by Jon A

To people my age, Joe Bataan is one of those names that have been popping up on soul and funk re-issues - like Harmless Records' "Broasted & Fried" and "Freak Off!" - over the last decade. Those few tracks by Joe Bataan that have been going around this way have piqued the interest of crate diggers because of the mournful voice that fitted only too well with the background history supplied about Bataan having served jail time in his youth in the early 60's for stealing cars. Among them, Madrid's Vampisoul Records compiled two full albums of his material, "Young, Gifted & Brown" and "Latin Funk Brother", and then they got their hands on the singer, who was starting to get into the music business again after almost two decades out of the record business. The result of the relationship with the Spanish label and a young collaborator found in Daniel Collás, who wrote the material and got a backing band together, was this spring's "Call My Name" album (reviewed in LowCut # 21), that showed Bataan's vocals at their height, and musically provided an inspired mix of latin funk and acid rock.

This provided me with the chance to meet Mr. Bataan at his hotel when he played in Madrid in July with the experimental guitarist Marc Ribot and his backing band Los Cubanos Postizos. Bataan turned out to be a hearty and talkative man, who, upon learning that I was from Denmark, immediately started ripping off anecdotes in a broad New York accent about how he had had success in Scandinavia and the Netherlands back in the late 70's, while I was hurrying to unpack my dictaphone to catch some of it. Bataan talked about his last single, "Rap-O, Clap-O" from '79, that has been lauded as one of the very first rap songs together with Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight".

While we talked, Bataan seemed thrilled to be able to reminisce about the hardships of his younger days, while his wife, Ivana, was filming the interview with a puzzled look on her face.

LowCut: So, you were talking about the success you had in Scandinavia...

Joe Bataan: Yeah, with "Rap-O, Clap-O". Well, you're young, so I don't know if you remember?

LowCut: No, that was way before my time.

Joe Bataan: In 1979...

LowCut: I was 3 at the time.

Joe Bataan: OK, that was when rap music first came out. I had almost the first rap song that was ever done. People didn't believe in it, because I was a singer and a band leader, so they said "Joe, what are you doing," they said, "You don't sing anymore,", and I said "No, this is something new", and they said, "Get outta heeereee!!! Take that junk and throw out of the window!". So for that reason, I came out second. With Sugar Hill Gang, you had "Rapper's Delight", biiig, and they traveled all over the world - I came to Europe, top Holland, with the record, and those days, they know when a record was gonna be a hit, and I didn't know how they knew it, but they said "Joe, get you on a plane!" - and at that time I had no money, I had one pair of pants, I had a couple of suspenders that I bought for 50 cents, and I had a t-shirt that I made for a dollar, so I went to Europe. So right away they said, "You gotta go on television," I said, "Television? OK." And I wanna tell you, I had forgot my shoes, so what I do is I find some yellow sneakers, put 'em on fast and I ran to see them, and that became the sensation of Europe! That outfit! That's why you got "Rap-O, Clap-O" with the suspenders, but that's the real true story, because the kids started dressing like that, ha-ha! So I was very excited, because at that time Denmark, Scandinavia, Sweden, they were all playing "Rap-O, Clap-O", and Holland was the first to break the record, so actually, I came out for two weeks and I didn't get home for 6 months. They kept telling me come to this country, back and forth. So that was my first big-biiig-big-big-big success internationally.

LowCut: But that was about the same point where you disappeared, or you stopped making records for almost two decades.

Joe Bataan: Yeah, yeah, well, I made a couple of records, but nothing of significance. Actually, that was a point in my life where, you know, in the disco era, a lot of people didn't work. Especially the bands. But I worked, doing tracks and singing like that, and then of course my wife, who's here, Ivana, and my kids, we were involved in karate, you know, with shodokan. So our dream was to send our kids to the Olympics. So we did that for about 11 years, but the only problem was when the Olympics came, it was taekwando, so...

LowCut: Ahhh...

Joe Bataan: Ha-ha-ha! So we couldn't fit into the Olympics! Ha-ha-ha!

LowCut: Once again, you came in second.

