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About De Red Boyz
Since their scorching debut as producers in 2006, De Red Boyz - 36-year old Barbadian drummer, Mikey Hulsmeier and Trinidadian transplant, 30-year old guitarist Scott Galt – have reset the Groovy Soca fusion sound, making it crisp, danceable, and spicier.
To date the duo has produced two consecutive Soca albums, both spiked with big names from the local & regional Soca arena. The first album, De Red Boyz Blazin' Red Soca Project, was the birth place for Trinidad and Tobago’s 2007 Carnival’s International Groovy Soca Monarch winning tune ‘Nah Goin' Home’ by Barbadian reggae star Biggie Irie. Making the album a sure fire starter, Shontelle, famed author of Alison Hinds mega tune ‘Roll It’, released her own recording ‘Hot Like Fyah’; Peter Ram launched the anthem ‘Woman By My Side’’, and 2003 People’s Monarch, Statement, released ‘I'll Be Home’.
The second album, Soca Bonfire, released for the 2007 Crop Over season, burned with music that matched the pre-season hype. This time around Trinidad’s Farmer Nappy, out of Machel Montano’s camp, released the automatic classic - ‘Chippin’, complete with a follow-up remix featuring Jamaican Reggae sensation Anthony B. New comer, R&B artist J-CO, was featured along with foundation artists like Krosfyah’s Edwin Yearwood, who dropped ‘Feels Like Home’, confirming the versatility and staying power of De Red Boyz team.
As De Red Boyz, Scott and Mikey might be new in terms of their focus and approach to the Music industry as producers, but as individuals, they are well-respected and utilised. Mikey is regarded as an outstanding drummer and drum programmer, and Scott, a top-shelf session guitarist. They are known most for their extensive work with hit-maker Chris Allman of Slam City Studio.
Before all the hype from 1987 to 1990, Mikey played in the then popular band Exodus with none other than Biggie Irie. Shortly after, he joined Splashband, whose sound for many teenagers of that time, including Scott Galt, defined that era. Actually, Scott, who lived around the corner from the Splashband Studio, made it a point of sitting in on rehearsal and recording sessions. He first met Mikey in that setting. Scott and Mikey would both end up working for esteemed saxophonist Arturo Tappin on his reggae jazz project, when Splashband disbanded.
Mikey played drums and was musical director for the Barbados band for the 1999 Spirit of Unity Tour. This tour interwove the talents of reggae singers David Kirton, Biggie Irie, and saxophonist Arturo Tappin. Throughout the years he occupied himself with Splashband reunion gigs and annual stints with the Crop Over Party Monarch Band since its inception in 1996. In 2004 Mikey then hooked-up with Atlantic Recording artist Rupee playing in his Dot Com band under Scott’s musical direction.
The time Scott spent with Rupee came right after a stint as musical director for the Toni Norville Band, an offshoot of the R&B band 4dPeople. In the late ‘90’s he played with the R&B band 2nd Avenue and soon after joined Coalishun in the era when then band member Rupee was still Rupert Clarke and hits like Ice Cream made an impact in Caribbean communities as far north as New York City.
Last year at the 2nd Annual Barbados Music Awards De Red Boyz walked away with the awards for Producer of the Year, Best Soca/Calypso album, and Compilation of the year. This year they won - Best Soca Compilation and Producer of the year.
It’s hard to believe that a simple experiment combining rhythms and melodies at their south coast Red Dawg Kennel Recording Studio would give rise to a Musical force of this magnitude. This year that force is taking on a new shape as the Red Boyz had expanded their sound to work on Barbadian Reggae artist David Kirton’s recently released album ‘Time For Change.’ – producing the heavily spun ‘Green Camouflage’ and two other tracks.
De Red Boyz movement is by far a collaboration of two seasoned professionals striking a fresh cord and sprucing up a traditional format. Between the two, the Galt/Hulsmeier team has been making music since childhood. From an early age Scott was plucking around. His dad started him out on a quatro – a four-stringed instrument with Venezuelan origins. Here in Barbados his folks' restaurant Angie's became a place to hangout and listen in on the hotel bands that would play at the establishment during his pre-pubescent years. At five years old a second hand drum set bought by his dad marked Mikey's musical beginning. From then on the drumming hasn’t stopped.
This year the Galt/Hulsmeier team is at it again; the list of artistes vying for a chance at recording on a Red Boyz track is long, brought on by the obvious success of the past two albums. Mikey - charming and diplomatic; Scott – dry humoured and enduring, aren't into music making as an accessory to chasing skirts, fame, stardom nor the familiar trappings that surface dwellers use to identify success. They’re simply devoted to making music sound good. The other stuff they leave for the people out front.
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