Monday 12th January 2015 Ricardo Gladiator Welch Added Guardian Story By Shaliza Hassanali CUSS OUT OVER BALISIER SONG BETWEEN ALOES AND YELLOWS A calypso entitled Balisier, which represents the emblem of the People’s National Movement (PNM) has led to a recent cuss out between two calypsonians as the 2015 Carnival season heats up. The war of words took place on December 14 between fiery calypsonian Sugar Aloes (Michael Osouna) and Andrew Fareira (Yellows) during an audition at Mas Camp Pub, Woodbrook. Yellows is claiming that Sugar Aloes, manager of the Kalypso Revue tent, rejected Balisier because it bestowed praises on the PNM’s achievements. Yellows has since severed his ties with the Revue and has moved over to the Icons tent, managed by calypsonian Cro Cro (Weston Rawlins). Balisier tells how the PNM’s founder and country’s first prime minister, the late Dr Eric Williams, created history and a national vision with the balisier flower, the PNM’s emblem since its inception. In his song, Yellows said the insignia created a solid foundation for the nation and paved a way for T&T to become a model country. Yellows, 50, a part-time security officer, is optimistic that the PNM will approach him to sing Balisier on the political platform for this year’s general election. Yellows: I will sing and vote for the PNM in the general election “I will sing for the PNM and vote for them, too. I talking bold and brave, because a lot of stupidness going on with this PP Government.” Yellows admitted that in 2010 he voted for the UNC, but became disenchanted after he lost his job at the Ministry of Works and Transport. During a telephone conversation with Sugar Aloes in December, Yellows said he sang a few verses of the song, but Aloes was not pleased with the lyrics. “Aloes suggested that I sing about the Ebola virus instead.” At last month’s audition, Yellows said he was asked to sing Balisier by calypsonian Skatie (Carlos James) who was on the judging panel. “I told Skatie that it have people who would not like the song.” Yellows said that as he started singing, Sugar Aloes began spewing foul language. “Aloes said I doh like that f..... song. He cuss me in front of everybody, including my two young sons,” Yellow recalled. Embarrassed by the turn of events, Yellows said he told Aloes “you cannot muzzle me, because when you was singing all kind of nasty things about Indian people nobody muzzled you.” Yellows admitted he used obscene language. “Yes, I cuss him.” Last year, Yellows said, his calypso called Promises, which bashed the PP Government, was also turned down by Aloes at an audition. “So this was the second time he did this to me.” Last year, calypsonian Bodyguard (Roger Mohammed) was blanked from performing at Kalypso Revue over a song about East Indians with false degrees, which Aloes said was an attack on Indians. Aloes: It’s a good PNM campaign song. On Friday, Sugar Aloes defended his position, stating that “I never cuss Yellows,” but admitted that he used profanity while speaking. “If Yellows say that I did not like the f.... song, that is a lie.” Last month, Sugar Aloes said, Yellows telephoned and sang part of Balisier for him. “I told him if I were you, I would have gone to Keith Rowley with that song because it is a very good campaign song for the PNM. I went further to tell him that the kaiso would not put him on the stage in Skinner Park.” Sugar Aloes said a week later, Skatie visited his home and telephoned Yellows to inform him about the tent’s audition date. “Yellows was not aware that Skatie had him on speaker phone and I heard him saying.... you see that f.....Aloes....I doh bound to sing in he tent.” Sugar Aloes said he was not part of the judges’ panel at the audition. Before singing Balisier, Sugar Aloes said, Yellows made a comment that some people held the view that it was a campaign song. “At that time I was coming through the door and replied, man sing your f.... song and stop throwing words for me. Is I who say is a campaign song.” I speak two languages, obscene and English Aloes said after singing one verse and chorus, Yellows started using foul language. “I asked him what causing this. He told me that I cuss him. I had to correct him. I told him I did not cuss you, but used profanity while speaking. I didn’t tell him that I don’t like the song and don’t want him in the tent.” Sugar Aloes said everybody knows that he speaks two languages—“obscene and English.” He said Yellows was trying to pull a Bodyguard on him. “The people who come to the tent would realise that I have nothing against the PNM or PNM singers and their songs.” Sugar Aloes who religiously sang for the PNM stunned the country in 2012 when he serenaded Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar at the PP’s second anniversary celebrations. He also performed for the ILP. Aloes cries for Manning ...No more political songs, PNM people never listened to my message Controversial calypsonian Sugar Aloes broke down in tears as he spoke about former prime minister and People’s National Movement (PNM) leader Patrick Manning being hounded out of Balisier House by supporters after the party faced defeat at the 2010 polls. Aloes (Michael Osouna) said on Friday he would go to his grave remembering how Manning was chased by party supporters, who once rallied behind him. Aloes said not even the jeers and public insults faced by the public at Calypso Fiesta in San Fernando in the last two years hurt him. “You know what hurt me? It was May 24, 2010, when PNM people ran Mr Manning out of Balisier House. Their actions made me cry. After that, I vowed not to sing a political song again. These are the people I had been educating for years with my songs...but they never listened to my messages,” said Aloes. Aloes said he also realised that singing politics got him no international or regional accolades. He said entertainers like Bunji and Machel Montano received world-wide recognition not by singing political commentaries, but through music that was internationally accepted and loved. “If I go America and sing a political song few people would be able to relate to what I am saying.” It was the first time Aloes had broken his silence on the treatment meted out to Manning by people within the PNM camp. As he recounted the incident, Aloes became emotional and started to weep. Bending his head to hide his tears, Aloes said Manning, who suffered a stroke in 2012, should not to re-enter politics. “I feel that will kill him.” Manning is out of the nomination process for the San Fernando East constituency. Aloes believes Manning was given a raw deal by people within the PNM prior to the 2010 general election. Aloes said the rift between Manning and PNM leader Keith Rowley over Udecott and Calder Hart would never heal.“The rift never quelled. If we think it quelled we are just being naive.” Describing Manning as a people’s person, Aloes said “I have a lot of compassion and respect for Mr Manning. I know him for donkey years. He always tried to help you. He would always say to me when I visit him, ‘Sugars, I would never forget what you have done for us.’ ”Aloes said Manning was referring to his hard-hitting calypsoes about the UNC which he sang on the PNM platform while they were in and out of power. After Manning sought therapy in Washington and returned home, Aloes said “I spoke to the chief. In our conversation Manning told me, ‘Boy, you know them people vex with you.’ I told him I would live with it.” Stating that Manning considered him tremendously, Aloes said “I still love that man with a passion. And as far as I am concerned, he will always be that special someone to me...I know we will never, ever get another like him.” Aloes said when it’s fighting time for the PNM, he often took the frontline. “But when it’s time for work they don’t look at me. They don’t call me for a job. This has been happening even before I sang on the UNC platform in 2012. When news got around that I was going to sing on the PP’s stage, I got a call from a former female minister who told me that my performance would kill Manning. I gave the assurance that I was just doing a job and had no intention of joining the UNC.” Shortly after, Aloes said he was offered a job to sing at the PNM’s family day at the eleventh hour. “But it was a little too late for that. I had to decline.”
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 08:06:26 +0000
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