Legendary reggae pioneer Jimmy Cliff is back on tour and what better place to stop off this summer than Devon's award-winning music festival Beautiful Days? The annual three-day celebration of eclectic music at Escot in Ottery St Mary, always sells out months in advance and this year is no different. Festival-goers lucky enough to have got their hands of tickets can look forward to another outstanding weekend of music from August 15 to 17, which includes the likes of Steve Earle and the Dukes, Seasick Steve, the Levellers, the Undertones, Dead Kennedys and Easy Star All-Stars. Multi-talented Jimmy, whose career has spanned almost 50 years, takes a break during his tour dates in America to reveal all to the Echo's Anita Merritt about what lies in store for the Devon crowd, and how the best is yet to come
What are you up to at the moment?
I'm doing quite a bit of touring all over Europe and also in the US. I've been to Devon before, but I certainly haven't done Beautiful Days.
What's in store for the crowd at Beautiful Days?
I always like to be current as an artist, so I will be showing my fans what I've been working on and some songs might not have even been recorded yet. There may be some songs from my last album and, of course, I have to do some of the songs I'm known for. The show is exciting; I'm an exciting performer and I'm energetic. I enjoy what I do and when I feel the music I just move. It's a natural thing.
I'll be bringing along my guitar. I also play the keyboard and quite a few different percussion instruments.
How have you managed to keep coming up with fresh material during a career that has spanned almost 50 years?
Writing is a release for me. It's my way of letting out my emotions whether I'm happy, sad or if something has touched me. Mostly I write about personal experiences or just what I see happening in life and in the world. I'm consistently being inspired to expose all of that.
What keeps you striving for success to break back into the mainstream?
I absolutely still love music and my best work is still to come. I do feel that deep inside of me. My fans will say, and this world will say: "Who is that guy?"
Everyone has a different kind of journey. Some people are sprinters like Usain Bolt or 800m runner like Sebastian Coe. I'm like a 800m guy.
My life has turned out the way it was meant to be. I have always been in control of my destiny and I'm always conscious I'm the one who makes my destiny. That is life.
Why did you take seven years to releases your latest album Rebirth album?
The reason is because of all the things that go on in the business side of the industry. You have to get the right songs and the right manager. You keep changing things and have to wait until things settle down. I do the creative part. In between that time I had three albums I just put out. In this modern age it's great you can put things out straight away on the internet.
I'm with new management and I worked with producer Tim Armstrong who was recommended to me and is thought of a punk icon. I was kind of reluctant to go back to the same sound I used to do, but it kind of felt good so I went along with it and I'm really happy with what's come out.
When can we expect your next album to come out?
I'm working on a new album. There's a lot of new music going on right now. I've done some good songs and written some good songs over the years but my best songs have not yet come out. I want commercial hits.
Last year marked the 40th anniversary of The Harder They Come, one of the most significant Jamaican films to have ever been released. Do you have more movies in the pipeline?
I have always felt myself to be a better actor than a singer. I've made four movies but, of course, I've not won an Oscar so I'd like to. I'm working on a movie script, actually more than one in fact.
One is the sequel to The Harder They Come. The script has been written and once everyone is on board it will move forward.
I'm proud of the original because it's a trademark historic reggae film. It made a huge mark and exposed reggae to the world. It brought about new music and culture and made its mark as a piece of music history as well as a piece of film history. I didn't know it would have the impact it did, but we wanted to make our mark.
Where is home for you now?
I still live in Jamaica; I love its energy. I have lived all over the world and spent quite a few years living in the UK. I also spent some time living in Paris and South America. I can speak some French as well as Spanish and Portuguese. I've stayed in many countries all over the planet but Jamaica is home.
What songs are you the most proud of?
Outside of movie soundtracks, the songs people recognise me for are ones likes Vietnam, Wonderful World and Many Rivers to Cross. My favourites though are sleepers like Beyond the Boundaries and Born to Win. They were hits in other countries but not in Europe and the US.
I do feel my new songs could be commercial hits. I'm going to test them out on the audience when I'm at Beautiful Days.
What's the best piece of advice you've received/ lesson you've learned?
It was from my grandmother who told me: "Be yourself."
When were you happiest?
Whenever I write a great song. When I feel it in my heart it's like, wow.
What's your biggest regret?
Well, there's quite a few, but too few to mention! One is wishing I had taken the time to tour when Wonderful World became a huge hit in Europe. I should have gigged and cleaned up as they say in the business. I would have made a lot of money and I should have let fans see me.
What's your greatest triumph?
One example is my first number one hit in Jamaica in the mid '60s.
What's the secret of life?
Taking care of yourself spiritually, physically and mentally. You need to stay positive and take the positive things from life. I take care of myself by eating properly, sleeping properly, living properly and loving properly. If you love yourself you will fall in love with the world.
If you could do it all again, what would you do differently?
I don't think I would do anything differently. Everything I have done I have learnt so much from.
What qualities do you admire in the people closest to you?
Honesty; it's very important to me and it's a rare quality.
Tell us a secret about yourself ...
If I tell you then it won't be a secret anymore! What I will share is I have some ambitions I have not fulfilled yet. By sharing that I might be able to energise it.
