I don't think that it would have sounded like Alerte Generale, some guitar partitions from Flamme Kapaya were created after Les Marquis. Don't forget that when new cries come in, guitarists will look for other sebenes to let it fit the cri. reserve-guitarist Mayindombe gave Flamme that guitar-signature, when Celeo comes with "yo tein petit". Except the sukali-sukali part, "kimbongile" and "olie biloko ya mbwa", the rest were all new cries who came after Bill's departure. Roi David's koko cri, is a recycled version of Bill Clinton's cri (If I remember well, Bill animated it in the song Miami), but Ali Mbonda added for Roi David "bana batika kepa" and "keba oko tekisa ba mapangu" to attack Les Marquis. We will never know how that album would have sounded. Also a few songs in Werra's album came later in, when Ferre and co already left. For example the song Temoingage itself, because that was written to react against JB's Ezau and that song came months later out after the creation of Les Marquis.

Yes, Werrason saw that they weren't really ready despite experienced singers Aimelia, Lacoste, Heritier, J3 and Kabose being there, also for the fact for not getting visa's for France. To test the team, Celeo as main atalaku (after being years in Bill's shadow) and the new Roi David & Kene Kene, he decided to record Alerte Generale, giving the singers alot vocals. Btw the way when they came to record Temoignage, singers like Bonbon Kojack & Cappucino weren't able to do vocals in the studio and Sec Bidens being mad, calling them 'faux chanteurs', saying that they had to learn singing again and rehearse very hard. After spending 5 months in Europe, they went back again to Kinshasa for Bralima concerts (Kikwit, FIKIN, etc.) and when they came back to finish the album, evertyhing was ok. Werrason could have recruited better singers, but there was alot corruption, himself also not looking to the singing abilities, but just the looks. You had a guy (I forgot his name), who ended up in Bill's samourai, who came to replace Baby Ndombe, but he wasn't accepted. You also a guy singer from Tshangu (nicknamed Moyibi), but Werrason prefering Cappucino. Also a tenorist was by far better than Bonbon Kojack.

Were there original cries from Miracles that were saved for Temoingage?
This might be a little off topic but why was Sous sol also a Maxi single? He had the talent around him that time compared to Alerte Generale.

No, because all original cries of Miracles were animated in Alerte Generale. All cries of Temoingnage were new crie, most were created in the time of FIKIN 2005 (Kisanola, Werra Champion, Kwanza munu awa, Bakanisaki toko sila, etc.)

Sous Sol was recorded, because Primus wanted a generique-single. At the same Lacoste & Adjani were complaining about still not having released a song under their name in Wenge, which made Werrason decided to record a 3 song-maxi. Later on he wanted to give also Heritier an opportunity to put a song, since that used to be in Maison Mere since 2000. But later changed his mind. On the same time he was contacted soccerplayer Nicolas Anelka who started a music-recordlabel, wanting him to start in world-music. To prepare his public for his world-album which he used to call Arche de Noe, he gave his private singer Petit Lokua and Flamme Kapaya the opportunity to put songs in Sous Sol. The funny thing is that Werrason would credit Adjani & Petit Lokua's song to his name.





When recording Arche de Noe, Flamme Kapaya, Celeo & Heritier didn't want to participate, because they wanted to get affiliated to SACEM, get royalties, etc. Later on Heritier changed his mind and participated and Celeo came on the last minute, but he came to late, because already finished recording. The same problems occured when recording Temps Present. For whatever reason, the album release-date got postponed to 2008, Werrason changing it into Simply the Best volume 1 "Sans Poteau" and saving the album-title Arche de Noe for his solo-album he wanted to release after Temps Present, who never came. Simply the Best ended up by getting released in the summer of 2009, but not officialy and flopped very hard.

I don't think that it would have sounded like Alerte Generale, some guitar partitions from Flamme Kapaya were created after Les Marquis. Don't forget that when new cries come in, guitarists will look for other sebenes to let it fit the cri. reserve-guitarist Mayindombe gave Flamme that guitar-signature, when Celeo comes with "yo tein petit". Except the sukali-sukali part, "kimbongile" and "olie biloko ya mbwa", the rest were all new cries who came after Bill's departure. Roi David's koko cri, is a recycled version of Bill Clinton's cri (If I remember well, Bill animated it in the song Miami), but Ali Mbonda added for Roi David "bana batika kepa" and "keba oko tekisa ba mapangu" to attack Les Marquis. We will never know how that album would have sounded. Also a few songs in Werra's album came later in, when Ferre and co already left. For example the song Temoingage itself, because that was written to react against JB's Ezau and that song came months later out after the creation of Les Marquis.

