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trinifuhso · 02-24-2012, 05:58 PM

Apologies if this is a repost.

Similar to the call by popular mas man Brian MacFarlane and many others to the new generation of designers to be innovative and creative in the design of costumes, I make a plea to the committee responsible for organising the Road March competition to change the name. They too should be innovative and creative and come up with a new name for the competition.
From the '60s through the '80s the name Road March was given to the tune which was the people's choice on the road—the tune that revellers wanted to hear the most while parading the streets and crossing the stage.
When calypsonians like Kitchener, Sparrow, Duke and SuperBlue ruled the road, their tunes were clearly the most popular tunes being played on the road for the season, and even after the Carnival season their tunes were clearly the favourites.
What we see happening now is there are tunes which are clearly the favourites for the revellers on the road and tunes which the DJ, for whatever reason, decides to play when bands are ready to cross the stage.
Being a regular mas player every year from 1982 to now, with the exception of two years, and as a child being in Skinner Park with my parents for the Carnival season from 1962 onward, I believe I know what a favourite tune sounds like and how the mas players and spectators alike react to it.
This year and in recent years, the tunes that won the Road March titles in most cases did not reflect the tune of choice for the masqeraders. This year crossing the stage with Trini Revellers was the same. The tune that was played when we crossed the stage was different to the tunes we jumped and danced to leading up to the stage.
Needless to say, the tune that was played when we crossed the stage won the Road March title.
I don't have a problem with whatever arrangements are put in place for the results of the competition, but out of respect for the old bards, return the value of the name "Road March" to the most deserving song and find a new name for the stage competition.
Food for thought: if you have a predetermined location for judging the tunes that the DJs and music bands know, then the results can be easily manipulated.

Richard Ross
via e-mail

What 'Road March' they talking 'bout? | Trinidad Express Newspaper | Letters

Do you agree or disagree?

Socapro · 02-24-2012, 06:14 PM

Have to agree there!

The only way to make a true assessment of the real Road March is to have as many secret judging points as advertised judging points along the parade route!

However this makes judging the road march way more expensive and complicated from a manpower point of view!

Maybe it could be done but as I said there will need to be as many secret judging points as there are currently publicised ones!

SWAGGERIFIC · 02-24-2012, 06:21 PM

do they count...Sando, Chaguanas, Tobago etc in this Road March ting?

something wrong, cuz no way Fay Ann song coulda play only 98 times in two islands...this just not right.

Socapro · 02-24-2012, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by SWAGGERIFIC

do they count...Sando, Chaguanas, Tobago etc in this Road March ting?

Yes they do!!

On top of that I think there are 3 or 4 judging points in P.O.S and at at least 2 in Sando!

iPicong · 02-24-2012, 06:29 PM

I agree and discussions prior to Carnival I was saying to a few people that individual mas bands need to poll their masqueraders so that the masqueraders should determine what tunes they want to hear on the road and most importantly cross the stage to.........I had no problem crossing to Iwer and Fayann like we did on Tuesday as opposed to PYF

RotiKing2004eva · 02-24-2012, 06:31 PM

The obvious simple answer is that every registered band should upload their 16-32 hours of music from Carnival Monday and Tuesday to the Carnival Committee and the Committee should make these files available for all. Then appoint people to count the number of times songs were played.

Thats if they wanted transparency...

SWAGGERIFIC · 02-24-2012, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by iPicong

I agree and discussions prior to Carnival I was saying to a few people that individual mas bands need to poll their masqueraders so that the masqueraders should determine what tunes they want to hear on the road and most importantly cross the stage to.........I had no problem crossing to Iwer and Fayann like we did on Tuesday as opposed to PYF

this polling ting is good.

trinifuhso · 02-24-2012, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by iPicong

I agree and discussions prior to Carnival I was saying to a few people that individual mas bands need to poll their masqueraders so that the masqueraders should determine what tunes they want to hear on the road and most importantly cross the stage to.........I had no problem crossing to Iwer and Fayann like we did on Tuesday as opposed to PYF

This is a fantastic idea!

