Ottley Hodge reiterates he did not influence scoring of Road March
Speaking exclusively to Virgin Islands News Online, Mr Hodge said for the two years that he has been part of the Parade Committee he had requested that he had nothing to do with the category of Road March bands since he had anticipated since then that persons would think he cheated for Showtime if it won.
Showtime band was declared the 2011 Road March Champions with the hit song ‘Buns of Steel’ and made it a sixth consecutive title this year with the song ‘Exercise’.
“I just want the people to know that I in no way had anything to do with road march. I have been on the committee for two years now. The first year I went on I was vice-chairman and I requested to them that I wanted nothing to do with it and it was the same thing again this year.”
Mr Hodge added that all I knew during the planning stages was the categories of scoring to be done.
“I didn’t know nothing else and I didn’t do nothing else. The only time I saw the scores was after the board, MB (Marvin Blyden) and his crew, saw the scores and called me in to see them. I did not want to be a part of it because I didn’t want people to feel that I cheated for Showtime. I don’t believe in those kinds of things. I don’t believe in cheating and I don’t believe I had to cheat. I believe in competition, I believe in fair competition, I love competition,” Mr Hodge emphasised.
The Showtime band Manager noted that anyone is free to ask any committee member whether he interfered with the judging of Road March.
It was noted by Mr Hodge too that there were even some persons in the Showtime camp who had accused him of cheating.
Since in August, Mr Hodge had commented on the issue of conflict of interest which arose as a result of his position in the band and on the Parade Committee. He had said he took the role of Chair as a result of his love for music, his country and the festival in general. He added that he saw the role as a challenge and took it up after he was recommended for the post. There was no campaigning on his part, he noted.
Any issue of conflict he suggested was a matter of perspective, simply because he has faith in himself to be impartial and a fair judge.
As it is, Showtime band recently experienced a loss of three of its members who have parted company to form their own band ‘VI Showtime’.
The three members who have left the group are reportedly a keyboard player and two singers, including lead singer Mr Raul Sprauve.
Mr Hodge has vowed, however, that the original Showtime band will continue to exist “whether we have to make changes or not, the band will continue because we love our music and we love providing music for our people them.”
Showtime band has performed many times on the international stage including in Atlanta, Miami, Nevis, Anguilla and USVI.
In August of this year the band again scored big when it made the Virgin Islands proud by capturing the award for ‘Best Overall Soca Band of the Year’ at the International Soca Award Show held in New York City. The band competed with last year’s album, "The Journey", for the title alongside Machel Montano (T&T), Respeck Band (St. Maarten), Kes The Band (T&T), Krosfyah (Barbados) and Small Axe Band (St. Kitts).
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29 Responses to “Ottley Hodge reiterates he did not influence scoring of Road March”
I never said I went to the jam. a jam rampack of kids means nothing much, same old bullshit, no real music.