Killing The Goose

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell


N.B. The Jamaica Observer published an abridged version, omitting salient and critical aspects of some paragraphs, and by so doing might have misrepresented the thrust of my article. Please see original version below.



The Dancehall community feels it is being unfairly targeted and set upon by various local authorities, and they are digging in their heels. The fraternity cites recent actions by the Broadcasting Commission and other Law Enforcement agencies, for coming to this conclusion. As a consequence, they seem to be adopting a bunker mentality, remaining skeptical to approaches by all perceived ‘outsiders’, even questioning the motives of JARIA, the newly formed umbrella organization for the Jamaican Music Industry. This is a major challenge which the association will have to overcome through dialogue with influential members of this genre if it intends to effectively pursue its mandate to represent all sectors within the industry. The “Hail & Reasoning” planned for 7:00pm on Tuesday, June 2, at Rib Cage, is an attempt by JARIA to begin a process of consultation with Artistes, Managers, Producers and Promoters from this sector. The function is designed exclusively, to allow them full expression of their points of view, on all the issues currently impacting their profession and individual careers.

Ironically, a similar sentiment, as it relates to JARIA, still persists amongst some formally trained classical musicians, but this is because of historical reasons and the misnomer of the term Reggae in the association’s name. For posterity, it is important to note that ‘Reggae’ was only incorporated into the name after it was discovered that the domain of ‘Jamaica Music Industry Association’ was already registered by some other entity. Fortunately, this unfounded view is gradually being eroded, as a significant number of them, unlike their Dancehall counterparts, have joined and become more integrated in the work of the organization. This has helped, through ongoing and oft-times intense deliberations, to better clarify their needs and vision, and by extension, the ability of JARIA to lend critical support and representation, in keeping with the stated mission of the organization.

These are natural growing pains for any organization of this type, seeking to represent sometimes competing (and even conflicting) interests. However, JARIA will have to speedily overcome this phase, in order to concentrate its focus on the many burning issues affecting the entire sector, and are in dire need of being addressed in everyone’s mutual interests.

One of the most important stated objectives of JARIA is to lobby for the reduction, amelioration and/or revision of regulations, laws and taxation that presently retard the ability of the industry to operate efficiently and profitably, and on a more level playing field. For example, the Government is actively moving ahead with its policy of making Parish Councils autonomous bodies. This means that each one will be allowed to establish their own rate structure and scale for services within their Parish, including Places of Amusement Licenses and permits to place advertisement boards in public places. This is against the background that already, there has been an escalation of indirect overhead costs for events in all parishes. This is due, in large measure, to License related fees charged by participating local agencies, apparently without any centrally stipulated and approved, uniform standards, classifications, codes or verifiable references, which would make the process transparent to the average applicant. Some public bodies are obviously exploiting this unregulated state of affairs, not in the public interest, but to satisfy extortion demands, and the sheer greed of so-called public servants in their employ.

To fulfill application conditions for a recently held event in Clarendon, for instance, and before the timely intervention of the Parish Manager, five Public Health Officers were ‘assigned’ at a rate of Ten Thousand dollars ($10,000) each for two four-hour shifts. This number was solely decided by the parish’s chief public health officer, as being necessary to supervise ten (10) food stalls. Upon request by the applicant, the department was unable to provide any objective criteria for arriving at this number. Further, when asked to rationalize the fees, the deputy chief public health officer claimed that the fees were based on the fact that the event was being held on a public holiday. When it was pointed out that the holiday was actually being celebrated on the Monday because the official date fell on a Saturday, the response from the department was that the rate was a weekend rate. Aren’t you flabbergasted? This implies that the public health service in Clarendon only functions from a Monday to a Friday. Does this mean then, that under normal circumstances, diseases, germs and viruses are in frozen animation on a weekend, unless an event comes to town? The deputy chief public health officer also kindly informed the producers that the correct rate was Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000) per four-hour shift and that this was in fact a discounted rate. To add insult to injury, an attempt was made to console the producers, by suggesting that if the function was being staged St. Catherine, their counterparts would require Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000) for each public health inspector. Dejected and frustrated, the producers called the Ministry of Health seeking guidance and were informed that no fees apply and the promoters are only required to pay duty allowance. I do not know where in the public sector duty allowance is Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) per person.

