"I think that people should go away from the idea of having someone to come, put in a CD, sing for fifteen minutes, and you give him a million, and you refuse to pay a band which is going to play from the time you get in, it plays at dinner, to the dance, at almost half-price,” reasons Joshua Semugabi aka Josh, the music director and a keyboardist with the Neptunez Band. 

Josh bemoans the fact that appreciation for live band music in Rwanda is still lukewarm:

"It is pop music that most people have been brought up on and I think it’s a common practice in Africa, not just in Rwanda, that pop artists are more readily accepted than bands.”

So why is this so? 

"The main problem is that people have this feeling that bands are just people coming together to try out music,” explains Hope Annet Segutunga, the Public Relations and Marketing Manager for the eleven-member band. 

"They think that you’re playing music but are not a star. For pop artists, people have seen them on TV and at events like Guma Guma, heard them on radio, and seen their music videos, so people view them as stars.” 

Josh admits that the pop artists are ahead of bands when it comes to pulling crowds, but hastens to add: "When it comes to delivery and professionalism, especially at events, the bands are the best bet.”

For this interview, I visited the band during their rehearsals inside the Groovers nightclub at the Alpha Palace Hotel in Remera on Wednesday afternoon. They hold the rehearsals thrice a week, between Monday and Wednesday. 

"We used to have a night here so we have this relationship with them (Alpha Palace), and they decided to give us a place to do our rehearsals from, and once in a while when they need our services we come around and perform, because we’ve worked with them before,” explains Hope. 

Currently, the band has two nights at Rosty Plus in Kimironko (Wednesday and Thursday), and at Kaizen Club in Kabeza from Friday to Saturday. 

Previously, they have played at the Kigali Serena Hotel, until they parted ways with management over pay.

But perhaps the name that resonates most with the Neptunez Band is the KGL Fast Food, Nightclub and Bar, where the band made its name with the popular Mutzig Live Band Jam Session on Thursday nights. 

That is until they had issues with the police over noise pollution. 

It was one of the lowest moments ever for the band, a time when they had to go and "sit home for a while” and literally start from scratch. 

With four days of their week already filled with gigs at Rosty Plus and Kaizen Club, things seem to be looking up again for the band. What’s more, they have been digging inroads into the promising social events scene, particularly weddings, which constitutes a considerable cut of their income. 

"Our target for now is five acts in a week. We still have to get more gigs on board, because we also have bills to pay. The more gigs you get, the more inspiration you get to work even harder,” explains Hope. 

"We wouldn’t mind having gigs from Monday to Saturday and practicing at night because this is something that we love. Every time you have an event you are improving on what you do.”

Versatile band

The band draws its members from Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC, with the majority from Uganda.

It started as a small idea in May last year, when Remmy Lubega, the band’s director met with Herbert Kiggundu aka Herbert Rock, a Ugandan musician who had come to Kigali to do music. The two paired up to get people who share the same vision, that is –love music and are from different places. 

"We’re a versatile band. I would say proudly that we are different from other bands in Kigali. We do all genres of music –we do renditions of popular songs by established artists, but we also have band members with their own songs –like Alion Victory and Masha and Lydia. We do Nigerian music, Rwandan music, Ugandan music, basically music from all over.

From time to time, the band also comes up with events of its own, like the Jazz Junction at the Gorillas Hotel in Nyarutarama earlier this year.

Impressed with that particular event’s success, the band was inspired to organise a second edition of the Jazz Junction, this time at the Urban Boutique Hotel’s Sky Lounge on September 25.

"It will be a strictly jazz night featuring Herbert Rock and his friends. He’s from Uganda, and a member of the band, actually one of the leaders,” explains Hope. 

Each member plays their role in the band according to their department. Josh is the band’s music director and keyboardist, Herbert is the band leader and saxophonist, Masha D plays Violin and sings as well, while Lillian Lydia Nadiope aka LL sings and helps with communication. 

Elion Victory Ngarambe aka Elion V is a lead singer, Damien Lukwago aka Luks plays bass guitar and is in charge of equipment, while Stephen Muvunyi aka Stevo plays drums.

As a music director, Josh has to come up with the playlist for each gig. "If it’s a wedding we usually get playlists from the clients and work with that. If they don’t, it’s me to come up with one,” he says. 

"Honestly, Neptunez Band has people who do the kind of music I always wanted to do from a long time ago. I had never met people who respect music the same way I do here in Rwanda. Those are the two reasons that made me join the band,” explains Elion V. 

"Before, I’d been working with different people but not permanently. I play guitar, I play piano, I produce music and I’m a live performer,” he adds.

Damian Lukwago, the band’s sound man hails all the way from Kampala. 

"I had a friend who connected me to Herbert, and Herbert told me what was happening here and what he wanted me to do. He convinced me to leave Uganda and come this side. It’s been a year and four months now. When I came they gave me a few responsibilities because I had an idea about stage and sound.” 

Lukwago also plays the bass guitar. 

"I love playing the bass guitar most. That is what brought me here,” he says. 

Limbali, the band’s solo guitarist hails from the DRC: He was in Kigali for a gig and a gentleman who noticed his musical talent connected him to the band.

"It was a little hard in the beginning, because the style of music here is different from that I was used to in the DRC. But with time I managed to make the necessary adjustments and now I play very well.”

Presently, the band seems focused on putting out their own products on the market, with two albums already out on the market. In fact, some of their songs, like Nsenzerano, sung by Gaby and Lydia, and the Neptunez Anthem are already enjoying moderate success on local airwaves.

"Our focus for now is to stage more of our own events with our own products, shoot our own music videos and make concerts of our own. We have been recording from different studios but have a plan of establishing our own studio which is in progress already,” explains Hope. 

I ask her what it would take for one to join the band and she says:

"To join Neptunez band you need your voice, your talent, love, commitment, and sacrifice.”