I wrote this on another forum to one of my friends Cecil Hinkson. He said that I was a "doom " writer and opposed to the steelband. Do you agree anyone with that I am opposition to the steelband?. I have been writing for years this same concept and saying this day will arrive all around the world, where steelbands will be disrespected eventually simply because they are in a begging mode of operation. And they cost a hell of a lot of money. This begging condition must be changed to where they have their own money in this 21st century or else they will not make it through this century. Do you agree? Here goes.
From the other forum
Cecil, I am a realist. I look at the reality. Sometimes reality means to stop the "pie in the sky dreaming" illusion platform. So it appears as anti illusion. Illusion is mistaken for reality sometimes. In the case of pan coming back unto the road in full or street party (blockorama) at carnival in T&T, this is an illusion at this time. The government of T&T do not really care for the steelbands. This is a reality check. They see them as consumers of State funds rather than profitable options. They are a cost to the State is what government officials say all the time. If you notice, and I hope you do notice, that the same pattern of State officials across the globe any where the pan is played is cutting back on monies spent. The carnivals across the globe, the Panoramas across the globe any where they are held less and less attention is given to the steelbands at these events. Every where the steelbands are treated in this way. There is also a reason for this. The steelband movement comes across as a big beggar movement from both government and business community. The sponsoring system started by Eric Williams has seen its time. The time is nigh for it. This is why I preached the philosophy of changing the beggar system to the steelband movement owning their own assets quite apart from their pans only. That just one asset. But even in gaining and maintaining this asset they have to beg others. The steelband movement has to do it differently in this 21st century. Its called self ownership-self help, self actualization, self interest, and self awareness. This is what this century brings my dear childhood friend. The time for begging from others is coming to and end. There are too many opportunities now for big organizations like the pan movement to continue to beg. Pan Trinbago should have done better in this regard as they boasted about being the world movement for pan internationally. But that cannot be a non profit begging donations and subsidies movement. That is coming to and end. There is the Internet where millions of funds can now be raised if one knows how. That was not there in the 20th century. So the begging thing is the main keep back of the steellband movement now. Both governments, other world authorities and businessmen are reducing funds now. The steelbands are costly things to run and it takes a lot out of government/authorities to cater for them in a yearly basis. This goes for the business sponsors. So things are not what they use to be in the 20 th century. This has to be realized by everyone involved in the steelband movement. The young generation that is interested in the movement are not going to waste time begging as well. They will join for sometime and move on. This is what we see at Panorama time. After Panorama they are gone. What makes it worst they don;t get paid on time and the pay is carrot feed. From $1000 reduced now to $500 and next year it may be $300 and so on. This is nonsense. There fore all these things have reduced the incentives for steelband to come out in any big way on carnival days. Then you have the decibel problem with the DJs as I have been pointing out. So the steelband movement unless it rethinks its entire 21st century strategy can become eventually extinct. This is a glaring reality- In other words the movement without any serious turn around is calling their own doom. What the movement need is to become a World Body of pan which takes all the international bands into Account. The Big5 is unto this concept or so I think. I am not quite sure as yet as I have not joined then in any way. But it should aim for this. The Foundation should have International funds in the billions by various ways. It is from that funds and more coming in each year that steelbands can be funded along with raising their own funds and staging their own shows. Steelbands should have nothing to do with government funds. It is does not reach to this in this 21st century, the movement will die a natural death eventually. No one will bother with it. This does not mean the pan itself will become extinct. But have large steel bands will come to an end if it keeps on going the way of simply begging to remain alive. This is the reality and a doom philosophy. What is a doom philosophy is what is happening to them worldwide as we write and speak. It is never possible to do the same things without changing any thing and expect change to take place. That does not exist.
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Replies
SIDD,
I do not agree that you are in opposition to the Steel-band; to the contrary, I think your opened hearted-courage, penned this thought provoking commentary-article; This is evident in the coverage ranging from the inception with PNM's-Dr. Williams' government involvement (or his personal relationship with iconic band leaders) to current DJ's blasting measure of sound (or their carnival day-chip loud-infusion of jump, wine and misbehave seasonal-fixes, geared to rob the young generation's MIND of Steel-bands rich musical rhythms);
BOTH young and older generations’ MINDs are the resources to invest for: productivity, feedback and consistent operations of any organization; Here young talent could be groomed with musical scholarships (tuning, arranging, etc.) and older professionals and tradesmen could lend their expertise, in a win for such individuals and a win for their member-association simultaneously.
To paraphrase your comment, it is never possible to maintain a process and expect change (progressive) to take place, without changing something (to enhance it); that (impossibility) does not exist (in our cosmic universe);
The pan itself will not become extinct because it was given as a gift to the world(once it was shared by the Trinbagonians who invented it); Enjoy past accompaniments but tomorrow’s invention lay ahead in tackling the thought provoking objectives outlined (by SIDD) and following [in 3 stages] at the end;
In conclusion, I personally think whatever creative approach is taken (whether worldwide or community based) a feedback mechanism ought to be implemented for ensuring ongoing productivity and stability that will offer assurance that large steel orchestras (or some semblance of them) will be enjoyed by future generations; Courage and a willingness to meet change (for progressive purposes) should be the order of the day and could affect incentives for Steel-bands to come out on carnival days or panorama; (because these occasions might be satisfied in other creative-inventive ways).
