FIJI has produced a lot of music legends but none as colourful as bass player Bill Knight.
The flamboyant bassist is possibly the country’s only four string player who can’t play guitar.
“I can’t even piece the chords together but I make up for it by packing in a punch when I’m on the bass,” the 69-year-old now Australian resident shared.
Born William Jacob Knight Tuinasaqalau in Ba in 1950, Billy rocked the local music scene from the mid ’60s as part of the Knight family band known as The Falcons until he departed Fiji for Australia in the ’70s.
Billy, like his brother — keyboardist Joel Knight — learnt everything about music from elder sibling, renowned guitarist, vocalist and composer, George Knight.
“George taught us all, on all instruments, all arrangements, all harmonies, everything.
“I have got to be the only bass player in Fiji that can’t play guitar.
“The only thing I need to know while on stage is what key the song is in and I kick in.
“All bass players are good, some play with the music, some alongside the music and so on, they all have their strengths and talents.
“I have a percussive style, I like to play from underneath the music and sit on the groove of the drummer.
“It’s just something that has always been a part of me and I suppose you could say that’s different.
“Musicians who have been on the scene for a while say I play a lot like Rupsanji (Rupeni Davui) and Family Man of the Wailers.
“You must remember that I didn’t realise this in the beginning until other players made me aware and I thank God for blessing me with that unique style.”
For Billy, the bass guitar became his instrument of choice for a number of reasons.
“I have played drums and I love the Hammond organ too, but the problem is that it takes too long to set up and pack up and the equipment is too heavy to carry after a four or five-hour gig.
“By the time you are ready to leave all the good girls have gone (laughs).
“So when I carefully examined all the instruments, the bass guitar stood out.
“I got a Gallien Krueger small foldback amp in a special case.
“You get to the gig, open the case put the amp on the top of the case, tune up your guitar and you are ready to roll.
“And this is the same advice to give to all the young musicians, make your instrument work for you and not the other way around.
“Don’t get caught up in too much technology and equipment that you are spending so much time connecting up effects and things that you won’t really end up using.
“Work smarter and not harder.”
Billy said musicians needed to approach music in the same manner as working people approached their jobs.
“I always did what I thought was comfortable and unique, like everything else I do in life.
“If music is your bread and butter, then respect your body and your instrument in a way that you will last the yards.”
George Knight, a music legend in his own right, had a lot to say about his brother’s musical and vocal prowess.
“Billy first started playing bass with The Falcons in the mid ’60s,” said George.
“He was a natural from the first time he picked up the bass guitar.
“Billy’s just got this unique style.
“He is a percussive player like Louis Johnson from the US funk band, the Brothers Johnson and he had a great stage presence. “And what made Billy even more special, he was gifted with a very high range style falsetto voice, much like Phil Bailey from Earth, Wind and Fire.
“All through the seventies he played in many successful bands like Equinox and Milford Sound in Australia.
“In 1992, we toured Suva and Nadi as Mataqali Music and closed the Hibiscus Festival with a massive crowd of 42,000 people in Suva.
“Billy has contributed a lot to Fiji music but, sadly, most people don’t acknowledge or remember Billy’s outstanding talent
as a musician.
“They remember him more for his boxing and body building.”
During his boxing career from 1973 to 1975, Billy won six out of seven fights — three on knockout — in the middleweight division.
In the body building arena, Billy has won three consecutive Mr Australia titles.
In 1980 he managed eighth place at the International Federation of Bodybuilding Mr Universe competition.
In 2016, after 29 years away from the sport, Billy was first runner-up in the Grandmasters over 65 category at the NABBA
International Mr Universe Bodybuilding competition, Cebu, Philippines.
Fiji’s godfather of music, Ken Janson, said Billy played music like he did everything else in his life.
“Billy is unique,” he said.
“A musician, boxer, fighter and champion body builder.
“He packs a wallop in everything he gets into — his bass guitar playing, lifting weights and also his punch.”
Billy said while weightlifting and boxing had taken him places, his music career in Fiji and Australia are the memories that
always bring a smile.
“I look back and it was an amazing time,” he said.
“It all started for me with The Falcons in 1966.
“The music, musicians and the scene was very different back then.
“We always wore suits that my brother George designed, bands went out to play in style.
“We had a lot of respect for audience because they paid good money to come out and see us.
“The highlight was the midnight dances they used to have around Fiji back then.
“We would wear wigs to look like the Beatles and play nothing but their music all night.
“We would also do the Shadows steps while playing their instrumentals, and during those gigs, Manoa Rasigatale would
feature at times doing Cliff Richard numbers — something he did really well.”
Billy said The Falcons’ success could be put down to practice and having a regular outing at one of Suva’s hottest night spots.
“I guess having a residency at the Coffee Lounge (in Nina St) prepared us well as our base.
“There we were always practising new material and the money was excellent, it changed all our lifestyle completely.
“George was our band leader and boss man, and boy, did he run a tight ship!”
He said it was a great feeling being financially recognised for something they enjoyed doing.
“Our success also came from being a family, doing things as a unit and helping each other.
“After all, we all come from Fiji, a country where the idea of everything being family is rooted in our ethos.”
