‘U People’ Band Dedicates Volume 3 to Taveuni
While many have come up with creative means to generate income, the U People band capitalised on the local market while on tour, selling CDs of the recently released Volume three.
Group composer John Lala of Vuna in Taveuni said the recent volume was a tribute to his island home and its heritage.
He thanked the band members Tevita Sucu, Anare Naba, Jack Naivaluwaqa Bill Max, Jonetani Vonoloagi, and Fredrick Charles for making it a success edition.
Mr Lala said the group had recently returned from their Taveuni tour where they sold 60 CD’s of the new release. “It has helped the members purchase back to school items for our children,” he said.
“We had 70 CDs with 60 sold out in Taveuni and we have to make more for our orders coming from New Zealand, UK, and Australia,” he said.
“The group started way back in 1995 when I was still a second-year apprentice for FSC (Fiji Sugar Corporation) and that time we had no CD’s only cassettes and we recorded alongside people like Saimoni Vuatalevu and Seru Serevi,” he said.
“Volume three was officially released on December 22 and I took the original and gave it to the radio station to play it in the studio.”
He said he was fortunate to still have his job at the Fiji Sugar Corporation when the borders closed.
“Actually, for me, I’ve got a contract with Tanoa Skylodge to play music and entertain tourists since 2011 and the boys really rely on our gigs, but now everything stopped so no weekend allowance or tips and I felt sorry for them,” he said.
“Going to the hotel every weekend was just part-time for me, but the boys were affected so I came up with the idea to compose and record this volume three and take it to Taveuni for the Holy Cross College.”
He said plans were underway to compose a volume four specifically for the Holy Cross Parish in Taveuni.
“I’ve learned in my years of writing songs is that when you go on a tour to a place, you don’t go with a random song, take something they can relate to. CD’s are still available for $12 and people can message our boys on Facebook,” he said