I have read many, many, many comments by people who think that having band loyalty, particularly to TRIBE (as this seems to the band that produces the most odious response to band loyalists) lumps those that do so into some sort of insipid category. It is almost as if because people cannot fathom or understand that there are people who will continually support a band year after year regardless of trends or novelties, they make it their business to attack persons who do so. Let me ask, how is being a band loyalist affect YOU of no band affiliation??? Is it really that serious where I choose to play my mas or spend my money??
The funny thing is that Peter Minshall had the most LOYAL crop of followers dubbed the "Minshall-ites" who played faithfully with PETER MINSHALL and Peter Minshall ALONE for many of his 30 year history in mas. Even when he gave them a grey jumpsuit and a rat head to wear or made them carry a chair through Port of Spain they did it willingly. When Minshall stopped bringing a band many of them felt betrayed! Some stopped playing mas altogether. With the coming of Mc Farlane some old Minshall-ites rejoined his fold and, there are now Mc Farlane loyalists who will play in no other band.
Not to mention that Harts has been in this business for over 40 years and have some VERY loyal masqueraders!! Bands can come and go there will always be a certain bunch of people who play with Harts; case in point is a very popular section leader who I know personally. She has been with Harts since the early 90s when I too played mas with them faithfully! When TRIBE launched and her friends switched to try out the new thing, she staunchly said she was not leaving Harts and has never done so. There is one blogger who has played with Harts for countless years and will be playing with them again for 2009. I should also mention that Sonia Mack has her faithful masqueraders who will follow her to any band she goes to, staunch support! In the era that was Poison there were people who would proudly boast that they will never leave Poison that they “had more fun”, year after year, even as the band grew to epic proportions they still played with Poison unwaveringly Yet I hear no one having anything to say about the Harts loyalists or Sonia Mack supporters, and everyone has suffered amnesia over the fact that Poison had the largest group of band loyalists ever!
Band loyalty, to people who know nothing of the history of Carnival, is NOTHING new! The people crowing over the fact that TRIBE has amassed a loyal following would not dare say anything about the Minshall-ites now would they? People, it is NOT that serious who plays devoutly in any band or their reasons for doing so. At the end of the day it is not YOUR money spending so why should you care if any band has a loyal following? Whether the followers are blind to any sins the band might commit or follow them wearing a crocus bag as if it the hottest costume under the sun, it really isn’t anyone’s business but the masqueraders’ now is it? If it humors you laugh, move on and jump around from band to band, that is your choice, just as it is others choice to stay put in the band they support for as long as they care to do so. You will be surprised to know that loyalists also sometimes move on to other bands, whether by choice or not, and develop a new relationship with a brand new band; loyalists can be dynamic! The world is made up of all types, and as long as there is mas in Trinidad there will be band loyalists and critics ready to pull out their soap box!
The funny thing is that Peter Minshall had the most LOYAL crop of followers dubbed the "Minshall-ites" who played faithfully with PETER MINSHALL and Peter Minshall ALONE for many of his 30 year history in mas. Even when he gave them a grey jumpsuit and a rat head to wear or made them carry a chair through Port of Spain they did it willingly. When Minshall stopped bringing a band many of them felt betrayed! Some stopped playing mas altogether. With the coming of Mc Farlane some old Minshall-ites rejoined his fold and, there are now Mc Farlane loyalists who will play in no other band.
Not to mention that Harts has been in this business for over 40 years and have some VERY loyal masqueraders!! Bands can come and go there will always be a certain bunch of people who play with Harts; case in point is a very popular section leader who I know personally. She has been with Harts since the early 90s when I too played mas with them faithfully! When TRIBE launched and her friends switched to try out the new thing, she staunchly said she was not leaving Harts and has never done so. There is one blogger who has played with Harts for countless years and will be playing with them again for 2009. I should also mention that Sonia Mack has her faithful masqueraders who will follow her to any band she goes to, staunch support! In the era that was Poison there were people who would proudly boast that they will never leave Poison that they “had more fun”, year after year, even as the band grew to epic proportions they still played with Poison unwaveringly Yet I hear no one having anything to say about the Harts loyalists or Sonia Mack supporters, and everyone has suffered amnesia over the fact that Poison had the largest group of band loyalists ever!
Band loyalty, to people who know nothing of the history of Carnival, is NOTHING new! The people crowing over the fact that TRIBE has amassed a loyal following would not dare say anything about the Minshall-ites now would they? People, it is NOT that serious who plays devoutly in any band or their reasons for doing so. At the end of the day it is not YOUR money spending so why should you care if any band has a loyal following? Whether the followers are blind to any sins the band might commit or follow them wearing a crocus bag as if it the hottest costume under the sun, it really isn’t anyone’s business but the masqueraders’ now is it? If it humors you laugh, move on and jump around from band to band, that is your choice, just as it is others choice to stay put in the band they support for as long as they care to do so. You will be surprised to know that loyalists also sometimes move on to other bands, whether by choice or not, and develop a new relationship with a brand new band; loyalists can be dynamic! The world is made up of all types, and as long as there is mas in Trinidad there will be band loyalists and critics ready to pull out their soap box!
