Breaking the silence: Alex Ndaula by Puzzle

If you’ve keenly been following Uganda’s radio and deejaying scene for the past decade plus then the name Alex Ndaula without doubt doesn’t come as a surprise to your mind. His professional profile spurns the age many of today’s teenagers. If been there done that is the word to go by then so be it.

Alex has been on Uganda’s radio scene longer than any other Ugandan radio presenter per say. He’s managed to cultivate a fan base that runs across avid music fans and collectors, radio and club Dj’s ,university students ,the “kool” teenagers, Corporate class and straight up down town business persons that have kept their loyalty to his rumbustious voice over the years. You might easily think that being downtown business dwellers some of their favorite radio programmes will perhaps be those broadcast in the most common Luganda language blaring on many other radio stations around the city but walk down town on any average day starting from 15.00 hrs and most of what you’ll hear is Ndaula with his capital overdrive radio show loudly talking about this and that.

To take you a bit back to history Alex has played at all major nightclubs around Kampala like the legendary Club Clouds, Club Silk, Angenoir Discotheque, SteakOut bar just to mention, as for radio he was one of radio’s pioneers on Radio Sanyu (back then) till he made a switch to Capital (91.3) radio’s flagship programme the Capital Morning crew together with co-host Christine Mawadri and together they made history with features such as the Capital birthday balls, strange but true, guess the voice e.t.c. Behind the scenes today, Alex remains an amiable down to earth character whose pride is seldom elevated by the fact that he knows he’s still holding his own when it comes to radio presenting, deejaying, music collecting and of course his usual effortless humor about different issues. He’s contributed to Uganda’s social lingua by adding his own word Giganomous(meaning amazing) while relating to different issues. Check him on any given issue and you’ll have gotten him started. So you have to be able to hold your own to complete the argument. Even when Uganda’s Dj scene seems to be cut-throat with many breaking out onto the Dj scene, Alex seems to remain relaxed and this you can tell by the way he sarcastically brushes off any talk of competition from any upcoming Dj around town. “Tell you what man I still kick motherf@*#g Dj a@*”  he shouts raising his hands in the air when asked. Right now I can tell you until I say I am tired nobody can mess with me”(he then lets off a thunderous laughter enough to surround the boardroom where the interview is happening-The problem with today’s deejays is that they don’t work hard man.

People think it comes easily for me but I can guarantee you that I put in extra hours for this to come off the way it does” says Alex. Right now I still respect a few old skool deejays such as Dj Shy(Angenoir discotheque),Dj Frank(now with Ange-mistique UK and maybe Dj Ricky of today’s new Dj breed, he actually calls me up to find out a lot more about my mixes and I respect that. Otherwise many of today’s guys are not working hard enough and expect things to happen for them just like that” he asserts.

Alex Ndaula has gone through numerous trials and tribulations when it comes to his relationships with his numerous fans allover the country. Time came when many thought he was always high on alcohol while presenting his dance show (dance force-Saturday 20.00hrs –3.00am) because of the loud noise he used to make plus his attitude to his on-air callers, which he brushes off as hear say because nobody was always there to see who Alex was in the first place.” People today have gotten used to the fact that it was only my personality says the six plus foot tall chocolate skinned deejay/radio personality that has inspired many into the radio presenting profession. His effortless wit can be evidenced by the fact that as much as many of today’s other radio personalities choose to insert background beds over their voices to make it a better package Alex has kept his on air appearance raw without any “make-up” while tackling issues from politics, entertainment, showbiz sports, scandals e.t.c. Musicuganda.com’s “tha puzzle” managed to catch up with the legendary personality for a low down;

Music Uganda: So Alex what do you think of today’s radio industry?
Alex: Well a lot of radio stations have cropped up. But the question is, they all giving quality radio? We at Capital have maintained what we stand for and have remained professional in or broadcasts and giving out listeners what they exactly want.

MU: You were much known for your morning crew radio programme, and is now on the afternoon over drive. Do you miss the mornings?
Alex: Well I can tell you that the afternoons are a lot easier for me now plus my ratings are okay. But as a broadcaster I am flexible. If the people ask me back for the morning slot, why not? I’ll be back right there!