A similar arbitrary approach is used by Parish Councils and the KSAC in determining the costs of permits for temporary advertisement boards, normally used as teaser boards and placed along roadways, prior to the commencement of the main advertising campaign for an event. While the KSAC charges one flat fee of Two Thousand Five Hundred ($2,500) Dollars per 2’ x 2’ board, some councils charge upwards of Five Hundred Dollars ($500) per week for each board. This defies logic, since by nature the boards are designed to create awareness of the event at the very beginning of the promotion cycle, ideally for a minimum of ten (10) weeks. At that unit cost however, no event can possibly afford to use the boards for the full cycle. In effect, their main purpose is partially defeated and unwittingly, the Parish Councils are losing potential revenues by applying these unfeasible rates.

Another tax measure re-imposed by the Minister of Finance during this year’s national budget exercise, is Central Government’s requirement of sixteen and a half percent (16½%) General Consumption Tax on every ticket sold for an event. What happens when the event is an all-inclusive event, where food, beverages and other services such as parking or shuttle transportation are a part of the ticket cost? Has anyone thought through how to separate, isolate and pro-rate the services included in such a package? Note here, that GCT is paid by the promoter to the providers of all contracted goods and services, for example, stage, light, PA system, caterers, transportation- every thing down to the cost to print and supply the event tickets and arm bracelets. Does the law still allow companies to deduct GCT paid by the promoter on related overhead costs?

The need to arrive at common industry positions and lobby Government on these issues, has become even more critical during this global economic recession, as along with increased overheads, most events now demand more risk financing by promoters due to a drastic reduction of corporate sponsorship and lower patronage.

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So Much Things To Say

Groundins

By: Charles H.E. Campbell

So much things to say right now, they got so much things to say, So much things to say right now, they got so much things to say

I and I no come fi fight flesh an' blood
But spiritual wickedness in high and low places
So while they fight you down

Stand firm, and give Jah thanks and praises.
Oh when the rain falls, it doan fall on one man's housetop..
(Paraphrasing Bob Marley - So Much Things To Say)

As I showered this morning, not just to cleanse the body and uplift the spirit, but in the hope for some instant inspiration companioned by creative energy, the controversy of the week kept echoing in my mind. Initially, I was resolved not to give it any more credence by further commenting on it today. There are numerous other burning issues affecting the entertainment industry, that need to be highlighted and addressed, yet my urge to comment on epic developments and events, as they were occurring, over the last four months, has caused me to postpone doing so.
Ironically, my next thought was, I've got so much things to say... and that's the genius of Bob Marley. He has so comprehensively captured, integrated and woven, traditional and contemporary folklore, parables, phrases and slangs into his songs, that there is always an appropriate line or two from one or another, that aptly expresses our hopes, desires, thoughts or sentiments on current local and global developments, events and issues. Make no mistake about it, at his core, Bob Marley was a folk poet, in the mold of Louise Bennett and his namesake Bob Dylan.

Furthermore, he was a product of the 60's, which brought together a confluence of world forces -aligning large democratic movements in developed societies, with Third World national liberation movements, then, still under the yoke of colonisation - which will never again occur, because of their profound impact, and relative success over time. Add to this potent social context, and do not discount, Chris Blackwell's marketing genius and unique worldview as a successful, wealthy, liberal, London based, white Jamaican businessman, record producer, distributor, from the local plantocracy (being a direct descendant from the prominent Lindo family, that owned large tracts of land, concentrated mostly in St Mary). His understanding of, and identification with our culture, along with his interconnectivity through his deep immersion in British social and commercial life, placed him at the right place, at the right time, to see firstly, Jamaican and West Indian émigrés embracing the new genre, followed quickly by it's wholesale adoption by the broader pop scene, and consequently it's mushrooming dispersal throughout Europe.

