Chat ‘Bout…
- Live Music Woes
I noticed an article in the Jamaica Star on the decline in live music currently going on. Apparently there has been a rise in the use of tracks and discos at shows as they cost a lot less than the live bands. This is despite the fact that the entertainers prefer working on shows with live bands. As entertainer Lady G told Sadeke Brooks, the writer of the article, “Tracks are limited. Flexibility is unlimited in live music. It is real and you get the energy from everybody. That’s irreplaceable.”. Tony Rebel also contributed, “If you feel creative on stage and want to go from a different angle, the band will work with you.”. He believes that live music is definitely better.
It is my belief that discerning patrons of the shows would prefer shows with live bands also, and yet, the use of the bands continues to decline. A lot of people believe that steps should be taken to preserve live music at these stage shows. Personally, I feel it is imperative that we ensure that we continue to produce quality musicians, or eventually the music will die out. Look at all this business where so many songs are being produced on the same “riddims”. Some might consider this to be efficiency. I think its the result of laziness and a lack of creativity and it doesn’t bode well for the music. If shows stop using live bands, quality musicians will become a rarity. We don’t want that.
I have given it a bit of thought, because I think that preserving the bands is vital. I feel that a couple of steps which can help are obvious. With hiring of a band said to cost between $100,000 and $300,000, it seems to me that bands who want to see their usage increase need to drop their rates. With lower rates and increases in the number of shows they work upon, the bands can probably earn the same or more money!
Another thing that the bands can do is to promote their own shows. Rent the locations and hire the artistes themselves! As the promoters of the show, they would get the lion’s share of the profits. They would end up paying themselves! If you, my readers have any ideas on this issue, leave them in the comments nuh?
- Paradise Lost… Forever?
I noticed three articles in the Sunday Gleaner on the Pedro Cays, where many fishermen in Jamaica go to earn their livelihood. Of course, there is more, lots more, so click on the “More” link or on the button below to continue reading…
These are interesting articles. The first article talks about the fishing itself, and the perils the fishermen face daily in doing their jobs, Man, I have tried my hand at spearfishing myself, but not very often. I wasn’t very good at shooting the fish, because I had no experience and therefore had not learned how to compensate for the issue of the fish not being exactly where you see it, due to the refraction caused by being underwater.
I didn’t gain this experience because I was deathly afraid of being in the water with the fish which were shot and which were therefore bleeding out in the water. Of course, the blood attracts sharks, and this is one issue covered in the first article. It makes for interesting reading.
The second article talks about the entertainment available on the Cays. Dancehall music, bars, gambling and prostitution are the order of the day, apparently. They even go into the going rates for the prostitutes on the Cays. Apparently that ex-Governor Spitzer would have got a lot more for his money on the Pedro Cays! 
Ladies who would cost you US1,000 a night were rare and perhaps they only exist in legend.
The final article talks about the effects of human habitation on the Cays, (garbage, human waste, pollution) and of the general lawlessness that exists on the Cays. Apparently stabbings are quite frequent. All the articles are quite interesting and I recommend reading them.
- Interesting Jamaican Site
Last night in my surfing I came across another great Jamaican website, one which is quite similar to Yardflex.com. It is a nice little site called “Outaroad.com and all its content is quite similar. Competition is a good thing, and now I will be able to get all my dancehall news, gossip, etc. from two sites instead of just one. This sounds like it could be quite interesting.
By the way, guess what? Outaroad.com also has a section where they post up pictures of women, just like Yardflex.com does. Here is a good example.
Mmmm-hmmm, thats what I’m talking about!!!
Here is an interesting mission for you, if you should choose to accept it! Accomplishing this mission requires you to go and look at all the Yard Girls, and then to go look at all the Outaroad Girls and tell me which site has the hottest ladies. Yes, it is a hard job, a most dangerous mission, but it is for a worthy cause! People wanna know! Are you up to the challenge? 
Also, tell me if you think the “Not Worksafe” button was necessary for the photo I included in this post. I don’t think it was, but it is better to err on the side of caution.
Have a great Easter Monday, y’all! I sure intend to!
Loading ...
I think live bands make a stage show more spontaneous and it adds to the quality of the stage show. But I guess promoters are trying to cut cost to increase their profits. Not sure the bands will want to cut their cost until the artistes decide to cut theirs. Furthermore the money the live band gets is less than what some entertainers get for 15 mins and they have to be up there for longer as well as split the money among themselves.
Eh MB, dat girl hot nuh 100 fyah side!
I checked out the rest of her pics on the site and they looks sweet, but I have seen them already. I think the girls on Yardflex seem to be original Yardflex sourced photos, while the one on Outaroad seem to be photos they collect online.