Yes, Werrason saw that they weren't really ready despite experienced singers Aimelia, Lacoste, Heritier, J3 and Kabose being there, also for the fact for not getting visa's for France. To test the team, Celeo as main atalaku (after being years in Bill's shadow) and the new Roi David & Kene Kene, he decided to record Alerte Generale, giving the singers alot vocals. Btw the way when they came to record Temoignage, singers like Bonbon Kojack & Cappucino weren't able to do vocals in the studio and Sec Bidens being mad, calling them 'faux chanteurs', saying that they had to learn singing again and rehearse very hard. After spending 5 months in Europe, they went back again to Kinshasa for Bralima concerts (Kikwit, FIKIN, etc.) and when they came back to finish the album, evertyhing was ok. Werrason could have recruited better singers, but there was alot corruption, himself also not looking to the singing abilities, but just the looks. You had a guy (I forgot his name), who ended up in Bill's samourai, who came to replace Baby Ndombe, but he wasn't accepted. You also a guy singer from Tshangu (nicknamed Moyibi), but Werrason prefering Cappucino. Also a tenorist was by far better than Bonbon Kojack.

Were there original cries from Miracles that were saved for Temoingage?
This might be a little off topic but why was Sous sol also a Maxi single? He had the talent around him that time compared to Alerte Generale.

No, because all original cries of Miracles were animated in Alerte Generale. All cries of Temoingnage were new crie, most were created in the time of FIKIN 2005 (Kisanola, Werra Champion, Kwanza munu awa, Bakanisaki toko sila, etc.)

Sous Sol was recorded, because Primus wanted a generique-single. At the same Lacoste & Adjani were complaining about still not having released a song under their name in Wenge, which made Werrason decided to record a 3 song-maxi. Later on he wanted to give also Heritier an opportunity to put a song, since that used to be in Maison Mere since 2000. But later changed his mind. On the same time he was contacted soccerplayer Nicolas Anelka who started a music-recordlabel, wanting him to start in world-music. To prepare his public for his world-album which he used to call Arche de Noe, he gave his private singer Petit Lokua and Flamme Kapaya the opportunity to put songs in Sous Sol. The funny thing is that Werrason would credit Adjani & Petit Lokua's song to his name.





When recording Arche de Noe, Flamme Kapaya, Celeo & Heritier didn't want to participate, because they wanted to get affiliated to SACEM, get royalties, etc. Later on Heritier changed his mind and participated and Celeo came on the last minute, but he came to late, because already finished recording. The same problems occured when recording Temps Present. For whatever reason, the album release-date got postponed to 2008, Werrason changing it into Simply the Best volume 1 "Sans Poteau" and saving the album-title Arche de Noe for his solo-album he wanted to release after Temps Present, who never came. Simply the Best ended up by getting released in the summer of 2009, but not officialy and flopped very hard.

Did they keep any of Flamme Kapaya partitions any songs from Mayi Ya Sika? I heard he started the recording process, but stayed behind in Europe after the Spring tour of 2007. Werra's decision making was very strange in that period. He lost Roi David, Flamme, Kene Kene, and Celeo.

yeah for example taddet's lead was played by him and  a couple of others,then  christian solo played other sebene songs,mogratana played his one...

I don't think that it would have sounded like Alerte Generale, some guitar partitions from Flamme Kapaya were created after Les Marquis. Don't forget that when new cries come in, guitarists will look for other sebenes to let it fit the cri. reserve-guitarist Mayindombe gave Flamme that guitar-signature, when Celeo comes with "yo tein petit". Except the sukali-sukali part, "kimbongile" and "olie biloko ya mbwa", the rest were all new cries who came after Bill's departure. Roi David's koko cri, is a recycled version of Bill Clinton's cri (If I remember well, Bill animated it in the song Miami), but Ali Mbonda added for Roi David "bana batika kepa" and "keba oko tekisa ba mapangu" to attack Les Marquis. We will never know how that album would have sounded. Also a few songs in Werra's album came later in, when Ferre and co already left. For example the song Temoingage itself, because that was written to react against JB's Ezau and that song came months later out after the creation of Les Marquis.

