I think I now have some work to do in terms of applying myself and focusing on this some more and perfecting the art. When we get to Billboard, I’ll take a glass of wine then. Until then just humble yourself and do some work.."

Peter Coppin, 1/2/2003.
Monstapiece Studios,
The Garrison, Barbados.

Peter Coppin is young in the music business, but he has already produced some of the biggest soca hits like Rupee's Jump and Insomnia, Naya George's Trinidad, Lil Rick's Hypa Dog, many winning roadmarches in Barbados, Boston, New York, and believe it or not, Trinidad. With the number one radio show in Barbados plus a full schedule DJing parties, catching up with him in the recording studio was a real treat. After all, this is where singers like Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, TOK, Elephant Man, Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, and Rupee come to generate big hits.

Jouvay.com: We’re here sitting with Peter Coppin of Monstapiece....

Peter Coppin: Monstapiece Entertainment Incorporated. This is Monstapiece Studios. What’s left of it.

J: Exactly, people just broke into your place right?

P: Yeah, stole alot of shit. Just trying to recover now.

J: Sorry to hear about that.

P: So it go.

J: Tell us a bit about Peter Coppin and Monstapiece and how it started.

P: Monstapiece is basically the name of the company, record label. There’s Alan Roach, Allison Hunte who also helps with bookings and dealing with artists and management. She also manages Kevin Lyttle. She’s his booking agent as well. Other people are also involved, Stan Burrowes. There’s the DJ side of things as well. Where we are right now is the studio that focuses on production.

J: When you say production, I want you to walk me through something. How do you make a song? How did you make Trinidad?

P: Iwer George, he sent me a vocal copy of the song with a guitar on CD. We put it on the computer, opened up a program which I use called Pro Tools, put the vocals back in there and then we built the rhythm around the vocal track that he sent us. From there we basically put on the various elements that we thought would make that song sound better or compliment the vocals and stuff like that. Bass, drums, everything is done here (drum machine demonstration), so that we put that around the vocals to come up with the tune.

J: Then a live band takes it from there?

P: Then the artist performs it after it plays on the radio and then the live bands pick it up and see which sounds they prefer.

J: So everything is done on the computer?

P: Nope. I’m only using the computer for vocals. I like to use the drum machine still. I like the feel it gives. The keyboard, the different modules have different tones that have different sounds and all together...tones, keyborards, drum machine, vocals....that turns out to be a song.

J: How long does a song take you to do?

P: It depends, when I started it would take a week sometimes two weeks to do a song. Now we can do six, seven, eight songs a day.

J: You all have a factory going here.

P: Yeah, fairly quick. But after we do that amount of work in a day, we are not finished as yet. Then we take the product and I listen to it, go for a drive in the country and listen and go through it in my head and see what I find compliments the artist. I listen back to certain tones, certain lines in the song where the artist may need complimenting with a crash or a horn then add stuff to it. It might still end up taking two weeks, but we could get the gist of the song done within a couple of hours. I guess it’s like a sketch within a day, but then I still have to mould it. Nah, I like to take time to listen over a period of time and then let people criticize it. I criticize stuff in here real heavy. We are our worse critics. But that’s basically how a song is done.

J: So you work with Terry Arthur also?

P: Yes, he is the musical composer. He also helps arrange background vocals for tracks.

J: When you say musical composer, what’s that?

P: He can rewrite songs, he can compose and help you to mould the song in terms of its' structure. Helping you to fit the right words in the right place. He also plays music keys. I deal with alot of the programming and the drums and bass, recording, tracking, the technical work, the editing and mixing.

J: So, when you guys are doing a song you both have to be here?

P: Not necessarily. It does not make a difference. We’re gonna get it done.

J: How you started all of this?

P: About six years ago. I don’t know if you heard of this Bajan artist called Glen Benjamin. He got a record deal with Sony in London a couple years ago. Back in the day he had a fairly popular tune and video and I met Glen and we did a song called Grind Coffee. That was done in my mom’s kitchen.

J: You had your computer in there?

P: No computer back then. We had tape machines and little DJ gadgets. And we thought we could make a song. That we kind of did. People seemed to like it. After that I did Hard Wine with Lil Rick.

J: Monstapiece was formed as yet?

P: No, it was not formed then. Monstapiece was formed about 3 years ago.

J: After you started to blow up?

P: I don’t know if you can say blow up. I’m not near to anywhere I want to be. My mind is set to Billboard to see how we can get this music marketed in such a way that it can be accepted internationally.

J: What do you think you have to do for that?

