Alexander Gyesi-Appiah is a medical doctor in the UK, specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He is also a musician as well. Check out the interview.
Ghana Base Music:: Welcome to Ghana Base Music.
Alexander Gyesi-Appiah AGA: Thanks
Ghana Base Music: What is your full name?
AGA: Alexander Gyesi-Appiah
Ghana Base Music: Any aliases or a.k.a’s ?
AGA:Papa Appiah is my music name
Ghana Base Music: Where do you come from?
AGA: Elmina
Ghana Base Music: Can you tell us a little about your parents and family of birth?
AGA: My father was headmaster of St. Augustine’s College Cape Coast, my late mother was also a teacher.
Ghana Base Music: Which schools did you attend?
AGA: St Augustines College, Cape Coast, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi
Ghana Base Music: Where did you grow up and how was life when you were growing up?
GE: I grew up in Cape Coast, just by the sea in st augustine’s. Everyday I watched the fishermen at work. It was a quiet life with lots of opportunities to dream.
Ghana Base Music: Did you have any role model then and do you have one now?
AGA: My childhood role models were Osibisa and Nana Kwame Ampadu. My role model now is Ben Brako. We went to the same school for a start and we both released an album quite late.
Ghana Base Music: What is your favourite colour?
AGA: blue. I don’t know but could be my exposure to the sea
Ghana Base Music: What is your favourite food?
GE: nothing beats a good bowl of fufu and aponkye nkakra
Ghana Base Music: Did you have any relative(s) that was (or were) into music?
AGA: My mother had a passion for singing and was a choirester all her life
Ghana Base Music: Are you married?
AGA: Yes
Ghana Base Music: Please tell us a little about your family.
AGA: My wife is called Evelyn. She is a nurse. We have two kids Luke and Philip who are 8 and 6 respectively
Ghana Base Music: What do you do apart from music?
AGA: I am a doctor in the uk, specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Ghana Base Music: What are your hobbies?
AGA: music, football
Ghana Base Music: What kind of music do you listen to?
AGA: hilife, fela kuti and anything african
Ghana Base Music: How do you cope with your career, profession and family?
AGA: My musical career is still in its infancy so I would not pretend I am so busy now. As for the other career, my family are quite used to it now.
Ghana Base Music: How did you get into music?
GE: In st augustine’s. I was not in a band as such but I learnt to play the guitar and my music really took off during national service when I joined a band in cape coast called The New Page. In the University of Science and Technology, I was often a solo performer at hall week events
Ghana Base Music: What kind of music do you do?
AGA: hilife
Ghana Base Music: Do you play any musical instruments?
AGA: Rhythm guitar
Ghana Base Music: How many albums do you have so far to your credit?
AGA: One recently released album
Ghana Base Music: Share something with us about your albums.?
AGA: Consists of 8 songs. Most of them are hilife. People have said there are strong jazzy influences on some of the songs, especially track 1 – adjoa serwaa and track 4 – hye me bo. Track 3 is in the pan African style of osibisa. Alfred Kari Bannerman of Osibisa fame does all the guitar works.
Ghana Base Music: Which one is your favourite?
AGA: Track 3 – Zamlama (memories of Africa)
Ghana Base Music: Have you had the chance to perform on any International platform?
AGA: No
Ghana Base Music: What would you say is your most satisfactory achievement?
AGA: still struggling to find one, unfortunately
Ghana Base Music: How long do you wish to do music?
AGA: Forever, but I may decide to get involved more in the production side of things in the future
Ghana Base Music: Do you write your own music?
AGA: Yes, I write all the songs
Songs may be downloaded on www.tunetribe.com and www.calabashmusic.com. For all information, to contact lexeve productions on 07983614279
Check out his myspace page @
www.myspace.com/papaappiah
