IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

Alison gone... now evvabody gone.


ONE MEMBER has gone to work on a cruise liner, two are seeking the services of an attorney to address certain grievances, while another is focussing on his own recording company.

This is the picture within leading Caribbean band, Square One, which has gone on an unprecedented sabbatical after reporting a decline in employment opportunities, and the recent loss of livewire vocalist Alison Hinds.

Bassist Paul Slater will now be out of the band for six months after taking up duties aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise liner last Friday. He confirmed this three days ago, adding that while he was aware the band was “restructuring and looking for additional members”, he had to take care of his own obligations.

News of the sabbatical came as a surprise to two other members who preferred to remain anonymous but said they were seeking the services of an attorney to address several grievances, while lead singer Anderson Blood Armstrong said he would be focussing on his Redhead Records company.

Manager Patrick Cobham declined to comment on either the internal wranglings or Slater’s exit, but said the sabbatical would not affect Square One’s Crop-Over 2005 duties.

“The band will be touring again before the festival starts [in four months’ time],” Cobham said.

In a Press release issued on Thursday, the group’s management said Square One had been off the road since last month to allow members to “recharge their batteries after almost ten years of continuous touring”.

The band also stated that while it had refrained from live performances, it would concentrate on recordings which had been problematic in the past because of the amount of time spent on the road.

This, Square One’s management said, would allow time for the band to restructure.

“During the off-road period the band members will work on individual projects,” the release explained, adding that additional “youthful” faces would be part of the soca ambassadors when they return from the sabbatical.

The release also stated that the band’s performance at last weekend’s Cricket World Cup 2007 launch was by special request, since Square One was one of the special guest artistes at the end of the last Cricket World Cup in South Africa.

The release also mentioned the band had turned down a number of overseas assignments because of the current hiatus.

Square One, formed in 1987, has toured the Caribbean, South America, North America and Europe, going as far afield as Stockholm and Sweden.

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So is Alison going solo or she done?

Alison is solo...

but there has been tension and discord in the band for some time now.. so it was only a matter of time

Good luck to Paul.... and Andy..

To expand on what Trinibaje said,Alison is flying solo and she has a cd ready to come out ,sometime this year. Do not look for it to have a lot of soca songs, as it is slanted towards R&B.

Trinibaje. how yuh doing? tell baxx uh wan some food. uh hungree bad.

Alison wants to go MAINSTREAM.

Alison has BEEN wanting to record more of the singing type of songs such as Groovin and Natural Feelings for some time now but has somewhat been obligated to stick to the formula that was working for her and Square One. I honestly don't think it's a matter of her doing it for the express purpose of "wanting to go mainstream" as much as it being what she's always wanted to do as a means for expanding her capabilities. But the chains (Square One) are off so look out for muh girl to hit wunna hard like WHAPS!!! The possible collabo's are endless now that she doesn't have others to think about.

("Rue Merhazit" tells me she's already started to record tracks for her solo album due out dis Crop season and that it should please her core audience...but i en supposed tah relay dah info to wunna so you en hear dah from me yeh!! )

i hungry bad too...

Vincy power.. i am not going to say Alison would not mind doing what you and Rupee have done.. but... she has always had and R&B tune on most of SQ1 albums.. dating back from in Full Bloom.... so just in case yuh making it sound like she is on the band wagon... its not the case, she has always expressed the desire to sing more than soca.... as evidenced in the higher heights album..

see.. i should have scrolled down before i replied....

LOL

I hope that Andy seriously focus on what he wants to do this year.
My opinion is that the album he produced last year was terrible. He calls his studio Tone Deaf. Shit it seems as though he was last year..with them songs.. Bu t hey that's my opinion..

She wants to extend herself, which is good because from what I heard that was goin on, she needed to move on and do whats better for her career. i not too sure about the r&b ting..

wat bouot peter ram??...wah go happan 2 he??...he goin solo 2?

Hopefully they get themselves together for Crop Over to do some dates.