NL - Sergio, Congratulations! Congratulations because when we first met, Sir George Entertainment was beginning and no one knew what to expect.

SG - Yes there was a lot of uncertainty. No one knew what was going to happen.

NL - Right! At the time you were working with Victor Manuelle and developing DLG. Now, those are proven successes. Are you satisfied?

SG - No! No way! This is just another phase in my life. I am not satisfied. I am happy to see that things are rolling along, but I am not going to be satisfied.

Excellent attitude for a man who's musical production of DLG is second in the international charts to Luis Miguel.

SG - Really? Where did you see that?

NL - My dad was watching a video countdown on Univision, and there I saw DLG's video occupying second place slot right below Luis Miguel. Judging from what T.V. Radio and the printed press is saying about you and the guys, would it be save to believe that Sergio and DLG have arrived.

SG - No, not necessarily. I believe in DLG. I believe in their talent, but more so in the concept. The concept of DLG is where this music is going to go because, is appealing to people that are not salseros. And that's the point! To keep so to ourselves, after a while is pointless. We ought to be able to reach other people, to educate them about the music. That's the idea and DLG has the potential to do that.

NL - It must be working because I was recently introduced to some people from Argentina and Chile. They all wanted to know where DLG was performing! The music has crossed over to a market where very few tropical artists have succeeded.

SG - Well in all honesty, the success we're all enjoying is due to me and the fact that I have great people working with me. Not that many, but the ones that are, are great. The guys have done their part. They really hung in there, they promoted themselves well and followed directions. Take Huey for example. Huey now speaks full Spanish! The discipline that he has is remarkable. I give them a time and they are there on time. No drinks, no drugs, no hanging out. No hanging out with a bunch of girls after the show is over. It's business! They are really handling themselves like young businessmen. They realize that aside from music, this is also a business.

NL - In our first meeting you mentioned something that, at the time I did not understand. You mentioned mindset. You said that 'as long as you have the right mindset' you can make it in this business. What would you consider to be the necessary mindset for success in this business?

SG - First and foremost you gotta have a plan! You got to stick to a plan. You gotta focus on what you are trying to accomplish. Understand that you will run into roadblocks. People will tell you that is no good, is not happening, it doesn't work, it sucks or whatever! The mindset that you need to succeed in this business is just being positive, being disciplined, having a plan, and executing the plan. I planned every successful thing that has happened to me. Ironically, the fact is that when things are working you...I never sat down and said 'oh man it's finally working'. I have no time for that! I'm like 'Ok! Next level, next level, next level'. I got into this thing on my own. I left RMM because I wanted to succeed. I did not do this just to see what happens! I want to make it! Sure, the road is going to be rocky but it's going to get done!

NL - And you have done very well! You are an entity.

SG - Yes! Definitely! And I'm still growing, I'm still not where I want to be. I'm still learning a lot about what is going on out here. But yes! I have my own identity. Its been a fight and it's still a struggle, but in the salsa market I feel that I've definitely carved out my own identity.

NL - Remember the last time we met, I mentioned to you the fact that many people were copying your sound. Your immediate comment was, 'really? I haven't heard that yet'. Today, two years later; you cannot deny that this is happening.

SG - At that time, you had a lot of people saying stuff like 'oh, his sound is ok...whatever' know what I mean? Now it has sort of exploded to a point where places like Puerto Rico, Colombia, Venezuela, and people all over the world are copying me. Just the other day I got a copy from a group from Canadian. They are doing my sound. But you know what? Is not even about copying anymore. Is about people finally realizing that this is the standard salsa sound of the mid-and-late 90s, and it's fun! I am the architect of that sound. That is why I gotta take it to the next level. Create, and create, and create. I am going to continuously strive to create something else.

NL - Wow! Create, and create?....To continuously strive to create something else? Where do you find the time to....How do you come up with all this stuff?

SG - Basically Nestor, my personal life really doesn't exist. And that is unfortunate because so much energy has to go into this. When I leave the studio I go home and listen to more music. Anything but salsa. I am a fan of music, and salsa I do not listen to. I have not heard salsa in years. I mean, I stumble across it on the radio. I watch TV, I watch what is going on around the world, what people like. I mean, music is analogous with a lot of things that are going on in the world. It's no accident that certain songs hit people at a certain time. It all comes down to the question 'What do people what to hear at this point in time? What is going to entertain the masses?' The fact is that what is going on around the world is bigger than salsa, that's why I don't listen to it. I listen to Cuban music, Gipsy Kings, Alanis Morrisette, Puffy, Biggie Smalls, Greenday. I listen to whatever I feel is good regardless of genre. You have to do this if you want to learn. You have to be exposed to all types of different sounds and styles.

NL- I guess so. I heard from George Rivera that Puffy listens to classical.

