IN the early 1990s, two friends met and made plans to take Fijian music to the world.
They did not own any equipment, did not have access to a studio and did not have a dime between them to market their music.
But what Jim Ratusila and Peter Chong had was a belief that traditional iTaukei music was good enough to make an impact on the international scene.
Almost a decade later, they achieved what they set out to do.
The band was Black Rose and their third studio album — Voices of Nature — took the boys from Delainavesi from playing to a few hundred at shows around Fiji to the global arena where they performed to as many as 35,000 people.
The hit single Raude catapulted the band to stardom in 2000 and the song continues to be played at World Rugby Sevens tournaments around the globe today.
The boys who used to borrow each-others’ clothes and shoes and “choke” for bus fare, travelled to exotic destinations, stayed in five-star accommodation and rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s music elite.
Sadly, Peter Chong passed away on September 25, 2017, after a short illness. He was 48 years old at the time.
Ratusila was on his way to a gig at Cardo’s Restaurant in Nadi when he received news of his long-time compatriot’s passing.
“It was a real shock,” the former Black Rose (now Rosiloa) frontman shared.
“We had been through so much together and I thought that one day we would get back together and write and record music once again.”
Rosiloa members had begun exploring other avenues of creativity two years ago with the co-founders, Chong and Ratusila, parting company after 25 years of creating, recording and performing some of Fiji’s most memorable hits.
Ratusila — a drummer and guitarist of note — began flirting with the bass guitar and took up bass duties with Nadi-based group, The Rubber Band, while Chong reaffirmed his faith in God and helped establish a music production and performance arm within the Catholic Church.
Chong was the namesake of the Archbishop of the Catholic Church, Peter Loy Chong.
He was laid to rest on September 28 in Suva after a church service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
“And the way the church was packed out was testament to Peter’s generosity and kindness,” said Ratusila.
“Some people could not handle being around him because Peter was very honest and straightforward.
“And he would rather tell it like it is then pretend to hold a conversation and make small talk.
“Peter also took this approach with his music and I can boldly say that because of this trait, Black Rose became as successful as it did. He didn’t like people joking or playing around when we were in the studio or preparing for a gig or a tour. Music wasn’t a hobby or a passtime for him. It was his life and he didn’t take too kindly to people who were talented and made light of their talent.”
Ratusila met Chong in the early 1990s at Delainavesi while attending choir practice and church services there.
“Peter and Gus Evening used to play guitar at the Catholic Church there and when they were unable to perform, I used to fill in for them.
“That’s how we met and began to discuss musical ideas together.
“And then we discovered that our grandparents were related and that made us even closer.
“We both joined a friend — George Saumaiwai’s band in Delainavesi.
“He already had a group going and had some musical instruments and we kicked around there for a while until Peter joined Rootstrata in the early 1990s and I went on to form Traffic Jam with Filipe Racule.”
The duo met at Caesar’s Palace in Suva after a few years and decided to combine their musical talent and formed the band that would transition into Black Rose — along with vocalist/guitarist Gus Evening, lead guitarist Nemani Vanua, bass player Setareki Sigarara, guitarist/vocalist Freddy Kado and backing vocalist/percussionist Junior Tavaga.
During Lucky Dube’s first Fiji tour in 1993, tour promoter Ghislain Song heard Black Rose and was so impressed that he co-ordinated for the band to travel and record in New Caledonia.
“And that first album, Memories, was a collection of songs that we used to perform at the Tradewinds Hotel in Lami.
“And Peter played a huge role in how that album and every other Black Rose and Rosiloa album turned out.
“He was a stickler for sound. He had a vision of what the band would sound like and would ensure that everybody played their part to bring that vision into fruition.”
The follow-up album, Mai Noda, was produced in its entirety by Chong using a Roland XP-80 synthesizer keyboard.
It was recorded at SPR studio in Nadi and gave new life to old iTaukei songs including Lomai Galoa, Vuka Taubale, Biau mai Wasa, Domoni Iko, Kele Mai Levuka and Sevataki Dina Sara.
However, it was Voices of Nature, released in 2000, that took the band to the international arena and gave Fijian music a new audience by fusing Euro-electronica beats with iTaukei chanting and meke.
“It was the culmination of our dream to give Fijian music the recognition that it so badly needed.
“The youth and children of Fiji were so heavily influenced with American and other international music that they had lost appreciation for what we had.
“And we wanted to give Fijians back their pride with songs that were international in appeal, but local in flavour.
“Alain Lecante of Mangrove Records believed in our dream and he brought in David Leroy, a very famous producer from France and he worked with Peter to produce Voices of Nature.
“It was a huge hit when it was released and people still play the album and appreciate that music today.
“And I believe that the music that Black Rose and Rosiloa created, recorded and produced is testament to Peter’s music genius.
“It is a fitting legacy to a man and a brother who lived his life for music.
“He achieved what he had set out to do and in the lead-up to his final days on this planet, he decided to pay homage to the source of life and music.
“We all miss him and thank God for bringing him into the world, because the world just would not be the same had he not been in it.”
