Japonais' interviews aren't that interesting anymore, because he made to much interviews the last 6/5 years, coming always with the same story. But I'm surprised to hear that he revealed that the start of the generique of titanic was already prepared when he was in Wenge along with Patient Kusangila, Fiston Zamuangana Savimpi and Christian "Mabanga" Mwepu. I saw recently Christian Mwepu's brother Alain Mwepu who used to play with Wenge 4x4 as Makaba's reserve before joining El Paris, claiming that it was his creation when he used to play with his band in Binza and that he brother Christian brought it years later to Wenge 4x4. I wonder if a part of Burkina Faso's solo in Titanic was also done by Japonais at that time, because I heard Japonais playing a part of it in Les Marquis' first concert when they sung Voyage Mboso.

Ado Yuhe has now just to ask Alain Makaba if it was him or Japonais playing lead on Ndombolo Ya Solo. Pitshou Santiango will be furious against Japonais, for not mentioning him, because he made recently an interview with Teddy Mola, claiming that the lead of Ndombolo ya Solo was his creation in Station Japana. But Pitshou forget that it wasn't Japonais' only sebene he played in Feux de l'Amour, because Japonais also played songs like Conseil Patcho, Bana Lunda & Papito. Also if you listen to Pitshou's solo in El Paris and Viva Tendance, who won't hear feel or hear anything of kimboka like Japonais solo's or rhtyhm paritions of Maison Mere. Sometimes I feel like Pitshou is jealous, how others of his generation made a bigger name, which makes him keeping talking for years about his old creations he gave to others, while there are big solists like Roxy Tshimpaka, Bongo Wende, etc. who saw their creations being played by other legends, but they kept themselves quiet until this days because the solo they played later were bigger and memorable and themselves later also playing creations of others.

I know that they presented Guy-Guy Fall at BCBG's first Bataclan, as new singer, but that part being cut fromt he VHS. But about Japonais playing at Bataclan I'm starting to doubt about it, because of the way he's confirming that its on the videotape, while it is not. Maybe I could have mistaken it for the second concert Wenge BCBG gave at Bataclan, two months, from which I've never seen that footage. He also exaggerate about his first rehearshal with Wenge Maison Mere and what he said about Maison Mere not having played any concert isn't true. Because when he joined, they were like 3/4 months further and them already done the vis-a-vis concert, variete samedi soir, the one at zamba playa when people die, the many mpiaka's they had every week and the few concerts they did in Tshangu along with Marie Paul.

Finally, now I can close the chapter on the bass-section of Solola Bien! Didier Masela only playing his song Likama a not on the rest of the albm, Guy Nsangue doing the singing parts and rumba's and Japonais Maladi all sebenes + generiques. Massive respect for Japonais Maladi, he deserve alot of respect. He doesn't get the credit he deserve. He worked hard, playing also rhythm and mi-solo on the majority of the album plus lead on Augustine & Robert Basende. The sad part is that when people will write history or learn Congolese music, they will always mention Didier Masela as the one who played bass on the generique even after 20 years. Albums are always prepared in Kinshasa, when before that they will record in Paris. If Christian Mabanga didn't run away, would Japonais still having played just 2 songs as solist ? Btw the start of the generique until Bill's rap were Japonais' creations and often played by him in concerts when being on the lead.

I already knew that Japonais played most sebenes on Kibuisa Mpimpa, as bassplayer. But I didn't know that he played also bass on A La Que Leu Leu, Wow!!! So the magic bass on Maman Mabe and the singing part of Mon Personalite was not  Mimiche, but Japonais ? We will never know. Japonais himself hasn't a good memory. It is sad that he they didn't credit him in the credits of Solola Bien, Kibuisa Mpimpa and A La Que Leu Leu as bass-player


Japonais really did Werrason dirty for the way he ran away, I didn't knew that story. I another interview he said that he didn't return, because he wanted to be paid first in Europe before going to those Angola-concerts to play bass before returning to Kinshasa. So, A La Que Leu Leu had normally to have 20 songs? Adjani being punished for not participating in concerts and rehearhals when touring in Europe, which made from it 19 songs. Japonais being mad for Werrason privileging Flamme to much and running away for the second time during a few songs before the end of the recordings until that Werrason realized that Mimiche also ran away. Werrason doing his best to contact Japonais, since that he needed him as bass-player to do the transition to the then reserve-bass player Michel Bass,  who was in Kinshasa. Like the way he did in 1999 with Fiston Bass (he was so limited Fiston, Werrason did it a good job by recruiting Mimiche at that era). Werrason then ended up by deleting Japonais' song dedicated to Patrick Mfuta, when doing the mix, because of Japonais letting miss Werrason his plane twice, all musicans already being in Angola for concerts. In another interview Japonais said that the song who was dedicated to Patrick Mfuta, was the first part of Ferre Gola's song Mercure.

