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Calypsonians at Ryan's Pub
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Chatting with Calypsonians at Ryan's Pub
'Computer', 'Llylo' and 'Chickey Chong'
TriniSoca.com Reporters
Interview Recorded: January 13, 2006
Posted: February 09, 2006
We are interviewing calypsonians at Ryan's Pub on Prince Street Port of Spain where John Absalom aka 'D Sideways' is launching his new CD.
Carol St. Prix aka 'Computer'
Carol St. Prix aka 'Computer'
TRINISOCA: Standing right in front of me is calypsonian 'Computer'.
TRINISOCA: What is your full name sir?
COMPUTER: My name is Carol St. Prix, better known as the 'Computer'.
TRINISOCA: What do you have for this year?
COMPUTER: I have a hot Soca and I also have 'The Hurricane'. The Soca is a spicy one called 'Sweet Soca'. As a matter of fact, I did it on Christmas Day. I have six sons and they only like Dub Music. I decided I would write a Soca for them, and the world for that matter.
TRINISOCA: How long have you been singing Calypso?
COMPUTER: I have been singing Calypso for about four years now. I was in Calypso Music since I was a youth. I always liked Calypso.
TRINISOCA: What do you think about the art form of Calypso?
COMPUTER: I find everything is going alright except that some fellas are still singing at one level. They have to bring the Soca to higher standards which I intend to do. My songs are more party type kind of music.
TRINISOCA: What made you go into Calypso?
COMPUTER: Well, most of the youths do not want to go into it. I have to show them how to Soca, how we Soca, and why they must like Soca.
TRINISOCA: Are you singing with a Tent this year?
COMPUTER: Not as yet. As I mentioned earlier, I only wrote this tune on Christmas Day. My CD is coming out tomorrow. So far nobody has heard it, you all are very fortunate to hear it here today.
TRINISOCA: Thank you sir.
Errol Phillip Bailey aka 'Llylo'
Errol Phillip Bailey aka 'Llylo'
TRINISOCA: This calypsonian has been in the Calypso business for quite some time and he goes by the sobriquet 'Llylo'. Could you give us your full name sir?
LLYLO: My name is Errol Phillip Bailey, better known as 'Llylo'.
TRINISOCA: How long have you been into Calypso?
LLYLO: I have been in the Calypso business for about twenty three years now.
TRINISOCA: Where are you from originally and how did you get started in Calypso?
LLYLO: Originally I am from Tobago, and I am also in the Defense Force Band. I was part of a Cultural Theatre some years ago and was helped a lot with the Calypso music. I started by writing music for calypsonians using my skills I developed from doing poetry. Later on I decided to put my skills into Calypso.
TRINISOCA: What song are you going to sing today, and what is the song about?
LLYLO: Today I am going to sing a song called 'Mr. Bill'. The song is about an illegal immigrant who came to Trinidad and he is having havoc and the police is looking for him. He is very popular with the ladies because they like him. One of the ladies he met had tie-tongue and when the police asked her for Mr. Bill, she couldn't say Mr. Bill, she said Mr. Dill. She explained to the police that 'Mr. Dill doh com here'.
TRINISOCA: What are your ideas on the Calypso art form?
LLYLO: Calypso tells a story about what happens in the society. Usually it would have eight lines in a verse whereas Soca will tend to have four lines. Soca is more like chorus. There are a lot of changes these days with the youths in terms of mixing and experimenting with the Reggae and Ragga. It's just like back in the days in New Orleans when Jazz started. There was a lot of experimenting with different forms of music. It is the same thing with Calypso. Right now there is a lot of experimentation going on.
TRINISOCA: Are you still with the Defense Force Band?
LLYLO: Yes, I am still with the Defense Force Band, but right now I am doing a course in U.W.I. I am doing a degree in music because I am going to retire in the next year.
TRINISOCA: What instruments do you play?
LLYLO: I play different instruments like the trombone, guitar, trumpet and keyboards.
TRINISOCA: Is there anything you would like to share with the world?
LLYLO: I know we have crime all over the world, but with regards to the crime situation in Trinidad, we need to come together and try and solve the problems. We have to try and cool it down a bit, especially the youths, because they tend to go astray very fast.
TRINISOCA: Where do you live?
LLYLO: I live at La Horquetta, but I am always around helping the guys making a contribution with the music and so on.
TRINISOCA: Thank you sir.
Lennox Francis aka 'Chickey Chong'
Lennox Francis aka 'Chickey Chong'
TRINISOCA: Good day sir, I understand you are performing here today and you are known as 'Chickey Chong'. Could give us your full name?
CHICKEY CHONG: My name is Lennox Francis, also known as 'Chickey Chong'.
TRINISOCA: Calypsonian Chickey Chong, how long have you been singing Calypsos?
CHICKEY CHONG: I have been singing Calypso about thirty years now.
TRINISOCA: What song will you be singing today?
CHICKEY CHONG: Today I will be doing a Chutney. The song is about me going around with an Indian girl. I was out with her one night but she was telling me where I should pass and where I shouldn't pass. I couldn't understand why, but the reason was because she didn't want her mother and father to see me. In the end when we thought they were going to make a big noise about it, they hugged me. They said they liked me and they started to sing with me.
TRINISOCA: How did you start singing Calypso?
CHICKEY CHONG: I started singing Calypso by following a friend I used to back up when he sang. His name was 'The Mighty Crooner'. One day he said to me, "Boy, Carnival coming and they would need calypsonians in the Tent, why don't you try and make a Calypso?" I told him, "Boy I doh know anything about Calypso." He told me to try. I was a very good bird catcher and because I could whistle like a bird, I used to catch bird without having to use a live bird. One day I went up in the country to catch birds. I used to catch Chickey Choung, and while I was catching birds, I decided to try and make a Calypso with whistle (Whistles). I made a tune, a tune about the bird catchers and I sang it. The tune made a hit, but after that I didn't know how to make another Calypso. It took me years to accomplish what I didn't know how to do before, but today I am a composer and a performer.
TRINISOCA: What do you think about the direction Calypso is going, do you think there is any difference between long ago and now?
CHICKEY CHONG: I do not think there is any difference, because the word is 'Calypso'. For instance, if you take a car and put Cortina behind it, it will be called a Cortina Car. If you take Calypso and put it behind the car it will be call a Calypso Car. The word is Calypso whether it is Calypso Soca or Chutney Calypso, as long as it has the word Calypso in it. Everybody has a different way in life. Nowadays people are more frustrated, so they put it out in song and rhythm and they make Chutney Soca or Calypso Soca with a tassa beat.
TRINISOCA: You said you will be doing a Chutney song today, is there anything else you have in the bag for later? Are you singing in any of the Tents?
CHICKEY CHONG: I will be singing in the Tent, but today I will be singing a Chutney song and it goes like this:
I didn't know Delma saltfish had so much bones
Da dat...da da dat
Otherwise I woulda tell she leave me alone
Da dat...pa pa dat
She tell meh to taste it, she eh know ah go like it
One day ah try it out and when ah reach home ah had to shout
Ohhhhhh mammy...ah saltfish bone chook meh
Ohhhhhh mammy...it hurting meh plenty
Whey it chook yeh?
In meh toe toe
It chook meh in mey big toe (whistles)
TRINISOCA: That is kaiso, thank you sir.
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