P: You obviously have to present it in a way...ok, If you speak French I can’t come to you and speak Latin and expect you to understand me. So, I can probably fuse the two and you’d understand at least some of what I was trying to say. That’s the most neutral thing you can do. Make your statement. Don’t dilute your stuff, but make it in such a way that people internationally can relate to the tones and the elements that you put in your music

J: So you’re thinking of mixing it more with hip-hop or reggae or salsa.

P: Well the hip-hop, reggae mixing thing..that’s me. I always try to mix those elements into music. Always. At the end of the day reggae music is one of the biggest music forms of the world. If you check our baseline patterns, they are reggae and rap influenced. Drum programming is all over the place, but the main core of it is soca...for example, if I have to do a soca tune for the road you can’t vary too far from the foundation. If I am doing raggasoca like Rupert’s insomnia, that was a fusion between raggasoca, rap and R&B. Alot of our rhythms are fused with rap. The fusion seems to be working. We just need to see how to perfect it.

J: Yeah, soca does need to get into the mainstream market. How many road march songs have you produced?

P: I lost count.

J: Did you do this years?

P: Yeah. Hypa Dog.

J: You did Rupee’s Jump in 2000? And Naya George’s Trinidad?

P: Correct. I did one for Tallpree which won road march, I can’t remember the name right now. Quite a few.

Jouvay.com: The man’s so good.

Peter Coppin: I don’t really see myself like how some people perceive or see me like wow you are doing so well. I think I now have some work to do in terms of applying myself and focusing on this some more and perfecting the art. To be talking, "Well geee, I have this trophy"..nah…when we get to Billboard, I’ll take a glass of wine then. You know what I mean? Until then just humble yourself and do some work.

J: Who are you working with in terms of artists right now?

P: Anybody with talent. I try not to work with everybody.

J: How can you be selective?

P: You have to set yourself a standard. If I try to work with everybody you will end up diluting your work and the quality of your work and you obviously can't put enough time into it. So what I do is I tend to work with one or two artists in terms of their talent. Even if it’s an upcoming artists with potential I try to work with them as well. You can't work with everybody, you will end up sacrificing the quality of your work. If it takes a week or two to get a tune to a level of perfection, and you want to work with ten thousand artists you'll have a day to work on a tune. Bearing that in mind you must use your discretion. Some of the artists I am working with right now…Bunji, Machel. Just did some stuff for Machel.

J: Had you done stuff for Machel before?

P: Yeah, I did the Wrecker…"If you do not come and move your car"… Maximus Dan, Benjai and Treason. I did a song for Doug E. Slaughter for 2002 and am doing stuff for 2003.

J: That was Tic-Toc.

P: Yeah, and another tune. This year I will do some work with Onika Bostic from Burning Flames for Trinidad carnival. From here, Lil Rick, Alison Hinds, Edwin.

J: What are some of the songs you did for Alison?

P: Jack up the World, DJ Ride.."I want a man come and ride". A whole lot. And Edwin. Phew. There’s Handy Man, there’s the album that had on Calor (Hot Zone)..I did a tune on that as well....."do you remmeber when we used to jam hard so?" There was another tune on one of our rhytms that was Bad Inna Me, so many tunes I can’t remember.

J: When you say one of your riddims. You know how reggae has a lot of riddims and all of the artists go on that. You think that’s new in soca?

P: Yeah and so far the public seems to like it. Which is not a bad thing.

J: When did that start happening?

P: I think when we started, I think a song with Rupert Clarke for a tune Not Me. That was the first riddim ...tum tudum tudum...a Redman sample.

J: What was the rhythm called?

P: Ahmmmmmmmm, the Red rhythm.

J: Mr. Peter Coppin needs some Ginko for his memory.

P: Mr. Peter Coppin’s memory is all over the place because I've got so many things to study right now. Also, Alison Hinds was on that rhythm and Machel’s Wrecker was on that also.

J: Were you the first guys to do the soca riddim thing?

P: People say we were the first, but I never really checked it out. Could be so.

J: And this year is the Desperado riddim?

P: Yeah, which for some reason is...

J: Blowing up.

P: Yeah, it really did not play here for cropover. It played like going into cropover. That was an amazing rhythm.

J: Well, I love it. The Bunji one is like my theme song, “If you looking for me baby you can find me by the bar."

P: By the Bar, yeah, people like that a lot. There’s another one we did with Machel and with TOK as well.

J: TOK is on that album?

P: No, We just did a tune for them on that rhythm that’s been released in Trinidad..(the room fills with music)…"excuse me, what would you like to drink Sir…Don Perignon..this is TOK…shouting Peter Coppin” and then Machel is also on the rhythm…. “Yo, where’s my girls? Where’s my children’s mother, where’s my baby momma… Roll, make your waistline roll….cock back and roll.”

