Gerard Kelly Launches Disney - Kiddies Carnival 2011

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It Is All About J'ouvert!

There is a new J'ouvert Band in town and from the looks of the Trini "who's who" on committee this one looks like an "uptown" J'ouvert Band! I wonder if "Fantasy Mas" is in the plans for future? Carnival 2013 perhaps?You can check out their facebook page HERE for pictorial evidence of the former statement, and some more about "Fantasy J'ouvert". 

Enjoy the passion of J’ouvert with “FANTASY J'OUVERT", T& T's newest and most anticipated J’ouvert Band for carnival 2011.

FANTASY J’OUVERT will combine the elements of Fun, Safety, Service and Energy to create an unparalleled J’ouvert Experience.

For more info:

SEAN INNISS, JP AGOSTINI, BJORN REZENDE, KRISTEN WHIBY, SEAN MEDINA

Alicia Beaubrun, Stacey Hosang, Shauna Huggins, Danielle Rivas,

Pettal John-Beerens, Carolyn Hospedales, Vanessa Dalla Costa,

Amanda Lousaing, Rosana Hosang, Meagan Monsegue, Jamie Hadeed

Laney Van Putten, Candice Abraham, Samantha Seeballack, Ricardo Paty

Amanda Medina, Schemmel Gopaul, Rhetia Rodriguez, Jeanette Baiz

Danielle Parkinson, Cecile Des Vignes, Cindy Lee Phillips, Raymond Samms

Charles Bernard, Anya Doyle, Stuart Gillette, & Clint Gregory (Barbados)

Fantasy J'ouvert is not to be confused with FANTASIES J'ouvert, who have already begun advertising their J'ouvert 2011 presentation "Gold Member". Website http://fantasiesjouvert.com, Facebook group HERE.

And some more J'ouvert bands even though none have launched for Carnival 2011 as yet:

Mas Jumbies
http://www.masjumbies.com/

Insomniacs 
http://www.insomniacstt.com/

Mudders International
http://www.muddersinternational.com/

Yellow Devils
http://yellowdevilz.com/

Chocolate City Mas
http://www.chocolatecitymastt.com/

Dirty Dozen
http://www.dirtydozenjouvert.com/joomla/

Mudsterz Ink
http://minktt.com/

These bands were absent for Carnival 2010 but word is they are returning for Carnival 2011:

Section 8
http://www.section8world.com/jouvert/

Silver Mudders
http://www.silvermudders.com/

A list of Jouvert Bands on Facebook: http://www.trinidadcarnivaldiary.com/2009/12/jouvert-bands-trinidad-carnival-2010.html

October The Month of Band Launches!

With just two more officially carded band launches to take place in October, both on the same date, we await costumes from D Krewe and Legacy for their Carnival 2011 presentations on October 23.

Over the weekend there were two other band launches in addition to Brian Mc Farlane and Gems. Harvard Revellers launched on Sunday  and Rugeri held their section launch " Robin Hood and His Merry Men" from the band Trini Revellers on Saturday. You can view Rugeri's photos HERE.

In addition Ivan Kalicharan hosted a Media Launch on Saturday, Triniscene was on hand to get photos which can be seen HERE.

Upcoming this weekend is Wee International's Media Launch, Trinidad Carnival Diary has been invited and will be present; looking forward to seeing more costumes!

No word on when Trevor Wallace, Kaotic, Jhalwa and Scorpion Mas will be launching or even if they intend on being present for Carnival 2011. If anyone knows or has more information please let me know proposed launch dates.

Gems Conquest of Alexander Catalog

No word if Gems has an official website, you can find the band on Facebook however,  but here are the professional shots of the costumes:

Gems Conquest of Alexander

EXCELLENT video from Trinidad Events, who represented at Gems launch of "Conquest of Alexander" last night.  I feel like I did not miss anything with this video of the costume presentation, nice editing work!

 Check out Trinidad Events for LOTS  more photos and subscribe to Trinidad Events Youtube channel HERE.

Brian Mac Farlane - The Designer

Brian Mac Farlane's heart has always been into carnival, starting out as an unpaid proletariat with one of the bigger names in mas, Raoul Garib. He learned quickly and turned into a 'mas man' himself.

