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Does Demola Adepoju belong in the SG HOF?
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The Steel Guitar Forum
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Does Demola Adepoju belong in the SG HOF?
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This topic was originally posted in this forum: Wanted To Buy |
| Author | Topic: Does Demola Adepoju belong in the SG HOF? |
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Mike Perlowin Member Posts: 6731 |
posted 07 February 2001 07:35 PM
For those of you who don't know, Demola is the guy who played steel for King Sunny Ade. I know most people here are only marginally aware of Juju music, but here is what Demola has accomplished in his native country. (Nigeria.) In the early 70's Demola heard a Hawaiian steel guitar in the radio and became determined to play the instrument. At first he practiced on a standard guitar with a raised nut. He went to the docks in his native city of Lagos, which is a shipping city on the coast, and asked sailors off the ships if any of them had a Hawaiian guitar they would be willing to sell. Finally he was able to get his hands on a 6 string lap steel. (Remember there were no such things in Nigeria at the time.) After teaching himself to play, he, as a complete amateur, managed to join the band of the most popular singer in the country, King Sunny Ade, who at that time had already made 20 albums. He became the band's featured instrumentalist. After a short stint on the lap steel, he went to England and bought pedal steels, an Emmons D-10, an Emmons S-12, and a Sho-Bud LDG. Then WITH NO INSTRUCTION BOOKS OR REFERENCE MATERIAL OF ANY KIND, he taught himself to play by figuring everything out. And because he played with the most popular singer in the country, other singers wanted that same sound, and pretty soon other steel players started cropping up in Africa. Today there are (I'm told) about 150 pedal steel players in Nigeria and the instrument is spreading into the music of neighboring countries. Demola doesn't just play the steel, he single handedly started a steel guitar movement in Africa that is still growing. Steel guitarists generally don't know much about him, but perhaps they should. [This message was edited by Mike Perlowin on 07 February 2001 at 07:38 PM.] |
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Lee Baucum Member Posts: 3201 |
posted 07 February 2001 07:42 PM
Mike - The only recordings I've heard are on the tape you sent me a few years ago. That style of music is absolutely beautiful, even without steel guitar. The steel guitar really does fit in quite well. Are there other styles of music in Africa that are now using steel guitar? Every now and then I run across a King Sunny Ade CD at Best Buy, but I've never bought one, for fear that Demola wouldn't be on it. Could you give us some titles to watch for? Lee, from South Texas |
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Lee Baucum Member Posts: 3201 |
posted 07 February 2001 07:44 PM
Oh yeah. In answer to your question....yes! Lee |
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Michael Johnstone Member Posts: 2535 |
posted 07 February 2001 08:04 PM
I don't know if he belongs in the HOF,but when I was in Nigeria in 1980 doing some research for a music film project,the radio airwaves were FILLED with steel guitar.Mostly lap and a simple melodic style but steel nonetheless.The music was a sort of reggae but not as heavy on the upbeat w/vocal harmonies similar to South African vocal groups like Ladysmith,etc. BTW,I also got to see the late Fela Kuti at his nightclub there in Lagos and it was damn spooky(he was a sort of motherland prototype of James Brown with a voodoo/jazzy edge)...I dug it. -MJ- |
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Doug Beaumier Member Posts: 2346 |
posted 07 February 2001 08:39 PM
Mike, Interesting idea. It's also worth mentioning that Demola created his own tuning for pedal steel. I read an interview years ago where he said that his first Emmons pedal steel arrived "untuned"... so he devised a tuning to suit the music that they were playing. Innovative guy. Maybe someday he'll be invited to play at Scotty's convention. ------------------ |
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Michael ODriscoll Member Posts: 52 |
posted 07 February 2001 09:15 PM
No, absolutely not! Not that dirty drug using, steel-guitar playing hippie? After all, he brought attention to an obscure and stereotyped instrument to perhaps hundreds in this country. So what if he didn’t have all of the fingers on his right hand! Big deal, and I’m sure even Buddy Emmons didn’t have the benefit of Winnie Winston’s book when he started. Oh, wait. Sorry, I got this mixed up with another topic on the forum. How’d that happen! ------------------ |
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Mike Perlowin Member Posts: 6731 |
posted 08 February 2001 12:07 AM
Demola created his own tuning at first, but he now plays a standard E9 with 3 pedals and f knee levers, just like the rest of us. Lee, the tape I sent you is the only one worth having. None of the others feature the steel as heavily. For those interested in picking up a copy, the name of the album is "Juju Music" by King Sunnt Ade and his African Beats. It's on the Mango label. Here is a link to the CD http://www.songsearch.net/scripts/song.taf?BAR=0162539712 |
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Bobby Lee Sysop Posts: 14849 |
posted 08 February 2001 01:01 AM
Have you nominated him yet, Mike? I'm not a fan of juju music. It sounds monotonous to me. It doesn't change chords very much and hardly ever changes key signatures. It sounds mostly like dance music to me, and I'm a listener not a dancer. While the steel is out front, the nuances of the instrument tend to get lost in such a large band. I never get the sense that I am listening to the player's hands. Maybe if there were some recordings of Demola in a more intimate combo I would appreciate his art more. |
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Iain Member Posts: 158 |
posted 08 February 2001 03:03 AM
I remember seeing him on tv here (in Britain) years back and really liked the sound; this was LONG before I played steel. I like steel in odd contexts eg. whoever it was that played with Billie Ray Martin in tv's "Later" afew years back. Not a bad idea, to put wild cards into the H of Fame |
