WEIMAR, Germany:

THE REGGAE scene has been hit hard by the demise of scores of sound systems in Germany, where the industry has seen more than 50 per cent decline in numbers in Berlin alone.

Eric Reiss, selector of Bandulero sound system which has played in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, told The Sunday Gleaner that the frenzy sparked by the popularity of Sean Paul mid-decade has fizzled.

"We see in Berlin the market getting harder and harder," Reiss said. "Fewer clubs want to play reggae, partly because they say the reggae crowd don't drink enough (from club bars).

"The crowds going to reggae parties are getting smaller and smaller. There's not so much hype around reggae anymore," he added.

Konstantin 'Kose' Reincke, manager of Fling-A-Stone, one of Berlin's prominent sound systems, said there were about 80 such outfits up to three years ago, but the market has drastically shrunk to no more than 30. Now, fewer than 10 play internationally, including Supersonic and Bandulero, he said.

Reincke, whose Fling-A-Stone only plays Jamaican artistes, chastised the practice of German singers addressing slum poverty and state abuse when they had no experience with fighting as an underclass.

a lifestyle, philosophy

"The main core of reggae is not because it's a lifestyle, it's a philosophy," he said.

Reiss was equally critical.

"Reggae is an expression of life in Jamaica. I try to bring the message to people," said Reiss. "That's why Jamaicans have the real message. They are doing it for fun, but the Germans are not putting their soul into it. Jamaicans put their heart into it.

"I can't really believe these people (Germans) and the message they are bringing in their songs," he said. "I cannot believe, but when a German artiste comes here promoting slackness and gun lyrics. I just laugh, it's not real."

He also attributes the attrition of sound systems from the German capital to difficulty in promoting newer music, which most European patrons have never heard, and therefore don't connect with the lyrics.

"What we see now is ... that people are not interested in reggae music anymore. And when you and my sound system go to a party and play music, most of the people don't know the new tunes and that's one big problem we see in the last couple of months. More and more sound systems are dying," Reiss said, adding, however, that the survival of the fittest would enable quality groups to ride out the storm. Currently, voicing of dub plates by Jamaican artistes cost sound systems 250-500 euros, depending on the entertainment value.

Part of the disappointment with Germany's home-based content is a growing sentiment among industry stakeholders that the knock-on effect of artiste Gentleman, after a flurry of hits earlier this decade, did not materialise. For them, Gentleman seems to represent the first - and last - 'Great White Hope'.

"There are not as many good artistes here as in Jamaica. For me, I want to promote reggae music, dancehall music, so I prefer playing Jamaican artistes and some of the German artistes I would really not play," said Reiss.

"There are a few German artistes who support other German artistes. Only Gentleman gets ratings. He learnt all his skills in Jamaica so his style is really a Jamaican style."

shoes are too big to fill

Pete Lilly and Ellen Köhlings, editors of Cologne-based Riddim Magazine, and Andreas Muller, radio disc jockey and magazine writer, all agree that Gentleman's shoes are too big to fill. Though German artistes such as Nosliw, Ganjaman, Natty Flow and Peter Fox inject oomph into the reggae and dancehall circuit, even they haven't been able to energise the market and achieve the dizzy heights of Gentleman, the journalists said.

Köhlings, however, is optimistic, explaining that reggae still has a special place in the hearts of Germans.

"Reggae is still lacking compared with mainstream pop and hip hop though you wouldn't believe there are sound systems even in little villages," she told The Sunday Gleaner at Riddim's tiny office. Rock and techno are also head and shoulders above reggae in terms of party patronage and general listenership.

Köhlings argues that one of the benefits of touring Europe is the traction artistes such as Turbulance, Lutan Fyah, Junior Kelly and Anthony B used to develop their careers.

andre.wright@gleanerjm.com