NO DRUM PAN!

interesting points

"Mi neva get dah memo deh!" That was the response of one musical selector when The Star queried whether he was aware of a special licence that sound systems in Jamaica needed in order to operate.

Sound systems in Jamaica have been in operation for years, Merritone Disco, King Jammys, Black Scorpio, Stone Love and others, but for these and other sounds, there is no formal body or organisation to govern or even monitor their operations.

Some veterans in the business say there is grave need for some form of regulatory
body to govern the operations of sound systems, as currently, it's a free-for-
all business.

Winston 'Merritone' Blake, who describes himself as "the last of the foundation selectors" said, "The only thing you need to enter the sound system business is money to buy the equipment. There is no criteria, no standards, nothing."

Blake, who has been in the business for more than 50 years also added, "We want an organisation more than anything, laws that they adhere to. The sound system is not regulated and anybody who feel dem have a money and want to get into it, can do it. We need to get some rules and regulation and if we don't do it, the police needs to set out some regulations."

Although The Sound System Association of Jamaica is listed in the directory and even has a website, many believe that the Association exists only on paper.

Proper representation

"They have a membership but there is nothing to convince me that it is functional," Blake said.

"After Louise Frazer-Bennett died, her daughter took over (The Sound System Association of Jamaica), I never knew it was something hereditary, I thought persons had to be elected."

Efforts by The Star to make contact with the association were unsuccessful as the only number listed in the telephone directory appeared not to be working.

Black Scorpio's son, Jermaine Johnson, said, "The whole thing (sound system business in Jamaica) is like a freelance, underground thing. In Jamaica most of the sounds are not licensed, but it's not as strict as in Europe. We will get away with like burnt CDs and stuff out here and that's why 45s sell more in Europe and is still the
biggest thing there."

One may, however, raise the question as to why the sound system concept, which first became popular in the 1950s has not had proper representation and formal structure even until window.

Blake offered one theory that, "The hardest thing is to get our people to come together. We don't need to come together to make it work but we need to do so in order to get more recognition and benefits."

Dread, a selector on the Adonai sound system said he agreed that sound systems and other music entities were in need of proper representation.

"Naturally, this is something that not only selectors need, but everybody in music, so we can gather and discuss issues affecting the music. But everybody is for themself, is a dog-eat-dog world. But if everybody could link and come together and even have a body that represent us and ensure certain benefits, then naturally the thing would be better."

He added, "It's only sad that eggae music weh a bring in suh much foreigner inna di country nuh have nuh formal structure and organisation."

By Teino Evans

Slaughter Spreads the Love

Derek Pereira is again riding the soca wave for Carnival. This year, the 29-year-old deejay, producer, singer and songwriter, who is known in the music industry as Mr. Slaughter, wants to spread the love around with his third album, interestingly and appropriately titled Port-of-Spain.

His C2K7 hit—Spread the Love—which comes off the album, is already blasting in the parties and in heavy rotation on the airwaves. According to Slaughter, he is well on his way to a bumper season.

Dressed in a cocoa-brown, short sleeved shirt, a brown pair of sneakers and blue jeans, complete with a blinging brown and gold shades, Slaughter who visited the Guardian said he wrote Spread the Love because he wanted to venture into something different.

The song, he said, was penned after returning home from a gig in Japan along with the Xcalibar Entourage sound system last November. What we need to do is start to spread the love around,” said Slaughter during an interview on January 10, 2007. And, by extension, to our Caribbean partners.”

He added that the culture was also in need of more support. We need to love up the culture even more and it must begin with loving our own stars, especially the ones who do not get credit.”
People just need to listen to the song,” he advised.

The album, which was due for release at the end of January in stores, has 17 tracks. Among the songs are title song Port-of-Spain, Stage, By request and Over Standing. Originally from Santa Cruz, the lyrical artiste who began the musical journey at the age of 11, started by getting involved in a church choir as well as a school parang band. Though his first love is dancehall, Slaughter has managed to fuse it with soca, incorporating what was intrinsic to his culture.

The Diego Martin resident who was responsible for founding Xcalibar in 1998 has moved up a notch from his 2006 album, Living Legend. His recent album also carries the similar life-altering messages which includes the mega hit.

Slaughter is known for some major track records which include; Carnival I love you and West Indies (2006); Leh Meh See and Feeling Nice (2005); We Doh Play and It’s Not Easy (2004); and, Tic Toc (2002). He is expected to share the stage with Roy Cape All Stars, Traffik, Bunji Garlin & The Alysum Band, and KMC’s Red, White and Black band.

He would be also accompanying mas band Island People on the road on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Although not working (permanently) alongside a brass band, Slaughter is not phased.
Having a band is every artiste’s dream, but it is also very high maintenance,” he said.

Slaughter said Spread the Love was a song he always had on his mind to do. He added when he first thought about the song, he wanted a song to not only speak about T&T, but one that would appeal to people across the board. When I was structuring the song and putting the beats together I wanted the song to send a clear message and also have a catchy tag line to it,” he said.

Recalling his 2004 selection, Trample, Slaughter said people did not take time to listen to the words of the song and thought it was all about “jump and get on bad.” He said, “I need for them to listen to the song again.” Trample was an experience. Many people thought that the sound was about wildness, but it was far from that. It was all about religion and trampling the evils of life,” he said, while singing a verse and a chorus of the tune.

On February 4, Slaughter earned a spot in bmobile International Soca Monarch Final, taking place at Hasely Crawford Stadium on Fantastic Friday (February 16), having placed seventh in the semifinal round of the competition. When ask what his fans could look forward to when he steps on the big stage, Slaughter was quick to respond: “My fans could look out for 100 per cent purity as I step forth on the stage because I would be going out there with Jah,” he said confidently. I am going to give it my best shot because I already have my blessings.

I have a message and I want to spread it,” he ended.

I just had to post this article from the Saturday 10th February 2007 edition of the Trinidad Guardian newspaper, written by Avalene Harris and photo by Wendy-Ann Duncan.