Steelband music was, from its early days, synonymous with Trinidad Carnival.

The “town” bands were fiercely territorial; some had grown out of criminal gangs, and they defended their turf with passion. On Carnival Monday and Tuesday, flagmen cleared the road in front of the processing bands, setting limits: here but no further! If two flags claimed the same corner, it was war. When bands met on the city streets, their clashes were notoriously bloody.
The Woodbrook bands were less warlike, but for many years they could not pass the intersection of Park Street and
St Vincent Street — “Green Corner” — to enter downtown Port of Spain during Carnival. In 1957, lives were lost in a steelband clash outside the General Hospital on Charlotte Street. The authorities considered banning steelbands altogether, but, since that had been tried unsuccessfully before, it was decided instead to channel their rivalry entirely into the music.

The result was the creation of the annual steelband competition, Panorama. It offered prize money and prestige, and largely succeeded in pacifying the warriors. (Whether it has benefited the music is a matter for critics to argue. Certain technical advances are obvious, but we will never know what direction the music would have taken if left to its own devices.)
Holman was only 17 years old when he composed and arranged Invaders’ tune for the very first Panorama competition in 1961. Ray’s Saga was the first ever “own tune”, or specially composed piece of music, to be played at the event.

Like Jit Samaroo with the Renegades Steel Orchestra, Holman was a tender youth directing “hardback” men who were also seasoned musicians. He saw this as a special honour; but the fact is that, in the pan movement, the music rules — the nuance of tone, the turn of a phrase, the perfection of rhythm and harmony, are all that matter. Musical skill is respected above all else, and Holman’s lack of years was not a disadvantage.
In 1963 he left the Invaders to join Starlift, and during the 11 years he spent with this steelband he solidified his reputation as a composer and arranger. Starlift placed third in the 1964 Panorama, playing a Sparrow tune, Bullpistle Gang; then, five years later, took the coveted crown, winning the 1969 title with Kitchener’s song The Bull. Sparrow’s Queen of the Bands helped them tie for first place again in 1971. By the age of 27, Holman already had two winning Panorama arrangements to his name. But it was at the 1972 Panorama that Holman added daring to his combination of talent and hard work, earning himself a major place in the history of pan.

Starlift went to Panorama that year not with a calypso of the season, as was customary, but with the specially composed tune Pan on the Move. Uproar ensued when Holman once again brought an “own tune”; there were threats, abuse, formal protests. But, as he points out, this all happened only after the band had won the north zone finals and placed third in the national competition. And it was the calypsonians, not rival panmen, who complained. They wanted more exposure for their own music, and felt threatened by Holman’s pan composition.
Pan on the Move was followed in 1973 by Pan on the Run a tune inspired by a rare clash between Starlift and Invaders in Carlos Street during the 1972 Carnival season. Later it was recorded by the Chaconia Singers. “It was advantage, / They went on a rampage,” the lyrics (by calypsonian Merchant) went. “It was pan on the run, / Every man and woman, / It was pan on the move.” [BACK] [MORE]