Watts Riot - Reggie Watts

Writer: David Aaron

It seems London and its northerly counterparts – Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester – are really becoming a home-from-home for US artists, who seem to like nothing more than jumping on a Boeing 747 and jetting to the UK for a series of live dates and a dose of promotion for their new singles and albums.

Making a welcome return to the UK in the shape of support act for The Pharcyde, Seattle funkster Reggie Watts took his unique brand of hip hop, electronica and soul to audiences in every corner of "our little ol' island". "Performing in front of an audience is an opportunity to express how much I love what I do. I love people and the energy they provide me. I get nervous and excited at the chance to rock a crowd," he reveals.

Reflecting on the influences and experiences during his 32 years that have not only contributed to the man he is today, but also helped mould that distinctive "Reggie sound" heard on the diverse track listing of solo debut, Simplified, he tells me, "My upbringing definitely brought some interesting results for me. I grew up an only child in Montana, but my mother is French and my father is American, which gave me a unique perspective on the world. " I think my music reflects my weird blend of influences, which in turn perhaps makes it unique," explains Reggie modestly.

Unique. A word that can't often be attributed these days to an artist or record, not least due to the commercial priorities of the music industry that dictate artistic output. However, Reggie's self-penned Simplified set, released last summer, is the epitome of that very word. A journey of wonderfully crafted songs such as the funky opener, Wanna Get, and the up-temp electro workout "Sure Do Like The Fire," have earned his falsetto and baritone vocal styling comparisons with two legends of soul music - Al Green and Issac Hayes. This, in itself, speaks volumes for the pedigree of the man.

When creating Simplified, Reggie had some key goals in mind for what he wanted to achieve with the album; "I was looking for an opportunity to make some music that pays respect to the artists that inspired me." Citing Herbie Hancock, Brian Eno, Pedro Aznar and Paul Wertigo as members that would be part of his fantasy band, the German-born star adds, "All I wanted is for people to enjoy the music and hopefully make their day a little brighter."

Reggie Watts is a man that has a clear focus on what he wants to achieve via his art. Aside from consideration of "units sold," some artists care about social issues and address them through their music - others don't. It soon becomes obvious that Watts belongs to the former category, his dedication to emphasising social awareness being at the core of his integrity as an artist and a citizen.

"I have so many visions of how I'd love the world to be that I can't settle on how it is currently functioning. Therefore that serves as part of my motivation and desire to make the world a better place, through bonds of understanding with artists from around the world. I don't think I'll ever stop approaching life from a new angle" he enthuses.

So after a few gigs included London's Jazz Café and Manchester's Life Café, what can we expect from Reggie Watts for the rest of 2005? "Lots of music and guest spots on people's albums. I've also been doing a lot of stand-up music comedy lately that has me feeling pretty good. I have the good fortune of working with a great comedy producer, Olivia Wingate. She has great ideas for me in the UK, so we'll see what happens!"