Chinks · 02-24-2012, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by iPicong

I agree and discussions prior to Carnival I was saying to a few people that individual mas bands need to poll their masqueraders so that the masqueraders should determine what tunes they want to hear on the road and most importantly cross the stage to.........I had no problem crossing to Iwer and Fayann like we did on Tuesday as opposed to PYF

This would be an excellent idea if some of these bandleaders weren't so buddy buddy with some of these artiste.

Socapro · 02-24-2012, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by iPicong

I agree and discussions prior to Carnival I was saying to a few people that individual mas bands need to poll their masqueraders so that the masqueraders should determine what tunes they want to hear on the road and most importantly cross the stage to.........I had no problem crossing to Iwer and Fayann like we did on Tuesday as opposed to PYF

That is basically what I have been doing for my Carnival band in London called South Connections every year for the past 5 plus years, no lie! And as a results I hardly ever get complaints about the music the band gets to jump-up with for the two days on the road at Notting Hill Carnival!

dedetriniking · 02-25-2012, 09:10 AM

The CDC (is it still that?) should always be looking to see where changes can be made for improvement of carnival...and clearly this is one of those things that needs to change.

TriniTrini · 02-25-2012, 09:42 AM

Secret recorders of how much a song is played at secret locations throughout the mas route is what I also say.

But it better be secret and not obvious otherwise it would be a waste of an effort. Some people too slick.

I also feel there should be a polling of songs wanted to be played on the road. Sometimes they over kill certain songs and fail to play other songs that are road worthy.

TriniTrini · 02-25-2012, 09:56 AM

Check out some insulting words said by someone about the article writer on the website. So people in their 50s, 60s, 70s... who love the culture have no rights to an opinion ... lady get the hell out of here eh.... The older members of society are not alike and many do have valid points. Some people cyah think man gosh. Some people just like to cry down a new idea too much

As far back as I can recall this has been the way the Road March was calculated so to say that something has changed of late is disingenuous. To calculate by using random points along the way also does not guarantee that the most popular tune will win by doing that it will be down to luck. Random samples will always have a margin of error which fixed locations resolve. Unless every single tune played by every band is calculated which is almost impossible the easiest way will be what we have now. This person claims to have been a child back in 1962 making him at least 50 years old. Maybe sir the problem is not the Road March tune but your age. I dont know many people over 50 that likes Machel but ask the younger crowd and you will get a different response. Its strange how everything suddenly needs changing since Machel appeared on stage with our PM. For years Machel has been the Road March King now something suddenly wrong. As far as I can recall people have been talking about this for at least 20 years the so called Soca Mafia. This guy playing mass since 1982 but like he only wake up yesterday. I doubt this persons sincerity. At best he is just too old to judge the road march leave it up to him we might have Barron as Road March winner this year.

Lynch HD · 02-25-2012, 10:04 AM

I guess for people who care about which song wins Road March.

When I pay money to play mas I don't care for the policies involved such as B.O.D.Y or Road March, this is MY time.

TriniTrini · 02-25-2012, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Lynch HD

I guess for people who care about which song wins Road March.

When I pay money to play mas I don't care for the policies involved such as B.O.D.Y or Road March, this is MY time.

Some people love a lil competition and it have room for them to compete if it is fair. They just need to handle those things

As a masquerader or onlooker I just want to hear good road music also...