I was always wondering why the Japonais who used to play lead for Station Japana and Maison Mere before Solola Bien, wasn't the same after Solola Bien. After talking to a few who were close to MM-members, they said that he became addicted to drugs, women and alcohol which made him not work like he used to do in the past. In this interview he said that it was due to Werrason doing 12 on him by using Flamme alot and him playing his parts. But if you watch those concerts after that they returned to Kinshasa in 1999, you said that the way of playing lead wasn't the same anymore like before and they became more and more less powerful. Apparently, he is until this day addicted to drugs.

After Kibuisa he wasn't also often to showing up in rehearshals and when showing up coming very late, which made him being left behind during tours to African countries like Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Otis Lumumba who replaced already Patient Kusangila as rhythm-player back in 2000, after Kusangila's stroke, really starting sement the place as rhythm-guitarist, sharing it sometimes with the newly recruited Mayindome, who came to replace Burkina Faso and Japonais really having lost his place. There was a moment that Japonais left for a moment a tried to join Extra Musica and other bands, but quickly returned due to pression from fans. The same for Ajdani who joined Lavionora Esthetique for a moment along with the three dancers Bibiche Bercy, Dona Beija and Bete Sauvage, but them being harassed by MM fanatcis and all returing except Dona Beija, who became Dakumuda's sidechick

Man, that would have been a big drama  for Werrason, if the band splitted in two after Bercy. The press already talked about the creation ofVerta Musica citing all names Japonais cited in this interview (Celeo, Serge Mabiala, Ferre Gola, Flamme Kapaya, Japonais himself, Didier Lacoste) along with Shora Mbonda and also Adjani who ended up by putting chewingum on Adolphe's jacket in Strasbourg, which was Adolphe's concert. Serge Mabiala was about to join along with Burkina Faso and Didier Lacoste, when everybody sided with Werra and went to Cameroun for concerts and the Kora Awards (edition 2000) in South Africa, staying in Paris and participating to the recordings of Kuma Kukiele along with Burkina Faso, Patient Kusangila and Didier Lacoste. But he rejoined with Lacoste, Adjani and Burkina Faso when Maison Mere came back and participated to the Strasbourg-concert and the one in Paris, where they were booed by fans for having bullied Adolphe.

Japonais was along with Serge Mabiala, Adjani and Flamme to stay in Europe after Kibuisa Mpimpa. They were mad about not being paid, since that Werrason decided to buy 3 buses for the soccerclubs AS Vita, Imana and Dragon, who were presented at the Stade des Martyrs-concert of 2001, to get sympathy from fans and many who turned their back after Adolphe departure. Baby, Ferre, Bill hadn't alot of problems, because they received alot of gits and money from fans, but Flamme & Japonais didn't benefit from it, since that they are instrumentalists and not being able to do mabanga. They had also the bad luck that new jack gangster stole the few clothes they received and money. It's only due to pressure from fans in Europe and a few gifts that succeed in getting Flamme Kapaya, Japonais, Serge Mabiala and Adjani back, shora mbonda being the only one who stayed after hinding himself well. Werrason promised them everything in some phonecalls, but he never gave them the money he promised, when being arrived in Kinshasa. That's why Flamme Kapaya wasn't giving 100% anymore in concerts and creating new solo's a few weeks after Kibuisa Mpimpa, when realizing that he won't see that money anymore, being really demotivated. Just watch the tapes of Kenya, Abidjan, FIKIN 2001, GHK 2001 and compare them to those show close to double zenith and the tour of 2002, you will see a big difference. It's only when Mogratana joined that he restarted step up his game a little bit, but not on the same way like he was doing after Solola Bien and when Burkina Faso joined.

