Gary Barlow: On Her Majesty's Service Page #3

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poverty at its lowest, lowest level.

It's pretty hard to take it in,

I've got to be honest.

It's pretty hard to take it in.

And yet, from this poverty

springs a remarkable group

of percussionists

who call themselves

the Slum Drummers.

Where did these instruments come

from? Have you made them yourselves?

These are scrap metals. I see.

These are plastics that

street children collect and sell.

So all of these instruments,

it was just rubbish,

it was about to be thrown away?

Everything you have around you,

it has music in it.

It has the potential

to be an instrument.

It has the potential of music in it.

Whose invention was this?

Who knew this could make this noise?

We ourselves, we invented it,

because we just took a big, big pipe,

a very long pipe - we just hit.

You hit the end?

Yes, we hit at the end, and we heard

that that can produce sound.

Goosebumps have happened

for the first time

when they started to play.

Music is their lives.

This is their escape from where they

live, how they've been brought up.

Yeah, I love music.

Music is in me.

Though everyone here loves music.

It's like a passion we have.

Michael's a sad story.

I didn't actually realise

when I first went to meet them all

he was blind.

I guess he's needed music,

more so now than ever before.

I was looking round as they were

playing and he was lost.

He'd escaped somewhere

for those few minutes.

And, yeah, good on him.

No matter what you go through,

no matter what difficulties

you have,

you still have to stay strong.

You don't have to break down

and give up on everything.

You need to keep your head up

and keep focusing

on what you want to do.

You're reminded, wow, this is

a language we all speak, this is.

How much fun did I have?!

You know, a drum-off! It was great.

Really, I loved it. Loved it.

I think I'll remember that,

actually, for the rest of my life.

It was a beautiful moment,

to be somewhere like this

which is so far removed

from how and where I live.

That connection of music.

I'm taking it home with me.

Woooo!

Oh, yeah! Well done! Well done!

I think the problem is this.

That's the problem!

Well done. Amazing. Amazing.

Wow, this is great fun!

I want to be in your band!

Yeah, that's why I was asking you

if you'd been in a band.

You need to give...

I'm leaving that band!

Forget that band!

I'm coming in this band.

Time to record the guys

for the Queen.

I record their instruments

one by one.

I add them into the music

on my computer,

working out where they'll fit in.

OK, I think I'm there.

So... I've put you in there.

Like it?

Yeah, very much!

Music doesn't really need words

for you to understand it.

Just si-i-i-i-ing...

It's like a legacy.

Even after we've gone,

it will be a record

that will never be forgotten.

Genuinely, I've met

some special people today

and they've really touched me.

And I feel great.

I feel motivated now

to get on a plane

and finish this record.

Next stop, I'm off to the Caribbean

and to the realm Jamaica,

one of the 16 Commonwealth countries

where the Queen is Head of State.

I've been really looking

forward to coming here

and visiting the birthplace

of so much music.

First time ever in Jamaica.

Never been here before.

It's pretty off the scale,

this place, I've got to be honest.

We've just arrived here

in this market

and already, you know,

the people working in the stalls,

they're dancing.

There's music everywhere.

'Remembering what Prince Charles

told me

'about digging out characters

off the beaten track,

'I'm really keen to explore.

'I'm being led up

to a Rastafarian village

'to meet some drummers in

the Blue Mountains above Kingston.'

Every time I look up

it's getting higher!

Higher and higher!

'I feel like

I'm in the middle of nowhere.

'After a two-hour drive from town,

'and now a 45-minute hike

up this mountain,

'I'm not sure what to expect.'

Is this the start of the village?

Yeah.

Hello, nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

He's also a singer.

He sings as well?

A chanter, and play the drums.

But I'm the singer here.

You're going to be!

You're going to be!

Is it finished? Am I finished?

We're going back down!

No, no,

you don't meet the priest yet!

He's the priest of the school now.

Oh, he's the priest?

Nice to meet you.

There's a very nice smell

in the air here.

Everything smells fresh and nice.

I think it has to do with

the altitude. Maybe.

I think we are more than

5,000 feet above sea level here. OK.

How do I make one of these?

I want one.

I am impressed

by his personality, yes.

I see congeniality there

in that person.

I need to try a bit harder.

When I leave today,

I'm going to start.

Oh, it is a pleasure, sir.

Brilliant.

The drumming starts

and it's like nothing

I've ever seen.

Raise the voice.

By special privilege

and for royal purpose,

we want to send out

a special blessing at this time

for the Kingdom of England.

'The drums are a key

part of the Rastafarian religion,

'and I'd love to get

a flavour of them on this record.'

It was incredible.

You know, small kids

really hitting these instruments

like their hands

must be made of steel.

I mean, it was passionate,

it was from the heart.

It was brilliant.

One kid who does catch my eye

is the priest's son,

12-year-old Selassie.

Priest? Yes, sir?

Can I see his hands? Selassie.

Wow. They play loud, very loud.

I would love to try

and get him on the record.

Selassie was great.

His timing was amazing.

You watch the way his hands move

and touch the different

parts of that drum.

He really owned that instrument.

Mm, rise up, rise up!

OK. OK.

He's commissioned by the Queen.

I don't think she could have found

anyone more equipped

to deal with this work

that he is doing.

That's my personal opinion

of the brethren.

I'm off on my travels now.

OK, sir. Guidance, protection

and blessings. Thank you.

A day to remember.

One I'll never forget.

Bye, everyone!

Now I've got to work out how I use

the drums on the record.

The little boy.

Sounds great.

If I just sneak the verse in...

It's good. It's going to work well.

Uhh! Say wha'?

Listen, market! Wow!

I drink up me rum

And me tongue be dumb

Me no wan' no girl

Complain at me.

Jamaica's music is every bit as rich

and authentic

as I hoped it would be.

Iron ball

An iron ball

Iron ball

An iron ball

Iron ball

An iron ball

Me no wan' no girl

Complain at me

I went upstairs

But the door was locked...

I'm not the only Brit to be enjoying

the culture of Jamaica.

Prince Harry is also here

on his Diamond Jubilee tour

of the Caribbean.

I join him at a community project

in downtown Kingston

and I'm intrigued to see

how Jamaican people respond

when royalty's in town.

The whole street outside,

everyone's going crazy.

Reminds me of my old days

in a boy band.

We're starting our recording.

We've done some already this morning

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