Nate Taiapa AKA Nate Ness Monster, born and raised in Hamilton New Zealand, is the man behind GO FEET! Radio, a excellent weekly program on FreeFM featuring the best in ska, rocksteady, reggae, roots and dub. Nate also showcases modern bands throughout New Zealand and the world! You can check out his broadcast streaming online via online stream here or you can download and listen to his podcast on his accompanying blog Go Feet Radio! And... Nate holds the distinction of being the contributor from the farthest distance away and what I wouldn't give to visit New Zealand! Mauruuru koutou Nate!
"This track reminds me of an experience with Dark Shadows that scared the heck out of me back in 1987. I was living in a hostel for trade trainees, I was learning the trade of carpentry at Te Puna O Te Ora in Frankton, Hamilton, New Zealand while enrolled at Waikato Polytechnic under the Maori Affairs trade training scheme. It was a Thursday night, we got paid that day and I had been to Frankton for a weekly treat of fish and chips at Greasy Joe’s. Upon returning to my room I decided to retire to bed. Life for me had taken a turn for me, in a good direction, but it seemed at times that there was a dark force, a power that was trying to draw me back to ‘the dark side’ so to speak.
I remember this night feeling a little uneasy about something, I was feeling somewhat anxious, and I can’t quite remember what was on my mind. I eventually drifted off to sleep, or so I thought. I remember opening my eyes as if something startled me. I only saw complete darkness. I blinked my eyes to see if there was any light in the room, at first it remained black, and then I started to make out the layout of my room. The foot of my bed was by the entrance door to our two bed room, it was a small room. I remember trying to move but couldn’t. OK, now this starts getting freaky from here. I really wanted to move but couldn’t and I remember feeling desperate to move. Inside I was trying to yell out ‘Help!’ but my mouth wouldn’t work. My mind could work but my body couldn’t. I felt myself getting really hot, I knew I was sweating. Then I tried to raise my right hand up but it wouldn’t move, it was like something heavy was weighing it down. I then felt a forceful pressure in the centre of my right hand and I tried to move my head to look at it, and of course my head didn’t turn but the pressure in the centre of my right hand became really intense. At this point I was the most afraid I can ever remember being. I felt overcome by a power that seemed stronger than me. With everything I had within me – from strength, sound, brain power, spirit, fear, desperation, everything – I forced my right hand up as I had remembered being taught and tried with everything I could to call out to Jesus to help me.
When I tried to mouth words it felt like I had just been to the dentist, like my mouth was all numb from the effects of a local. I tried, in the name of Jesus Christ, to cast out what was over powering me but it seemed pointless, nothing was changing, this power had me bound. Then, like a life buoy being thrown out to someone about to drown in the ocean, the thought came to my mind to pray because I still had control over my mind despite having no control over my physical body. So in my mind I cried out to Jesus to help me and to cast the devils out of my room. At that moment, I distinctly remember the pressure on my hand ceasing and my hand slumping in to the bed with the rest of my body and it was as if the dark power that was over me left out through my hand and it seemed to go down the side of my bed to the base of my bed. I then remember being able to move and at that same moment I saw the figure of a man, in the form of a dark shadow but I couldn’t make out any distinguishing features like hair, facial features etc, it was happening very quickly and I was still somewhat stunned from my paralysis. The figure was standing at the base of my bed facing away from me and it slowly moved away from me and it seemed to disappear through the door. I now had all my senses returned to me but I was so scared I lay still staring at the door hoping to heck that whatever just left wasn’t going to come back.
I needed light. Now! But that meant I had to get out of bed to switch the light on. Aw heck! So with all the courage I had left, and with a prayer in my heart, I got out of bed and walked quickly towards the light switch. I couldn’t get to that switch fast enough. I’m not even sure I was breathing. It was like I had been under water for the longest time and now I needed to take a breath, NOW! I switched on the light in the room and honestly, it was so amazing, so comforting. I still felt scared in the light but it was like a huge warm blanket had been placed on my shoulders and it felt like it was going to be alright. My story doesn’t end there but that’s all I’m going to share at this point. I don’t know what Ernest Ranglin and Harry Mudie’s All Stars had in mind when they recorded this massive track, ‘Dark Shadows’, but as for me, I don’t ever want to ever be in the presence of that Dark Shadow I experienced back in 1987. From here on I want to be in the light."
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