POLITICS has wormed its ugly way into the steelpan movement, causing State-owned Petrotrin to withdraw its sponsorship for 2005 Panorama winner, Phase 2 Pan Groove.

This is the claim of Phase 2 leader and arranger Len “Boogsie” Sharpe.

The National Panorama champion band is now without a sponsor because it refused to move from a piece of land at No. 1 Woodbrook Place, which it has occupied for 32 years.

LEN “BOOGSIE”
SHARPE

The land, which belongs to the Port of Spain City Corporation (POSCC), has since been leased to Home Construction Limited (HCL), and the pressure has been building up for Phase 2 to relocate to Mucurapo Road.

POSCC also built a Pan Theatre at Mucurapo Road to encourage the band to move.

However, TnT Mirror learnt that the Army has since quietly taken over the newly-built Pan Theatre, albeit temporarily, to keep an eye on the Jamaat al Muslimeen.

In addition, Boogsie told Mirror that he has some concerns about the new location because of a dog pound which, he said, encourages flies and other filth.

He also complained of excess garbage, which he said was unhealthy for band members.

Boogsie explained that Petrotrin, which had been their sponsor for about four years, gave them an ultimatum: “Resolve your issues with HCL or we withdraw our sponsorship.”

Petrotrin kept its promise and revoked its sponsorship, leaving the National Panorama champs without a sponsor for Carnival 2K6, even though the band won last year’s competition by an unprecedented and history-making 20 points.

But Petrotrin’s withdrawal is not the only hurtful blow for Phase 2, according to Boogsie.

“We won Panorama by 20 points and Petrotrin did nothing for us since our win,” he slammed.

According to Boogsie, steelbands, some of which do not have sponsors, went on tours.

“But, we who created history, winning by 20 points, were never offered a tour by our own sponsor,” added Boogsie.

“That hurt me real bad to know that our own sponsor did not appreciate our victory.

“I have to ask, what else must a steelband do to get the full respect it deserves?”

However, despite its recent pressures, Phase 2 plans to repeat its victory in Carnival 2006.

The band will be paying a tribute to Clive Bradely, with its own composition Thank U Bradley, composed by Boosie, with lyrics by Anthony “Lexo” Alexis, and sung by Colin Lucas.

“I am really excited about this music,” said Boogsie.

“Bradley, in my book, was the best steelpan arranger, and he was my personal friend.

“I had great respect for him.”

He continued: “When Panorama time came around, I always knew that the man to beat was Bradley.

“I am looking forward to arranging the song; it wicked.

“And Lexo is a boss writer.

“I have worked with several other writers, but Lexo is the best.

“Phase 2 would do a good job for Panorama 2006, and I know that Bradley would be pleased.”

ACE songwriter Kernal Roberts has switched his leading ladies.

This time around, Destra Garcia has been given the slight by her leading composer who gave her the evergreen hits, Bonnie and Clyde and Fly, that cemented the Soca diva’s career.

Instead Kernal, the son of Trinidad’s pioneering pan composer, the late Grand Master Kitchener, is throwing his talent behind Patrice Roberts.

KERNAL ROBERTS

Patrice began her ascent last year with Islands, a collaboration with Bunji Garlin that was composed by Kernal and which has been adopted as a theme song by TnT Tourism officials.

“I have a really big song for Patrice this year,” Kernal said when he spoke with TnT Mirror recently.

“This one is the bomb; in fact, I think it is the best song I have written to date, and it has International stamped all over it,” the enthusiastic young son of Kitch noted.

He has composed just one track for Destra for C2k6, which is Maxx It Up, a track that’s already big in the parties in the run-up to Carnival.

Destra, meantime, is refusing to speak about parting ways with Kernal.

She’s still working on her next album, which will be titled Independent Ladies; the title track was released late last year.

Incidentally, Machel Montano is the smartest kid on the block.

He has also snapped up Kernal’s talents.

The former Traffik drummer is now the musical director of Xtatik.

BLACK STALIN

BUNJI GARLIN

After all, is said and done, Stalin will release his album in April, after the Carnival madness is over.

“WE were personal friends and he lived at Hyderabad Street here in St. James with his first wife, when he was with the band Esquires before it turned to Charlie’s Roots,” Boogsie Sharpe recalled about Clive Bradley this week, as he spoke about his song on Bradley for C2K6.

“After he moved on from that band he concentrated on the pan.

“I hope the bands will wait for it because it is special in his honour.

“I compose with a piano ... sometimes the melody just comes out of my mouth and I play the chords and then Anthony “Lexo” Alexis puts the lyrics together.”

“I have about five songs -- but to find producers to put out money so, that’s hard,” the ace arranger confessed.

“I have them there and if anybody interested they could check me and Lexo and we can give them,” Boogsie ended.