Yes, Werrason saw that they weren't really ready despite experienced singers Aimelia, Lacoste, Heritier, J3 and Kabose being there, also for the fact for not getting visa's for France. To test the team, Celeo as main atalaku (after being years in Bill's shadow) and the new Roi David & Kene Kene, he decided to record Alerte Generale, giving the singers alot vocals. Btw the way when they came to record Temoignage, singers like Bonbon Kojack & Cappucino weren't able to do vocals in the studio and Sec Bidens being mad, calling them 'faux chanteurs', saying that they had to learn singing again and rehearse very hard. After spending 5 months in Europe, they went back again to Kinshasa for Bralima concerts (Kikwit, FIKIN, etc.) and when they came back to finish the album, evertyhing was ok. Werrason could have recruited better singers, but there was alot corruption, himself also not looking to the singing abilities, but just the looks. You had a guy (I forgot his name), who ended up in Bill's samourai, who came to replace Baby Ndombe, but he wasn't accepted. You also a guy singer from Tshangu (nicknamed Moyibi), but Werrason prefering Cappucino. Also a tenorist was by far better than Bonbon Kojack.

Were there original cries from Miracles that were saved for Temoingage?
This might be a little off topic but why was Sous sol also a Maxi single? He had the talent around him that time compared to Alerte Generale.

No, because all original cries of Miracles were animated in Alerte Generale. All cries of Temoingnage were new crie, most were created in the time of FIKIN 2005 (Kisanola, Werra Champion, Kwanza munu awa, Bakanisaki toko sila, etc.)

Sous Sol was recorded, because Primus wanted a generique-single. At the same Lacoste & Adjani were complaining about still not having released a song under their name in Wenge, which made Werrason decided to record a 3 song-maxi. Later on he wanted to give also Heritier an opportunity to put a song, since that used to be in Maison Mere since 2000. But later changed his mind. On the same time he was contacted soccerplayer Nicolas Anelka who started a music-recordlabel, wanting him to start in world-music. To prepare his public for his world-album which he used to call Arche de Noe, he gave his private singer Petit Lokua and Flamme Kapaya the opportunity to put songs in Sous Sol. The funny thing is that Werrason would credit Adjani & Petit Lokua's song to his name.





When recording Arche de Noe, Flamme Kapaya, Celeo & Heritier didn't want to participate, because they wanted to get affiliated to SACEM, get royalties, etc. Later on Heritier changed his mind and participated and Celeo came on the last minute, but he came to late, because already finished recording. The same problems occured when recording Temps Present. For whatever reason, the album release-date got postponed to 2008, Werrason changing it into Simply the Best volume 1 "Sans Poteau" and saving the album-title Arche de Noe for his solo-album he wanted to release after Temps Present, who never came. Simply the Best ended up by getting released in the summer of 2009, but not officialy and flopped very hard.

Maybe Bonbon Kojack, but why was Sec considering Cappucino a fake singer?  His vocals were very nice, especially in Conscious Bela and Temps Perdus. I'm guessing the first verison of Temoingage must have been very bad if they had rerecord the entire album lol I thought Werra wasn't convinced by the animation, which is why they had to do some corrections later on...as well as replace Michel and Teka who ran away.

What happened with J3 and Michel Bass? I noticed J3 was prominent in concerts and clips for Sous Sol, but never sang a single vocal on the entire EP. Michel Bass was more advanced a bassist then Mimiche, but he left as quickly as he was recruited.

Listening to a finishing product from the studio, isn't the same to hearing somebody live. Also many singers and even don't sing the same in concerts, like the way you hear them on the cd. When they are recording in studio, many singers have often to correct their vocals. Many singers would improve their singing abilities later, except Bonbon Kojack who started to lose his voce after Temoignage and Heritier who had the same problem (his case becoming worser with the years, having even to do surgery in 2009).

Michel Bass was in conflict with Papy Kakol and saw that he won't go far financially still playing with Wenge Maison Mere, having already a wife and children. For instrumentalists in Congolese music its very difficult to live compared to singers, because they can't give shout-outs through the mic. Many would ask their friends in the singing section to cite x & y, some giving them 20% of the money to them. Others would spent times with singers when walking through Chateaux Rouge, Matonge or those singers being invited by fans or donors to get some money or clothes and the singer saying look he's my friend, can you give him also some. Those instrumentalists profiting from that. Often mbonda-players ran away when coming in Europe, because they are the least respected and often not able to get enough money from mabanga. Thats why you saw that Pathy Moleso deleted the vocals of the PPU singers (Zakoko, Djino, etc.) in the song Vicky Nsongi, because he was angry that they didn't want to sing the names he gave to them. When Michel Bass left, there wasn't a huge problem, because Mimiche Bass already rejoined toward the end of the tour. Sharing bass with Michel Bass.

