Recently , I posted the following on Facebook , and I thought it worthy of discussion on this forum

"Sometimes I think that in our desire to ensure that pan players be compensated , we forget the reason why most of us started "playing the steel pans " back when we used to say "beating pan".

Some on the WST forum make it seem that "Beating pan on de road" was drudgery.

Well , I can assure you all ,and remind many that was not the case.

We did it for the sheer joy of participating in our beloved art-form.

Even guys who carried "pans round neck" in the old days enjoyed doing so , in spite of the difficulties and sometimes physical pain.

Even the much derided act of "pushing pan" , which many of us did as youths ,was done out of community support, and love for the local steel-band , and resulted in an even closer bond between steel-band and community.
And many of us felt responsible to make sure that our band made it safely back to the panyard after "las' lap".

Yes , professional pan players should demand to be treated as professional musicians , but all pan players are not professionals , though of course it is nice for everyone to get paid.

But I do believe that not everyone is playing for a paycheck."
Anyway, I think that to imply that the difficulties posed in the past were so intolerable as to discourage such attempts in the future is defeatist , and a misreading of our history, especially since past experiences should provide a solid foundation for future endeavors , as we should have learnt our lessons from past mistakes.

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  • Thanks to the discussion we have oral history in the making.  The nostalgia recalls and records the past events and we now have the gifts of hindsight and wisdom to be able to put a value on those experiences.

  • It was never overly difficult.  Hard work yes, but it fitted into the whole experience of the area; the community; the section bringing the band and playing the music. In San Fernando I pushed pan in the Sixties and played during the Seventies and early Eighties.  We rolled up High Street, down Chancery Lane, down Cipero Street, up Todd Street,across the Promenade, all in a day's "work".  Coming down Chancery Lane I used to feel proud to be called to join the "muscle men" in the band as we supported the trap-set stand downhill- easy roll, with music; the odd "cuss" here and there - for me, dat was real happiness.

    • Gerard Greene: I am depressed to see you joining the NOSTALGIA BRIGADE trying to take us back to 1965.

      • Pan on the road was the best thing especially for j'ouvert.

  • In the 60's, when I started playing with Casablanca, you  did not have any Pan Swinging on a stand empty. If the player, the " owner' of that pan went to pee or take a five, you could get a lash for playing his pan. In other words if you wanted to play you should have brought your own pan.  well don,t talk about Pan Around the neck.

    • Very true, and you did't see pan players jumping up and down.

      • Is this Anthony Corbin fro Oxford Street?

        • Yes! Good friends & neighbours to the Coopers viz Mammy, Auntie, Joan;

          the Lees, Gittens & all Casablanca-ites, up & down the steps.

  • I'd love to comment but you said it all.
  • The problem I see here is we live in this "ME" generation meaning what's in it for "ME". The $$'s have to show its face in order to participate and support. Once the trend becomes popular you wait and see what happens.

    Just look at how the Jazzercise groups and the SOCA disciples easily transitioned into the Jump and Wave movement with speed. Who's profiting from it?

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