Brian's first Carnival King was portrayed by Junior Regrello which won South King of Carnival for his portrayal 'Prisma-Man of Colour'. He continued to do Kings and Queens of Carnival between then and 1994 which always placed in the top four of their respective competitions. It was in 1994 that Brian won his first King of Carnival and the best designer with the portrayal, 'The Conquest' by Anthony Paul. This costume went on that same year to be crowned 'Carnival King of the World', at the first ever, International King and Queen of Carnival Competition in Trinidad and Tobago which hosted entrants from some thirty-eight countries.

Brian has also designed for international bands, including one for Carnival in Australia. His creation won band of the year. A feat he repeated when he designed a band of the year for Carnival in Vancouver, Canada. In 2000 Brian designed for Rosalind Gabriel's junior Queen of Carnival entitled 'Exodus the Power and the Glory'. This spectacular creation gave the appearance of an entirely different design when the individual moved in different directions and broke all records for Carnival, winning the seventeen competitions in which it was entered. Later that year at the request of the Trinidad and Tobago Government, this costume was used in a performance for Prince Charles of The United Kingdom on the occasion of his official visit to Trinidad and Tobago.

Over the years Brian has designed Kings, Queens, and worked with all forms of mas. In 2005 he designed and led his first full presentation, 'The Washing by fire by water', which copped band of the year medium category title and created great hope for mas in Trinidad & Tobago. In 2006, his creation 'Threads of Joy'; won several accolades: Band of the Year Downtown, on the Greens, at the Renegade competition and 2nd place at the Savannah.

Brian continued his carnival tradition of hand crafting costumes for the theatre of the streets in last year's (2007) portrayal 'India: The Story of Boyie' which was the first ever portrayal of an entirely east Indian large band. This creation surpassed his efforts of 2005 and 2006 and received the top awards at all of the Carnival venues at which it was viewed. His 2007 presentation again copped Band of The Year Downtown, and on The Greens of Piccadilly. In addition, “India – The Story of Boyie” received the prestigious award of Band of the Year at The Savannah and was the highlight of the Champs in Concert.

In 2008 Brian’s presentation “Earth – Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope” copped first place in all of the major judging points.
A first for Trinidad Carnival, this band highlighted the effects man has had on his environment, and along with the endorsement of the United Nations sought to educate both masquerader and spectator of the potential benefits lifestyle changes can have on our environment.

2009 saw Brian again at the forefront Trinidad Carnival when his presentation “Africa – Her People, Her Glory, Her Tears” copped first place in all large band categories as well as the King and Queen of Carnival.

In 2010 Brian accomplished the Beaver Trick for the Large Band of the Year Title at the Queen’s Park Savannah with his winning portrayal of “Resurrection, the Mas” and garnered the Downtown title of Band of the Year in the Large Band Category for the Sixth consecutive time.

On the 31st August, 2010 at the Independence Day National Awards Ceremony Mr. MacFarlane was awarded the Chaconia Gold Medal in the sphere of carnival arts and culture.

Brian expects his 2011 presentation “Humanity, Circle of Life” to be his most creative and inspiring presentation to date.

Humanity Circle of Life Finale Video

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Brian Mc Farlane - " Humanity, Circle of Life" Photos

The Trinidad Carnival Diary photobucket account is presently not allowing me to upload any more photos so while that issue is being resolved with the website, photos from Brian Mc Farlane's Band Launch are hosted at another account. You can view all 247 of them HERE in high definition.

Brian Mc Farlane Humanity, Circle of Life The Aftermath

Last night Brian Mc Farlane launched his Carnival 2011 presentation, "Humanity, Circle of Life" at the newly renovated Mobs 2. The event was also part of Eventology 2011. On arrival at the venue it was nice to see Mobs 2 being used as an entertainment venue once again and to view the changes to the layout and space. I liked the upgrades to what was formerly the "VIP" area and this was where the main portion of the launch was held.

The decor was all black and white with candles, lighting and fabric panels used for effect. All inclusive meant a  premium bar, including a wine bar, and an array of local favourites such as bake and shark, roti, pulorie, accra, stuffed curry crab and dumpling ,corn soup, doubles and a range of "Trini" snacks like sugar cake and tamarind balls, the food was tasty I must add and service swift with no long lines.