02-24-2012, 05:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
trinifuhso Checkin de scene.. Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: In de Croissee!! Posts: 449 Credits: 6,089	What 'Road March' they talking 'bout? Apologies if this is a repost. Similar to the call by popular mas man Brian MacFarlane and many others to the new generation of designers to be innovative and creative in the design of costumes, I make a plea to the committee responsible for organising the Road March competition to change the name. They too should be innovative and creative and come up with a new name for the competition. From the '60s through the '80s the name Road March was given to the tune which was the people's choice on the road—the tune that revellers wanted to hear the most while parading the streets and crossing the stage. When calypsonians like Kitchener, Sparrow, Duke and SuperBlue ruled the road, their tunes were clearly the most popular tunes being played on the road for the season, and even after the Carnival season their tunes were clearly the favourites. What we see happening now is there are tunes which are clearly the favourites for the revellers on the road and tunes which the DJ, for whatever reason, decides to play when bands are ready to cross the stage. Being a regular mas player every year from 1982 to now, with the exception of two years, and as a child being in Skinner Park with my parents for the Carnival season from 1962 onward, I believe I know what a favourite tune sounds like and how the mas players and spectators alike react to it. This year and in recent years, the tunes that won the Road March titles in most cases did not reflect the tune of choice for the masqeraders. This year crossing the stage with Trini Revellers was the same. The tune that was played when we crossed the stage was different to the tunes we jumped and danced to leading up to the stage. Needless to say, the tune that was played when we crossed the stage won the Road March title. I don't have a problem with whatever arrangements are put in place for the results of the competition, but out of respect for the old bards, return the value of the name "Road March" to the most deserving song and find a new name for the stage competition. Food for thought: if you have a predetermined location for judging the tunes that the DJs and music bands know, then the results can be easily manipulated. Richard Ross via e-mail What 'Road March' they talking 'bout? \| Trinidad Express Newspaper \| Letters Do you agree or disagree? Socapro, Colors, TriniTrini and 1 others like this.

02-24-2012, 06:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Socapro Repect Our Soca Pioneers Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: London Posts: 5,097 Credits: 70,222	Have to agree there! The only way to make a true assessment of the real Road March is to have as many secret judging points as advertised judging points along the parade route! However this makes judging the road march way more expensive and complicated from a manpower point of view! Maybe it could be done but as I said there will need to be as many secret judging points as there are currently publicised ones! __________________ Catch me as Soca PhD Every Saturday 2-4pm GMT On www.GenesisRadio.co.uk (91.6FM); Every Tueday 6-8pm & Friday 8-10pm GMT On www.HavitLive.co.uk (99.1FM); www.facebook.com/socaphd email: projampro@yahoo.co.uk Hailing from Trinidad & Tobago and very proud of it!! Land of Calypso, Steelband, Limbo, Parang, Rapso, Chutney-Soca, Soca, Jamoo, Panjazz and the Biggest, Best & Most Influential Caribbean Carnival in the World with no apology! Together We Aspire & Together We Achieve!!

02-24-2012, 06:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
SWAGGERIFIC Registered User Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 12,252 Credits: 336	do they count...Sando, Chaguanas, Tobago etc in this Road March ting? something wrong, cuz no way Fay Ann song coulda play only 98 times in two islands...this just not right. trinifuhso and Colors like this. Last edited by SWAGGERIFIC; 02-24-2012 at 06:24 PM..

02-24-2012, 06:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
iPicong SuperDuper Soca Agent Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: JC/Brazil 2014 Posts: 50,593 Credits: 1,018,653	I agree and discussions prior to Carnival I was saying to a few people that individual mas bands need to poll their masqueraders so that the masqueraders should determine what tunes they want to hear on the road and most importantly cross the stage to.........I had no problem crossing to Iwer and Fayann like we did on Tuesday as opposed to PYF Socapro, trinifuhso, Colors and 1 others like this. __________________ I Doh Give Ah Damn If Yuh Doh Like Me.........Ah Like Mehself.......Ah Like Mehself........Real Bad

02-25-2012, 09:42 AM	#12 (permalink)
TriniTrini Unique woman Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Success City Posts: 10,590 Credits: 132,154	Secret recorders of how much a song is played at secret locations throughout the mas route is what I also say. But it better be secret and not obvious otherwise it would be a waste of an effort. Some people too slick. I also feel there should be a polling of songs wanted to be played on the road. Sometimes they over kill certain songs and fail to play other songs that are road worthy. __________________ When You Get.. Give.... When you learn... teach (Maya Angelou) Be the change you wish to see in the world. Let us work with others to change our communities.

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