Japonais was wrong by saying that Lacoste joined Tonya Tonya because of Adolphe's being his vieux. If that was the case, he would have followed Adolphe immediately, when he returned to Kinshasa. Lacoste joined Tonya Tonya two monhts later, because Werrason was against him for having saluated Adolphe. Adolphe came back to Europe and was about to prepare a show at Bataclan with Anti Choc & Z1 International and needed some publicity, which made him give a playback show at La Reference. The camp of Maison Mere was aware about it and sended Didier Lacoste to counter it by doing a playback the same day at another famous nightclub in Brussels. A few weeks later, Adolphe had to return to back to Kinshasa and Lacoste was about to give someone a goodbye at the airport, he saw Adolphe and greeted him. Someone of MM reported it to Werra and Werrason being mad, giving Lacoste the order to insult Adolphe very hard on tv if he wanted to return, which Lacoste refused. That's why Lacoste left and decided to follow Adolphe in Kinshasa, being presented at Tonya Tonya's show at Studio Maman Ngebi. Aimelia who had just one vocal, influenced Werrason to delete some of Lacoste's vocals and Adjani & Ferre also profiting from it. Which made all 9 vocals of Lacoste in Kibuisa Mpimpa being erased and done by Adjani, Ferre and Aimelia, which Lacoste regrets until this day.

Guy Guy Fall was a member of BCBG? Why didn’t he stay? I was also surprised to find out that Didier Masela only played on one song which was his on Solola Bien. If Maison Mère split after Bercy then Werra might’ve truly been done.

Yeah, Guy Guy Fall used to be with BCBG when Wenge BCBG was just created. If I remember well Manda Tchebwa had in Kinshasa a short interview with I think Fi-Carre or Patient Kusangila explaining that they arrived in Paris and saying that Guy Guy Fall just joined (They recruited him to replace Werrason). If you watch BCBG singing Papito Mbala you can hear JB Mpiana giving Fall a shout-out in his last vocal in the place of Mimi Ciel and Alain Mpela also giving a shout-out to Guy Guy Fall in I think when they were singing Masuwa. Guy-Guy Fall left quickly because Blaise Bula didn't like him. Apart from rehearsing, I don't even think that he had one concert with them singing from the start until the end. That's why Zacharie Bababaswe asked Alain Mpela & Tutu Calugi, after that they just returned in Kinshasa, if Guy-Guy Fall is still with them.



from 4:25 min

Did he Jopanais Maladi play in Koffi's loi album?

I know that they presented Guy-Guy Fall at BCBG's first Bataclan, as new singer, but that part being cut fromt he VHS. But about Japonais playing at Bataclan I'm starting to doubt about it, because of the way he's confirming that its on the videotape, while it is not. Maybe I could have mistaken it for the second concert Wenge BCBG gave at Bataclan, two months, from which I've never seen that footage. He also exaggerate about his first rehearshal with Wenge Maison Mere and what he said about Maison Mere not having played any concert isn't true. Because when he joined, they were like 3/4 months further and them already done the vis-a-vis concert, variete samedi soir, the one at zamba playa when people die, the many mpiaka's they had every week and the few concerts they did in Tshangu along with Marie Paul.

Finally, now I can close the chapter on the bass-section of Solola Bien! Didier Masela only playing his song Likama a not on the rest of the albm, Guy Nsangue doing the singing parts and rumba's and Japonais Maladi all sebenes + generiques. Massive respect for Japonais Maladi, he deserve alot of respect. He doesn't get the credit he deserve. He worked hard, playing also rhythm and mi-solo on the majority of the album plus lead on Augustine & Robert Basende. The sad part is that when people will write history or learn Congolese music, they will always mention Didier Masela as the one who played bass on the generique even after 20 years. Albums are always prepared in Kinshasa, when before that they will record in Paris. If Christian Mabanga didn't run away, would Japonais still having played just 2 songs as solist ? Btw the start of the generique until Bill's rap were Japonais' creations and often played by him in concerts when being on the lead.