Joe Bataan: Yeah, second. So, during that time of course, you know, I'm a tour commander at a juvenile prison, and I still work there. And that sort of saved my life, and that's what I did: I worked and I stayed with my family, and I raised my family, and I gradually kept away from the music, so when you do that, it's hard to come back, because you don't know if you're gonna be accepted or not. But in 1996, if was working for a centro in the Bronx, and the guy kept saying, "Oh, won't you perform with Tito Puente and the guys", and I said, "No, I don't play anymore!" He said, "Oh, c'mon please, put a band together," and I did. And it was history, because once I started again they said, "Joe, you look like you never been away," and I thought, "Ah! Can I go back again?" And I started to play, and it wasn't until 6 - wow! - almost 8 years later this deal came with "Call My Name". And it was a young kid named Daniel Collás who came to see me play at the SOB, and asked me would I record some songs with him, that he follows my career, and he would like to write something my style. And I said OK, and we went into a basement in Brooklyn and we recorded the album, not knowing what was gonna happen, but I always knew that Europe was very strange. Sometimes, the music in Europe can be totally different than a hit here, that what it is in America. So I said, "It might be a good chance, something might happen!" And of course it happened! I gave him the address of Iñigo and Vampisoul, he called them and he made a deal. I guess they were excited about the name of Joe Bataan...

LowCut: They also put out some re-issues...

Joe Bataan: Yeah, but they never had an album by me, but I guess after putting out the re-issues, they found out there might be a market for Joe Bataan. Actually, a lot of people don't know, and I'm not boasting, but - my name is international. If you go to the United States, people might not know that, not know that I had some success in Europe, they think that, "Nah, it's only in New York, in el barrio!" But because of "Rap-O, Clap-O", it opened up a lot of doors, so what it tells me, that happening - because God was involved in this, there's no other reason, there's got to be an old guy - and now I'm playing more than I ever did in my life! So he's got some directions for me, in what I'm doing. As long as I'm doing right and trying to help people and - not be selfish, like I was in my younger days, and I spread the word of God; then everything's gonna be fine. And He has big plans for me, but only He can tell me what I'm gonna do. We have some success now and things are starting to open up, and - I don't think that's an accident, I think it was planned, but not by me, spiritually. You know, with these tours, I'm doing so many interviews these last three months, it's unheard of, and some of the things that's been said, and everybody mentioned, "Oh! It's been 20 years since Joe didn't do anything, and it's amazing how he sounds the same!" And it's not me; it's the spirit! Got to be! Because I was home with my wife and my kids, not thinking of anything, but - my success comes from that. And the strength comes from the spirit of God. And I'm real excited, you know. The guy who wrote the liner notes [Miguel from Enlace Funk], he says: "It's a great day in El Barrio," that Joe Bataan is back. It made me cry - ahhh - because it's nice to be remembered. And then to be remembered like that: They were waiting for me! When it happened, I was like, "They were waiting for me? For 20 years? To see if I would do something?" You wouldn't knooow, my wife says, "If not for you, I wouldn't travel all over the world!" And that's what we're doing, and we're enjoying ourselves. And - it's a stage in my life where you think that, you know, everything has been done, and nooo, man, it's like it's just beginning!

LowCut: And I suppose also that you can have some real success now with this record, and maybe more on your own terms, without those suspenders.

Joe Bataan: Exactly! Because Joe Bataan is not owned by anybody. I'm my own entity right now. The potential is unlimited for what I can do, especially in helping my family and other people. I'm in a good position.

LowCut: Also, you chose a good moment to come back, because, at least here in Europe, a lot of the old funk and soul records are getting re-issued...

Joe Bataan: Yeah! They're re-issuing everything of mine! And then also on record everything I've done has come out now, especially with this guy [points to Iñigo of Vampisoul Records in a sofa a bit away], he's got to be some kind of genius! Iñigo! [calls out] He has to be, because...

Iñigo: What's going on?

