My name is Mike Ross and, for ten years and change, I've hosted the only all-local content rock radio show. We're heading for our 500th show. The show was actually Jean Ambrose's brainchild. But I will take credit for carrying it for ten years. I grew up catching guabine in St Anns River. The fish never lasted more than a couple' days, since we were feeding them bread. I think I spent every day of childhood down in that river. I played football on President's Grounds with Clayton Morris, who became the Strike Squad captain. Those days of a Caribbean upbringing are gone. TV and the computer and video games have us so Westernised. If you tell a kid today, "mango tree", he will answer you, "PS3.""
A friend had a heart attack the other day and the doctors told him straight: that was from your years of smoking. I really should stop. It's not a nice thing. You should try to realise what you would like to be at a young age. Academics, sports, music, whatever. And go for it. Don't wait until it's too late and live with regrets. Maybe I'm talking from self-experience. I'm in my own game now, but it took me a long while to get here. I might have accomplished more if I'd started at a younger age. There were two things I always wanted to be in life: a professional musician or a professional football player. I guess music was the backup plan because I didn't become the professional footballer. I guess my backup plan is another job that needs a backup plan, too, but I haven't found it out yet.
My first rock band was called Masque. We played two back-to-back gigs. And disbanded. Red Tears was my second band. I was in Babylon Pig and others. My last band is Astral Garden. I went to the original Dunross Prep in Long Circular Road. And then I kinda went to school at Trinity College, Moka. I started off doing very well but, from third form, Van Halen happened. And all scholastic stuff went out the window because I suddenly realised: I want to ROCK! I used to read a lot. A lot. And then I don't know what happened. Girls? I don't read much again. The other day, a friend brought me the Keith Richards autobiography from England. I thought I was going to really, really like it. I've read one chapter. I guess I've been TVed.
I never had kids. Not that I know of. I make the best of everything wherever I go. I grew up listening to Casey Kasem, American Top 40. I thought I was just listening to the music, but maybe I was listening to Casey Kasem as well, too. How he did his stuff. Years later, I'm sure a lot of that came back to me subliminally. I was managing an auto garage, working 18-hour days, people cussing you because the car late. One day I opened the papers and there was this big ad: Would You Like a Career in Radio Broadcasting? I looked at the ad and said, "Yeah, I want a career in radio broadcasting". I love all kinds of music but rock is my first love and Led Zeppelin is my all-time favourite band. My top five bands would be Zeppelin, [Black] Sabbath, Deep Purple, Rush and Aerosmith. Strangely enough, I never really drafted to the Stones and the Beatles.
An ideal evening for me would be a good gig, a great performance from your band. And then a little somebody to greet you as you come off the stage. Interviews with local rock bands started to get a little tiresome. Some of the artists got too playful on air and, instead of answering questions, were shouting, "Big up them boy and them down in Central!" So it's basically now just music. I choose all the music and play everything. I have over 400 local alternative music CDs. We know what the mainstream of Trinidad music is and they get enough airplay. These other people get no airplay whatsoever.
A couple years ago, we had an influx of music, a lot of bands and artists doing singles and albums but it's slowed down. I might get one new song every two-three months now. Three new pieces of music for a year is just not enough. In the early days, local rock music wasn't produced or recorded well, but we've got past that. Listen to Nigel Ferreira's album, to the last few albums by jointpop or Sky. The best thing about doing the show is I get to give back to the scene. It's the only avenue the bands have. There were a lot of people writing songs and recording simply to get them on my show. They call me the Godfather of Rock, in a kinda way.
The bad side is I'm not getting enough music continually. Most radio stations don't support rock and roll. So it remains kinda underground. If there were more shows like mine, people would be more encouraged to spend their money in recording studios. You release music because you want people to hear it. I think Trinidad is in a very, very strange place. Everybody's in a mad rush to get somewhere, and I don't know where they're going. But they're willing to lick you out of the way to get there. A Trini is a wholehearted, fun-loving individual who, most times, doesn't ask for much. Recently, I've had a love-hate relationship with Trinidad but deep down inside, Trinidad & Tobago will always be home to me.
Read a longer version of this feature at www.BCRaw.com