Start time to the show was delayed by about 30 minutes for President Maxwell Richards arrival, however it began promptly after that. The Alternative Quartet opened the show with a nice rendition of David Rudders Oil and Music on acoustic violins.

Following their performance the presentation began with characters dressed in black slithering on stage to reveal a large silver fist. A flurry of winged white costume characters twirled as the closed fist slowly opened to reveal an eye in the middle of the palm as Mc Farlane  appeared from within and addressed the audience with a quotation from "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran..

Now, unto the costumes! Each section and their description 

BIRTH

YOUR BIRTH IS THE EXTENSION OF LIFE’S CONTINUED CREATION.  IN BIRTH, YOU BECOME CHILDREN OF THE CREATOR THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF LIFE’S LONGING FOR ITSELF.  FOR LIFE GOES NOT BACKWARD NOT TARRIES WITH YESTERDAY.

BAPTISM

ANOINTED YOU ARE BY THE SPIRIT OF YOUR CREATOR.  YOUR DAILY LIFE IS YOUR TEMPLE AND YOUR RELIGION.  WHENEVER YOU ENTER INTO IT TAKE WITH YOU YOUR ALL.  TAKE THE PLOUGH AND THE FORGE AND THE MALLET AND THE LUTE, THE THINGS YOU HAVE FASHIONED IN NECESSITY OR FOR DELIGHT.  FOR IN REVERY YOU CANNOT RISE  ABOVE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS NOR FALL LOWER THAN YOUR FAILURES.  AND IF YOU WOULD KNOW GOD BE NOT THEREFORE A SOLVER OF RIDDLES. RATHER LOOK ABOUT YOU AND YOU SHALL SEE HIM PLAYING WITH YOUR CHILDREN.  AND LOOK INTO SPACE YOU SHALL SEE HIM WALKING IN THE CLOUD, OUTSTRETCHING HIS ARMS IN THE LIGHTNING AND DESCENDING IN RAIN. YOU SHALL SEE HIM SMILING IN FLOWERS, THEN RISING AND WAVING HIS HANDS IN TREES.

LOVE

WHEN LOVE BECKONS TO YOU, FOLLOW HIM, THOUGH HIS WAYS ARE HARD AND STEEP.  AND WHEN HIS WINGS ENFOLD YOU YIELD TO HIM.WHEN YOU LOVE YOU SHOULD NOT SAY, “GOD IS IN MY HEART,” BUT RATHER, “I AM IN THE HEART OF GOD.”  AND THINK NOT YOU CAN DIRECT THE COURSE OF LOVE, FOR LOVE, IF IT FINDS YOU WORTHY, DIRECTS YOUR COURSE.

TIME

YOU WOULD MEASURE TIME THE MEASURELESS AND THE IMMEASURABLE. YOU WOULD ADJUST YOUR CONDUCT AND EVEN DIRECT THE COURSE OF YOUR SPIRIT ACCORDING TO HOURS AND SEASONS.  OF THE TIME YOU WOULD MAKE A STREAM UPON WHOSE BANK YOU WOULD SIT AND WATCH IT’S FLOWING.YET THE TIMELESS IN YOU IS AWARE OF LIFE’S TIMELESSNESS, AND KNOWS THAT YESTERDAY IS BUT TODAY’S MEMORY AND TOMORROW IS TODAY’S DREAM.  SO LET TODAY EMBRACE THE PAST WITH REMEMBERANCE AND THE FUTURE WITH LONGING.

PRAYER

YOU PRAY IN YOUR DISTRESS AND IN YOUR NEED; WOULD THAT YOU MIGHT PRAY ALSO IN THE FULLNESS OF YOUR JOY AND IN YOUR DAYS OF ABUNDANCE.  FOR WHAT IS PRAYER BUT THE EXPANSION OF YOURSELF INTO THE LIVING ETHER? AND IF IT IS FOR YOUR COMFORT TO POUR YOUR DARKNESS INTO SPACE, IT IS ALSO FOR YOUR DELIGHT TO POUR FORTH THE DAWNING OF YOUR HEART.  WHEN YOU PRAY YOU RISE TO MEET IN THE AIR THOSE WHO ARE PRAYING AT THAT VERY HOUR, AND WHOM,  SAVE IN PRAYER, YOU MAY NOT MEET.GOD LISTENS NOT TO YOUR WORDS SAVE WHEN HE HIMSELF UTTERS THEM THROUGH YOUR LIPS IN PRAYER.

