I still have a lot of music to make and there is plenty of room for improvement.

GM: You have a new album coming out too, what's that like?

FQ: Pound For Pound is an unadulterated Reggae album produced by Eddie Grants brother, Norman and made between Brixton and Jamaica. I wrote and sang these songs when I had zero money. I'd walk to the studio from Clapham each day and sing from the heart. I wrote from heart and sang from heart. It has had nobody meddling with it in order to market it, it's purely a labour of love.

GM: It's quite unusual to release two albums so close together, especially since it has been a while since your last one.

FQ: I have been waiting patiently for five years to release a record and hadn't managed to get one out despite working away as if I was signed. I worked every day on music and couldn't get any interest after the Sony deal collapsed.

There were a lot of rumours going around and people simply didn't want to work with me. At the time, to get on to television and radio, you had to turn a blind eye to the war, if I mentioned anything to do with it in publication or on air, I was labelled as hard work.

But right now I am putting out two albums in the same year because I can, it's much easier to make an album these days.

Croydon Summer Festival, July 12 and 13, Lloyd Park, Croydon, free. See croydonfestival.com.