I already knew that Japonais played most sebenes on Kibuisa Mpimpa, as bassplayer. But I didn't know that he played also bass on A La Que Leu Leu, Wow!!! So the magic bass on Maman Mabe and the singing part of Mon Personalite was not  Mimiche, but Japonais ? We will never know. Japonais himself hasn't a good memory. It is sad that he they didn't credit him in the credits of Solola Bien, Kibuisa Mpimpa and A La Que Leu Leu as bass-player


Japonais really did Werrason dirty for the way he ran away, I didn't knew that story. I another interview he said that he didn't return, because he wanted to be paid first in Europe before going to those Angola-concerts to play bass before returning to Kinshasa. So, A La Que Leu Leu had normally to have 20 songs? Adjani being punished for not participating in concerts and rehearhals when touring in Europe, which made from it 19 songs. Japonais being mad for Werrason privileging Flamme to much and running away for the second time during a few songs before the end of the recordings until that Werrason realized that Mimiche also ran away. Werrason doing his best to contact Japonais, since that he needed him as bass-player to do the transition to the then reserve-bass player Michel Bass,  who was in Kinshasa. Like the way he did in 1999 with Fiston Bass (he was so limited Fiston, Werrason did it a good job by recruiting Mimiche at that era). Werrason then ended up by deleting Japonais' song dedicated to Patrick Mfuta, when doing the mix, because of Japonais letting miss Werrason his plane twice, all musicans already being in Angola for concerts. In another interview Japonais said that the song who was dedicated to Patrick Mfuta, was the first part of Ferre Gola's song Mercure.

I was always wondering why the Japonais who used to play lead for Station Japana and Maison Mere before Solola Bien, wasn't the same after Solola Bien. After talking to a few who were close to MM-members, they said that he became addicted to drugs, women and alcohol which made him not work like he used to do in the past. In this interview he said that it was due to Werrason doing 12 on him by using Flamme alot and him playing his parts. But if you watch those concerts after that they returned to Kinshasa in 1999, you said that the way of playing lead wasn't the same anymore like before and they became more and more less powerful. Apparently, he is until this day addicted to drugs.

After Kibuisa he wasn't also often to showing up in rehearshals and when showing up coming very late, which made him being left behind during tours to African countries like Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Otis Lumumba who replaced already Patient Kusangila as rhythm-player back in 2000, after Kusangila's stroke, really starting sement the place as rhythm-guitarist, sharing it sometimes with the newly recruited Mayindome, who came to replace Burkina Faso and Japonais really having lost his place. There was a moment that Japonais left for a moment a tried to join Extra Musica and other bands, but quickly returned due to pression from fans. The same for Ajdani who joined Lavionora Esthetique for a moment along with the three dancers Bibiche Bercy, Dona Beija and Bete Sauvage, but them being harassed by MM fanatcis and all returing except Dona Beija, who became Dakumuda's sidechick

Did buying the soccer team busses really help restore Werrason's image? Why not just make better songs than Tonya Tonya? It seems like an odd strategy, plus you demoralize your team cause their payment is sacrificed to gift those vehicles. I'm not really sure how PR works in Congolese music.

Do you believe Japonais has a drug problem? He seemed lucid during the 2000s, I suspect Werrason constantly sidelining him and underpaying him caused a lack of passion as a soloist. When you consider how versatile he is as a musician, he likely knew he wasn't going anywhere given the shakey nature of the band. Apparently, he even played bass on Awilo's album in 2004. I find it difficult to believe he could remain as productive with such a problem, surely he would have went the way of Kabuya, Reagan, or so on.

The irony of Mogratana joining was that he brought nothing special to Maison Mere, which surprised me given his contribution to Wemba. I can't imagine Japonais playing with Extra Musica, what album would that have been Obligatoire or La Main Noire?

What could Werrason promise that could convince them to come back? If he didn't pay you a proper salary for months in spite of album success and touring, what could really make you think he had a change of heart? You have to REALLY love the music to overlook theft

Lol. The goodness with 12 is that everyone has fallen victim to it even leaders. That part about Werrason calling Japonais for them to return to Kinshasa and Japonais lying to him that he is almost at the airport when in fact not made me laugh.

The leadership of Maison Mere at the start is confusing, I thought Tata was made president at the beginning to buy his loyalty since that during the split he almost joined BCBG instead of the Werrason camp?

Yes, because the population had something like that Werra did really care about the development of his country. One of the reasons why Bercy got quickly sold despite promoting it for just 3 months, was because of Werrason starting his foundation, who was taking care of streetchildren, sick people, etc.,  UNESCO giving Werrason because of that the title "Ambassor of Peace" and Werrason getting an invitation of the Pope and the Vatican, but a mistake with the protocol made him not getting received. By buying those 3 buses for AS Vita, CS Imana and AS Dragons, it gave Werrason that image a little back and 12 days after the Stade des Martyrs-event, his solo-album Kibuisa Mpimpa got released that made all critics silent.

