BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Kollision Band is experiencing similar problems to those which have gravely affected some of the top local bands as the band’s Programmer/keyboardist Rehani ‘Akai’ Hughes is no longer in the band.
SKNVibes was made aware of several facebook postings by Hughes in which he said that “They nah get de disc dem! Going hold dem or burn dem up… I upset dirtying me name on the road.”
When SKNVibes contacted Hughes he referred this Media House to a note he posted on his facebook page in which he stated that he was unable to answer 150 persons, who enquired into the reasons for his decision to leave the band.
“I left to go on vacation taking a break from de band, ain’t tell de band nothing. When I reach I told dem I gone away coming back de 13th of September. I walk with my disc to get new sounds… didn’t walk with the machine cause I had too much load.
He went on to state that the band members were upset and accused him of ‘messing with the band’.
“I get vex tell one guy in particular I done and not coming back… me ain’t sending nothing, guy took it serious… band had a meeting, got a new member and told me am out de band. They have a letter for me now de man dem got all kinda things to say and everybody know no body use to push da band harder dan me,” Hughes stated.
He also stated in the note that there were a lot of ‘he say, she say story’ surrounding his departure from the band.
When SKNVibes messaged Hughes to find out what exactly caused him to take a leave of absence from the band without properly informing management and that it seemed as though there were more to the story of why he acted abruptly there was no response.
Manager of the band, Shervin White said that it all comes down to Hughes lack of manners and disrespect towards the band.
“He left the island without telling the band, I learnt of him being off island via a blackberry messenger chat room,” said White.
“We have no problem with him if he wanted the break all he could of simply done was inform us and we would of found a temporary replacement for him while he was away as we have done in the past when other members left on vacation,” he said.
White said that the band has not performed since their last engagement on August 8 in Antigua.
He said the band was scheduled to perform at an event on August 13 in St. Pauls but was told by Hughes that the rhythm box was giving problems.
White made a suggestion that a rhythm box be sourced to use temporarily to honour an August 23 commitment with Grand Masters at Pon De Edge in Sandy Point.
“He kept saying that we should cancel the gig but I recommended that we borrox a box from someone.
“On Sunday (August 15) is when I get a blackberry message from him saying that he was in transit. I kept asking him where he was going until he finally said Anguilla.
“I asked him how could he do that without informing the band, if he needed a break the band could have gone on an official break,” he said.
White said that he also learnt that Hughes said that he was finished with the band and that he was not going to give them their music.
“The band couldn’t play anywhere because he had our music,” the manager said.
“It all boils done to him not having any manners and being disrespectful to the band. We had to make a decision so we had a meeting and decided that he was no longer a member of the band. He had put us in an awkward position because we didn’t know how to book the band”.
White said that the band has found a replacement and will be releasing the name of the person shortly with an announcement to the public.
He also said that they are hoping to play on a gig on September 15.
