Stone rises

Very few of us can claim to have had that marvellous experience when our musical coming of age coincides with moments of genuine musical history. To be hanging around London in ’76, Manchester in the late ’80s or Seattle during the early days of grunge, these are the stuff of memories (and before you ask, no the Revs at Whelans doesn’t count). For Angie Stone, it was the glory days of soul.

“I was a little girl when Marvin Gaye was a superstar”, she remembers, “my mum used to listen to Al Green a lot. I remember running around and all we would hear was ‘Let’s Stay Together’ blasting away”. Aside from a bunch of great records, she also reminisces about some memorable concerts. “I went to see the Jackson 5”. Good? “It was better than good. I wasn’t even a teenager, I was ten. I was very excited and I begged to go to the concert. I was in love with Michael”.

Another huge influence on the young Stone was gospel music.

“Oh yeah, I grew up in the church. I lived it, I loved it. We still do a gospel review live. It’s the one form of music that does not limit us. When you’re singing an R&B song they go, don’t do too m much – but with gospel you can do whatever you want. You can just let go”.

Despite being tagged with the rather woolly definition of nu-soul, Stone’s music has distinct links to the past – both through the subtle use of samples (the O’Jays’ ‘Backstabber’ on ‘Wish I Didn’t Miss You’) and her willingness to tackle the works of the greats. She responds with characteristic humility.

“Well, I just think that Angie Stone has been one of the few artists who has been able to pull off a remake that doesn’t embarrass the original. I’ve been lucky so far that I haven’t picked a song that I didn’t do a good job on”.

But Stone is a fine writer in her own right, marrying a classic old skool soul sound with a modern lyrical sass, particularly on the Alicia Keys and Eve assisted ‘Brotha’.

“That was something to make my race of men feel validated, especially because there is so much hatred and nonsense going on that they needed a big pick-me-up. All the women were bashing them and going crazy. It was a good way to come out because no one had ever made a song about black men”.

Did the song get a good reaction from its subject matter? She raises her eyes and whistles in affirmation.

“Wonderful. I’ve been very blessed with it”. She lets out a hearty laugh. “At least all the guys are interested in me now”.

What did she think of the Nation of Islam’s Million Man March?

“Pride wise, it was great. It needed to happen for the men, not for anyone else. They needed it for themselves. Black men need to see that they’re not alone, that there are a whole load of people who feel the way they do, want the things they want. It gave them a self-assurity, made them feel worth something on this planet”.

Flick through any of the R&B or hip-hop music channels on TV and you might begin to question some of the expressions of male identity that manifest themselves through a series of crass, bump and grind videos. Surprisingly, Stone is unwilling to criticise.

“I think that it’s self-expression in general; wanting to be seen, wanting to be heard, wanting to be noticed. Society has dictated that sex sells so they think, all we have to do is get a bunch of naked girls and people are going to look at the video. At this point, it’s by any means necessary to get the attention. Girls I blame for that because there should be a lot more self-respect, but everybody wants to be a superstar”.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the rise of Stone, the aforementioned Keys and up and coming Res is their refusal to play the record industry game.

“We know that self worth has nothing to do with selling sex. Self worth and beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it’s inside, I think that I’ve worked hard for people to realise that I’m not your average size two, I’m not drop dead gorgeous but I am beautiful in my own right. I guess for me, my inner beauty reflects it all and my music tells the rest. People have to make up what they chose to make up. Americans are geared to this whole beauty thing, that you need to have all those qualities. They’re man made qualities, God didn’t make them. God didn’t give talent to just the beautiful, he gave it to everyone. We shouldn’t dictate how that talent is distributed. When we do that, we block our blessings”.