Newsday -
Carol Matroo
Skinny Banton (Shirlan George) sings his hit Wrong Again for BPTT Renegades players during a lime at the band's panyard on Charlotte Street, Port of Spain. Wrong Again is Renegades song of choice for 2020 Panorama. - Gary Cardinez
Adanna Asson, publicist for Skinny Banton (Shirlan George), has distanced the artiste and his management from claims that he was seeking royalties from steelbands who performed his mega-hit, Wrong Again, during this year's Panorama competition.
BPTT Renegades hoped to score a hat-trick with the song in the Panorama finals on Saturday night.
While it was expected that Skinny Banton's song had the potential to win the Groovy Soca Monarch competition held on Friday night, he did not make it to the first three places.
But, Asson said this did not affect her client's feeling of success for the busy season he has had.
"Just to be explicitly clear, no type of expression was made by my client or his management on this matter. Fabian Alfonso, a copyright advocate in an interview with a steelpan authority expressed his sentiments about the use of music for pan arrangements.
"We were not part of that discussion. Skinny Banton has been enjoying the season thus far and we are honoured that bands like Renegades and others heard the beauty of the song and saw it fitting to replicate it on the steelpan. Fabian's thoughts are not associated with ours and he can clarify his stance with you."
Replies
Well...not to take anything away from Skinny Banton for his successful season, but if we are really going to talk about royalties and copyright, I would have to point out that Skinny Banton's name seems derivative ( Skinny Fabulous, Buju Banton) and that his song has the same name and theme as a country and western hit that pre-dates his song. So if we are going to start this discussion let us be sure that the music sung by our artistes is itself original and not open to potential copyright infringement claims. It could get very sticky if we start going down that road. Other songs over the years fall into the same category, for example, "It's Carnival" which carries the same melody as Cindy Lauper's "Time after Time" ( although the copy right period for that one probably expired before it was adapted to the Trini version).....just saying.
Good Points, Denise.
But for now I think that they should address the immediate issue at hand. It is really difficult for a SOCA/CALYPSO singer to break through with a BIG HIT (in this CROWDED MARKET) that transcends into a PANORAMA FAVOURITE, and when one does -- he should reap the benefits of his labour and INVESTMENT.
It's a complex issue, but PAN TRINBAGO could show GOOD FAITH and start the FAIRNESS TO THE ARTISTE with a very simple solution ....
As a CALYPSO LOVER, I was wondering for a very LONG TIME when THIS DISCUSSION would come up.
STEELBANDS and STEELBAND PEOPLE want EVERYTHING FOR FREE ... and SHERMAN ALLISON FYFE is the only man I ever see come on THIS FORUM and condemn that POLITICAL MINDSET.
And the PRESIDENT OF PAN TRINBAGO (the QUEEN of GIMME GIMME and HANDOUTS) seems to be appalled at the idea that a CALYPSO SINGER should be compensated for the use of his work. BACKWARD BEVERLEY.
But in TRINIDAD even if the ROYALTIES are collected from the STEELBANDS -- the COPYRIGHT ORGANIZATION will steal most of the money, anyway. We done discuss that aspect of the business already on THIS FORUM.
SKINNY BANTON should STEP UP and FORCE THE CONVERSATION -- dey done CUSSING HIM ALREADY ... STAND YOUR GROUND MAN!!!