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Photo: AP

Eclectic mix Musician will.i.am, producer and also member of Black Eyed Peas, poses at a home

Three-quarters way through 2007, it seems as if the Peas are out to ensure they haven’t left a single stone unturned across the globe. Almost directly after playing at Live Earth, London and at Tokyo and Osaka in Japan, the band has been on a whirlwind 13-country tour, which stops at Bangalore this Tuesday.

“2007 has been a crazy year,” admits frontman Will.i.am, pointing out that the list of stops includes such varied destinations as Macau, Romania, Guatemala, Nigeria, South Korea and Australia. “It’s crazy, but it’s great to meet people from so many different cultures and to get to know their music, their tastes. We’re all really loving it.”

The band’s origins go all the way back to Will.i.am’s school years, when he and bandmate apl.de.ap began performing together around Los Angeles. First hitting the big leagues with the 1998 album Behind The Front, the Black Eyed Peas have earned many accolades for their unique mix of pop, dance and hip hop influenced by global rhythms and sounds. It was the breakout album of 2003, Elephunk, however that catapulted the band into worldwide fame, thanks to a revitalised sound and the addition of female bandmember Fergie. “Fergie’s joining the band has had a dynamic effect and Where is the Love really caught people’s attention,” explains Will.i.am.

Of course, there are critics of the band who feel that the addition of Fergie ruined the band’s unique sound, and even where attention towards Fergie has been favourable, some of it has focussed on the artiste’s looks and oomph than her singing talents. The band members themselves rubbish these perspectives, pointing out that within the Peas, the expected conflicts never arise. “All of us are supportive towards each other and work as a team,” says Will.i.am, “so the conflict does not arrive.” Besides, he adds, the rising popularity of the band has not affected the music in the ways that trenchant critics suggest. “As people, we still believe in the same stuff. The attention has definitely changed. Instead of sleeping in closets, we sleep in houses now,” he quips. “But jokes apart, as far as the BEP’s are concerned nothing has changed. For us doing shows and making good music is what we love to do and we just want our fans to support us.”

Detractors aside, however, the band has received significant popularity for a sound that has remained distinct from much of mainstream pop and hip hop thanks largely to the varied influences that feature even in their most recent mainstream work. On Elephunk, for instance, the Peas even sample an old Ilaiyaraja song from the 70s. “As individuals, we are influenced by various artists — Steve Wonder, The Roots, Coldplay, Bob Marley, Beatles… And we love experimenting with different genres,” reveals Will.i.am. Of course, as Will.i.am adds, varied influences are bound to seep into a band that boasts a multi-ethnic mix including Filipino (apl.de.ap) and Mexican (Taboo) heritage. “Since we have diverse backgrounds, we incorporate a little bit of all of it in our music, from Latino rhythms to Filipino guitar to hip hop vocals.”

What’s interesting about the Peas’ style of working is that with their rising popularity, the band members have begun to pursue solo efforts too. Fergie’s solo album The Duchess was a worldwide hit, while Will.i.am has just released his latest effort Songs About Girls and both apl.de.ap and Taboo are rumoured to be coming out with their respective albums in the near future.

When news of solo efforts first hit the stands, most critics and industry observers assumed this signalled the end of the Peas. However, says Will.i.am, the Peas all have enough space within the band to work on their own creative efforts, and “We all help each other in our individual projects.”

The only difference between a BEP album and a solo effort he says is that “in BEP, we as a group discuss and take a call. But when I am doing my own thing, it is just me who decides.” For those who wonder why the Peas have been relatively dormant as far as producing new music goes, however, there’s good news in the offing. “We are working on a BEP album for 2008,” reveals Will.i.am. “Can’t drop many hints. All I’m going to say is that it’s hot, it’s funky and fresh and it will definitely be cutting edge.”

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