J: That song is lovely. I want to go Trinidad carnival bad. Think Machel's making a comeback?

P: Thanks man. Machel..boyyyy. That song is making a mess in Trinidad…..When he’s performing with the band, everybody who is on the rhythm comes on stage and performs their little piece and then you have all of these power puff girls and posters and dances and stuff.

J: What’s the power puff dance? How it goes?

P: I ain't doing that. When you go to carnival you come back and tell me about it. Tell me about the power puff dance.

J: That's cool. So, how did TOK get in touch with you?

P: They heard the rhythm and got in touch with me. And I always wanted to work with them and they wanted to work with me. So I said let's do this man. And they loved the rhythm.

J: They are so good.

P: Yeah. I like working with TOK. They are humble in spirit. In music it takes a special person to even mend or bond in terms of working together. Everyone can’t work together to get the right vibe. Music, whatever you put in it when it’s being created you’re going to get back out. TOK are good guys man.

J: So they came here to this studio? TOK!!

P: Yeah. In my humble crib. I did work here with Mad Cobra as well. Elephant Man as well. I want to do some future work with him also. I like his energy. We’re both crazy when it comes to energy.

J: I've never seen him perform, but I heard that he (Elephant Man) was amazing. So, in addition to the production you also DJ. You’re like the big name DJ down here in Barbados.

P: The one that people want to pull down, yeah. You know how it goes. DJing, I always love music. I thought by now I would be finished DJing, but as long as people want me to do it I will.

J: Yeah and you seem to enjoy the party too.

P: Yeah, you saw that didn't you?

J: Yep, I saw you twice over the past week and a half.

P: At Skyy.

J: And at the Baje's Christmas fete. Even though you were complaining about the sound system.

P: As much as there was a problem with the sound system we had to work . People pay the money, you have to make sure they party. I was behaving bad. Real bad.

Jouvay.com: It’s so funny, I learnt about Monstapiece only from the new CD with the Desperado rhythm. So when I came down I heard that Peter Coppin was Monstapiece and you’ve got to go hear him DJ. So, I went to Plantations that night and I was asking, “When he gon play the soca?” And folks were like "Peter Coppin? you have to come for cropover."

Peter Coppin: Yeah come for cropover and you will get your soca all night long. That’s only one day in the year. All year round everybody else gets their piece from Sisquo to Michael. So, when carnival come around Jayz chill out. It's about the artists here now. We gotta get our bligh here too.

J: Have you ever worked with any hip-hop artists?

P: Yeah, with Foxy Brown.

J: Was that the one with Alison?

P: Yeah. See, you remember more tunes than me.

J: Well, it’s only on this trip that I’m paying attention. I’m trying to understand how the music is made, and the importance of the producers.

P: The importance of the producers. Amazing you say that because I don't think the producers get enough respect for the kind of work we have to do. See these grey walls? I’m in here with these grey walls for 18 hours during cropover.

J: You should lighten up the place a bit.

P: Bring me a picture please. Something of nature.

J: We’ll send you some jouvay.com pictures.

P: Something please. A lawn, a moo moo. I’ll settle for the pictures of the landscape. It’s 18 hours. After all of that work the least you can do is give it maximum play. At Baje fetes we start off with 60-75% soca, and as it goes along we increase it to all soca and it stays there until the end of cropover. Outside of cropover in Barbados it's funny. People party to everything and when you play the soca, it's like the minority.

J: Trust me I’ve been looking for it whole Christmas

P: To no avail. Hmmm, pray tell. I could tell you that.

J: Well, I got it at the Krosfyah and Square One shows, but in the clubs I get more Eminem.

P: Nah, you’re not going to get it (soca)in the clubs. That's how it's going today in the culture. You have to move with it or get left behind. At the same time no one DJ can do it. Us DJs have to try and reeducate the people. It’s gonna take a lot of effort.

J: Are you on the radio too?

P: Yes, 3-8.

J: 95.3?

P: Yeah, Hot FM. They claim that’s one of the number one shows.

J: That’s just after Malcom X? So it goes..

P: John Doe in the morning, Malcomn X in the midday and then me from 3-8pm.

J: Were you on today?

P: No, I am sick with the flu. In the meantime I am trying to rest and trying to get this studio back in order you know?.

J: You were telling me you lost some dub plates.

P: Yeah man, dub plates, records, all kinds of stuff . Equipment, I don’t even know where to start and every time I think about it it’s really upsetting. So, if I seem a little not here, sometimes I come in here and I remember I got robbed. Although you're hearing music and seeing equipment I lost alot of stuff. I am just glad I have the basic stuff that I can carry on. I have to spend at least $50K US to get back on track.

