OPA: Be honest, from watching the very first game Italy played in the World Cup… did you really believe that they were going to be champion?
Roberto: Yes, I really believed in this team, I’ve been following the team since qualification and knew that they were capable of going all the way!
OPA: Do you get on the Internet often?
Roberto: Once or twice a day I try to get online and check my email.
OPA: How do you feel about free music downloading?
Roberto: In a way it’s a free publicity for the band but in another it kills the sell of cds.
OPA: How old were you when you first started getting into music?
Roberto: I was really young, about 8-9 years old
OPA: Who were your musical influences when you were younger?
Roberto: My dad (Robert Martino) Robert Charlot, Michel Martelly, Roger M Eugene (Shoubou), Reginald Benjamin, Alex Tropnas, Fabrice Rouzier, Ansyto Mercier to name a few.
OPA: Let’s go back to when you were getting started, how did T-Vice come together?
Roberto: It was just meant to be, we started just hanging around all the time at the house with some friends and chilling. After that we started playing at the schools, graduation parties and then boom Sove Lanmou and Tu me Touches came out and the band became popular.
OPA: Was there anyone that really changed the way you looked at music or kind of changed your perception?
Roberto: Michel Martelly, He was the one that made me realize that if you managed yourself the
OPA: You’ve just celebrated your 14th Anniversary…what‘s the secret of T-Vice’s longevity?
Roberto: Discipline, total concentration, being able to change with the times and always give the fans what they want.
OPA: Did you guys struggle to get to where you are right now in your career?
Roberto: Of course! The beginning was tough; we were looked at like a bunch of kids joking around and no one took us seriously until we had a hit.
OPA: Can T-Vice go 40 years like Tropicana?
Roberto: mmm I don’t think so:-) This business is too stressful, Tropic and all the other bands that have survived all this time should receive a trophy!
OPA: What was your very first live performance like?
Roberto: I was very shy and did not know what to expect but once the people got on the dance floor I found all the courage I needed to go on.
OPA: Has there been any instances while getting ready to go on stage to perform for a huge audience-and you sort of gotten nervous-If yes, what did you do to calm your nerves?
Roberto: It has not happened to me yet, I’m always looking forward to new adventures, and I like challenges.
OPA: Who’s the main songwriter in the band?
Roberto: Me.
OPA: When can we expect the album to be out and have you chosen a title yet?
Roberto: It should be out by October 2006, we would spend a month and a half in Haiti touring that’s why we will not be able to finish for the summer. I have a few titles in mind.
OPA: Does your Mom have a lot of influence in the musical aspect of the band?
Roberto: Of course, if she doesn’t like something she will make sure to let us know and give her opinion.
OPA: How is the creative process like in the band for new material?
Roberto: Rey is always in the studio by himself searching for new sounds etc, I’m always looking for slogans and song titles, at rehearsals we always try to bring something to the songs even if it’s and old song.
OPA: Have you taken any voice lesson? If no do you plan on doing so?
Roberto: I did take a few lessons in Haiti but never continued, I wish I did though, I’ve learned a lot over the years though but it’s never a bad thing to learn some more and become a better singer.
OPA: Where is your favorite place to play and describe your best and your worst show ever?
Roberto: Best show would have to be in Paris of Last year at the Zenith, the fans were crazy and the band tore it up! The worst has to be in Tampa one night, the place was just horrible and the sound was even worst.
OPA: What has been the strangest encounter you’ve had while on tour?
Roberto: mmm it depends on what you mean by strangest. Ha!
OPA: What’s your favorite band?
Roberto: System Band, the kotem ye la a days, I am a BIG fan!
OPA: What pisses you off the most?
Roberto: Hypocrites
OPA: What’s on the horizon for T-Vice?
Roberto: A new album, new video, a big concert in Belgium in August, a National tour of Haiti, and many more.
OPA: Many female fans say you are a good looking guy…any movies’ aspirations?
Roberto: Thanks to these females 🙂 I’ve been approached many times to participate in different movies but my schedule in T-Vice has been keeping me from doing so, from studio to live performances I barely have time for anything else!
OPA: When was the last time you had sex?
Roberto: A few hours ago 🙂
OPA: Tell me something strange about you?
Roberto: I love bisexual women.
OPA: Do you have groupies? If yes, how do you feel about them?
Roberto: Of course, I love them, they are the poto mitans of the band.
OPA: Finish that sentence- “If I was President of Haiti, I would__________”
Roberto: Try my best to reconcile the nation, do my best to try to bring the insecurity down so that tourists can come back to the country. Build as many schools and hospitals that I can and trymy best to bring in investors to the country.
OPA: Do you support any charities or non-for profit organizations?
Roberto: yes, Yele Haiti.
OPA: Tell me one negative thing about being a musician in a band?
Roberto: There’s always a rumor out on you and you never have time to enjoy time with your family.
OPA: What’s the relationship like between you and your dad? Is he supportive with your musical work?
Roberto: It’s really good, my dad is always here at my house when we are here and he is always giving his professional advice on whatever we are working on.
OPA: How has your up bringing reflected on your musical career?
Roberto: A lot! I was brought up coming to spend the summers here with my dad and practically was sleeping behind Top Vice every night so I learned a lot.
OPA: with?
Roberto: Halle Berry:-)
OPA: What is the state of the Haitian Music Industry?
Roberto: Not too bad because many bands are still doing good but we are in desperate need of new material.
OPA: What is one of the biggest misconceptions…you think people have about T-Vice and why do you think they hold those ideas?
Roberto: Some say we are not a real compas band cause we still play with the drum machine and on a personal level, some still think that we are racists for whatever reason. There was a rumor that dated back in 1999 that still stays with a lot of people. Although we did our best to try to show the world that we are not like that some still are persuaded that we are, it’s something we will have to live with but it’s sad because I think we are the most down to earth musicians ever, we have never once showed any sign of that nor have never said anything that could go in that direction we have love for everyone regardless of their skin color and have friends of all different backgrounds, that’s just the way life came at us and we will deal with it.
OPA: Do you prefer certain fans to the other?
Roberto: Nope, we love when the beautiful girls are all over the front row though 🙂
OPA: Is it painful to you and your band mates when people accuse the band of being racist?
Roberto: I just spoke about that in the question prior to that one.
OPA: How do you overcome that pain?
Roberto: By not letting it get to us, we live our lives comfortably because we are at ease with ourselves, we know we have not done anything wrong therefore the truth will come out, it has started too already
OPA: How would you label your musical style?
OPA: Music is your primary passion, what do you do when you are not thinking about music?
Roberto: I play soccer, soccer is my second passion.
OPA: If I offer you $ 25 Millions to never touch an instrument or play any music ever again would you do it?
Roberto: I might 🙂 but what I’m doing here and what I’ve built might be worth even more than that:-) describe T-Vice in one word?
Roberto: A very good Haitian compas band that is representing the country all over the world!
OPA: Any final thoughts for your hardcore fans that you think might surprise them?
Roberto: I love every one of them that have given us the support we needed to get to where we are now!
OPA: Final thoughts for the Djakout’s fans?
Roberto: One love to all of them, I got nothing against them, I know they listen to T-Vice as well 🙂
Thanks Opa!!!
One Love
Berto
