Like his name implies, Wanderer has traversed calypso's terrain for the past 53 years.Born in San Fernando, the diminutive bard, real name Peter Herbert, has been knocking on the doors for wider recognition in the art form for half a century and believes his latest single–Baby Grant–shall reap him success and that recognition he so richly deserves and wants.
"I feel that calypso is dying in this land of its birth," said Wanderer. "I believe that the art form is already in the grave and now it's just for the grave diggers to shovel in the dirt on top of it."Imagine in 'the land of calypso', with 35 radio stations, just two play calypso. This year, calypso fell flat. There were no sweet melodies and no more proper rhyming or proper construction of lyrics.
"The young singers no longer rhyme, not to mention cannot render calypsoes. It's only old stagers like myself and Black Stalin who still maintain the craft of this art form, and continue to do important things like proper stage craft."In 1984, Wanderer released the single Prematee with the late Ras Shorty I. Today this song has a high listenership of YouTube.
"Shorty and I worked together for 15 years," said Wanderer. "And he wrote many of my songs. It was Shorty who hired Baron and I at the OYB in 1971; Baron for his voice and me for my humour.
"There is a significant shortage of good humour in calypso. I believe that props are a part of a good humorous calypso. There are few calypsoes that Trinis would accept without props. The few calypsonians who can pull off a good humorous calypso without a prop are Cypher, Brigo, Funny, Trinidad Rio and Bunny B. There are also too many lyrics and lines in the songs composed now. The more unusual your topic is, you stand a better chance of capturing an audience."
Baby Grant is a take-off on the launch of the baby grant by the Government."This is the first time I am singing a calypso like this without calling anybody's name in it, I don't see poor people benefitting. The beneficiaries of anything from this Government are those people who already have money and who are rich."