Stunner’s last blog post..Best Yogurt Ever!
You know how many times I try to read your blog and the thing…whatever the thing is…block me! stchuuuuuuuuusp.
Anyway, don’t worry, music will never die out. I believe that eventually musicians might start doing more live work than recorded, and only the best will survive.
guyana gyal’s last blog post..Four for the price of one.
that girl hot fi tru lawd…
i’m off to read those gleaner articles…
Irie diva’s last blog post..Losers part 2: Why I love LB
hey thats not my last blog post! hmph
Irie diva’s last blog post..Situations I never want to be in again
WOW !! Da dawta de is visually stunning ! Strictly,a whol heap a natural resources!! WOW !!
Mad Bull, bwoy mi confused, mi luv both sites.Respect star!!
@ GG, what is blocking you? Tell me. If it is within my power, it will be fixed. You are probably right re the musicians.
@ Esteban, Stunner & Irie D: Yes, she is rather easy on the eyes. She will cause other bodyparts to work overtime and go under some srtess though
@ Stunner: Good points, re the musicians, sir. Thats my point re the musicians, maybe they are pricing themselves out of work. See, the promoters can substitute them with tracks, etc. but they can’t substitute out the entertainer now, can they? This is why the entertainer will command a high price and when the band tries to get an amount more in line with what they think they are worth, they get substituted. If you promote your own show, you pay yourself what you want, though, once the show is a success.
go check ur yahookp and mbhotmail for a utube video midas wants m’buthezlah to watch!!!
spoke to mamacita - all is good!!! she’s covered!!! luv ya!!! 
the yard girl are “more real”.
The not safe picture is a bit risque, even if shes covered it’d be hard for the mind not to say hmmm
owen’s last blog post..End of the beach (Into the Blue)
well endowed girl..
Dubai we had only live bands…usually phillipinos who would sing everything from Bob to U2. Ofcourse that’s probably not what your talking about preserving…..I love when musicians get together and just jam…
Cranky Putz’s last blog post..A Little Peak…
Work Safe? sheeeiiiit, that ain’t heart safe….good ting mi dead a’ ready
Geezas that’s a hot girl! As for the whole live music thing, “flexibility” is a luxury. Tracks work just as fine.
Leon’s last blog post..Technorati Authority Asplode!
@ Cranky
That may be the problem. There are not enough musicians that sing. As for these so-called singers most of them can not play a single instrument or read music.
I doubt if Matterhorn eva see a piano before!
You know what ah don’t understand?
Why is it that women all the world over are starving themelves stupid when men think that THIS is the image of sexy?
Ann (Mobay DP)’s last blog post..Moving Day
outaroad wins hands down star.
actually i juust browse both sites will have to make a more detailed check lata. saw one photo on outaroad that look like a rip off of the yout at afflicted yard though. not as good still
jdid’s last blog post..Bits n Pieces
About the live music scene:
Live music is way, way better quality; that there is room for improvisation and to experience a unique vibe is what makes the difference. But, I think that live musicians don’t know how to market and tailor their craft in this new dancehall age. And Jamaicans are so infatuated with anything that they think sounds “modern” and ‘hip’ that we haven’t cultivated the taste for live music at our weddings, parties, etc. And of course, everyone is in the business of overcharging, so musicians won’t do differently unless they learn that its working against them. Bands can promote themselves, but budding entrepreneurrs who want to get into the entertainment business — that’s every other person these days — could do well by creating the market for live bands. But that takes ingenuity and foresight, and we’re not so good at that are we? I do hold out hope that. Can’t live without it..
About the Pedro Cays stories:
Informative;l I’ve never been there but seems like I need to go and see for myself. Besides, I could use some of those conch shells.
The paragraph that really got me was this:
“New executive director the NSWMA, Joan Gordon-Webley, tells The Sunday Gleaner she has no idea of the the extent of the pollution, or that her agency was to be a key player in the maintenance of the cays. She, however, said that she would be visiting the area soon with a view to assessing the conditions.”
Did i miss something? Is Pedro Cays not a part of Jamaica? Is the NSWMA not responsible for waste management in the entire country? Why the fuck can’t we hire competent people to run this country? Why are we so committed to mediocrity? Ok. enough.
Long Bench’s last blog post..Canadian queers acting up
Kadie Ann and Alicia from outaroad are absolutely gorgeous! The rest of them look very common — you see dem same picture, pose, hairstyle in every girlie magazine. Unoriginal.
Long Bench’s last blog post..Canadian queers acting up against repression of Jac?n gays and lesbians