Kibuisa Mpimpa is by far better than Affaire Tonya Tonya. Kibuisa Mpimpa is maybe the best album made in Clan Wenge. When Adolphe Dominguez started Wenge Tonya Tonya, they hadn't an album on the market, they started record it when Kibuisa Mpimpa came out, to be able to react against his lines. For example in Operation Dragon, Werrason said "cette parcelle n'est pas a vendre" and Adolphe reacted by saying "cette parcelle a deja ete vendu a Claude Maluma" (Claude Maluma was Werrason's first manager and one of those guys who fixed the problems they had with visa's to get in the Schengen Area, but they fell out when Werrason signed with JPS and when JPS and artistic director Elvis Kemayo scammed him, by going away with all the money of the Stade des Martyrs they made in 1999 after the tour).

Affaire Tonya Tonya came out in September 2001, while Kibuisa Mpimpa was released in June 2001.  Affaire Tonya Tonya was a succes but not on the level of Kibuisa Mpimpa. Kibuisa Mpimpa was number one in all music-charts  in Kinshasa until the release of Effrakata.
Kinshasa was in Adolphe hands  from his first concert at YMCA in march until the release of Kibuisa Mpimpa. He started to lose it a little bit, shortly after the release of Kibuisa Mpimpa, when he planned a fara-fara concert against Werrason,. Adolphe planning to perform at Stade Tata Raphael and Werrason at the parking lot of Grand Hotel de Kinshasa. Some staffmembers got corrupted by donor Tchatcho Mbala to leak some secrets to Werra's camp for the fara-fara. Adolphe resulted in a mpiaka, while Werrason triumphed. Not long after that Adolphe's wife was mad that, he sleeping with some dancers, which made her decide to fire all dancers who weren't eastern congo until that she got calmed down. But despite all those problems, Adolphe had still his succes and Kibuisa didn't scare the musicians of Adolphe confronting the musicians of Maison Mere despite not having been in Europe or being in possession of expensive cars. Guys like Spino La Djatence, Washington, Shella Mputu, Chibida, spokemen Mbonzo and late Charly Balaka often made tv-appareance. Spino even fought with Baby Ndombe & Bill, when they were celebrating their 2 kora's and djo-k having difficulties to split them. The problem with Tonya Tonya was that everything went wrong when they went to Europe.



here Chibida and Shella talking about their band and some footage of Lacoste rehearsing with Tonya Tonya.

Japonais didn't play bass on Awilo's album Mondongo. He was invited as lead guitarist, playing lead on songs like Karolina, Gladys and Kayembe. Japonais has a big name in the session-world, because he already worked as session guitarist for Emeneya in Succes Fous, Awilo in Coupe Bibamba, Engombi for Aime Buanga and many others. With him having albums like Solola Bien, Kibuisa Mpimpa on his CV, made him immediately being solicitatedby various artists. Japonais is not someone who started music yesterday. He made already a big name when he was 9 years playing with Willy Ebondaki of Victoria Eleison in Taz Junior, appearing even as a kid in the BBC-documentary. So having problems wouldn't mean, that he won't know to play lead again. Having a drugsproblem doesn't mean that will end as Reagan. A guy like Somono Dolce is a big toko-toko, but he still made Droit de Veto, Sanction and Viagra. I can also cite big diambeurs like Pathy Patecheko, Bouro Mpela (he had a bad influence on Shella Mputu), Lola Muana (I don't think that drugs on an excessive way like he used to do in the Effrakata-era, Suzuki (he was often caught with coke) and Christian Lema who are all addicted. Werrason would promise I will give a car and x amount of money, but you have first to return to Kinshasa and him ending up by not doing it hahahahha. Or sending a donor to give some money, the give the impression, that he would gave the rest of the part in Kinshasa. That's what made Burkina Faso made because they sended donors like the late Wabelo Rango to get him in Maison Mere and promised him a car, buying it even in Brussels and Werrason talking about Burkina's car in Operation Dragon. But when arrived in Kinshasa, Burkina not getting his car and the car being given to a staffmember. All fanatics bothering about his car until that Werrason had enough and beating Burkina Faso in front of everybody, which made him leave to start his own band.



here a young Japonais on the lead

Lol. The goodness with 12 is that everyone has fallen victim to it even leaders. That part about Werrason calling Japonais for them to return to Kinshasa and Japonais lying to him that he is almost at the airport when in fact not made me laugh.

