Since the birth of Reggae music there have been a lot of pioneers who left their mark on the industry and paved the way for the younger generation as we know it. One of those pioneers is the legendary William Anthony Maragh, known to the world as SuperCat. His vast catalog includes a variety of hits, most notably: Don Dada, Ghetto Red Hot, Boops, Dolly My Baby, Vineyard Party etc.
On the 8th episode of The-Bald-Head-N-The-Dread Podcast, we sat with the iconic guitarist Andy Bassford, to not only discuss Supercat’s prestigious career but moreover his intelligence and genius. Supercat is easily misjudged and oftentimes not what many expect him to be. His “rudebwoy” image is usually the focal point of many conversations, which at times take away from his incessant contributions to the music, both the artform of modern Dancehall as well as the international appeal of Reggae.
Although Early B is not known to many millennials who listen to dancehall currently, he is one of the Godfathers of dancehall and the one who mentored SuperCat. With a mentor of such high caliber SuperCat had no choice but to tackle the dancehall arena with not just raw aggression but also a keen sense of articulation that could be heard on the versions being played on the sound systems. The song that most expresses his love for the artform and his ability to play on words is ‘Vineyard Style’. In ‘Vineyard Style’ he speaks about a dancehall session while personifying the vegetables and fruits. Through his lyrics one can almost see a vivid visual of what takes place in the dance from start to finish without any form of confusion.
Andy Bassford played guitar for SuperCat and did many rehearsals with him and when asked about his thought process towards SuperCat he said, “I was really struck by his intelligence.” A statement like that is not unique to the lips of just one individual, as it is known that SuperCat is an avid reader with a broad scope of knowledge. Besides having interest in world affairs he listens to a wide variety of music. To Andy’s surprise, SuperCat listens to a lot of Dean Martin while chilling, which is very rare for an artist of his stature. What is even more peculiar than listening to Jazz is the fact that SuperCat sights Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist of all times. Only true music scholars can comprehend such a statement, as Reggae music has produced countless amounts of talented guitar players.
Although SuperCat came up in the era of sound systems and toasters being at the I-trol tower, he is beyond resilient and fits right in as it relates to live performances. Musicians loved to play with him as he was comfortable with the band and according to Andy, “(musically) he has tremendous intellectual curiosity.” An evident of his flexibility when it comes to live performances was at the concert at Madison Square Garden in 2008 that featured the likes of SuperCat, Buju Banton, Barrington Levy and others. Cat wanted to perform ‘Dolly My Baby’ but Trevor Sparks was in the United Kingdom at the time. He listened to his musicians and quickly improvised a 16 bar in rehearsal, which possibly became one of the highlights of that massive concert which the supporters and band members alike, truly appreciated.
There is often a debate and a big misconception surrounding who listens to Supercat. However Andy dispelled the notion that his fanbase were just hardcore gangsters. In fact, the fanbase of Supercat includes people from all over the world and multiple different ethnic groups, especially those in Latin America. Due to his beginnings, many box him in on the sound system culture without knowing his full potential or reach.
The image of SuperCat works two ways for him and coexists simultaneously. While his “rudebwoy” image is piercing to the eyes of many, his keen sense of humility is shocking to the musicians that have played with him in the past. He is heavily affected when he can’t give the people what they want while performing and hates to disappoint anyone that comes out to see him. As it relates to professionalism, Andy Bassford compares SuperCat to an artist like Shaggy. He is the type of artist that can’t be ruled out and always travels with the element of surprise. While SuperCat may be seen as a superstar to many, he doesn’t have an excessive ego and shows respect to a lot of the predecessors before him in all his conversations.
When all is said and done, SuperCat will remain a champion in the arena of Dancehall and Reggae music. Musicians like Andy Bassford and others can testify to his ingenuity and dedication to his craft and the culture. SuperCat is known to many as a hardcore gangster, but his legacy spwan way beyond that.