KNOWLEDGE

KNOWLEDGE AND HE ANSWERED, SAYING: YOUR HEARTS KNOW IN SILENCE THE SECRETS OF THE DAYS AND THE NIGHTS. BUT YOUR EARS THIRST FOR THE SOUND OF YOUR HEART’S KNOWLEDGE.  YOU WOULD KNOW IN WORDS THAT WHICH YOU HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN IN THOUGHT.SAY NOT, “I HAVE FOUND THE TRUTH,” BUT RATHER, “I HAVE FOUND A TRUTH.”  SAY NOT, “I HAVE FOUND THE PATH OF THE SOUL.” SAY RATHER, “I HAVE MET THE SOUL WALKING UPON MY PATH.” FOR THE SOUL WALKS UPON ALL PATHS.

JOY & SORROW

YOUR JOY IS YOUR SORROW UNMASKED AND THE SELFSAME WELL FROM WHICH YOUR LAUGHTER RISES WAS OFTEN TIMES FILLED WITH YOUR TEARS.  WHEN YOU ARE JOYOUS, LOOK DEEP INTO YOUR HEART AND YOU SHALL FIND IT IS ONLY THAT WHICH HAS GIVEN YOU SORROW THAT IS GIVING YOU JOY.WHEN YOU ARE SORROWFUL LOOK AGAIN IN YOUR HEART, AND YOU SHALL SEE THAT IN TRUTH YOU ARE WEEPING FOR THAT WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR DELIGHT.  BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, THEY ARE INSEPARABLE. TOGETHER THEY COME, AND WHEN ONE SITS ALONE WITH YOU AT YOUR BOARD, REMEMBER THAT THE OTHER IS ASLEEP UPON YOUR BED.

MARRIAGE 

LOVE ONE ANOTHER, BUT MAKE NOT A BOND OF LOVE:  SING AND DANCE TOGETHER AND BE JOYOUS, BUT LET EACH ONE OF YOU BE ALONE, GIVE YOUR HEARTS, BUT NOT INTO EACH OTHER’S KEEPING.  FOR ONLY THE HAND OF LIFE CAN CONTAIN YOUR HEARTS.  AND STAND TOGETHER YET NOT TOO NEAR TOGETHER FOR THE PILLARS OF THE TEMPLE STAND APART

PASSION

PASSION, UNATTENDED, IS A FLAME THAT BURNS TO ITS OWN DESTRUCTION. AND WHEN THE STORM COMES, AND THE MIGHTY WIND SHAKES THE FOREST, AND THUNDER AND LIGHTNING PROCLAIM THE MAJESTY OF THE SKY, THEN LET YOUR HEART SAY IN AWE, “GOD MOVES IN PASSION.”  AND SINCE YOU ARE A BREATH IN GOD’S SPHERE, AND A LEAF IN GOD’S FOREST, YOU TOO SHOULD REST IN REASON AND MOVE IN PASSION.

WORK 

YOU WORK THAT YOU MAY KEEP PACE WITH THE EARTH AND THE SOUL OF THE EARTH.  FOR TO BE IDLE IS TO BECOME A STRANGER UNTO THE SEASONS, AND TO STEP OUT OF LIFE’S PROCESSION, THAT MARCHES IN MAJESTY AND PROUD SUBMISSION TOWARDS THE INFINITE.AND WHEN YOU WORK WITH LOVE YOU BIND YOURSELF TO YOURSELF, AND TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO GOD.  WORK IS LOVE MADE VISIBLE.  AND IF YOU CANNOT WORK WITH LOVE BUT ONLY WITH DISTASTE, IT IS BETTER THAT YOU SHOULD LEAVE YOUR WORK AND SIT AT THE GATE OF THE TEMPLE AND GIVE HELP OF THOSE WHO WORK WITH JOY.

