50% Local content on Trinidad airwaves

For the first time in my life, there's a real push for local content on our radio airwaves. This is being spearheaded by a few local artists and various stakeholder groups.

Now, there're folks who argue that they hardly hear local content on radio, there are others who are completely oblivious to what's going on, all they want to hear is 80s' pop music. How clueless can one be really?

Many radio station owners and moderators 'insist' they're playing what people want to hear when in fact they're just playing what will sell their ratings. Other fools argue that local content is below international production standards.

But my take is, if we, local artists/musicians had our 50% local content on all radio stations. I think everyone would be surprised as to just how talented and diverse our local musicians really are. And on top of this, such a push for local content WILL result in more revenue for radio stations and musicians alike. It's a win-win situation.

So let's not be pig-headed, narrow-minded about it, okay radio station owners.

So folks, here's your chance to support local music....and I mean really support....goto this link and sign the petition

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/50-local-content-in-radio-tv-in-t-t.html

Thanks

What we remember are the bad stuff

You know, I read it somewhere that what we remember over time are hardly ever the good points, but the bad stuff that happens to us.

I had a solo show last night at Fiesta Plaza, Movie Towne. It started off okay, then I forgot lyrics in the first song and had to switch verse three with verse one. No one seemed to notice.

The second song went well, the third one seemed to go over everyone's head. The forth was good, the fifth had a battery malfunction so I switched guitars. I was talking to the audience, they seemed rather appreciative, maybe some were bored, some folks got up and left, others came. I had me a bit uneasy and grateful at the same time. Grateful for those you came and stayed.

Then I played a classical piece, a piece I wrote, all was going well until I forgot a part in the progression, again no one might know because they don't know the song. Then I played a cover and played a wrong note in transition.

Two more originals that went fine, then I played another cover by Soundgarden. 'Mind Riot', I had practiced it relentlessly, and I messed up a part in the ending. Only briefly though.

I ended with the Beatles' 'Across The Universe'. I got the whole crowd to sing the chorus, which was great.

Everyone told me after how great I sounded, I asked all my musician friends if they heard my mistakes, they all said 'what mistakes?'

I know I had a great show by all accounts, but what's sticking in my head are those three or four mistakes. How could I make such silly mistakes, I practiced, I trained, I played scenarios in my head and yet I made foolish mistakes.

Oh dammit!

I guess that's part of being human. I know I'll feel better in a day or two, Right now, I just wish I could do that show over and not make any mistakes. At least every time a mistake happened I recovered quickly, so that was good.

Still, I feel little comfort in that.

Rock in Trinidad - Hope or Hopeless? My review of 2012 Lockdown.

So last night was the 10th Anniversary of the LockDown Festival here in Trinidad and Tobago. This year it took place at Kaydonna Drive-thru in Curepe.

Mostly rock bands, although the tag-line states 'All Star Music Festival'. I reached rather late because of terrible traffic in the Port-of-Spain area, so I missed about four bands. Four bands I really wanted to see, but I had no control over the traffic, and even though there were Police cars that sped through the bumper to bumper crawl (we civilian motorists always have to 'get out of the way' when that happens) to get to wherever they 'claim' they're going, I was stuck for close to 45 minutes.

I arrived just in time to hear a new band perform. All in all, I heard six bands in the space of 3+ hours. So definitely the lineup of bands was solid.

I was really impressed with KIN Sound System, LynchPin and Escobar Project. I missed Gyazette, JOINTpop, Checklist and Goodnight Parliament. The other bands I heard either had sound problems mix-wise and I could quite grasp their set. Maybe my ears are getting old. But anyway.

Here's my list of Pros and Cons of Last night's show:

Cons:
- Sound was not that great, many a time the guitars or bass would just blare out at you. Was a bit deafening at times, vocals were hidden and the drums were absent in a few bands (although I wonder if that was more to do with the bands themselves and their drummers)
- Venue had an 'ant' problem, many folks got bitten (me included) and wow those critters were brutal.
- Because of rain, parking was a bit strange at the venue and there was mud everywhere.
- The last two bands took way too long to get started and folks started leaving (me included)


Pros:
- Changeover times were by and large swift and adhered to by most bands
- The crowd was rather appreciative of ALL the bands and the various styles of music. There were mostly heavy bands but in between all this there was rock/reggae band KIN Sound System doing their stuff and the crowd was pretty good, so kudos to the crowd for being open to all genres of Rock 'N Roll. Well done audience!
- The numbers were pretty decent. As much as the venue was huge, I think the turnout was pretty good.
- There was adequate food, beer and a 'Merch' tent. Finally bands have merchandise to sell and folks were buying.
- All the bands paid their due respect to each other while performing in between songs, which I quite liked. Nothing like brotherhood.
- The caliber of songwriting for each band has come a long, long way.
- No two bands sounded alike.

