The following excerpts from Jim Dooley's interview with producer Sonia Pottinger pertain directly to her work with Culture. A more complete transcript is available in 400 Years issue two.

How did you first meet Joseph Hill and Culture?


They had a record out which they had done through Joe Gibbs. They were creating a demand in the States, and so Ken Williams had a show fixed for them, but I don't know if the producer of the music wanted them to go. So they came to me for help, and so I got them their passports.
Was this the first time they went to the US?

It's the first time they travelled ­p; they did not have documents. I got Mr. Seago at Seago's Travel Service next door to my place of business ­p; he was the justice of the peace ­p; and he signed, and I sent it up to the passport office. In those days it was only five dollars for the passports.

They were green and they were anxious, and you know it would deflate them some if they had not gone. I will show you how they were not knowledgeable. They went up there and did some sort of contract or agreement with . . . I don't care to call the name of who it was for. And so they came back and then they came to me and asked, would I record them? So I went to the studio and I recorded them. I did Harder Than The Rest. Some of the tracks were done prior, but I did them how I thought they should be done. I put my treatment into them.

Around the same time there was another record called Africa Stand Alone floating around with some of the same songs.

I don't know. They might have done that for themselves production-wise. Then it (Harder Than The Rest) started moving around and then Virgin Records, Ken Berry and Richard Branson came, and they wanted to give them the distribution. So I had my lawyer see to it, and we recorded Cumbolo and International Herb.

I sent them off to London. I never forgot they were performing in Manchester, and they had gone ahead to London for this show. So I was going to London, and when I got to London unbeknown to them I drove over to Manchester, and when I got there, somebody called them and said 'she's here.' I don't know if you are a parent and you have ever left any of your children anywhere ­p; and see how they act when you get back for them...they came running.

I think I know what you mean.

So I had to climb on a stool when they went back on stage to perform, just to see them, because the place was so crowded. And from there they grew from strength to strength. If I look around I will find a pretty good scrapbook of them that I had done. One of the reviewers said: "Bob Marley make way for Culture." They were performing so well.

Well I suppose human nature sometimes it gets to our heads and personality differences and so on. I think they have done very well for themselves. In my time of handling them I would try to show them money management ­p; direct them how to get their stuff together.

When they were working for you was Joseph writing most of the songs and pretty much leading the group?

Well, I understood them as all three. I signed them individually, contracted them individually all three. So collectively they wrote and royalties were apportioned in that fashion. What they have done since I don't know. They were together. They were three in one ­p; unity.

During their time at High Note they put out a lot of singles. Why do you think they were so active at that time?

Let's put it this way. I suppose it is human nature. If you see that you are accepted by John Public, you are going to capitalize on it to some degree. He (Hill) had an experience in Stoney Hill Square, and he made a song similar to something that Toots Hibbert made, like "54-46 That's My Number." He made something, I think Joseph was held, and so he made something like that, and that was a big hit. And it just so happened that when you do something the time is just right, and you just have to put it out.

Songs like "Never Get Weary."

"Natty Never Get Weary." And he was making sense at the time. The songs he was writing were making sense. In their idiom they did well.

Were they your best sellers at that time ­p; in the late 70s?

Yes, they were one of my best sellers. One of them, because I had bought out Treasure Isle at the time, and I re-packaged some of them. I did like Hottest Hits compilations which were very very very brisk.

I'm going to ask you a little bit about Trod On; the CD that Heartbeat put out a couple of years ago. It put out some of songs that Culture recorded for you, that had not yet been available on LP. Is there still other stuff lying around that has not been released or has it all come out now?

I think I could maybe shuffle up one or two more ­p; a couple more tunes. But, I am keeping a low profile.

I once heard Joseph say that you sang backing vocals on "Weeping Eyes." Is that a fact?

Sometimes I do that. Even with Marcia Griffiths sometimes I would go in the studio and give her the harmony. I have done backing with Judy Mowatt. Any artist who is in there and I think I fit in, I just jump into it. Gospel ... whatever. As long as it enhances the production.

Well it sure does on "Weeping Eyes" and a couple of other songs I have heard. How big of a role did Errol Brown have in the sound that Culture had?

Oh he is a wonderful engineer. I think he was good when Duke had him, but I think he was a little nervous, because you know Duke was a severe man. When I took over there, he got into his own sort of thing. I would say to him: 'Errol I don't listen so loudly to the monitors, and I think it is more melodious, and you can hear the flaws.' And he would listen, and I could leave him to do so-and-so, and I would be at a distance, and I would say, 'I think I would add a shade more drumming right there' and so on. He was always ready to please, so you knew he would do well.

He did come into his own. I sent him with Culture on a tour to London, I was the first person who sent him off the island. He went and he got very good reviews in the press, and one of my competitors saw fit to make him an offer which I could not compete with ­p; more than one. It got to the stage where I said 'that is what you are going to be getting, go right ahead.' Because what should grow, I believe that... you have to grow. So I thanked him for the time he had worked along with me, and I blessed him on his way. He has done very well for himself.

Yes, he is still out there. When you were making the Culture records, did it occur to you that 16 or 17 years later people would still be interested in them and buying them?

Well all of my work, I think, in doing them, while I am doing them, be it Gospel, be it . . . as my Grandmother would say 'profane,' I would think to myself, 'well, this will be footprint on the sands of time.' Hence, I do the best I can.

Maybe because I was not from that idiom of dancehall and that sort of thing. I just didn't know that, so I just never did them. I am one of the persons that Yellowman came to ­p; so often he wanted my reggae. But I could not work with it, I wouldn't know what I'm doing.

That's probably why they are still around today. You are not involved in the trends. It's long term solid music.

In my mode of dress as a person, I don't follow fads. I don't wear fads. I don't wear trends. I am a more sober, calm person. I could really go through my wardrobe, from in the 80s and pick up something and wear it and you wouldn't know now. That is not out now, because it is not a trend. So musically that is how I think about it.

How much do you think that the reason the Culture records are still popular is because of the solid, solid playing of the Revolutionaries?

I must say I think their records are popular, but I think my albums I have with them are a little above the average. I would like to say that. I would like to think that. My work I feel . . . when I work it is done with love. You know, I don't curse and that sort of thing. I am a firm believer that these things are not good for you and spiritually no good. And, so I suppose it gets a certain amount of blessing.

I keep hearing about a record called Black Rose, or a project called 'Black Rose.'

They did it for me. I have it. Heartbeat has it.

These are the songs that came out on Trod On?

Trod On wasn't an album, it was an extended player at first. But we have compiled, and we have rearranged. We could really get about four other albums. If I were in the studio still, I know what I could do to get those same albums and turn them around, and they are fresh and new again. But I am not in the business, I am retired. So the distributors will take care of that, of course with a little of my instruction.

Did you or Culture ever talk about recording live shows and putting them on a record?

No.

I am curious about that, because to this day they still have not put out any live recordings?

And I must say they are very good on stage. I will tell you something. If one would let go and not use selfishness ­p; and it goes for the producer, it goes for the artist ­p; and just perform out of love and feeling. And some thinking of making other people happy with your performance, oh we would have a wonderful production, wonderful.

And take a little telling ­p; because, you know, grooming has a lot to do and putting yourself together in harmony with everybody. It has a lot to do with what I am telling.