Joe Bataan: Join us! I say, for him to even have the insight of releasing all these old records that nobody was thinking about releasing on compilations. And to have this, like, acid jazz, that they did and that I knew about it, but nobody else knew! And he took a chance, because when you see all this product go round, and how do you know there's a market for it? I'm sure - I mean, you might end up just selling a few pieces, but it's a tremendous market! There's a revival of the music now, and people are starting to think, "Wow! This is something new!" No, we did it 20-30 years ago, but actually it's starting to catch on now, and the world is closer because of the internet.

LowCut: [to Iñigo] We were talking about how labels like Vampisoul are helping getting all the old funk records out to the youth of today and how this would make it opportune for Joe Bataan to come back now.

Iñigo: Well, I just sort of paved the record, and people are getting into this - this goldmine of music, and it's better than the music that's coming out today.

Joe Bataan: You said that, I didn't say that, but you know, that's nice to hear. Because I had no idea that this even existed with latin congresses around the world. You are aware of the latin congresses?

LowCut: No?

Joe Bataan: The latin congresses are events that they have all over the world for people who love to dance to latin music. They have had them in Israel, in Moscow, in Japan, all over the world. And when you come to the dance floor in New York now, it's nothing to see a Japanese person dance salsa! Ha-ha! Young bands in Holland, in Japan, in England that are playing this music...

LowCut: Denmark too.

Joe Bataan: Yeah, Denmark! Good, good, very instrumental, I keep hearing from guys up there! Good point. It shows you how close the world has come because of the internet, and now it's showing in music, and you got a label like Vampisoul that's re-issuing all this product just like it's something new to a lot of people

LowCut: And at the same time, the record you've come back with sounds very fresh, and even if it takes its sound from the 60s and 70s it's a record very much of today, I think.

Joe Bataan: Thank you, thank you. Once more, it's the direction of the Big Boss, and he's responsible for a lot of it, that he had the insight. I was just waiting, I'm just happy that people were waiting to see, like after all these years, something fresh. And actually, it's something old.

LowCut: I suppose it's also better for you to be on a relatively small label like Vampisoul?

Joe Bataan: That's been my history! If you check my history, I started Ghetto Records, I started with Fania Records, I originated of Salsoul Records - I worked the sound, nobody else, everybody claims, but it was me. And I've been at the forefront, and this is his first release [points to Iñigo; "Call Me Name" was the first record in Vampisoul's 60+ titles strong catalogue that wasn't a re-issue], and I don't know, there goes something into it.

LowCut: I suppose it also puts you in a good position, since you'll be a priority on Vampisoul, as opposed to being on a bigger label with bigger artists?

Joe Bataan: Let's hope so! Let's hope so! Let's hope so. Iñigo, his plans, I mean, he's at the forefront, and that's not very easy, it's a big , enormous job, especially on a small label. When I started with Fania and Joe Lasucci, he had two different records to promote, and then it started with one of my records, where he sold 10.000 records in one week, and he said, "Wow! What is this?" Same thing happened with Salsoul, they sold 15.000 records in one week, and they said, "Wait a minute! There must be something in this business!" Both became, probably, billionaires with their product, because they were dedicated, obviously. It's big, but it started with something small, and it's what I'm hoping will happen with Vampisoul.

Iñigo: I hope so too!

Joe Bataan: Ha-ha-ha! Everything really points in that direction, the only difference is that there's a lot of distance between us, but we're bridging that gap, we're talking every day with the computers, we never had that before. And he always responds, this guy is like a dream come true! You got record companies and you got record companies, and that personal touch really means more to me than the money and other things. Some of my best negociations have been on handshakes, and there are a lot of people around the world who don't do that, but I can't deal like that. Unfortunately, it wasn't like that in the past! Ha-ha-ha!

LowCut: I guess must be great for you to see people Iñigo's and my age digging this stuff, finding these records and digging them?

Joe Bataan: Yeah, it amazes me! Because some of the stories I've had, like, I've had fans come up to me saying, "I never met you, but every Saturday morning I put on your records to clean the house," says, "You know what you do? You put me in the mood! So it's a pleasure to meet you now." I've got people coming to me, like this kid: When we played at a college, she came up to me, says, "Where did this music come from? I never heard it!" I said, "Sweet, it's been done for thirty years," "Then where can I find it?" It gives you something to think about, because you see, it was spread wide open, and let me tell you, Joe Bataan wasn't a name that you could, like The Doors or Sting, Joe Bataan was always underground. But now I'm starting to surface a little more. I mean, "Rap-O, Clap-O" touched the surface, and it was doing very well, but now we're stretching as far as to Japan and Italy and around the world. It's just a question of time, I hope!

