Can the WST Forumites please verify these statements below?
Ten facts about the steel drum
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When you think of the steel drum, you might picture yourself relaxing on a tropical vacation. But did you know that the steel drum was born out of poverty and a local ban on drums? The steel drum originated in the late 1930s on the island of Trinidad and was played as part of a steel band, a percussion ensemble contrived by lower-class rebellious teens. Learn more about the steel drum’s complex history, development, and current form with our ten fun facts below:
- The steel drum is a tuned idiophone traditionally made from an oil drum, but today is made of high-quality steel. To make a steel drum, or a pan, the bottom of an oil drum is first pounded into a bowl, then shaped and tuned with hammers to form distinct resonating surfaces.
- Steel bands are stylistically versatile, but the most common steel band conventions of melodic phrasing and rhythmic structure are related to Calypso music.
- While the first steel bands included instruments such as soap boxes, biscuit tins, and dustbins, modern steel bands include vibraphones, cow bells, congas, bongos, triangles and other percussion instruments.
- Drums are made in families: bass pans, rhythm pans, and tenor pans.
A steelpan player on High Street in Trinidad and Tobago. Photo by Shanel. CC by-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. - The steel band developed directly out of bamboo stamping tube ensembles, which provided carnival music for the lower-class in Port of Spain after a British colonial law restricted the use of drums with skin heads.
- “Band wars” between rival steel bands emerged in Trinidad, complete with street fighting. Membership in a band soon became interpreted as hooliganism signaling creole disdain for European norms.
- Manufacturing steel drums is a highly specialized skill. Pans are not standardized, as competition between rival bands fostered innovation in tuning and design.
- Winston ‘Spree’ Simon of the John John steel band is credited with making the first pan. In 1946, his band performed Ave Maria and God Save the King for an audience that included the British Governor.
- As of 1992, the steelpan is Trinidad and Tobago’s national instrument. However, the notion dates from the 1940s when the steel band’s musical transformation was driven by competition between bands as well as by the efforts of progressive middle-class individuals to promote what they viewed as an indigenous art form unjustly maligned by colonial cultural standards.
- Popularity of the steel band has grown. They are now plentiful in Caribbean diaspora communities as well as non-Caribbean communities all over the world. While Trinidad and Tobago continues to be the center, countries like Sweden, Switzerland, and Japan are now hubs of steel band activity.
Do you have any other fun facts about the steel drum to add to our list?
Featured image: oberlin steel drum 1. Photo by istolethetv. CC BY 2.0 via Flickr.
Replies
Just a side note - no pun intended Pan people.
Pan could also be considered the most controversial musical instrument; made, invented, developed etc. in the 20th century.
This query makes me wonder who gets credit for inventing other musical instruments such as the upright piano, the grand piano or the baby grand piano? Is it Bösendorfer, Steinway, Yamaha or some Joe down the street? So I looked it up on the trusted Google. This is what I found and it seems to be more than one individual but a primary person has to be given credit or speak for the collective.
Here is my point, there will always be discrepancies regarding the facts pertaining to actual steelpan invention dates and person(s) responsible. Our African heritage has relied heavily on oral traditions by the Griots to tell us stories from historical perspectives as opposed to original timely written documented facts at the point of creation/invention. This is not a critique of our heritage or culture but a reality. Therefore, whenever I am asked this question, "who invented the first steel pan?" my response is this, "No one person was engaged in thinking through the entire process, but legend has it that homeless teenage boys ... blah, blah, blah..., and credit has been ascribed to Winston "Spree" Simon as the inventor of the first steelpan. However, the jury is still out on this matter, but the beat goes on.
Mike
PS: gri·ot - noun
Griot - An African tribal storyteller and musician is called a griot. The griot's role was to preserve the genealogies and oral traditions of the tribe. They were usually among the oldest men in a tribe. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/griot, retrieved April 24, 2017)
Mike, the Griot called it the STEELPAN from where we got PAN. lol
That's true Mr. Cecil and isn't it funny how easily we could miss the BIG picture of PAN? BTW, I must apologize to Mr. Bugs for missing my initial courtesy and lack of appreciation for his post, so before I continue with my comments, I want to thank you BIG time Mr. Bugs for raising such a relevant topic. My response model is based on learning from Trinidad and Tobago Regiment (TTR) training staff 1981-82, which says, first, "compliment the presenter at the very onset before offering a critique. Next, provide positive statements with key observations to help the individual grow and finally, be available to lead or be led to mission completion."
This griot has spoken, is anyone listening? LOL!
In the beginning it was called PAN, there was a STEELPAN in a STEELBAND This is the name given by the inventors, they chose that name over Barrel or Drum and I believe it should be respected, the same goes for STICKS, they played the steelpan with sticks NOT Mallets.
Kitchener - Pan Birthday
I can live with it!!! Clearly, it is not written in stone -- and subject to correction!!!
8. Winston ‘Spree’ Simon of the John John steel band is credited with making the first pan. In 1946, his band performed Ave Maria and God Save the King for an audience that included the British Governor.
Steelband Hoax
'Spree' Simon did not invent Pan
February 27, 1987
By TnT Mirror
The biggest steelband hoax ever has been exposed.
For years and years, the country has hailed Winston "Spree" Simon as the inventor of pan and a national hero.
In fact, several calypsoes honouring him were recorded just before his death several years ago, and one bard even had him wheeled out on the Grand Stand stage on the Dimanche Gras Show of the same year.
He was even given a National award as pan's inventor.
But the fraud was unmasked on Tuesday when George Goddard, currently on contract with the TnT Government, blew the lid on it during a meeting held earlier this week in Barataria.
"The pan which took 'Spree' to glory, had actually been bought from a man named Andrew "Pan" De La Bastide for a shilling (24 cents)," Goddard stated.
"It was the first pan ever sold."
Goddard, however, was not alone in leveling the serious charge. With him were several stalwarts of the steelband movement: Carlton Comstance "Zigilly" Barrow, former member of Hellyard (now Catelli All Stars), John Slater and Mc Kellar "Big Mac" Sandiford.
According to Goddard, Spree Simon got his pan in 1946, but the steelband had been in existence since the late 1930s.
"Steelbands were already established in the early '40s… before Spree bought his pan."
The three veteran panmen with him all agreed.
Goddard added: "The first two steelbands to exist were Hellyard and Alexander Ragtime."
Slater, author of a book on his own life and times with the Steelband movement in the early days, blamed the people of John John for the Spree Simon hoax.
http://www.trinbagopan.com/steelpan/steelbandhoax.htm