The leadership of Maison Mere at the start is confusing, I thought Tata was made president at the beginning to buy his loyalty since that during the split he almost joined BCBG instead of the Werrason camp?

Maybe it already changed the moment when Adolphe joined or maybe that Japonais forgot it, because in his interview he made alot mistakes. Tata was the president in the start, but just before the end of the recordings Werra's staff and fans order Werrason to stop it and put him as leader to fight JB better, since that the beef was more about JB vs Werra. Adolphe was mad, but he hadn't a choice and took Werra's place as the financial director. Then those problems in London started, Maison Mere going to USA without letting Didier Masela know who was left behind in London.



from 8:58 min (Adolphe bragging about his role as financial director, saying that there is no band that bought 11 mercedes-benz cars for his musicians lol. Btw this motivated Koffi to buy cars for Fally and co as gift for Bercy to counter them).
I

The Mi Ange generique gotta be up there one of his best...guys if you extract the vocals using that website someone here introduced us to, you will understand how beautiful and slick those guitar partitions are...work of art. He should stay with Wata and be his Felly Tyson.

Yes, because the population had something like that Werra did really care about the development of his country. One of the reasons why Bercy got quickly sold despite promoting it for just 3 months, was because of Werrason starting his foundation, who was taking care of streetchildren, sick people, etc.,  UNESCO giving Werrason because of that the title "Ambassor of Peace" and Werrason getting an invitation of the Pope and the Vatican, but a mistake with the protocol made him not getting received. By buying those 3 buses for AS Vita, CS Imana and AS Dragons, it gave Werrason that image a little back and 12 days after the Stade des Martyrs-event, his solo-album Kibuisa Mpimpa got released that made all critics silent.

Kibuisa Mpimpa is by far better than Affaire Tonya Tonya. Kibuisa Mpimpa is maybe the best album made in Clan Wenge. When Adolphe Dominguez started Wenge Tonya Tonya, they hadn't an album on the market, they started record it when Kibuisa Mpimpa came out, to be able to react against his lines. For example in Operation Dragon, Werrason said "cette parcelle n'est pas a vendre" and Adolphe reacted by saying "cette parcelle a deja ete vendu a Claude Maluma" (Claude Maluma was Werrason's first manager and one of those guys who fixed the problems they had with visa's to get in the Schengen Area, but they fell out when Werrason signed with JPS and when JPS and artistic director Elvis Kemayo scammed him, by going away with all the money of the Stade des Martyrs they made in 1999 after the tour).

Affaire Tonya Tonya came out in September 2001, while Kibuisa Mpimpa was released in June 2001.  Affaire Tonya Tonya was a succes but not on the level of Kibuisa Mpimpa. Kibuisa Mpimpa was number one in all music-charts  in Kinshasa until the release of Effrakata.
Kinshasa was in Adolphe hands  from his first concert at YMCA in march until the release of Kibuisa Mpimpa. He started to lose it a little bit, shortly after the release of Kibuisa Mpimpa, when he planned a fara-fara concert against Werrason,. Adolphe planning to perform at Stade Tata Raphael and Werrason at the parking lot of Grand Hotel de Kinshasa. Some staffmembers got corrupted by donor Tchatcho Mbala to leak some secrets to Werra's camp for the fara-fara. Adolphe resulted in a mpiaka, while Werrason triumphed. Not long after that Adolphe's wife was mad that, he sleeping with some dancers, which made her decide to fire all dancers who weren't eastern congo until that she got calmed down. But despite all those problems, Adolphe had still his succes and Kibuisa didn't scare the musicians of Adolphe confronting the musicians of Maison Mere despite not having been in Europe or being in possession of expensive cars. Guys like Spino La Djatence, Washington, Shella Mputu, Chibida, spokemen Mbonzo and late Charly Balaka often made tv-appareance. Spino even fought with Baby Ndombe & Bill, when they were celebrating their 2 kora's and djo-k having difficulties to split them. The problem with Tonya Tonya was that everything went wrong when they went to Europe.



here Chibida and Shella talking about their band and some footage of Lacoste rehearsing with Tonya Tonya.