SG- I wouldn't be surprised. You're not going to get to where he is at by being lucky! Or because he happened to have the right keyboard sound. At some point, for a person to have that many hits for that period of time; you have to know what you are doing! I mean, the market is so difficult and so competitive that in order to survive you have to be prepared.

NL- Have you faced any difficulties?

SG- Yes! The number one difficulty I face is myself! To compete with myself on the radio is tough! I have a song from this artist, I have a song from that artist. So to try to make things not sound alike is the number one priority, and it is not easy. On top of that, to attract the young listener that might not like a salsa record. I want to attract them by using those elements that they are used to.

NL - How do you balance what you want, with what the artist wants and what the label wants? I mean most producers and artist never claim total responsibility for a record. They say stuff like 'I didn't want to do that but the label wanted something that sounds like.........'

SG- I don't have that problem. I never had a problem with labels. With artists, we just sit and dialogue about what is it that they want in their record. I tell you, almost all of them leave it up to me every time. If there is something they do not like, we discuss it, we'll change it if they're not comfortable. They are the artists. I don't have a problem with that. Sure, some artists in the past have been resistant. Stuff like 'nah I don't what to be produced by him because everything he does sounds the same...blah, blah, blah'. I am not going to mention names but, several artists mainly in Puerto Rico were resistant to working with me. I didn't care! Whatever! Back then, the artists in PR felt that salsa was 'their thing'; you know 'The Puerto Rican Sound'. So I said 'hey ok whatever man. We'll find out'. So soon enough success! Marc Anthony, India. Now what I am doing, they're copying over there. They realized 'hey what is good is good'. Listen I don't have the market cornered, neither does anyone else. Whoever comes out with anything good, is going to get on the radio and the people are going to like it.

NL- With all this talk about copying and sound-a-likes. What is your take on the whole Cuban music thing? Lots folks have accused you of copying Cuban music.

SG- Yeah, I've heard that too. Basically, I have one thing to say about the Cuban sound. I respect it immensely! You go to Cuba today and talk to the lead guys of today. Ask them who they admire as a musician outside of Cuba, and I who knows my name might pop up at least once. They might not say 'Sergio George is copying our stuff', however they might say 'gee I really like Sergio George's stuff'. Some of today's most popular Cuban artists have allegedly said that people in Cuba love my music. People know that my music has traces of Cuban music, but at the same time is not Cuban. I guess that is why people like my material! I love Cuban music, I love vallenato, I love cumbia, I love my R&B and my salsa from the Fania days. In those Victor Manuel records you're going to hear a little bit of all those sounds. So, I don't think I'm copying anybody! I am just taking different influences from different places and placing them in one song. Not an album, but a song. Anyone can record one songo, one vallenato, one cumbia, one of everything. I don't know of anybody that has mixed every musical element in one song, and make it sound good the way I have. If I wanted to record a Cuban songo, I would've done it already. I take what I like about every musical form, and bring it into what I do. I wouldn't want to do an all Cuban record or and all R&B record. What for? I don't think I'm copying the Cubans at all, I listen to their music, I like it, and I respect it. The biggest compliment I've ever gotten was to have one of the most respected Cuban composers & musicians record 'Vivir Lo Nuestro'. It was done with the exact same version with the exact same arrangement that I did with Marc & India. Matter of fact in Cuba, this artist was criticized by all the papers and media for doing stuff that is being done over here. This guy was like 'look it's a great song, it's a great arrangement - what's the problem?'. The funniest part is that there are well known people that will tell you that I copied 'Vivir Lo Nuestro' from him! I mean is ridiculous, I do my version first and am copying. Funny isn't it!

NL- Is the R&B/American market what you're going for?

SG- Nah! The market I'm going for is the market that I'm in now. This is the market that I care about. Unfortunately in this market, it gets to a point where you can only do so much. What starts to happen is that 'the industry' starts to say, 'ok Sergio, we got to take what you do here because you've exhausted what you do here in this market. So they (the industry) automatically want to 'open doors'. The American market is dying to get into the Latin market, you know how that is. 'They' want to get as many Latin dollars as possible. They see a person like me having success in that market so they try to bring them along to the other side and see what happens. For example, Columbia Records wants to release DLG in the American market. I am all for it as long as it is about what DLG 'is about'. I am not going to go in the studio and produce a R&B, or hip hop, or dance record with DLG. Its got to be about what they are about. That means DLG has to do their music. The American market has to accept them how they are. I mean listen, Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine did not go into the studio and said 'Let's come up with a crossover hit' when they recorded 'Conga', 'Dr. Beat' and all those other hits! Gipsy Kings! They are not singing in English. Julio Iglesias did a tango album, and no one screamed 'Come on sing it in English'! These guys are doing what they do best! And if is good, people are going to accept it.