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Jack Stoner Sysop Posts: 8119 |
posted 08 February 2001 04:16 AM
I've seen part of Mike's tape (I got about half way through and couldn't take any more). Although he is an innovator and has taken the pedal steel into a different venue I don't think he is an innovator, who is widely copied, such as Emmons, Byrd, etc and for that reason do not think he belongs in the Steel Guitar Hall of fame. |
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P Gleespen Member Posts: 751 |
posted 08 February 2001 04:35 AM
quote: Actually, he is exactly that, a widely copied innovator. He's just not widley copied in the U.S. |
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Mike Perlowin Member Posts: 6731 |
posted 08 February 2001 04:48 AM
Jack, Demola is not widely known by the mainstream steel guitar community, but in his native country, he is as influential among the steel guitarists there as Buddy Emmons is among people like us. Now I understand that Juju music may not be everybody's cup of tea but there's no denying that it has embraced the steel, and it's all because of Demola and his love of the instrument. BTW, Demola is not the steel guitarist on the video I sent you, he had already left the band when that was shot. The steel player is named Abodin Fatouka. He is Demola's replacement. The fact that Demola could be replaced tells us that there are other steel guitarists in Nigeria, and that is directly attributable to him. Like I said before, he didn't just discover the instrument and learn to play it himself, he started a whole steel guitar movement over there. The fact that many of us in the mainstream steel guitar community are unaware of it, just like the fact that none of us knew about the Sacred Steel tradition till recently, or the fact that some people don't care for the music does not negate it's existence, or the historical signifgance of the steel guitar migrating to Africa and finding a new home in the native music there. And Demola's role in that cannot be overstated. It happened soley and entirely because of him. Pure and simple. |
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Matt Dawson Member Posts: 226 |
posted 08 February 2001 05:02 AM
Many years ago in the in the wilds of western Europe in an unknown country called Luxembourg I started playing pedal steel guitar. Back then there were only a handful of bands that didnt use steel, but now there are over ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY bands who dont use steel guitar IN LUXEMBOURG ALONE!!! This is entirely due to my influence. Can I be in the SGHOF? Just kidding... To be serious for a minute, I fail to see the point of the SGHOF. The only people who care who is recognised are other steel players (many, if not most of whom are on this list) WE know who the greats are, and we keep their memory alive by playing and listening to their music (not to mention discussing it) I'm sure the greats would prefer to be honoured this way. |
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Steve Feldman Member Posts: 2983 |
posted 08 February 2001 06:37 AM
Sorry...I thought he played for the Sixers. |
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b0b Sysop Posts: 8084 |
posted 08 February 2001 08:38 AM
For newcomers here, I want to stress that the Steel Guitar Forum is not connected to the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in any way. The SGHOF's web page is at www.scottysmusic.com/hofplq.htm. ------------------ |
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Sage Member Posts: 525 |
posted 08 February 2001 09:42 AM
Oh Mike, you rabble rouser. Yes, I think that he definitely belongs on the list of the greats (who may or may not get HOF recognition) because of his contributions. He's probably still a little young in his career to get that honor, even in an "ideal" HOF. What is he doing these days? BTW- he is not the only steeler to influence the African continent. Glenn Taylor of Denver is a very fine and long-time steel player. He fell in love with African dance pop and formed the band Monkey Siren. He led this large, very cool band while playing pedal steel! I think he is one of steel's finest rhythm players. He planned a trip to Africa to play with different musicians in the late 80's. He built a PSG from scratch that was light and compact enough to fit in the overhead compartment of an airplane! He went over there (Zimbabwe?) and spent many weeks traveling around, playing with different folks. He brought back some ebony which was given to him, and made another steel from scratch with it when he got home. He still plays in Denver, and his latest PSG is an archtop jazz model! Just wanted you to know that Demola wasn't the only one. |
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Jim Cohen Member Posts: 8715 |
posted 08 February 2001 10:58 AM
quote:Oh, I'd love to see a photo of that posted here. Any chance you can procure one for us, Sage? ------------------ |
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jay thompson Member Posts: 291 |
posted 08 February 2001 03:38 PM
No! |
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Sage Member Posts: 525 |
posted 09 February 2001 09:11 AM
Hi Jim- I'll ask Glenn if he's cool with that. It's black with white binding. We talked long ago about putting the changer and the tuners all together on the nut side, and he's beat me to building one that way. It gives the instrument a much more natural body tone. And again- Demola... Yes! |
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Donny Hinson Member Posts: 9192 |
posted 09 February 2001 05:02 PM
I think it's way to soon to make a decision on Demola. If JuJu music continues to be popular for another 10 or 20 years, and if the steel remains prominent in it, then maybe it should be "considered". In the meantime, maybe we should try to get the people who did the same thing for steel guitar in THIS country into the HOF. (None of them are in there yet!) Don't you think THAT would be a better idea? |
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Vern Kendrick Member Posts: 442 |
posted 09 February 2001 07:13 PM
I don't know......is Superman a transvestite??? |
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