Catman – The Man Behind Your Favorite Artists Career
Vision Newspaper is one of the fastest growing urban publications in the United Kingdom, Canada and Jamaica. I spoke with the founder who is also England’s number 1 reggae music radio presenters.
Catman plays on the radio once a week in Connecticut which can be herd through out the whole tristate area which also includes New York and New Jersey. He also plays in Jamaica once a week on Bess FM and in England twice a week on City Lock Radio
Q: How long have you been in the business?
A: Ive been in the business for 25 years.
Q: What are some of the highs and lows you have experienced in this business?
A: 10 years ago i was at a low. I had to take some time out the business. For a couple years I sat back and i figured out how to handle the business when i got back in because its tough here in England. I decided that promoting artists was the way to go. I wanted to go back to radio but i didn’t want to play top 10, I wanted to make a difference. So I hooked up with Lefty B on the radio and changed the whole format to play young upcoming artists. I started doing live interviews with Ellise Kelly from Irie FM and she started promoting that i was looking for young artists to work with. I started getting emails from young artists right away.
Q: Who are some of these young artists you have worked with?
A: The first artists i took to the street was Lil Hero. From there I started working with I-Octane. I ve been working with I-Octane from scratch. I was the first person to play I-Octane on the radio in England. Back then i had people calling me and telling me not to work with him. They told me he wasn’t going to go anywhere because he was a rasta. I didn’t listen i just kept promoting him the same way. I worked with Romain Virgo next and then D Angel, Zaumunda, Loyal Flames, Angele Smith, Chris Demontague, Jah Bouks and so much more. D Angel was one of the hardest to work with because she has a negative stereotype. I use to get alot of phone calls about this and that but i paid it no attention. I always have to give thanks to Ellise Kelly because she helped to start the movement. Now i have my own name. Last year i won the award for the number one radio presenter in England.
Q: You said you won the award for the best radio presenter in 2013. How did that feel?
A: It felt great but not only that I won an award in 2011 and 2012 for the Vision Newspaper a paper that i created. Alot of people don’t even know that i am the man behind the Vision Newspaper. I created the paper to help give an outlet to the young artists that i promote.
Q: Whats next on your agenda are there any major projects in the works?
A: I want to launch a magazine. I use to have a magazine in America called Reggae Frenzy. I lost contact with my business partner there and the magazine died. I would like to get one back again. I would also like to find another hit maker like I-Octane to promote. Its been bothering me. If i could find another hit maker to promote like I-Octane id be happy. Im also involed with a street festival that we hold in St Ann Jamaica every year with Vision Newspaper and S-Q Records.
Thanks for the interview but i do have to tell anyone who is aspiring out there that its all about hard work. I came from a small community in St Ann, Jamaica. I worked hard and i made it. You can make it too if you just work hard and leave your mark on life. You dont have to be a millionaire, you just have to leave your stamp.
If you are a young artist in need of radio airplay and international promotion email catmanpromo@gmx.com