[1. What the movement need is to become a World Body of pan which takes all the international bands into Account;
2. There is the Internet where millions of funds can now be raised if one knows how.
3. It is from such funds, and more coming in each year, that large steel bands can be funded along with raising their own funds and staging their own shows].
ARG (keeping a positive thought-vibe);
CLAUDE" YOU ARE NOT ALONE,YUH TELL IT LIKE IT IS"......."THE STEELBAND/PAN MOVEMENTS WORLD WIDE" ARE BEGGARS!! THEY ARE ALWAYS AWAITING "GOVT. OR CORPORATE HAND-OUT TO MAINTAIN THERE EXISTENCE" (NO EXCEPTION HERE....QUEBEC STEELPAN MUSIC ASSOCIATION)...THIS TREND WOULD CONTINUE "UNTIL MY GENERATION OF STEELBAND/PAN LEADERS PASS ON... CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE AMONG THE NEXT GENERATION OF STEELBAND/PAN LEADERS AS WE SPEAK!........BETTER DAYS ARE COMING FOR THE STEELBAND/PAN MOVEMENT GLOBALLY!! ....WE ARE WORKING ON OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION....
You should know that Tripoli was changing to be independent when he started to have there own weilding plant, bus and having dances to earn our own money. On the second tour we started to present vocalist to many of the tunes we played. Except it was not noticed by other steel bands. But on our national tour we got a Grammy Award for a well all round sound on our record.
There is no market for Steelband music, this is why they don't make any, I don't see much Steelbands traveling either, this is why they depend on hand-outs. Panorama kill the Steelband in the Mecca dead, it is one tune, if it was removed from the Carnival season more bands might look to the road to make some dollars.
Cecil, don't fall for all this garbage. Panorama is the greatest show earth for pan. Nothing comes close. The one tune has nothing to do with not making money. The fix needed here is panorama today it's too watered down. Need one category, large band only. On Carnival day need to get rid of the big trucks, still can't believe it's now part of the steelband. Get rid of it,to expensive, give the panmen the money instead. Get the pans back on the road. Don't let foreigners change we trini culture. Enough time, over 250 days after panorama and carnival for many to earn money.
Cecil: Yuh stepping on meh nice new polished boots when you say that there is no market for STEELBAND MUSIC. Both SOCA and STEELBAND just DON'T KNOW how to make music for the GLOBAL MARKET. Just like how OUR PEOPLE live the whole PAN EVOLUTION EXPERIENCE but is only WHITE PROFESSORS in America writing all the popular books ON PAN and they never stand up in a panyard and hear a steelband practice or see ah bottle pelt on the road for carnival or know a calypso from a reggae.
So the problem is administrative skills on every level!!! I know that Trinidad Soccer Team better than Panama but no administrative skills to run the team and they kill my dreams of going to Russia and I vex -- because I eh never going to Russia by myself.
If you take a HALFWAY TALENTED PAN MAN from Trinidad or New York and you hook him up with the RIGHT MUSIC PRODUCER here in America (and it have thousands of those) and he willing to humble a little bit and take advice -- I am 100% sure that there will be a market for that product. Look what And Narrell did with OUR BOYS STEELBAND and yuh know TOBAGO PAN MAN cyar come close to Trinidad when it come to PAN.
It's simply a LACK OF ADMINISTRATIVE SKILLS. Fire that whole BLACK EXECUTIVE in PAN TRINBAGO and put some CHINESE or some FRENCH CREOLES or some SYRIANS or some INDIANS or some Backra Johnny to run that organization with the same PNM MONEY COMING right now and that PAN TING will take off like a rocket. You will even be able to get your PAN on the road for CARNIVAL MONDAY and STEELBANDS touring all over the WORLD.
The ONE PERCENT is the ONE PERCENT for a reason -- even though allyuh wanted to kill ah SYRIAN man for saying that in different words!!!
Ah trying to figure out which one worse: Earthquake or Hurricane?
Claude it the one tune Panorama syndrome mash up everything. all they talk about is Panorama.
I think that everybody who posts on this forum (and I would extend that to the people who read but never post) LOVE THE PAN and the PAN MUSIC. I know that SIDD loves the PAN. In my case, I am attracted to the WHAT COULD BE about PAN more so than the WHAT IS. However, when I look at the phenomenal growth of the instrument and the rapid acceleration of its global acceptance today -- NOTHING COULD STOP THIS INSTRUMENT from relative GLOBAL DOMINATION.
Trinidad needs to catch up but they do not know it!!! And even though I know that it is all HOPELESS (label me a prophet of DOOM too) I still see pathways that could be carved out to stamp the "TRINIDAD BRAND" on PAN as Glenroy Joseph recently quoted.