GOOD & EVIL

OF THE GOOD IN YOU I CAN SPEAK, BUT NOT OF THE EVIL.  FOR WHAT IS EVIL BUT GOOD TORTURED BY ITS OWN HUNGER AND THIRST?  VERILY WHEN GOOD IS HUNGRY IT SEEKS FOOD EVEN IN DARK CAVES, AND WHEN IT THIRSTS IT DRINKS EVEN OF DEAD WATERS.YOU ARE GOOD WHEN YOU ARE ONE WITH YOURSELF, YOU ARE GOOD WHEN YOU STRIVE TO GIVE OF YOURSELF.

GIVING & RECEIVING 

GIVERS: YOU GIVE BUT LITTLE WHEN YOU GIVE OF YOUR POSSESSIONS.  IT IS WHEN YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF THAT YOU TRULY GIVE. YOU OFTEN SAY, “I WOULD GIVE, BUT ONLY TO THE DESERVING.”  THE TREES IN YOUR ORCHARD SAY NOT SO, NOR THE FLOCKS IN YOUR PASTURE.AND YOU RECEIVERS: YOU ARE ALL RECEIVERS ASSUME NO WEIGHT OF GRATITUDE, LEST YOU LAY A YOKE UPON YOURSELF AND UPON HIM WHO GIVES.  RATHER RISE TOGETHER WITH THE GIVER ON HIS GIFTS AS ON WINGS. FOR TO BE OVERMINDFUL OF YOUR DEBT, IS TO DOUBT HIS GENEROSITY WHO HAS THE FREE-HEARTED EARTH FOR MOTHER, AND GOD FOR FATHER.

FREEDOM

YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED WHEN YOUR DAYS ARE NOT WITHOUT A CARE NOR YOUR NIGHTS WITHOUT A WANT AND A GRIEF, BUT RATHER WHEN THESE THINGS GURDLE YOUR LIFE AND LET YOU RISE ABOVE THEM NAKED AND UNBOUND.

THE FAREWELL

HOW SHALL YOU FIND DEATH UNLESS YOU SEEK IT IN THE HEART OF LIFE?  FOR LIFE AND DEATH ARE ONE, EVEN AS THE RIVER AND THE SEA ARE ONE.  FOR WHAT IS IT TO DIE BUT TO STAND NAKED IN THE WIND AND TO MELT INTO THE SUN? AND WHAT IS IT TO CEASE BREATHING, BUT TO FREE THE BREATH FROM ITS RESTLESS TIDES, THAT IT MAY RISE AND EXPAND AND SEEK GOD UNENCUMBERED?ONLY WHEN YOU DRINK FROM THE RIVER OF SILENCE SHALL YOU INDEED SING.  AND WHEN YOU HAVE REACHED THE MOUNTAIN TOP, THEN YOU SHALL BEGIN TO CLIMB.  AND WHEN THE EARTH SHALL CLAIM YOUR LIMBS, THEM SHALL YOU TRULY DANCE.

Brian Mc Farlane Interview - Part 2.

Why don't you have an all inclusive band?

When we first started with The Washing in 2005 the trend was that people were having these all inclusive bands. Ok we sit and we talk about it, of course you have road management, the committee, and we analyzed what is an all inclusive band? It means maybe all the food, all the drinks, has to be premium since this one does it that one does it so you have to do what they do. But this one has a wee wee truck, people want wee wee trucks so we need to do that too, yeah but this other one has the massage truck so we have to bring the air conditioned massage (truck).Stop, stop stop!This is madness. This is the heat of the street, this is the beat, the sweat, the black, the white, the Chinese, the Indian; this is mas! It is not about the lashes and spending three hours on makeup, that is not what it is. It is paint your face, it is (play) the devil and what ever the case is. So immediately I said, rubbish!

