Alliez - A Taste of Music from El Paradiso
Charles Paxton November 3rd, 2007
Al Horton and Oye Katura are Alliez, avid observers of the human conditionThis week the Juice gets cosmopolitan with a feature on Alliez, one of Africa’s best pop duos. Alliez are from Namibia, the Southwest African country of sunshine and sand that’s famous for its diamonds, deserts and amazing wildlife. Described by some as “Africa for beginners” because of the excellent infrastructure (working phones, good roads and potable water etc.) along with its easy going people; Namibia also enjoys some of the best racial harmony in Africa now, if not the world.Alliez, comprised of Al Horton on vocals, guitar and keys and Oye Katura on vocals, is a great example of the ivory and ebony harmony in action and their music gives us all a tatse of El Paradiso, the paradise that is Namibia. Their album El Paradiso is for sale on Cumbria’s Music horizon download store. We interviewed them by email to find out more about themselves and their music. Here’s what transpired:The Juice: Thank you both for agreeing to tell us about yourselves and your music today.Al: Sure. No problem.Oye: Yeah. It’s always fun to talk about music.The Juice: OK. So, first I wonder if you could tell us a bit about yourselves? It’s great to know about the artists behind the music, so to speak. To begin at the beginning: Where are you both from?
‘Alf’, Al Horton of Alliez Al: I was born in Cologne, Germany, but I’ve lived 20 years in Namibia. Oye was born Namibian but lived for many years in Czech Republic.The Juice: That’s amazing. How did you and Oye first meet?Al: When we did the first Album 5 or 6 years ago, I met Oye at the National Theatre where she was busy taking part in Hair, the musical production, that’s also why she couldn’t take part in that CD.The Juice: What are your hobbies?Alliez: Boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding, reading, cooking, walking with the dog, my girlfriend and of course music.
Oye Katura of AlliezOye: I like reading, relaxing, going out and of course music.The Juice: That all sounds great. No wonder your music’s so positive and upbeat, Wonderful Things for example, your lives are full of wonderful things. How do you like to relax at the end of a long day?Al: Cooking a nice, special meal or relaxing in the swimming pool.Oye: Going out with friendsThe Juice: How do you like to spend holidays?Alliez: On the coast in Walvisbay where we have a house.The Juice: Sounds like paradise to me. From your photos and video you seem very good with children. Are they an important part of your life?Alliez: We both like kids a lot and have lots of friends with kids, although we are not parents ourselves.The Juice: What are your favorite genres of music?Alliez: We both like a lot of different genres from pop to rock to classics to R&BThe Juice: If you could see any other musician/s in concert, who would you choose?Alliez: Simply red, Mike and The Mechanics, anybody well known and also anybody yet unknown. I’m always curious how other guys are doing a gig.The Juice: What is your favorite movie?Al: We have a huge DVD collection, but mostly I like adventurous movies like Steven Spielberg’s or George Lucas’s movies. Last week we watched ”Zorba the Greek” again–it was fantastic.The Juice: Do you have a favorite comedian?Al: Ben Stiller was funny in “Along came Polly”.The Juice: I’ll watch out for that one. For those of us interested in astrology, what are your Star signs?Al: Mine is Taurus.Oye: I’m a Virgo.Al: Oh, I didn’t know that!The Juice: Isn’t it surprising how much there is to learn about even the closest people around us? Now, let’s talk about your musicality. You both have beautiful voices, does musical talent run in your families?Al: No, except a grandpa that sang in a choir.The Juice: How long have you been singing?Alliez: We both started in children’s choirs.The Juice: What does your music do for you?Alliez: Relaxation, happiness, it’s a good feeling of success after a gig that went especially well.The Juice: What types of musicians are you? ie: How do you define yourselves as musicians?Alliez: We’re music entertainers that sing popular music with guitar and keyboard backing.The Juice: Where do you write your music?Al: At home in Windhoek or Walvis Bay after I made notes on a Dictaphone while travelling or where ever.The Juice: Is it a painful creative process (like giving birth to a baby) or is it joyous?Alliez: It is mostly fun and joyous but some songs take longer until the wording, harmonies and music feel right.The Juice: If your music was a kind of food, what kind of food would it be?Alliez: Sweet fruits.The Juice: We feel from your music that you have a very positive and uplifting (and yet realistic) outlook. Would you say that was true?Al: Most definitely, we are both very happy chappies.The Juice: How did that outlook develop?Al: I think it is in both our characters. But I also make a conscious effort to be always positive and enjoy every day.The Juice: How do you hope to influence the public?Al: I don’t think about influencing anybody, but some songs sound like I would like to wake people up to how beautiful our lives really are if you don’t concentrate on negative things.The Juice: Right that message comes through really loud and clear with songs such as . A lot of people udio anti-depressants We really like your latest album, El Paradiso. Can you tell us about it and its creation?Al: I have been working on some songs for 1 or 2 years and had the guitar work and rhythm section for El Paradiso was ready for some time before I finally hit on the title. We also have Portuguese speaking friends because that is the language of our neighbouring country Angola.
Alliez - El Paradiso Album CoverThe Juice: Aha. What are the ideas behind the title song “El Paradiso”?Al: When the working day is over, go out and have some fun and sing and dance.The Juice: Sounds good to me! Do you have a favourite song from the album?Sample of El ParadisoSample of El Paradiso, Copyright Alliez 2006, All Rights Reserved.Al: “El Paradiso” is positive and bouncy; “Show a Little Faith” gives a positive message, and I think our voices go very well with the song (a favorite for live gigs). “How I miss you” is the most technical and difficult song, and is my personal favorite; “Goodbye” is a very moving song with Oye’s characteristic voice.The Juice: What sort of range of responses do you get from the songs when they’re played live?Al: People definitely look up every time we sing a chorus in harmonies. We get lots of compliments during breaks and after gigs and of course everybody loves Oye.The Juice: Some of the tunes are extremely catchy, e.g. “My Heart Goes ‘Ting’”. That one really resounds through my head. Did the tune come first and then the lyrics, or did they evolve together?Alliez: The tune was first but after the first few words the song wrote itself.The Juice: Was it as fun making the music video as it looks?Alliez: Yes, immensely!The Juice: “How I miss you” is the first song I’ve heard that is really up-to-date in terms ofreference to modern communications technology. Did you set out, in effect, to update “the love song”?Alliez: Not really, but you are right that I wanted to bring some modern element into a song, it’s also realistic. Do you know any lovers that don’t write SMSs?The Juice: Good point. You have maintained a clever balance of male and female interest in the album, did you set out to balance the types of song for guys and gals intentionally?Alliez: Yes, but we first made all the songs as they came or were in essence, finished in words and music in the studio, and decided the sequence at the end.The Juice: A lot of these songs seem to have been written just for me. With my situation in mind, for my education, my comfort, my salvation. Have you been reading my diary or is it that you guys are great observers of the human condition?Alliez: We’re avid observers of the world and people around us. We sometimes come together for band practice, but end up sitting on the veranda and talk the day away about ourselves, people and everything. We also agree very often on how we interpret events and people.The Juice: Thank you, Al and Oye. It’s been a pleasure interviewing you. We look forward to hearing more of you and your music.Alliez: Cheers!My own favorites from the El Paradiso album are: I wanna know a song about the quest for truth, The Sun Shines the musical equivalent of prozac,El Paradiso Al’s mix and Anything you want - a song that inspires optimism. Kimmie loves Yesterday’s blues.Yesterday’s blues sampleYesterday’s blues sample Copyright Alliez, all rights reserved.Alliez El Paradiso album is available for sale as Mp3 downloads from 
Read more about Alliez at their website.