MU: There was this general rumour from listeners that you used to get on -air while high on some sort of alcohol. Is it true?
Alex (Loud laugh): Well when on air there are certain comments that people don’t believe you can make. And that’s me. I like tackling issues from a different angle which makes many think perhaps I am out of my mind. But I am just Alex the one who likes expressing what he thinks.

MU: What’s the last CD you listened to?
Alex: I don’t usually fixate on a particular CD unless it’s Jazz. At home I listen to lots of jazz. You see today the way CDs and albums are packaged, they only come with one or two hit singles and the rest not really that ear friendly. I listen to Jazz because it doesn’t age.

MU: So when it comes to Uganda what do you think of the music coming out to the market today?
Alex: Well, It seems to be improving. However for Uganda in case many producers and artists need to sit down and think deep about how to make hit songs like our counterparts in Kenya. Here artists seem to be looking for only a catchy hook to make a run away hit for the clubs, and that’s why when many deejays visit Uganda they think it’s the same CD playing in most of the bars and clubs around the country. In Uganda today among the artists I respect is Kaweesa because his music may not be that commercial material but its rich world music, Kid fox is also recording different and rich music.

MU: what do you think of today’s deejay scene?
Alex: With the exception of old skool deejay’s many of today’s deejays don’t like to sit down and work hard on their mixes and that’s why many of their mixes don’t really flow. It’s for the same reason that many Ugandans these days prefer to have a drink at home and play their own music than go to a pub or club and get bored by the deejay. Many Deejays are taking Ugandans for granted. It’s for the same reason that top spots like SteakOut have been importing deejays from Nairobi to play in Uganda. can you imagine?

MU: So considering that things are like that, will you be making a comeback to the club scene?
Alex(wryly smiles): Watch this space.

MU: We heard about you planning to start up your own bar and play your own music for patrons.
Alex: Yeah sure why not I am planning to start up a wine bar where people can come relax and listen to their favorite jams while having a drink. Not bad…not bad. I plan to direct its interior décor as well. Oh by the way I’ll soon be syndicating my mixes online as well as package mixes for my long term loyal fans that might just want to have these collections in their houses so sky is the limit.

MU: So what does Alex do in his free time?
Alex: Free time? I chill out at home, go visiting watch television and many other things.

MU: So how’s Capital (91.3fm) fairing on the market today?
Alex: Well, Capital FM has managed to maintain a consistent brand. Many competing stations have tried to copy our format but we are still ahead at least according to market ratings.

MU: So what cologne are you wearing?
Alex: Well I use quite a number of them (picks one out from rack sack) but some of them are Into you from Calvin Klein and Terre’D hernnes.

MU: So many youngsters always look up to you. What advise could you pass on to them in their life’s journey?
Alex: Man the problem with today’s youth is that they all think the Education system is the only way to go. They don’t want to work hard, read a magazine, and engage in sports or anything else. Many only read academic books and hangout. I say to them that they should find a hobbie, if you’re at school at least find a hobbie, try to find out many things happening around you from politics, to sports to the social scene. It’s all important. Even when I was growing up my own mum hated seeing me seated idle she always told me to pick up a magazine and read. At least I know that what one reads will always help them one day in life. Today’s youngsters should engage themselves in whatever is happening around them.

MU: Thanks Alex.
Alex: Anytime man.

And at this point I completed an interview with a man who’s gone down in Uganda’s radio and deejaying history as one of the most consistent man to bless the Ugandan radio mics, beastly open minded, fashionably conscious and it’s the same man who’ll challenge the club going wanna-be to the latest title to that Lil wayne, Timbaland, Keisha cole, Obie Trice, Bebe cool, Chris brown, Lloyd song on Billboard. How he does perhaps should explain how hard he goes about his research.
That’s Alexander Micheal Felix Ndaula, Giganomous, Owempologoma, De-Hombre, Mukyankyos formerly of nineteen ninety three,four,five,six,seven,eight,nine,Y2K complaint and now of 2008 and still going strong and as they , what about?

Reach Alex Ndaula through;capdjs@yahoo.com

Click here to listen to one of Alex Ndaula's mix