If you want to say that we supply them with things on the road because people do not want to walk with money because of crime, let's do the drinks alone but I am not going to say it is an all inclusive band because some people, I, do not want it. I am not a big drinker, I do not eat on the road, so there are people on the road who don't eat or drink or whatever. Lets have it optional, so we did a premium bar fully all inclusive starting off with breakfast items, snacks, lunch at a cost of $500.00 for the two days; it started at $300.00 and ended up at $500.00. The first year we had people any section, you want that, you pay extra you had your band and you got all inclusive. Every year we did it, Saucy, it dwindled, less and less people (signed up for that option) until the last year we did it, Earth, we had 52 people for all inclusive. We have to get the truck, pay the staff to come and do the all inclusive, pay the caterers and all this for 52 people , we said this was not making sense because it is not like it was getting on the incline, people are obviously not interested.

So what we did when we stopped the all inclusive option that year, is that we would purchase drinks and it is a semi inclusive. Beers, soft drinks, juices and water no hard alcohol. 

What are your thoughts on The BBF - Bikini, Beads and Feathers - bands? And what do you think about the obvious influences of Brazilian mas and where or Carnival is headed?

Ok, what do I think about them what I think is that, and I continue to say it, I am not against the bikini mas because you would have to be a fool not to realise that there is a market for it. There is a market and Carnival is what you make it, what you want from it and what your experience is. However, even the people who play it complain about it being the same thing, my simple thing is we are such a creative island, Trinidad and Tobago, creative in so many aspects, creative in picong, in music, creative in how we dress, creative in so many ways, in Carnival more than ever. Why can't we just put more creativity into the whole thought of what our costumes bring, and that is all I am saying. Yes it can still be sexy, if you want to say that is sexy because I still think sexy to me could be a fully covered body, but be a little more creative.

People are saying that the influence has come from Brazil, and I have to say maybe yes the beginnings of it (bikini mas) came from Brazil. But I think at the same time I have seen authentic Brazilian costumes and what is shown is that the camera will pick up on the nakedness of the body and what not and they publicize that, but that is a minuscule part of Brazilian Carnival. Brazilian Carnival is far better than what they are doing for Kings and Queens, elaborate headpieces , beautifully elaborate costumes, precise and they are not falling apart.

As for where it is going, I hope that everything is cycled,so, you know I think the people will direct it, I think the mas evolves and it changes and I think it will churn out of what it is now.

Of all the bikini beads and feathers bands in Trinidad, do you have a favourite?And which band do you think is the most creative, sticks to theme and thinks outside the box?

I'll be honest I have to say when I came into this five years ago and the first few years of it I would have to say it was it was Trini Revellers because they would do a theme  and they were really trying to stick to it, but I truly find that it is deteriorating and they are becoming another one of the bikini bands now. And on the other hand I found that Island People seem to have been trying to do something a little more. But I don't want to go here without saying , and maybe it is a mini band, but I want to make a point about people like Stephen Derek who I have the greatest admiration for , I remember two years ago passing trying to get away from traffic and seeing all his pieces out in the yard and I stopped and I looked at it, I was rushing to get back to the mas camp, and I stopped and I looked at it with all the colour and the plumage and I said, my God this is fabulous. You look at this and you figure it has been done, you get tired of it and you do not even pay him much attention , the average person on the street , but my God, this is us.This is our beauty, it is our culture, this is our passion this is what has put us on the map.And hats off to Stephen Derek for continuing that.

What do you think of mas today, prices, the costumes "the experience"?

It has been a perception that large bands make money, so they don't need incentives for prize money and things like that. That is why we are getting 200,00.00, we fought to now get I think 350,000.00. I say across the board everyone should get it , I think it should be even across the board for small bands. So many small bands are struggling, and I find they try to be more creative than the bigger bands, but they are struggling to keep the cost in strain. But I can only talk for me, I know all the overheads that I have, mortgages, electricity rubbing the business and so forth. Because we still struggle for over 1000 masqueraders , when you add security costs, cost of music trucks, drinks,  all of these things are costs and before we put anything on it our road cost per person is $1800.000. We now have to talk about costume, fabrics, labour, artisans, so what happened in particular with that costume (Mc Farlane is referring to the post I wrote on the price of Jab Jab ) I think now when I look back I did it wrongly, I was wrong in how I handled it but I thought it was the right way then. I would not do that again.