So overall, even though there is room for improvement, I would say the LockDown festival was a success and the Trinidad rock/metal crowd has come a long way in terms of music knowledge and appreciation.

So things are hopeful for Rock 'n Roll in Trinidad. Now all we need is to have more constant radio play during the day of local, original content and we'll be finally building a vibrant music scene here.

More on that later.....

My Official Website and Online Store

So, this last two weeks I've been going to bed rather late tweaking html code and I don't know a thing about HTML.

I bought my own domain name and registered a website. Here's the link.

I also put my first solo acoustic CD - 'Side A: Journey Within' online for sale. Here's that link.

I hope you'll check out both pages and give my album a try.

Cheers

What a surprise...I'm going on tour for summer 2012

Life is truly amazing sometimes. I had gotten used to the idea that I wasn't going anywhere this summer. I was gonna keep myself put in Trinidad, close off my guitar classes and practice guitar like there was no tomorrow.

I even wrote out a schedule and was sticking to it (most days).

Ok, so this is not the most exciting of summer plans BUT it was my plan at least.

So, there I was, minding my own business when I got a call on monday night from Kobo Town's leader - Drew Gonsalves. He asked me what was my summer plans and I told him. He then asked me if I wanted to come on tour with the guys for a brief stint in Europe and Canada.

I jumped at the chance.

Any chance to be on tour really. That's every musicians' dream - to hit the road and play music. Now the road isn't exactly a warm, comfy place but it is an experience to behold. And there's a certain freedom to being on the road.

So in the space of one week, my plans have gone from staying home to travelling halfway across the globe to play at various outdoor music festivals in Europe.

What a week!

I can't wait to hop on that plane taking me to meet my bandmates and play music again.

For updates on my touring schedule click here

See you guys on the road...

Soo...what have I been up to...musically

So, it has been a while yes....since I lasted posted here.

What an interesting year. I haven't gigged out much, but the year started off with putting my power trio - SONic REVIVal PROJect on hiatus while I focused on classical guitar studies, I also used the 'break' just to clear my head on my musical direction.

Then I did a gig around Carnival Season backing up Calypsonian Black Stalin and Soca Legend Ronnie McIntosh at a fete (something I've never done before, talk about a different headspace). Not too sure if I could be a 'sideman'. I gotta like the music that I play, and I realize I prefer to create rather than just be a sideman.

I got asked to join two bands - one an original World Beat/Kaiso band. I accepted the offer, then left after a month. I had way too much composing work for various clients to do. And that's something I really like doing, composing, as much as I liked the guys in the band, it was not my music.

The other band was a pop-rock cover band. I never followed up with them. I really can't see myself playing rock covers.

I got hired to back a classical singer while he puts on a tribute show to Andrea Bocelli in a few weeks. Not totally my thing, but the challenge with sight-reading the pieces was what made me accept the offer. Again, it's not something I would do for a living, especially here in Trinidad. Truth be told, I'm not too sure if anyone makes money from gigging here.

Around September last year I started putting all my music up on bandcamp and last month I released my first solo album - Side A: Journey Within' for sale. Now that's something I've never done before.

So here's that link to my online store.

And this month I bought a domain name and started building my own website to house all my musical endeavours. And believe you me, this is a first for me.

Oh sure, I had my own website a few years ago, but it was just for my solo music. This new site with have EVERTHING I've ever recorded and published, all the bands I've ever formed and my solo music, some songs are a bit, umm.....strange but every composer/musician has their own quirks.

It's strange having my own site, because I previously thought my solo acoustic stuff (which was really a sideline project I undertook whenever playing in a band frustrated me) was separate from any band project I was involved.

Lately, I've come to accept them both as two sides of me and each deserve equal attention.

So here goes everything.

When my lil site is up and running I will link the site.

Thanks for reading and listening

My latest acoustic album available online

So you can hear my latest acoustic solo album and pick up a copy at