We couldn't ever say enough about Sugar. He's our reggae heart and soul. He's the one who brings it all together. He works tirelessly on our performance and brings that enthusiasm and love out in every show. His vocals are the most gorgeous thing to sit on top of reggae rhythms and we love him unconditionally.
I was super excited to sit down with Sugar and find out all about him. Well, I'll be honest, I did know some of it. But it makes a very interesting story!
Helen: Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
Sugar: I was born in Handsworth. I was actually born in a house rather than in hospital. Westbourne Road in Handsworth, I was born. And I'm actually still living in Handsworth now. Not to say I've lived in Handsworth my whole life - I have moved! But I came back.
Helen: OK, cool. How did you get into music?
Sugar: I got into music through church when I was young. I saw a guy playing guitar and heard the sound and I think that was the thing that kind of hooked me.
Helen: OK, what did you learn to play?
Sugar: Guitar... (Note from Helen: obviously)
Helen: Have you learned to play anything else?
Sugar: I can play - maybe not great, but I can play - the keyboards. I can play the bass. I can play drums. A little bit of knowledge of music, yes.
Helen: How did you first find out you have the super power of singing? Can you remember a specific moment where you went 'Oh'?
Sugar: Oh, not a specific moment. But I was singing before I was even playing guitar. Because in church, you know, I was singing there. That's the first thing I learned.
Helen: So how did you know you'd got a voice?
Sugar: Erm. I think it was more through what other people said, rather than me thinking 'Oh Lloyd, you've got a voice'. I just enjoyed singing and it seemed like I could sing in tune. It wasn't something that I thought 'I can sing here'. I started to sing and really enjoyed it.
Helen: So tell me a little bit more about your musical history.
Sugar: Well, like I said, I started in church and guitar was the first thing I learned to play.
Helen: Who bought your first guitar?
Sugar: My brother. But we won't say that he bought it! Let's say he...acquired it! So my brother acquired a guitar and brought it home and I started to play on it. I was what we call twanging on it. And my brother took the guitar away from me and said to me that until I learn to play he ain't gonna give me the guitar back. Now, how was I going to learn to play without a guitar? But I found a way, and I learned. And I remember when I'd actually learned to play, one day I went into his room and took the guitar, right? This is when he was in the house. Right. Came downstairs. Got behind him. And just started to play it. And the shock when he turned round!
Helen: He don't move that fast now, does he?
Sugar: No, he doesn't, but yeah, when I left the church my musical...I loved writing music. I've always loved writing music and so I tried to start writing music and stuff like that - it hasn't really stopped. I haven't written much music lately but I've always had these little things in my mind to write something down and do something.
Helen: I suppose it's easier now with smartphones. You have an idea and you can put it straight down?
Sugar: Yes and No. The trouble with that is that because you can do so many at one time, you tend to do 19 different projects and don't finish one of them! And I'm saying, whereas before it was like you only have time to concentrate on the one thing to get it done. But yeah, it has it's ups and downs.
Helen: How did you get into The Reggulites?
Sugar: Well, when I got into - it wasn't The Reggulites when I first got into the band! Actually, how I first got in there was I was in another band, and we weren't really doing much. We'd just gotten through and we were in the same rehearsal studio as the band that is now The Reggulites. Or should I say the name of the band is now The Reggulites, because the band is very different. Yeah, before the name 'The Reggulites' came there was a band that were playing and they didn't have a singer, and the guy at the studios said that they know of a singer. I got a phonecall. I came to see them. Basically, that's how I got into Reggulites.
Helen: And you're the only one left from then.
Sugar: I'm the only one left. The name came but the band is completely different. The only thing that is left from the old band is the name, and myself. Everything else is completely different.
Helen: What's your favourite song that the band do?
Sugar: I can't give a favourite. I've got a few songs that I love. And also the fact that we are always changing. Right now, the Collie Buddz tune. A lot of Beres, to be fair, Beres is kicking it right now. His latest tune, I need Your Love. Yeah, I kinda like that. And one of my all time favourites, which will always be one of my all time favourites now, is The Dancehall Medley. Yeah man, Dancehall Medley is just the business.
Helen: How did you get the name Sugar? Cause obviously, you're sweet.
Sugar: Ok, well - thank you very much - somebody said that I had a voice like sugar, or smoother than sugar. Where the actual name came from I can't say. I just remember somebody calling it me.
Helen: So they said Sugar when you came in?
Sugar: Well, to be honest with you, there's many other names that I've been called - I won't repeat them now - but I think Sugar was the one that sounded kind of OK, so I thought I'd go with that one!
Helen: Ok, for you, what's the best thing about being in music?
Sugar: Oh, it's the vibe. The absolute vibe. Being in music, you know, doing what we're doing now? There's a difference in like being in music but you're not out there doing your thing. And I'm saying, out there doing your thing, I don't find much that beats that. You know, drinking, drugs, I don't find much that can beat that buzz of when you're out there doing that. That's what it is for me.
Helen: What's your favourite gig to date that the band has done and why?
Sugar: First thing that popped into my head was the last wedding we did - Pippa and Seb's. And Teebs' wedding, you know. Those are the things that kind of pop out in my head straight away. When we were first gigging, we were obviously a new band so to go out there was wonderful. We've been through that. What seems much more important now is the connections that we make. That's the explanation for me.
Helen: Good answer! What are you looking forward to the most with the band?
Sugar: For the future? Oh, my God. Now that's a question that can really be stretched to anything. Because obviously I'm looking for everything for the band. Who wouldn't want to be that band that's out there and as soon as the name is mentioned, it's like the world responds. And I'm saying, if I could partake in that, even half of that. It's not about being hungry or greedy or anything like that. but we wanna take our music to the world. We want the world to hear our music. It's for you. It's joyous. There you go.
I hope you enjoyed reading all about Sugar and his experiences and insight. As I said, we couldn't ask for a better front man, a better band member and a better family member! He's the business!
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