Fela Kuti’s legendary drummer talks about the creation of Afrobeat and new age music

For many years, Tony Allen had Fela’s back.

The legendary drummer who was born in Lagos was part of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s band, Africa 70, from 1968 to 1979. He served the group as a drummer and musical director. He was exteremely important to the group’s musical processes and creativity that Fela once stated that, "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat." He has also been described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived.

In 1964, Fela Ransome Kuti invited Allen to audition for a jazz-highlife band he was forming. Kuti and Allen had played together as sidemen in the Lagos circuit. Fela complimented Allen's unique sound: "How come you are the only guy in Nigeria who plays like this – jazz and highlife?" Thus Allen became an original member of Kuti's "Koola Lobitos" highlife-jazz band.

Allen recorded over 30 albums with Fela and Africa '70. But by the late 1970s, dissension was growing in the ranks of the Africa '70. Arguments over royalties/pay, and recognition grew in intensity.

As inventor of the rhythms that underpinned Afrobeat and musical director, Allen felt especially slighted. Fela stood his ground, stating, that he would get the royalties for his songs. Fela did support Allen's three solo recordings: Jealousy ('75), Progress ('77), No Accommodation For Lagos ('79), but by 1979, Allen chose to leave Africa '70, taking many members with him.

Allen who has since moved to Paris, the beautiful capital of France, from where he has found success in recording music and drumming.

His new EP titled “Tribute to Art Blakey” which was released in May, honoured the great Jazz drummer, Art Blakey. Allen talks to Ebro Darden of Apple Music Beats 1 radio show. He speaks on a lot of topics in this interview that we have edited and presented below.

On conceptualization of his music style:

I am being inspired by different music. I like to play around with what was there before in my own way. I make my own nucleus. It’s every time things are changing, I have to make it like that for my own pleasure.

On creating Afrobeat with Fela Kuti:

All what I was doing in those 15 years, was built in a package of someone else (Fela Kuti), whereas I have my own mind. I think I have done enough for those 15 years, I have done a lot of works with my friend Fela. Even he can go on its own now.

On multiple influences and Hip hop:

Sometimes I say ‘yeah yeah, this rapper is really good.’ I think he needs something behind him to make him flow better. All I used to think about was ‘why can’t they come to me, for me to just give this guy something to flow with?’ I would love to be doing that here (in Paris) for the rappers, especially the rappers. I could make them be somebody they could never think of to be, just by my beat.

In most cases what I see about the rappers is that they sample beats from other sources. Sometimes, someway, their placement is based on something they sampled, and sometimes it’s very dodgy. All of them will always think that drums is something that could be behind. They call it backline.

It’s a joke, because that is the foundation.

On his music creation processes and collaboration:

I create everything myself, it’s only for them to come and execute it the way I want it to be. Look at my “Tribute to Art Blake”. These are Art Blakey’s compositions, from the Jazz Messengers. He was my idol, I just like the guy so much as an American drummer. I would say, he made me to be who I am today. He made me by using his method of delivery, which is different from other jazz drummers.

It wasn’t so easy for an African drummer from Africa to relate quick to this approach of this guy, you know. So I found out that Art Blakey is supposed to be my master. I followed up his work in jazz. In highlife, I am still applying the touch of what I learned from him. Which made me different from most of the drummers in Nigeria.

I was a strange drummer to other drummers in Nigeria. That’s why they looked at me and asked “Why are you playing Highlife like this?”  I just say ‘listen to this.  Lot isn’t going to change. You either follow it or you don’t.’

On his drive to create a unique drum pattern:

It’s just because I wanted to do something that wasn’t there. It was boring for me. That’s my music there. I’m going to be listening to it for a while. As soon as I  am done promoting it, it’s done for me. I am not listening to it anymore. Yes, because I need to research further.

On Funk Music and local Nigerian rhythm:

On the Funk side, for me, it’s kind of limiting as a drummer. I am coming from Nigeria, the origin of rhythms. I was born into different rhythms. When I was a kid, I ran after different bands and different ethnic groups. So we were listening to different drumming. It’s just that when I became a drummer, I had to reflect on those things I was hearing in the past.

Afrobeat is already a combination of all those things. That’s why when I am drumming, you can hear jazz, you can hear funk, you can hear all those things all packaged together.

Moving Forward In Music:

A new album is coming out in September, on the record, I introduce nine people. After that album is out, it is done. The only thing I love to be doing mostly apart from my own music, is that if you are a musician, a singer or a rapper, and you are doing your own stuff, just invite me to come and have a go with me. A jam session. I love to do that a lot.

Like I said, it’s for inspiration. It could inspire me. I could be hearing something that you cannot hear. You do the song, but you might not be hearing something. But me I must hear. So if you could just let me come, and have a jam with you, then I will drop it in for you.