LowCut: It's funny you're saying that about your music being for Saturday morning, because I always had that same notion, like, some years back when I got the Harmless compilations with some of your tracks like "So Fine" and "Es tu cosa", I'd always put them on the day after having a big party, just leaning back on the couch watching the ravage....

Joe Bataan: Ha-ha-ha! What's so funny is they haven't really recognized what I was famous for. In Europe, the songs that have become popular are up-tempo songs. Actually, in New York it's my romantic songs and my ballads that have become famous, but here in Europe they haven't seen that side, I guess mostly because the bands I bring on tour don't have the full repertoire of my own band, where we do the whole cycle of music that I do. The markets are different, and it's true even in the United States, where sometimes to be known you have to do an up-tempo song just to be famous, before you can do the ballad, and once you have a big hit, you can do anything you want! So the idea is to have that hit so you can establish your ground. So the public and the band are very conscious of each other in that way, you do something wrong, you might turn them off, so you have to be very conscious of what you do the next time. You have to be in touch with the streets. It's not good enough just to be an artist and to say, "that's great, y'all". I say, you're the last one that should appreciate your music.

LowCut: That's a very interesting, very social instinct to have that it's more important for the public to enjoy it?

Joe Bataan: Of course, that was one of my mottos since I first started, that even if I felt like something might be it, I always had to have the opinion of other people, I always had to test it. And now, I guess - I believe I have something coming, I'm gonna tell you this story: I got my grand daughter, and she's 6 years old. And I play in the car, lot of times I play things people don't hear, and if I see her repeating the hook - if she repeats the hook, I'm thinking if that's what it does to a 6-year-old, imagine the effect that would have on an adult! If you get that same effect from people more than once, then you're onto something. And that type of feeling hasn't been with me for 20 years, you know, because I've stopped creating, but now you get back to things and you get excited - you stop to feel and listen to the things that other people do.

LowCut: It must also feel better to come back after having been almost completely gone, than having just trampled on throughout the 80s and 90s?

Joe Bataan: Sure, people my age, I mean - I can walk, I can run, I can hop, actually I'm very wealthy, and people don't realize that your health and being senile means a lot! A lot of people don't realize that, just like the tragedy we just had [the London bombings], you don't know if you're gonna be here tomorrow. So, thanks for every morning, and as they say, one day at a time, that's very important: One day at a time.

LowCut: Part of that would also be that with this album you had the chance to work with people like Daniel Collás, fresh blood, someone that had a new view on your music? That must have been a very giving experience?

Joe Bataan: Yeah! You know what? It's so funny, because in the last 3-4 years I've made different records, different projects, like they arranged me to go to Italy to do "Ordinary Guy". Now, "Ordinary Guy" has been recorded, like, maybe 8-9 times, and when I got to Italy, the song was already recorded for me with a bossanova feel. They didn't have too much success with it because it was already being released in Japan by EMI, so before I haven't known too much about what happened with my records, but since then I did "Call My Name" and had some success with that, so now people are calling me again.

LowCut: You're also fortunate to still have your full voice.

Joe Bataan: Yeah yeah, well that's great.

The same evening the small crowd that had found its way to Arena - possibly the most unfriendly rip-off of a concert venue I've ever set foot in, this third time no difference - witnessed an intimate concert that was somewhat marred by technical problems and Marc Ribbot acting like an arrogant asshole, which didn't help lighten the mood. If the set was too upbeat and salsa for my personal tastes and had me miss the balladeering and psychedelic side that comes out on the "Call My Name" album, it nevertheless showed Joe Bataan as a performer who is thrilled with having an audience and does his best to enjoy this comeback, as well as making people enjoy it.

http://www.vampisoul-records.com