World music worked hard for its place in the sun, says pioneer Simon Emerson. By Paula Yeoman.
It's hard to imagine where world music would be without innovators such as Simon Emerson. The Grammy-nominated musician has received critical acclaim over the years for his collaborative projects - none more so than Afro Celt Sound System, the collective he formed in the early 1990s, which will headline Womad 2011 in Taranaki.
As bizarre as it sounds now, bringing together a cross-cultural mash of West African tribal beats, traditional Irish music and pumping dance-floor grooves was a risky move back then.
And, as Emerson recalls, the Afro Celts were met with derision, particularly in his homeland of England.
"Quite a few people were appalled. The world music scene was a lot more conservative then. We were embraced by the New Zealanders, the Australians and the Americans, but in England we were marginalised and politely ignored at best."
It seems an odd response from a nation that had wholeheartedly embraced world music from its inception, even hosting the first Womad festival back in 1982. But Emerson says people just "didn't get it".
"At the time world music was in a kind of liberal apartheid stage," he explains.
"There was this idea that roots music had to be kept pure for it to be authentic and you couldn't have collaborations. But the Afro Celts came and threw that all away. We weren't interested in representing African music correctly or Irish music. We were interested in trying to create a new form of music."
Fifteen years on and living in an age where it's easy to cross continents "at the flick of a mouse", as Emerson puts it, the Afro Celts are no longer considered musical heathens, but pioneers.
And last year when they returned to the Womad stage in England for the first time in years, it was as cross-continental heroes. "It was wonderful," smiles Emerson.
"This band has this incredible energy and it's only when we get together and go on stage that it becomes apparent to all of us what a brilliant band it is to be in."
Afro Celt Sound System is headlining Womad in Taranaki, March 18-20.
- Herald On Sunday / View
