BAND MUSIC: Collins and the Fame Band was started by a boy who once tried to etch a living by playing a guitar on the streets. Today, the band is among the top most sought after around Mbarara.
Collins and The Fame Band was started by Collins Alinaitwe, a former street guitarist who used to play instruments and sing on the streets of Mbarara, Kabale, Isingiro, Bushenyi among other towns to earn a living.
In 2018, Collins joined Twelve Keys Band for about eight months, leaving for Gist Band until 2021 when he started Collins and The Fame Band with a few friends whom he would later hire to play in the band.
“After the Covid-19 lockdown, I had some savings and I managed to buy some instruments and invited five members to join me. Some of them have since left, for example Jack Sumail on the bass, Ferdinand, Mesach, Chance. Later Cia Baby Ug, Desire Kumapesa, Dan Obiang and Joshua joined us and we became eight members,” Collins says.
Collins Alinaitwe is the lead singer, Cia Baby Ug the female vocalist, Gulli the second lead singer, Desire Kumapesa on the first keys, Obiang on the second keys, Essai on the solo guitar, Jack Sumail on the bass guitar and Dan Maestro on the drums.
Besides miming other artistes’ songs, Collins and The Fame Band have recorded their own music, including When I Love You, Bugu Bugu, Mr Poverty, Supu, among other songs. They also have collaborations with other artistes.
In the years they have been active, Collins and The Fame Band have achieved quite a lot, including gaining recognition as well as being able to have daily performances at different venues in western Uganda and this has helped the band grow their audience.
Collins Alinaitwe the lead singer: “We managed to market the band, it is now recognised in western Uganda, we have managed to buy instruments for the band, we have also managed to stage a Fame Edition show twice; in June this year and another one in December.
Cia Baby Ug the Female Vocalist: “We are not like before, we started when the band was in a corner of its own but now we are out of the corner. If you met a few people and asked them about our band, they will tell you they know us and the members in it.”
Band’s venues
Collins and The Fame Band started performing at White Horse Inn Kabale, then Cat Walk in Kabale, Golden Crane in Isingiro, Club Amnesia in Ibanda, Elephant Lounge in Kasese, Nicoz Lounge, Oceans Lounge, City Bar and Heat Bar in Mbarara City, among other places in the region. The band has also performed at stages of the Comedy Store Mbarara.
According to Cia Baby Ug, their target audience cuts across all generations, including the young and the old.
“Our music entertains all generations because we do all genres of music while performing, even if they are children.”
Alinaitwe they often spot and recruit talent through interviews.
“You call someone for an interview to sing or play an instrument and it is from there that I tell who knows how to sing or play a guitar and eventually they are recruited to join the band,” he said.
Alinaitwe says he faces difficulty leading and working with indisciplined and stubborn band members but as a leader, he takes it easy for the smooth operation of the band.
“Talented people are usually indisciplined, they do not respect time but I just handle them as someone who is in the same industry with them. Sometimes I take it easy because music is not like other jobs or industries, it is hard getting someone to replace someone that you have been working with. For instance, a good guitarist is hard to find and yet those who are good at playing the guitar are also hard to deal with, they are stubborn and proud,” he said.
Challenges
Like any other business, Collins and The Fame Band face quite a number of challenges from people who hire them but do not want to pay, transportation issues since the band does not have transport means of their own to unreliable band members who are on and off.
“We lack enough capital for marketing, working for people who pay less for the services that we provide just because they do not know the costs we incur and sometimes you find some of the band members are on and off. Sometimes certain members are refugees and when they get a deal to go to America or Kenya, you have to recruit another person,” Alinaitwe says.
Future plans
Collins and The Fame Band is looking at making their Band bigger and better by grooming more talent and coming up with new to grow the band’s brand.
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