Japonais didn't play bass on Awilo's album Mondongo. He was invited as lead guitarist, playing lead on songs like Karolina, Gladys and Kayembe. Japonais has a big name in the session-world, because he already worked as session guitarist for Emeneya in Succes Fous, Awilo in Coupe Bibamba, Engombi for Aime Buanga and many others. With him having albums like Solola Bien, Kibuisa Mpimpa on his CV, made him immediately being solicitatedby various artists. Japonais is not someone who started music yesterday. He made already a big name when he was 9 years playing with Willy Ebondaki of Victoria Eleison in Taz Junior, appearing even as a kid in the BBC-documentary. So having problems wouldn't mean, that he won't know to play lead again. Having a drugsproblem doesn't mean that will end as Reagan. A guy like Somono Dolce is a big toko-toko, but he still made Droit de Veto, Sanction and Viagra. I can also cite big diambeurs like Pathy Patecheko, Bouro Mpela (he had a bad influence on Shella Mputu), Lola Muana (I don't think that drugs on an excessive way like he used to do in the Effrakata-era, Suzuki (he was often caught with coke) and Christian Lema who are all addicted. Werrason would promise I will give a car and x amount of money, but you have first to return to Kinshasa and him ending up by not doing it hahahahha. Or sending a donor to give some money, the give the impression, that he would gave the rest of the part in Kinshasa. That's what made Burkina Faso made because they sended donors like the late Wabelo Rango to get him in Maison Mere and promised him a car, buying it even in Brussels and Werrason talking about Burkina's car in Operation Dragon. But when arrived in Kinshasa, Burkina not getting his car and the car being given to a staffmember. All fanatics bothering about his car until that Werrason had enough and beating Burkina Faso in front of everybody, which made him leave to start his own band.



here a young Japonais on the lead

You think if Verta Musica was formed, could they have managed to be formidable spin off group? (Celeo, Serge Mabiala, Ferre Gola, Flamme Kapaya, Japonais himself, Didier Lacoste, and Shora Mbonda) That's quite a line-up, especially to leave during the success of Solola Bien! I'm not saying Werrason couldn't recover, but it would have been very interesting to see his response lol

It seems like Werrason is probably the worst leader of the Wenge alumni, ironically he is the most successful. I don't understand how he manages to stay winning each album, but he treats his group like shit. Surely his reputation would precede him and scare off any future talent

He would have ordered his uncle Nico Bwakango to recruit musicians for him in Kinshasa. Btw he did that when Baby Ndombe, Ferre Gola, Flamme Kapaya, JDT, Bill Clinton, Japonais, Mimiche, Thierry Synthe and Shora Mbonda abandoned him alone with Kakol and the dancers after the Kora Awards, them wanting to form Les Marquis. Werrason feeling blocked, Adolphe being already preparing Tonya Tonya behind the scenes and his petits forming a rebel band. He decided to call his the late Nico  Bwakongo and he already started recruiting musicians in Bandal, musicians like Bobon Kojack, calling the band Operation Dragon. But the same day they all reconciled with Werrason after that JDT got arrested at the airport for smoking weed, when they tried to get back in Europe. They all returned back and started recording Kibuisa Mpimpa, but the musicians who were recruited would still stay in Bandal and become officialy Maison Mere's reserve band when they returned to Kinshasa until this day.

He would have ordered his uncle Nico Bwakango to recruit musicians for him in Kinshasa. Btw he did that when Baby Ndombe, Ferre Gola, Flamme Kapaya, JDT, Bill Clinton, Japonais, Mimiche, Thierry Synthe and Shora Mbonda abandoned him alone with Kakol and the dancers after the Kora Awards, them wanting to form Les Marquis. Werrason feeling blocked, Adolphe being already preparing Tonya Tonya behind the scenes and his petits forming a rebel band. He decided to call his the late Nico  Bwakongo and he already started recruiting musicians in Bandal, musicians like Bobon Kojack, calling the band Operation Dragon. But the same day they all reconciled with Werrason after that JDT got arrested at the airport for smoking weed, when they tried to get back in Europe. They all returned back and started recording Kibuisa Mpimpa, but the musicians who were recruited would still stay in Bandal and become officialy Maison Mere's reserve band when they returned to Kinshasa until this day.

Operation Dragon? So they're like what Les Pipiyus was to BCBG? Is there any other musicians that were part of that reserve group that later became know? Isn't that were Goldberg came?