We must be careful though, not to kill the message, by shooting the messenger. There is an element of truth in the views expressed by Buju that is usually downplayed, brushed under the table, in order to embellish the history and (under) development of Reggae. In doing so, we commit a disservice to the music, other artistes whose potential, creative works and careers, were put on hold for sometimes five or more years, while Chris concentrated on promoting the Marley catalogue. Just ask people like Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear, Third World, Black Uhuru and significant others who were then signed to Island.

Today however, I wanted to examine the profound impact that the worldwide recession is having on our local entertainment sector. Certainly, since the middle of last year, we have been witnessing a downturn in business right across the spectrum, and we have been too splintered, weak and slow in our response, and the need to develop counter-strategies to mitigate the fallout. As citizens began to feel the economic pinch, most commercial entities experienced lower sale volumes. This reality prompted these enterprises to recast and reduce their advertising and promotional budgets. Between December and April, many annual shows and other live events were either scaled back or cancelled, due to inadequate or lack of sponsorship.

Attendance numbers at these events have been shrinking, with the notable exceptions of Sting and Rebel Salute. The latest evidence of this trend were the cancellation of Jamaica Carnival by its organisers, the low turnout at the recently held Western Consciousness, although it boasted its best line-up in years, and reportedly, the lower than usual patronage at Richie Stephens' Take Me Away.

I have been doing an informal survey among industry service providers. It seems that the fall-off in business for individual entities, range from a high of 90% for some larger, specialised outfits, to a low of 40% for smaller, more stock-diverse, integrated companies.

Luckily, it seems that in the United States of America the worse of this recession is past. Although we expect the impact of this development on us here, will be delayed, this gives cause for some optimism that by mid- summer local conditions will improve.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com

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Freddie Mcgregor nominated for JARIA Chairman Post

Groundins

By Charles H.E. Campbell

Sunday, May 03, 2009

The Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) will hold elections to its board of directors on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. There are two excellent nominees for the post of Chairman of JARIA, in the persons of Tony Rebel and Freddie McGregor.
Freddie McGregor

Both individuals are blessed with charisma and have dedicated their lives to Jamaica and Reggae music, doing us proud, over many years. At all times, Rebel and Freddie conduct themselves with appropriate courtesy and decorum. They are successful artistes in their own right who have branched out into promoting and producing younger artistes and signature events. These Rastafarian role models are hard-working Jamaican cultural ambassadors.

Today, I share the early life story of Freddie McGregor, told in his own words, a story which demonstrates his sacrifices, determination and perseverance.

On June 27, 1956, I was born in James Hill, Clarendon, in Fairborn to be exact, which is a little way from Frankfield, closer to Chapelton and May Pen. Most of my family lived there over many years. I left there when I was very young, my mom said that we left there when I was about five or six years old. We went to Lower Clarendon which would be Vere and Hayes to be particular; that's where I really grew up. My Mama, Ms Tiny, is the lady who teach all of my peers and those who little older than me to prepare them for Hayes Primary School through her kindergarten school - called Ms Tiny Kindergarten, that she set-up at Hayes. She still lives there, still lives in Top Hill, never leave, everybody know mi mother and mi stepfather, the entire family; so we really home grown people there.

Growing up in Hayes, I went to Hayes Primary School. This is where I made up my first little song and got my first taste of fame- a little song named Roll Dumpling Roll - "If you want to know how dumpling sweet, dip it into coconut oil." Well, that song became really popular in my community and at school, People start offer me troppance (three pennies), cause it was still pound, shilling and pence - to sing the dumpling song. This aroused the interest of Ernest Wilson and Peter Austin, who were already well-known recording artistes, as members of the Clarendonians. Thereafter, I started hanging out at Ernest's house with him and Peter, listening to rehearsals, until mi start dip mi mouth in, and usually if yuh a do the thing wrong, dem would slap at yuh, as a youth, but obviously mi did ah gwaan alright suh dat never happen to mi.

