The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is showing in London until July 18th
Tyler Fayose
William Kamkwamba’s inspiring journey has captured hearts globally, highlighted in his TED Talk, memoir The Boy Who Used the Wind, and the film adaptation. Now, you can experience his story in the captivating musical at @sohoplace in London until July 18th.
In 2001, a devastating famine struck Wimbe, Malawi. At just 13 years old, William (portrayed by Alistair Nwachukwu) embarks on an incredible quest for knowledge as he drops out of school due to financial constraints. With a keen engineering mind, he learns electronics by scavenging books and builds windmills using recycled materials, determined to provide power to his village.
The Boy Who Used the Wind captivates with its story. Excitement arises not from whether William will succeed, but from the obstacles his family faces. His talented sister Annie (Tsemaye Bob-Egbe) grapples with family expectations, while his best friend Gilbert (Idris Kargbo), the chief’s son, rises in times of crisis.
The heart-wrenching conflict lies in William’s father Trywell’s struggle. He desires a quality education for his son, yet requires William’s assistance on the farm to survive, creating a tragic cycle. Mazibuko expertly navigates this emotional tension in his performance.
Though not every musical strikes the right chord, The Boy Who Used the Wind delivers powerful performances. The vocal talents of the cast shine, particularly Mazibuko, Bob-Egbe, and Cholwe Raina Mntanga as the wind’s embodiment. While some songs have a haunting quality, the choreography stands out, especially in key dramatic moments like One Less (Hyena), complemented by stunning animal puppetry that evokes deep emotions.
Overall, the first half of The Boy Who Used the Wind felt drawn out, focusing excessively on the village’s charm. However, as the situation escalates for Wimbe, the emotional impact is undeniable. The performance resonated deeply, leaving the audience in tears during poignant moments for William.
WIn the late ’90s and early 2000s, countless parents purchased Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater for their kids, unaware of the profound influence it would have on their musical tastes. From Bad Religion to Papa Roach and Millencolin, these games became the ultimate compilation albums, mirroring the failed spins and grinds their players experienced.
While FIFA games are known for their licensed soundtracks, they often feel detached. In contrast, the Pro Skater soundtrack felt like a raw, handmade mixtape, soaked in sweat and nostalgia from countless sessions at the local skatepark.
“Most bands were picked because they came from the skate scene. Even the hip-hop from the original punk era, which dominated the skate culture in the ’80s and ’90s, led to a realization: ‘I never thought I’d be a tastemaker, but my loyalty to the culture shaped that role,'” remarked one artist.
“Tony was deeply involved in punk rock,” shares Chris DeMakes from Less Than Jake before their performance at this year’s Slam Dunk Festival. “Ultimately, he had to approve the bands for the soundtrack, which reassured me,” added Roger Lima from the same band: “Skating and music culture are so intertwined; it makes sense for there to be a truly authentic soundtrack.”
The influence of these games on participating bands has been unparalleled. “I recall playing previous iterations of THPS and dreaming about a chance to be featured,” shares AFI bassist Hunter Burgan. “Yet, we didn’t fully grasp the immense impact it would have long after we’d been on the soundtrack. I can’t tell you how many people have approached me over the last two decades saying THPS3 introduced them to AFI.”
“Tony had to approve the band on his soundtrack, so I felt better about it” … Less Than Jake. Photo: Piers Allardyce/Rex/Shutterstock
“Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater made me realize that all my closest friends were metalheads,” Demakes reflects. “I spoke with John Feldman of Goldfinger, and even though Superman wasn’t a worldwide hit, it became a breakthrough for them through the game.”
When the first Tony Hawk Pro Skater launched in 1999, those grey PlayStation discs served as vehicles for punk rock, introducing the genre to countless unsuspecting youth. Now, 25 years later, new artists are featured alongside the bands that originally shaped the game’s sound.
“These games have drastically shifted my musical preferences!” expresses Sammy Ciaramitaro, vocalist for hardcore band Drain. “They brought punk and a wealth of other incredible music to my childhood room.” Drain is one of the newer artists included in the soundtrack of the remake. “Our inclusion signifies the evolution of hardcore,” he adds. “We feel privileged to join forces with Turnstile and hope young players discover our music while gaming.”
Other bands like Ataris, which weren’t on Tony’s radar back then, dreamed of being featured in future installations. “We’ve matured alongside the Pro Skater franchise,” says bassist Mike Davenport. “During our rise in the late ’90s, we felt honored when our track ‘All Souls Day’ made it to the 2020 Pro Skater 1+2 remake.”
