BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MANAGER of the 3-peat Road March Champs, the Grand Masters Band, is refuting all rumours that they have ever paid anyone to play their music.
With the announcement of their win during Last Lap on Jan. 2, a number of persons called in to ZIZ Radio Station claiming that the band pays individuals to play their songs which add to it winning the Road March.
“We have never ever paid anyone in the history of Grand Masters being around.
People are claiming all sorts of stuff, and they are even saying that our win has to do with LIME sponsoring us, who also sponsors the Carnival,” said Wingrove Hicks Manager of the band.
He said it is always an honour for the band to win Road March and this is their seventh victory in the history of National Carnival. The song with which they captured the Road March title is ‘Buss U Bubble’, which is off their Carnival 09/10 album ‘Mek Dem Surrender’.
The album features a total of eight tracks including ‘Wring Back’, ‘Driver’ and ‘Demolition’.
In response to the comment “Road March out a style”, made by competing band Nu Vybes, Hicks said, “It’s amazing how they say that, but when they reach judging points they say to the judges make sure you mark this one. Plus, they registered the most songs for Road March; so how can it be out of style? They are the ones that are out of style.”
Grand Masters won the title in 2007/08 with ‘Boom Bam Bam’ and followed up with ‘A Wan Whale’ in 2008/09. ‘Buss U Bubble’ earned the members a total of 21 points, six points more than their closest competitor. “Our strategy in winning the Road March varies.
One of the most important things is to make sure you have a good tune for the road, and I felt we had the liveliest song for Carnival,” Hicks said.
In terms of a victory jam, he said that it is usually on the day of the prize giving which is determined by the Carnival Committee.