NL- So what's up with Victor Manuel? I heard that Sony tried to get you to produce Victor's next album and that you flatly declined the offer.

SG- No, no, no. I've never heard that. You see, people will try to invent things and that's how rumors start. My deal with Sony expired on July 31^st, I officially signed with WEA Latina. So I am taking my Sir George Records into WEA. Nora was always signed to BMG in Japan. DLG will remain with Sony and I'll still produce them. Sir George Records will be with WEA. Is a long term contract with all new artists.

NL- Frankie Negron. In all honesty, the jury is still out on him. His voice and his timbre is too close to Marc Anthony's. What is your take on that?

SG- What happened there was that Frankie recorded an album with some independent producers.

Rene Leyva was the producer of most of the songs originally. George Zamora left Sony to join WEA. The producers took the master of the whole album to George Zamora. He liked the kid, he didn't like the album. So, he asked me to help him. George said, 'look Sergio I know I can't pay you a lot of money but, do me a favor. I got this kid that I really believe in and I want to have him be my first artist out on WEA Caribe/WEA Latina'. I said fine I am going to help him. I am not going to produce him because I was busy at the time. So what I did was putting up a producing team consisting of Luchito Cabarcas, Edwin Sanchez, and Mike Rivera. I called them LEM for sort. They produced three tracks for Frankie and I supervised. They did a great job! Now don't get me started on the Yolandita Monge record, because I am also really proud of that record! It's an all bomba y plena album. I had "La Familia Cepeda" from PR. They did all the percussion on that album. They played all hand made instruments, no mass manufactured stuff! It was almost primitive! I mean the way they tuned their drums was so amazing! It was just incredible! The whole thing was amazing. I remember when I got contacted for the project. I almost didn't believe it! I get this fax signed by Yolandita, and I am saying 'Nah this is probably a prank'. Until she called me. It was great! Yolandita is a consummate professional!

NL- Hey did you help her with the soneos?

SG- Yeah, but then again I write the soneos for everyone I work with. I mean the only one I did not write soneos for in the past was Cheo Feliciano. I wouldn't even dare write a soneo for Cheo Feliciano or people like that. Not even Victor. Victor wanted my input. I'm like 'nah Victor, you do your thing'.

NL- DLG's latest, like Andy Montañez' kids latest should be called 'Bailalo ComoTu Quieras'.

It has a flavor that moves you anyway you want. Dance this anyway you feel like!

SG- Yeah man! I've had white people, black people, asian people, all types of people, ask me 'What is that?! Is that a merengue, is that a salsa, I mean what is that?' The fact is that I don't even know or care about what is that! All I know is that is a great song, it has a great beat. Dance it anyway you feel like! We have a lot of things in it! We have a little plena dance song with Evy Queen who is a female rapper in PR, some reggae, some rap, some salsa. We have a track with Cuco Valoy - 'Juliana'. The remake!

NL- Really! Where did you dig him out from?

SG- I dug him out from I dunno-where. I all I know is that Juliana is an extension of Muevete. It has the same kind of swing in it! Cuco Valoy pairing up with Huey and the rappers! It's a very exciting song! I remember that song because when I was 18, I was traveling to Colombia a lot! That song was the national anthem there. 'Juliana', 'Nacio Varon', 'Mendigo de Amor' - I mean I had to invite him to do the song.

NL- I asked you last time if you were interested in working with a particular salsa artist, and you said 'no not one'. Has that changed in anyway?

SG- No it has not. I rather work with someone new. I am not even working with the artists I've had success in the past. Marc, India, Tito. Their careers are going to be ok. I've put them on the right path and I wish them lots of luck! My thing is to create and develop new talent. It stimulates me more and is a lot easier for me to work with someone new. New talent always comes with an entire different approach to music. They can come in listening to a lot of rock or rap music. It's the crossroad of that experience that is the most challenging to me. I learn much more from a new talent than a guy that is already established. A guy that is already established is less likely to experiment with new ideas. He has to worry about image and all that other stuff.

NL- One last thing, do you see yourself doing a traditional tipico album?

SG- Sure! But honestly I don't see myself doing a regular tipico album. Knowing me and where I am right now, I would be too tempted to throw a little touch of the modern stuff. I did three sextet albums with Chocolate Armenteros - I did all the arrangements. I did Noche Caliente 2. I did stuff with Monguito & Roberto Torres. I've done the simple conjunto stuff and I love that! But right now it would be very tough, in the future who knows?

Oh my god! Which is worst playing phone tags or typing all this stuff? Either way it the answer doesn't matter. What matters is the result! The bottom line is that for over a decade, Sergio George has been the most influential producer of Latin music and it appears that he is not about to stop being that.  And guess what? I typed most of that decade! Ha, ha, ha! My finger tips hurt. Want to read Part I again?