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DARA E HEALY
Leggo meh Lion
Lion Oh
Ah went up Caura
Ah went San Fernando
Went Penal Junction
Went Siparia
And they want to kill meh
Met Joe Pringay
Aye Lion Oh
Lion Oh
–­ Extract, Lion Oh – Hell Yard Steelband and Roaring Lion, 1940
YOU CAN hear the rawness of the pan in the 1940 recording of Lion Oh by calypsonian Roaring Lion with the Hell Yard Steelband. A note on the video says that two biscuit tins were included, as well as a bottle and spoon. Recorded by Decca Records, this is said to be the earliest known recording of the steelpan. Eighty-five years later, the recording of pan is now a sophisticated and meticulous art form.
As we envisage more visibility and recognition for our national instrument, how important is it to continue refining the techniques for recording our pan? And, as technology allows such recordings to be more impactful, who will benefit from the proceeds of these works?
In the 1990s, Katsunari Imai (Kats), researcher and record producer, was living in the US. Through his connections in the music industry, he regularly interacted with Clive Bradley. Not surprisingly, Kats was soon captivated by pan. He purchased a VHS of pan music but was very disappointed as the quality on the tape was nothing like the live music he had heard. Today, Kats is recognised locally not only as a dedicated fan of pan music, but as a respectful researcher and recorder of the instrument.
For Kats, ensuring excellent sound quality is not just about the listening pleasure of audiences. There are the very real considerations of intellectual property rights and remuneration for everyone involved. This includes the executive producers of the event, the performers and the record label which would manage distribution of the music and collection of royalties.
But as he explains, earning revenue from streaming and other online sources is complicated. The income for each song or piece of music is usually very small, so artists need to generate literally millions of views or downloads before any significant sums are earned. Additionally, there are restrictions on artists from TT being able to monetise their creative output on international platforms.
Kats is currently in discussions with industry stakeholders to implement a programme that will explore solutions that are fair, transparent and ultimately profitable for all parties.
Notably, sound quality was important even in the early days of the pan. Errol Hill quotes famed tuner Anthony Williams talking about the need to standardise tuning methods. “I noticed that some notes have a better sound than others. I realised that a balance formation is necessary in order to get one clear note throughout. Every pan tuner knows that it is very difficult to tune a pan in ‘piano formation,’ that is running B next to C and C next to C sharp, etc.”
Williams was talking about another critical aspect of developing the right sound, that is, creating a sound based on our own standards and not criteria grounded in European or Western theories of music.
It is also essential to address the rather illogical system of accreditation that currently exists. The issues that I have raised concerning theatrical performances in a public space are also relevant to pan.
If a media house says that they are recording for news or archival purposes, how is this monitored? And with commercial entities, how are the rights of the artists protected? Will the fee that is negotiated cover professional recordings that can then be sold anywhere in the world? Are there limits placed on merchandising and other downstream forms of commercialisation?
These and other questions are still unanswered, even internationally. It is therefore essential that artists come together and demand answers. In 1939, Roaring Lion was a founding member of the Trinidad Calypso and Musicians Advertising Association, which also managed one of the main tents at the time. As international focus on our calypso and pan grew, artists recognised they needed to work together to protect their interests.
2025 is a much more complicated time, with universities and pan associations across the world studying, teaching and tweaking the pan. So, as we get stronger, our vulnerability intensifies. We need to safeguard the sweet sound of our pan to honour the sacrifices of the elders and for the generations of young people now rightfully claiming this instrument as their own.
Dara E Healy is a performing artist and founder of the Idakeda Group, a cultural organisation dedicated to empowering communities through the arts
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