When I started to put the cost for all the sections, the elaborate sections  some of these were already $3000.00, $4000.00 and I could not go any higher.  I got to the very simple ones, to try to have more people buy that and have the price more attractive,the simple costumes worked out cheaper than those (the elaborate ones). So what I decided was lets try to off balance lets put more cost into that (the simple ones). And I did it a few of the others too but it was not as noticeable as that one (Jab Jab). But the bottom line is it is $1800.00 before we add anything

Is there any truth in the assumption that you and Peter Minshall do not like each other?

Hmm, how should I answer. I will be very honest and I am always honest about what I say. You are my witness ( gestures to Maurice). I longed , I don't think I do anymore, but I longed for many years to have been a true friend of Peter Minshall's. Am, I longed for many years that if I did something Peter would say Brian you did so and so, if you turn it this way you would have a better effect. Oh yes you did do something that looks nice , but you could add this next time for a creative effect, I would love all of that. I am, I remember growing up when Minshall , because MInshall was knocked hard by many people for the works he did, am, and I remember they were making a play when he did things like Paradise Lost , little things that have very macabre involvement and people say oh he was a devil worshiper , he did this, he did that, he was into Satan and rubbish like this. And I would listen to him, and I was very intrigued listening to him talk on TV and I remember there was one little thing, which I don't remember what the edict of it was but I remember it was Peter on an interview and becoming so emotional that he began to cry, there were tears he was so emotional about what people say, what they would do and what he was trying to do and I remember alone in my house, in my parents house, watching him and I began to cry watching him, Peter did say, and saying to myself why did people do this to this man, he is so great. And I would hear Peter saying from since then , those days that the mas is dying that we need to go back to the birth, that we need to go back to the this and the that da da da! And I tried to listen to what Peter was saying and I tried to be true to the mas, the culture, and I thought he would have been proud , I thought he would have said here is somebody ,am, but it was a completely different reaction from Peter.

And the story behind this photograph that appeared in the press almost one year ago, where the two met at a reception held annually at The President's House to honour outstanding artistes of Trinidad and Tobago ?

Well, Brian Mc Farlane spoke very candidly of the history that led up to this now famous photograph  and the actual event itself. I can summarize very succinctly, since I do not wish  stir up a controversy by only airing one side of the story,  that  the hat was "gift" from Peter Minshall to Brian Mc Farlane on the night of that event and the symbolism was not the passing of the hat from one great mas man to another. What happened away from the glare of the photographers will remain between Brian Mc Farlane, Peter Minshall, witnesses at the function and now, myself. But to put it in Trini parlance "there is more in THAT mortar than the pestle!"

What would you tell and up an coming band leader that's inspired by your art and talent and wants to follow in your footsteps?

The first thing that I would tell him is that it is extremely difficult,  number one, but he needs to know that, don't fool himself or herself. You need to understand that it is difficult, it is a difficult role. But there is such great success in your self fulfillment , I am not saying financially, because we really have not seen that yet. Africa was the first year that we made a profit, last year we went back into the red. What I have received out of this is,  the passion goes deeper and deeper and it has given me such a drive to go forward because I realise that I am doing something that people want, people want to see , that is expressing us, that is keeping a cultural art form alive, that many people worldwide come and for that reason it is important to keep it alive.

I know every body has a time limit period, this is my time, this is my moment in the sun, if you want to call it that, but it is quickly gone. Minshall had his moment, Berkley had his, George Bailey, all of them had their moments, mine would be gone and we have to hope that people can hold on to it, understand it and continue it. Because if it dies, the culture is dead and people who do not have culture are an empty people, they have nothing.

So I would say yes, make up your mind that it will be difficult, find the avenues you can get in to  whether it be Kings and Queens (of the bands) or you start doing characters and I am always willing, there are people coming all the time. Yes, I may come up with the concept, once the concepts are done I sit we have meetings and I brain storm. Somebody may come up with an idea, they say you know Mac if we turn this and do it this way it may have a better effect and I say "shucks, that is a great idea" lets do it that way. So I am not headstrong and it all has to be mine, there are many youths in here who come up with great ideas, it is a groove from us, it is the team so I give them all the encouragement, go ahead and do it.

PHOTO SOURCE:
masrepublic.blogspot.com