Gavin' Index

No.2: THE MERENGUE

The Merengue beat is a strong one-two rhythm, which is interpreted as two dance steps using the characteristic pumping action of the Merengue. There are no deviations from this simple rhythm so the steps are very easy. The dance does not progress around the floor but remains very much on the spot, with the man leading his partner to dance a variety of very gentle, slow turning moves, usually over eight steps.

Most steps use the characteristic Merengue action. On the first step, the foot is placed in position with pressure onto the floor through the inside edge of the ball of the foot. On the second step, the weight is transferred onto the foot that has just been placed while releasing the heel of the other foot from the floor, allowing the knee of that leg to move across the knee of the standing leg. The Merengue pumping action should not be exaggerated, and is danced with the feet a little apart.

"With my first solo album, Each Man Kills, I had grabbed onto that Europeanism, like making surrogate godfathers of Brel and Brecht and mixing them with my punk influences. Adam 'N' Eve, that was me spitting out against the 'Gavin's the missing link between Nick Cave, Thom Waits and Marc Almond' idea."

Of great significance to Gavin was his first shot at working on a soundtrack. he did the Award winning In The Name of The Father with Jim Sheridan and the results were, at times, stunning.

"The first thing me and Maurice did with the money we got from the movie was to build our own studio." Gavin is using this new found freedom to contribute to what amounts to a pet project: The Europeanism of Pop.

"Europe is becoming European, musically," he says gleefully. "But then what is American these days? In other words, we've heard it all before. But, on the other hand, over the past two years you have Tricky, Bjork, Portishead, emerging Europeans." [contd]

Joe Jackson