Local musician Mr Aubrey Forbes aka ‘Deh Dog Himself’ has followed up his popular release Ting To Talk with De Dawg In Deh House, which has been hitting the local airwaves. Photo: VINO

Mr Aubrey Forbes (left) presents a copy of his latest CD 'Deh Dawg In Deh House' to popular radio Deejay Paul 'Gadiethz' Peart. Photo: Team of Reporters

The latest CD by Mr Aubrey Forbes comprises 10 tracks. Photo: Team of Reporters

Mr Forbes aka ‘Deh Dog Himself’  is certainly not afraid to turn the social and political melee being talked and whispered in the bars, the street corners, via texts, the lunch rooms, and being blogged by readers on the online news sites into sweet expressions of our culture through Fungi music.

The CD music in words

Mr Forbes released his 10-song CD track about two weeks ago. While not calypso, his fungi music style, now a VI distinct genre, addresses everything from politics, the court system, ports development project audits, religion, and asking why worry if your spouse is cheating for ‘once something can wash two people can use it.’

The veteran artiste has turned the VI traditional fungi music into much protest, social and political commentary just the same way other musical greats in the Caribbean such as the Mighty Sparrow, Lord Kitchener, the Black Stalin, David Rudder and The Mighty Gabby, to name a few, have mastered the art of calypso as a form of social and political commentary.

The fungi rhythms in his music are compulsive and incredibly lively for a good dance, once you stop thinking aloud about what Mr Forbes is referring to in his many topical issues facing the British Overseas Territory.

One of his songs is entitled ‘shake up shake up’, asking everybody to shake up your waistline. It is sang in a humourous way and is a good dance for arthritis. In his song of protest he asked the people to “shake up the government and not allow anyone to rob the Treasury.”

In that piece ‘Deh Dog Himself’ skillfully asked ladies to “shakeup that bumper and those who do not have bumper to shake up your fender”- a tune that has a masculine and sexual genre.

Political & Social scoops

Another popular hit sang by Forbes in protest is named ‘Deh dawg in deh Hosue’ and speaks to the local cost of living which he said has hit the roof, the lawyers’ fees that are out of control and even asked when are we going protect our own as even Donald J. Trump (USA President-Elect) is building a wall to protect his own. In that song, which is number 1 on the CD, Mr Forbes asked “when are we going to draw the line?”

Most of the 10 songs on his 2016 new released CD are almost like spy thrillers, therefore, one may find it challenging to pick the feature or most popular song on the album.

In the powerfully arranged lyrics, Mr Forbes touches, in a very sophisticated but musically entertaining way, on current social and political issues affecting the Greater Virgin Islands (VI), the region and relates it back to us in the VI, from the ‘Panama Papers,’ the online media and their blogs to social networks which he said in his music can destroy us.

He sang in an educational art of entertainment, “we are small but have a lot to be proud of” making reference to NBA basketball hero Timothy T. Duncan who is from St Croix, USVI. 

Mr Forbes’ lead vocal is pronounced, however, it is balanced with the traditional and cultured Ukulele and Banjo.

He masterfully, and in many cases, leaves the interpretation to the imagination of the listeners on issues of the day. For example, he sang, “…money gone in house, money gone in land and when they went up the hill to follow a paper trail as some of the same things they see up in the hills they see on the Cruise Ship Pier”.

In the same tune dubbed ‘Ting to Talk Part 2, Forbes sang that all kinds of things where placed on a government credit card….and someone spent a $million on a school wall but parents got to put their hands in their pockets to keep schools going…Only in the BVI.”

Certainly, one could conclude that our fungi music has arrived as the new form of bold social, political and economical commentary, the role our Calypso had played with its lyrically topical, and frequently sarcastic or mocking on-island happenings in the street or barber shop gossip tradition.

Fungi music at its best

While his songs and the instruments range from guitar, bass and percussion and the music messages from encouraging listeners  to believe in God and requesting of children to move from good, better, best and ‘if you fall down get up’, residents who are politically and socially  astute will get it from the first listen.

He ended his beautifully arranged melodies with a tune at number 10 entitled Happy Birthday, featuring Mirougia Richardson.

Some of the songs are often improvised and humourous with much innuendo - a style of lyricism that teases people in a light-hearted way.

Mr Forbes' songs of fungi music are very festive as it is made for dancing, whining and getting on bad VI style. The Government employee, who is a Customs Officer, could not be reached for a comment. However, for persons wishing to purchase a CD can call 499-9840.

The CD was produced by Funk Gumbs of Funk Gumbs Studios and was designed by Andrea Wilson. All the songs, words and music were done by Aubrey L. Forbes aka ‘Deh Dog Himself’.