Ras Charles: Oh, one other thing, excuse me, before you go Errol. 'Cause I have a lot of listeners out here who are really into Misty In Roots.
Errol Lam: Misty In Roots, right.
RC: Just a little bit, we don't want to touch too much on it, but can you just say a little bit to the listening audience. Basically what you told me [off the air]...
EL: Misty In Roots is probably the most unknown best band in the world. They're from the UK, they're not known because they're more interested in putting out good music and not making money. I mean, not that nobody wants to make no money, but they're not going to be controlled by people who tell them what to play. And it's a hard band, I personally listen to Misty In Roots everyday, every night. So I think a lot about them. I think Misty In Roots plays music that tells us something. Tells us something about conditions in the world, tells us about conditions among ourselves. Misty In Roots is definitely my favorite, and I think that because they're quote unknown unquote, people don't know about them.
RC: Well it's important for DJs like myself to really let the people know and I'm glad you told me that because I don't think I play enough Misty In Roots.
EL: So you see, that's why they're unknown [laughs].
RC: Well, no I mean I have Misty In Roots in here. Yeah I can say, I would say they're unknown because they don't tour. And that's the other thing you said, they said to me that they don't want to come to America.
EL: No, they don't want to come. They will not be controlled. They want to play their music.
RC: Right.
EL: And they travel all over Europe, they're big in Europe. They just are playing the music, they just going about their business.
RC: And I can also say, I think I told you I met them, I met Clarence in 1987 and I felt that vibe too, 'cause we wanted to bring them over here to do a special show. And they thought about it, 'cause it was a black organization, and they thought about possibly doing that, but it never materialized. And I found out that they were the first group, reggae band, from over there to play behind "iron curtains", so-called "iron curtains."
EL: Yes, yes.
RC: And I'm not going to get into what else they said [laughs], but it's really one of the groups I would love to see, when I go over to England I a [sic] definitely want to see them perform. I'd love to know their itinerary, 'cause...I would love to see them perform.
EL: Yeah, Misty In Roots. I think that, you know, listen up to that music. The live album is excellent....
RC: You not gonna believe this, you not gonna believe this. A brother came in the studio as I was about to go off last week and brought in a copy of the Live at Euro. And this, I'm not lying to you, I put it on, I got it on tape, and it sounded better than the CD.
EL: [laughs]
RC: I couldn't believe it. The copy he had, I don't know where he got it from, but it sounded like it was crisper than the CD. It was unbelievable, man. But yeah, that Eurovision 1979...
EL: Yeah, right, in Europe. They say something like this, right Ras Charles? "The music of our heart is roots music." Something like..."we play music for the past because without a knowledge of your history you like, you cannot know your destiny..."
RC: Yeah, that's right [laughs].
EL: "We play music for the present because without the knowledge of the present you are like a cabbage in this society."
RC: That's right [laughs].
EL: "We play music for the future because if you do not know about the future, you don't know about the judgement that is to come." Their music is from their heart, from the heart. Misty In Roots...
RC: Roots music!
EL: Yes, man.
RC: [laughs] No dancehall...
EL: [laughs]
RC: So now that we've gone through this, I got something that I'm a [sic] post you in the mail, my brother, that you gonna be really...you gonna like it. You gonna like it...
EL: I'm sure I will.
RC: And I will say again it was a pleasure having you call and we gonna big up The Ark Band when they come to Ithaca, at the Haunt.
EL: Yes, man, respects.
RC: Everytime, my brother.
EL: Ok, one love.
RC: Jah guide.
EL: Peace.
RC: Everytime...