Thinking out of the box

It's Cameo's first appearance for some time in this country and the event is a sell out. But Croydon has managed to sneak in the group for one night at Fairfield before the main event. It's a bit of a coup for what is sure to be one of the highlights of the event.

And Larry Blackmon is looking forward to playing in Britain especially since Cameo have dipped beneath the radar of public consciousness for much of the last decade. The band was on hiatus, but Larry has been deep in the belly of the beast.

As he explains: "I wanted to explore different things so I took a position as vice-president of A&R (artist and repertoire) with Warner Brothers. I wanted to explore the glass ceiling and kiss it!," he says wryly.

It was an eye-opening experience for someone who had been a veteran of the music scene since the 1970s. He gained experience by working with industry bigwigs such as Benny Medina. But he also saw the way young artists were treated.

"I was amazed by the amount of money record companies spent on unproven acts. It was like £300 per CD cost. When I was starting out I did not have that sort of budget. We produced the records ourselves.

What I learned was that in record companies people are skilled at keeping jobs."

It must have bristled Larry, especially as he had founded the independent Atlanta Artists back in the 80s.

"Atlanta Artists was unique. We were a local label that had deals with other distributors and labels.

So we had Atlanta Artists Polygram, Atlanta Artists Universal and so forth. Each one had a different coloured label."

What lessons has he learned from his experience as VP and would he have done things differently, if he had had the knowledge of the music industry at that time?

"I used a lot of personal money. Now I know that I should have raised capital. I'm also a lot more aware of management. But I would not do it differently. The knowledge I've acquired, the learning curve, is what I'm proud of."

Larry is also proud on the way he has progressed through the industry, since Cameo's debut on Chocolate City back in the 70s.

He says: " I relished being an underground band. It's a real achievement. We were responsible for our own records, we were a working act 200 gigs a year.

"When we moved from Chocolate City to Mercury, we found it hard to conform to what was popular at the time. After becoming part of the country club as it were, we had pressure to do what everybody else was doing. Instead, we wanted to bring music up to a new form."

Larry identifies the tipping point where artists start to go after the latest thing rather than develop their own style.

He sees Michael Jackson as the prime example: "Once Michael Jackson let go of Quincy Jones, and decided to work with different producers to conform rather than bring change to the industry. Then he started to decline."

Its something he is adamant he won't do.

"With the acts I've produced, they want to follow the norm. I make a pledge to myself to only pick on projects that stretch me."

This is true of Cameo's late 80s period. The band flew in the face of the usual subjects, exploring themes musicians were afraid to discuss.

Word Up!, the bands critical and sales high point, is what they will be remembered for, particularly that red cod piece. But the later 80s albums Machismo, Real Men Wear Black and Emotional Violence traced brave themes such as the crisis of black masculinity.

You'd be hard pressed to find an artist doing such a thing today.

Larry draws parallels with the disco craze, when record companies put all their money into identikit acts, and today's music scene.

With the decline reflected in negligible profit margins, Cameo see this as a window of opportunity a time for radio-friendly change.

So, what does the new Cameo material sound like?

"It's like a fruit you've never tasted! Like Kiwi. That fruit wasn't really on the scene 20 years ago.

"But now it has made it's way onto the tables all over the world!," He chuckles heartily.

He also differentiates between Cameo's music and a new solo CD.

"Cameo belongs to the people and the world. But with my new solo album, it's what I want to do.

"Whatever inspires me, that's spontaneous and more rewarding."

Cameo also had a tough political edge. And Larry sees the use of profanity by rap artists as an area for discussion.

When rap, and in particular profane rap records, began to sell in huge quantities in the late 80s, record companies cashed in.

According to Larry: "They allowed Afro-Americans to lower the bar. Now you have artists who are not typecast in that way. Like Nelly, he's having fun... the Neptunes... but you get less music with the others. Because proper music education is not put forward in schools."

As an ex student of Julliard, its no wonder this irks him. But Larry sees the Neptunes as fellow travellers, but is wary of the way everyone has been called hip-hop.

The Neptune's sound reminds me a lot of Cameo. Larry agrees: "It still sounds futuristic. We were before our time really progressive. Cameo paved the way for people like the Neptunes. They took that step.

"Outkast used the bass player and keyboard player from my group. Dre Andre 3000 I see a little Larry Blackmon. He wanted to explore more, express more. the Beastie Boys are another example. They all learnt music. Now can Busta Rhymes do that? Yes. But is he interested?"

I ask whether it is the record company who these days calls the tune. Larry thinks that the company grip is less.

"These days they are very paranoid. A 14 billion industry last year is a seven billion industry this year. We have to shake the riff-raff and get back to quality material.

"If pop music wasn't healthy, we wouldn't have so many classic stations. Is it because today's pop music doesn't stand up?

Britney Spears is a brilliant marketing tool and whoever is behind that is great at it. But there are 30-40 songs out every week, and if you are promoting other acts they won't be heard.

"That's where we have a problem. Music is art not a faddish thing."

"I don't want to come across as the Michael Moore of the industry, but we have to talk about it. If it wasn't moving we wouldn't have these classics. The one thing that's constant is change. As long as you keep your skills honed, you know."

We discuss the current Cameo situation. "You have to be flexible and adapt. But Cameo are not complaining, we are working. It inspires songs. It's just a question of navigating the maze."

What is Larry looking forward to in London, it's been some time since his last visit. "I'll be trying to co-host some show radio stations. Looking forward to give people a little bit of what they haven't heard."

Is he going to playing new stuff at Fairfield?

"Not really, our focus on the show is to give the people what they want. We see our records and our live performances as two different elements. When you see Cameo it should be an experience We'll be playing the hits.."

Larry issues a big thank you to his fans:"We are fortunate to have such a loyal fan base and relish the opportunity to see them again."

Cameo play the Fairfield on Friday, July 16. Tickets are priced at £19.50 and £22.50. Call 020 8688 9291.