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.