Werrason started to do 12 on Bonbon Kojack, Kene Kene and J3, because he knew that they were about to get European papers through their girlfriends in Europe. Starting already to humilate Bonbon Kojack in public-rehearshals by using Taddet to correct his own vocals. Kene Kene seeing a cri of him in Sous Sol being erased and giving to Roi David and Werrason giving Prince more space in concerts. J3 was lucky to be still on the tour-list. When recording Temps Present, J3 was angry about his rumba-song in studio being changed into a sebene-song. Then you had also Heritier who was his friend, gossping about him to Werrason. His name was cited among those who were about to stay in Europe, like Celeo, Heritier & Flamme Kapaya. But he returned. The during the time they were in Kinshasa, rumors were spread that he was about to join Koffi Olomide and that Koffi offered him some money to join. After returning from a festival in Belgium where they performed with French star Yannick Noah, they had a rehearshal at he Zamba Playa and they started to humilate J3 by bringing MM-fanatics on stage. They started to ask him question and attack him on stage, for wanting to join Quartier Latin, which wasn't even true. The footage used to be on youtube, Werrason acting like he was hurt and surprised, lol that looked so fake. The MM-fans really being really savage and agressive like "donc yo olingi kokende epayi ya Koffi hein, hein. Oyebi te que Werra mutu apesa yo vie" and J3 not knowing what to say. It was to much for J3 and the same week he went to join Quartier Latin.

Mogratana also played on Caresse (I always laugh when Mogratana denies to have adopted Flamme's style when joining Maison Mere, because the way of playing is totally different from that of Somo Trop & Bakala dia Kuba).



Flamme Kapaya also played on the original generique, Celeo's song, the original version of Fantatique na Nga and his own song, which dedicated to Florian Miokono, but they  got all erased. Werrason then inviting Japonais to participate and reworking a part of Fantanique na Nga and Heritier then doing Lobeso's cri




from 4:49 min, Japonais working on the Kowbell-commercial. To be honest I didn't like the way Heritier animated, his voice isn't suited for that.

This was in october 2003, during halloween. A lawyer called Samba organised an event of two dates at Starford Rex and Tottenham. A few days before the trip Baby Ndombe got suddenly suspended, when they were about to go to UK. He got also stripped off, from his function as "chief of discipline" which was giving to Aimelia. The week Maison Mere was spending their time in U.K., Baby Ndombe made some tv-appareance, saying that he didn't deserve to get suspended and that Aimelia couldn't be the "chief of discipline", because he hadn't the same intellectual capacities like him. After spending a week, Maison Mere came back and Baby Ndombe saw his 2 weeks suspension going to an indefinite suspension. Maison Mere went to diamondvillage Canfunfu in Angola, where they celebrated Angola's independece anniversary. When coming back Baby Ndombe tried to reconcilate with Werrason, by coming his with his dad Ndombe Opetum, but Werrason kept running away. Baby Ndombe even came with Lutumba Simaro to Werra's house, but he ordered his doorman to not open the door. He once talked to his yanzi-brother King Kester Emeneya to get Werrason at King Ranch, Werrason also came, but when he saw Baby Ndombe's car he made an U-turn. Baby Ndombe started to get financial difficulties and got chased away from the hotel he was living and forced to live with his family again. In meantime Werrason hold several concerts in Kinshasa with Maison Mere, at Hall de la Gombe, Boulevard Triomphale, Village Bercy, etc. They also signed a deal with the UK-embassady, getting a 3 years-workpermit visa and making a lot noise about it on tv. In meantime rumors were spread by admin-members like Elliot Mondombe & Monib Production, who gossiped that Baby Ndombe was suspended because of sleeping with Werrason's wife (which wasn't true), that Koffi gave him a paper to get sweat from Werra's face and give it to him,etc. Just to get him hated by WMM-fanatics. In feb. 2004, Maison Mere went back to the UK for a serie of concerts in various cities. Journalists were asking why Werrason don't want to forgive Baby Ndombe, Werrason then giving the reaction "If wil say what he did, you will all hate him", which made people think that the rumors about Baby sleeping with his wife were true, while it was about Baby Ndombe having dated Mbilia Bel, who used to be with Tabu Ley. Werrason himself didn't want Baby Ndombe back, because he saw him as a traitor and the head of Les Marquis-project (still not having forgotten what happended at the Kora Awards 2000, before Adolphe's departure), and admins like Monib scaring him with the story about giving sending him to get his sweat and Baby having visited a witchdoctor who gave him the condition to sleep with his wife for spiritual reasons to get Werra's fame, while it were all false stories. The time that Maison Mere was spending time in UK, tensions who already existed since Kinshasa when Baby Ndombe was around became bigger. Ferre crying after getting beated by Werrason, Bill and Ferre not talking to Werrason, Bill throwing shots at Werrason in concerts (became mad about the money of Tindika Lokito, while he had to get some percentage from it as promised), etc. Then in May 2004, when they had to return to celebrate the 7th anniversary of LD Kabila's coup and prepare the missed event of Stade Charletty for July 2004, Ferre Gola, JDT and Bill Clinton didn't show at the airport. The three guys hadn't officially left. JDT was seriously sick and following medical treatment in London, since that he was in Kinshasa victim of a serious car-accident. Ferre Gola doubting about starting his solo career and going back to Paris to think about his future, taking care of his wife and children, he had already songs to record a solo albums (songs like Diata Locataire credited to Japonais and Detresse credited to Mimiche, were normally his songs bought from songwriters, hence why he was singing it when he started his own band). Bill was still in London. Werrason, who knew about Les Marquis since Kinshasa, using spies in Kinshasa, who saw them spending time with songwriters, donors, underground musicians, etc. talking about the project, wrote a open letter giving them a 48 hours ultimatum to come back to Kinshasa and saying that those who leave their leader, don't go far in their career. Sankara de Nkuta then immediatly making an interview with (I think Yves Kambala) in Paris and insulting JDT, Ferre Gola & Bill Clinton, going even far to insult Ferre Gola's mother. Sankara's interview made the three guys angry and from then they really decided to form Les Marquis and meeting each in Paris. Contacting Baby Ndombe in Kinshasa, who part of the original project and giving an interview with Yves Kambala to confirm Les Marquis-project. Baby was to join Les Marquis in Paris, having already his visa and contacted Bralima (Primus) for contracts. But after seeing their interview with Yves Kambala, he decided to no take part of the project, because they weren't calling him the iniator of the project and he was saw that they won't far for the way they were all three bragging about themselves.

