Soca News sat down with top Barbadian soca artists Mr Dale [MD] (2007 Barbados Road March winner), Biggie Irie [BI] (2007 International Groovy Soca Monarch) and Peter Ram [PR] during the recent, hectic T&T carnival season, to discuss the annual ‘Bajan Invasion’ of Trinidad and their 2007/8 experience.

Biggie and Peter can be considered T&T Carnival veterans, as this is their second year, whilst for Dale, although he has visited T&T on numerous occasions and has even played mas and j’ouvert, this is his first time performing in Trinidad.

This year, Bajan music has enjoyed heavy rotation on air and television with Mr Dale’s Soca Junkie, Peter Ram’s Pumpin’ and Biggie Irie’s Band on Fire.

SN: A number of Bajan artists surface annually at the top of the Trini Carnival. That resulted in the term ‘Bajan Invasion’ being coined some years ago, when everywhere you turned Alison and Rupee were there.

BI: I never liked the term ‘invasion’. That is a war term. We come to spread the love.

MD: It’s about Caricom people, especially with the CSME. We come to spread the love and nice vibes.

PR: Yes, no war, just love.

SN: What has the response been like in Trinidad?

MD: I was pleasantly surprised, because the people sing along.

PR: It was mad. For the school tour, before we went on the bmobile representative came and told us all the rules: what we can’t do with the kids in the schools e.g. no hugging. When one school girl came to me and begged me for a hug and I said I couldn’t, she cried. I was so shocked. I had to shake her hand until she stopped crying.

SN: Peter, you courted controversy last year when you said you didn’t get into the International Soca Monarch competition because you wouldn’t change the one line in the song Woman By My Side: “It is written in Leviticus that man should not lie with man. It’s an abomination….” How did you feel?

PR: It was a song for the ladies. No long talk.

SN: Dale, how does it feel to be a finalist in the International Groovy Soca Monarch competition?

MD: I’m cool. I don’t stress. For me it’s about reproducing a decent vocal, as close to the original recorded as possible and giving a decent show for the money.

SN: You aren’t new to the industry: real soca lovers will remember a number of tunes from you in the 90s. What happened?

MD: I was there for a while but I used to concentrate on social commentary and writing. Then, in 1999, I had a hit song called Kay Lay Lay, and to be honest I had a real tough time with it. I had the opportunity to sign a major deal with the song but it fell through. I became disenheartened with music and so I decided: not me and the soca thing, for a long time.

SN: What is it like performing in Trinidad as compared to Barbados?

BI: Well, there are more fêtes in Trinidad. In T&T there are about 4 to 5 fetes a night, while Barbados has about one a night and certainly not on sequential nights. However, the Crop Over season is longer. I remember last year the first Crop Over song was released in April.

SN: Do you think the release date affects the success of the song?

BI: There is a calypsonian in Barbados called Gryner, who for years used to release his song two days before Jump Up day. And he always used to win Road March.

MD: Yes, he is like Trinidad’s Superblue.

SN: What do you think of the call to move Trinidad Carnival to a set date in April?

MD: Well, I’m not sure about that, but a set date has its advantages and disadvantages. I believe this carnival is surrounded by the history of slavery and Lent. So moving it would impact on that. Ours is where it is ’cause that is when the crops are brought in: Bajan history.

BI: It would work for us because we would release earlier to get into the T&T market. As it is, we have to remix tunes to give them a new life. Everyone knows that most carnivals take their bookings based on what happens in Trinidad.

SN: Recently, more and more soca videos have been being released. Do you think that this is necessary?

BI: You’ve got to have a video. I am really upset with my management for not doing a video. My song, Band On Fire, is less known, and I think a video would have helped.

Of course, carnival would not be carnival without a touch of bacchanal. A level of controversy currently surrounds International Groovy Soca Monarch Biggie Irie after a rumour surfaced late last year that, during the prize-giving ceremony for the Soca Monarch, when Biggie was asked to perform a piece of his winning song Nah Going Home he told the promoters that they would have to pay. When we mentioned that, Irie’s smile was replaced by a look of shock.

BI: What! I was there to perform. I came for that. Since in Barbados I know I performing in the awards, and I was looking forward to it. That is a serious thing and it’s not true. I got my award last, and when I was looking to go up they said, “Good night, thanks for coming,” so I thought it was a time thing. We (Dale, Ram and I) do so many things for free – school tours, events etc. So why would I say that after all the love and support I have received from Trinidad? That is madness.

MD: I heard that since Barbados. People went so far as to tell me that I should not even bother to enter the competition this year, as Irie make it bad for the Bajans. But I know that is not true. Irie not like that.

BI: Make sure and say that is not true. I am so hurt. Why would someone start a rumour like that?” With mere days to the end of carnival, the three Bajan artists were looking forward to playing mas with Tribe on Monday and Tuesday, before returning home to Barbados.

SN: So, what’s next for you?

MD: Straight to the studio for me; well, after two weeks rest that is, ’cause I am producing a compilation.

BI: I got a few tunes, but what I have learnt is that you have to write with Trinidad in mind. What Trinidadians and Trinis living outside would like to hear.

MD: First of all you have to have a strong hook. Something with a great melody.

PR: So far, I have one with Collie Budz: Blind to you. I also have two mad ones for Trinidad.

T&T Carnival is now over, and the Bajans have returned home to hit the studios in preparation for another bumper Crop Over. So until then, keep the music Pumpin!