Davenport recalls moments from their tour: “On our tour bus, we were playing Pro Skater when our driver yelled, ‘Look outside!’ Suddenly, the TV flew towards us, and we instinctively swatted it away. Unfortunately, the TV and PlayStation perished, but we were spared.”
Davey Havok performed at AFI in 2007. Photo: Reuters/Aramie
After joining the franchise in 2002, Jake feels a sense of pride returning to the Pro Skater series decades later for the remake. “We’ve been around for 33 years, and it’s great to be invited to video games.”
“As long as there are gamers, there will be opportunities to connect them with music,” remarks Burgan.
This legacy of the Pro Skater soundtrack continues to resonate. There’s even a cover band dedicated to performing it live. “When they followed us on social media, I was shocked. I never thought he would actually perform on stage with us,” says one band member.
In a viral Instagram moment, Tony Hawk surprised the audience at the 900 in East London, joining Agent Orange and Goldfinger for a frenzied performance. “We’ll always be grateful for him showing up, especially since he appreciates bands covering songs from his game,” says Shaw.
“I can’t sing every song” … Tony Hawk at the 900 in London in 2022. Photo: Doug Young
“Five bands from the video game series have only performed covers,” Hawk stated. “My surprise appearance was a thrill. I’m proud of the soundtrack, but I can’t sing every song or recall the lyrics!”
Since the original Pro Skater, its soundtrack has continuously benefitted the featured bands. “I met Tony at a music festival recently,” shares Burgan from AFI. “His passion for music makes being part of THPS even more special.”
While the Pro Skater franchise solidified its legacy, Jake reflects on how easily it could have gone the other way.
“Imagine creating a product that missed the mark,” he chuckles. “But in Tony’s case, he had a fantastic game that kids embraced wholeheartedly.”
“Pro skater games might not have made an immediate impact,” Lima acknowledges. “But every aspect was effortlessly cool, monumental for us… we’ve lost count of how many times fans mentioned it. Check the comments on YouTube and you’ll see. Many haven’t heard of us until now.”
Musicality may have originated from a shared ancestor of chimpanzees and humans, given the similarities in their drumming techniques.
Katherine Hoheiter at The University of St Andrews and her research team analyzed 371 instances of drumming from two of the four subspecies of chimpanzees in Africa: Western chimpanzees (Pantroglogistics Vers) and Eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthi).
They utilize their hands and feet, often on buttress roots, creating rapid rhythms mainly during rest, travel, or during displays of threat.
Hoheiter mentions that while capturing chimpanzee drumming is common, the rainforest poses significant research challenges, and gathering data for some populations took decades.
Ultimately, researchers found that chimpanzees drum significantly faster than most humans. “The longest drumming event we recorded exceeded five seconds, while the shortest was less than 0.1 seconds,” notes Hoheiter. “Chimpanzees also tend to repeat these beats, especially while traveling.”
Despite the contrasts between chimpanzee and human drumming, chimpanzees exhibit some “core components of human musical rhythms,” according to team member Vesta Eleuteri from the University of Vienna.
“They employ recognizable rhythms present in various musical cultures, which contrasts with randomly played beats. These consist of hits that are evenly spaced, akin to clock ticks,” she elaborates. “Moreover, we discovered that the Eastern and Western chimpanzee subspecies, residing on different sides of Africa, exhibit distinct rhythmic patterns.”
Eleuteri explains that Eastern chimpanzees alternate between short and long intervals between beats, while Western chimpanzees maintain equally spaced hits. Additionally, these chimpanzees initiate drumming more quickly and use more hits to commence drumming early during a unique pant-hoot call.
Miguel Rulente from the University of Girona finds the notion that different subspecies display unique drumming styles compelling. “These patterns suggest the potential for not just individual idiosyncrasies but also cultural distinctions in how groups utilize drumming as communication tools.”
It is well understood that rhythm plays a crucial role in human social interaction, whether through music, dance, or even conversational rhythms, explains Hoheiter. “I’m not implying that chimpanzee drumming reflects the sophistication of modern human rhythms. However, this research is the first to show that we share fundamental rhythmic elements, suggesting that rhythms are intrinsic to our social environment even before we evolved into humans.”
“Previously, it was claimed that rhythmicity was exclusive to humans,” states Gisela Kaplan from the University of New England. “However, a growing body of evidence suggests this is not the case.”
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