I thought they went to UK in October 2003 and in April 2004. So they spend 2 months in UK before the Marquis split ? I know Baby Ndombe announced Tour de Babel in early 2004 as a maxi-single (it would become a full album released in January-February 2006). Did Baby Ndombe decided to leave officially Maison Mère only when les Marquis was formed in May 2004 or he knew there was no chance for him to come back after Werrason kept running away from him from late 2003 to early 2004 ? Is it true that BCBG & Quartier Latin approached him when he was suspended. To me it's not a suspension he was indirectly fired. I would also like to know how long he stayed in Kinshasa after he refused to join les Marquis was he recording Tour de Babel ? What about the time Ferre wanted to create a band with him ? Why he went to USA to finish his album and not to Europe ? I think he stayed in USA a little while after the release of his album. 

Baby Ndombe decided to leave after that Werrason refused to meet him, when King Kester Emeneya invited at some to talk to him. King Kester giving Baby Ndombe the full blessing and Baby started his own band recruiting a few musicians who were in Operation Dragon (second team of WMM). Yes, Koffi Olomide wanted to offer him money to join Quartier Latin and donors of BCBG tried to lure him in Wenge BCBG, but he refused. What many don't know is that when Les Marquis was formed, Heritier and Werrason went to Baby Ndombe's house to get him back, but his older sister refusing to receive them and sending them back. I don't remember must be 1 or 2 years that he stayed in Kinshasa before going to the US. Ferre wanted to create a band with Baby Ndombe, when things went wrong between him and Bill Clinton and Ferre not knowing what to do. He tried to contact Baby Ndombe, but Baby Ndombe refused and prefered a solo career. It was hard for Baby Ndombe to work on a solo career in Kinshasa. He once went to perform for Kerrygold at Grand Hotel Kinshasa, but at some point they cut the electricity of Salon Congo off. He went to perform in Kikwit or an area in Kinshasa and MM-fans were sended to throw stones on stage. When he released Tour de Babel, he tried to promote on tv and once when the presenter wanted to let hear an extract, he couldn't put his music, because the cd was broken and the journalist himself received death threats for promoting Baby Ndombe. There were many things that happened to Baby Ndombe. Baby Ndombe stayed until 2008/09 in the US and once came to France in 2007, having a concert with Reddy Amisi. In 2009 he went to record Code Pin in France, which is until this day unreleased. He started to live in France until the death of his son in 2013, who died after drowing in water. (I think that's also the reason that he divorced, it being to much for him and living from then in Kinshasa).

the ndongo-ndongo cri isn't suited for Europe-concert. No way that people in London, Paris and Brussels will to off their shirts to wave it in the air, like those were doing in Kinshasa. After never seen them animating it again after those concerts in London.