J: They should put up a Monstapiece fund.

P: We’re going to throw some fundraising fetes. Actually, Machel Montano is coming down next month to help us.
The guys are putting on something and donating some funds to us. I respect that.

J. That’s cool. Especially when you are producing such good music. The music community needs you.

P: For whatever it’s worth I give thanks man. Last year was a ridiculous year. This year feels good regardless of what I went through. I’m looking to go in even more crazy this year. I’m about Billboard, remember that.

J: We’re sure you’ll do that.

P: Well, with God's help we'll try.

J: Maybe I’ll send some artists from Oakland down. Oakland has a lot of good underground hip-hop artists.

P: Oakland…lots of beach?

J: That would be LA. Oakland you’ve got to wear a wet suit, but the bay is gorgeous.

P: (sniffling) No thanks.

J: Do you have anything else?

P: I don’t know. Thank God for everything. The people who support and the people who believe. Those are the people that matter. Bless them, everywhere …wherever because it’s the people that keep me going.

J: So, do you travel to play?

P: Yeah I do shows in Canada, London, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Antigua, booked Jamaica in March. I did two shows last year in Jamaica at Asylum. Sold out. Road block.

J: You played soca for the Jamaicans?

P: Nah. Not in the fete. Seriously, I was on the radio for a week and I played soca everyday and the people loved it. The radio is, to me, the head of the spring so I did my piece in terms of trying to put soca more onto the radio. As a matter of fact the Desperado rhythm is playing hard in Jamiaca right now and I think it’s going to go good for Jamaica carnival. I'm praying so.

J: Can you imagine if TOK wins the road march for Jamaica carnival?

P: I know, TOK performing for Jamaica carnival yo.

J: I know Red Rat does a bit or he used to and he’s supposed to do something with Denise Belfon and Alison Hinds.

P: It’ll be good to see Red Rat doing some soca.

J: You should talk to him.

P: No problem.

J: I met him out in San Francisco recently. He has a lot of good energy man.

P: Good energy is always welcome.

J: I know I asked you this at Skyy, but tell me how you worked on Jump because Rupee is really big for us on the West Coast and we, jouvay.com, brought him out as our first artist.

P: Rupert had the idea, the melody everything. I put together the beat, the music and it complimented what he liked and what he was actually singing. I’d never forget that tune, yo. We spent alot of time on that tune. Even when that tune was finished being mixed I was not ready and Rupert was like “Yo, Pete, we gotta put it out." I was like, “Rupert, I ain’t ready. I need more time." It went through one or two changes because of the drum programming. I like aggressive drum programming, anything with energy I like. I still produce mellow tunes. I actually did some tunes for Kevin Lyttle that were very laid back.

J: Did you do Turn Me On?

P: No, Turn me on was done by his producer in St. Vincent. That’s a phenomenal tune. Still going big and just seems to be getting bigger and bigger. That’s good man. So, after Rupert made enough noise that I should put it out, boy we all did background vocals on that tune, Alison Hinds, Indra Rudder, she's a recording artist with Eddie Grant.

J: Really, what part of background?

P: "Jump". And the melodies and harmonies were done by Rupert and Alison and Indra. And Jeffrey Cardo from Splash band also did vocals. He was the lead vocalist for Splash.

J: I just heard I missed a good show with Splash band last week.

P: They had a reunion. They are normally big shows. But, Jump, that song was done with alot of fun. I remember waking up everyone around me, “yes good morning everyone I am finished.” Rupert is on the ground lying down sleeping, his girlfriend is lying down sleeping, somebody else is dead in the corner. I woke up everybody and pressed play and went outside, the sun was shining.

J: And you knew it was a hit.

P: No, I did not know it was a hit. Sorry. That part I did not know. I’m never really satisfied with the tunes. There’s always something I want to improve on, but at the end of the day once the vibe is good and people love it, that's what matters. It’s not about me, it’s about what the people like at the end of the day.

J: That’s cool. Why, thank you.

P: You’re welcome.

J: Give us a drop for jouvay.com.

P: Watching or listening to?

J: It's a website.

P: What's the email address?

J: info@jouvay.com.

P: Info@jouvay.com? Well that's correct then.

Info@jouvay.com. Check that stuff out. Peter Coppin, Monstapiece Crew. We say support that 100%. Bless.

Buy 2000 CD Crossroads

Buy 2002 CD The Album

2001 © Jouvay Ventures, LLC.
All Rights Reserved.