And it continued on from there until mi just decide fe guh to Kingston. Ernest Wilson's mom, Ms Ethlyn - we call her Jetta - insisted that they wouldn't leave me to go into Kingston. So, she came roun' mi house one evening, call Mama; because we all lived in the same community, up in Top Hill; and she said, "Tiny, dem going to Kingston and dem not leaving di boy." I remember mi mother seh, "But Jetta mi nuh have the money" but Ms. Ethlyn answer seh 'Don't worry bout it, me wi pay it for yuh', cause she use to work at Vere Technical High School, and dats how the whole thing really started. She was determined that they wouldn't leave me, and so it turned out. She paid my fare to go into Kingston. She reminded us that when we saw the "cemetry," (she never said "cemetery" at the time) wi know seh we downtown, and wi must ask the bus driver fi show we weh the patty pan bus dey, and ask him to let us off at Coxsone studio.

That we did, and it worked out. Low and behold, I went to Mr Dodd's studio, all di great people dat mi ah listen to, love and admire - Jackie Mittoo, Skatalites and Don Drummond, Keith Sterling, Roland Alphonso dem, the Cables over deh suh, Bob Marley over deh suh, the Gaylads. I remember meeting Bob Andy, and so, just running into all these people was like, wow, my first day at university, meet up on all these people, big orientation and big wow. Everybody was interested in this little youth with Ernest, cause dem already know Ernest and Peter. Dem time dere, dem have tune like Cut Him Wid Di Rachet. Bob Marley ah mek all some bad man tune too. So everybody ah seh, "Ernis, ah yuh bredda dat?" and him ah seh "Yeah man, Likkle Freddie. Likkle Freddie can sing. Likkle Freddie sing mek me hear." Right away me start sing, "Roll dumpling roll, right away, yuh waah fe know how dumpling sweet, dip it inna coconut oil." Suh, people never have a choice, but to really love me as a youth still. Back then, if you were fortunate for any reason to get a chance to be in the studio, you were considered special, but for some reason Mr Dodd took a liking to me as a youth, and love mi voice, yuh nuh, and me become like him likkle son, right away.

After my third day at Studio One, him ask Ernest where I was staying and Ernest tell him. Him just tell Ernest fe carry up me clothes the next day, and after that, my whole life changed. I ended up living in Pembroke Hall, with Mr Dodd at his house, with his wife, his three daughters and him son, Donovan. Dat's how I ended up for a couple months, growing up wid a Christian family, dem send me to a school called St Andrew Junior High on Hagley Park Road which is now a Seventh-Day school .

That's how me entire career started yuh nuh. Mr Dodd probably have the most faith in me as a singer, I mean, apart from people like Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer who stack three beer boxes fi me fi reach the microphone on my first day of recording, cheer me on, cause by then everyone at Studio One love me as Little Freddie. Meantime, I recorded my first song in late '63, which was towards the end of the ska era. It was a song called Why Did You Do It. That became an instant hit, in and around the studio , then another song called, Do Good And Good Follow You, followed by one called, Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me Soon - the name Little Freddie start spread round the place. Since then it's been that way, mi really never leave the studio, never leave the music, I always represent Clarendon, became known as a Clarendonian, and from then on, it was just to move it to the other level.

I pretty much stayed at Mr Dodd from 1963 until 1979 when I did my first project outside of Studio One. This was with Winston 'Niney' Holness. Wi made an album called Mr McGregor which took off in England same time, and that prompted my thing in England. Is then me start realise seh mi name Freddie McGregor big. While it wasn't happening in Jamaica, it was happening elsewhere, such as Europe. Dem people had me off as big artiste from Studio One, when mi well deh yah and de ting nah work out. It wasn't until David Rodigan did an interview with me in England that mi really start realise seh people appreciate the work that I was doing, and me tell myself seh, "Once me get the opportunity, this is it, no looking back, cause all I wanted was one chance, one deggeh chance."

That chance came in 1982 after we came back to Jamaica from England. Wayne Walters came to me about another project. This ended up being the Big Ship album. At the time, England and Falklands just went to war - suh ships were going down and all that, so is like the song just started to tek off big time. Then the cruise ships start to get into the song, suh every time dem was leaving a port, Big Ship was the song dat the ships used to play. The song's popularity start to grow, becoming one of my biggest hits, of the many over subsequent years. That song represents the turning point in my musical career.

Email: che.campbell@gmail.com

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