Square One (band)

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Square One
Origin Barbados
Genres Soca
Years active 1996–2005, 2010–present
Labels Ice, I-Man/Gator
Past members Anderson Armstrong
Cecil Riley
Paul Slater
George Jones
Winston Beckles
Alison Hinds
Terry Arthur
Keanne Walters

Square One are a Barbadian soca band, formed in December 1986. They continued until 2005, splitting up after singer Alison Hinds left the group. They re-formed in 2010.

History

The band was formed in 1986 by Anderson "Youngblood" Armstrong (vocals), Cecil "O Shaka" Riley (vocals), Paul Slater (bass guitar), George Jones (keyboards), and Winston Beckles (drums).[1] Armstrong had begun performing in local calypso competitions in 1983, and was the youngest finalist in the Pic-O-De-Crop Calypso Monarch competition.[1] Alison Hinds joined as co-vocalist in 1987, and the band took the name Square One that year.[1] Their début album, Eat Drink and Be Merry, was released in 1988, and they were named 'Hotel Band of the Year' by the Musicians & Entertainers Guild of Barbados the same year, winning it again in the following two years.[1] In 1990 they were joined by keyboardist Terry Arthur, and toured Europe for the first time. They built an international fanbase, with Hinds singing in French, Portuguese and Caribbean Patois.[2] They were signed to Eddy Grant's Ice Records, releasing Special in 1992.[1] Square one became the first representatives from Barbados as the Caribbean Music Awards at the Harlem Apollo in 1993.[1] After a further album, Square Roots, they parted ways with Ice Records in 1995. Their next album 4 Sides spawned the hit single "Raggamuffin", which topped the charts in Guatemala for 49 weeks,[3] and further hits followed with the Sweetness album and "Aye Aye Aye", "Turn it Around", "Ju Ju", and Sugar (Sweet)".[1] They also won the Road March competition at the Barbados Crop Over in 1997 with "In the Meantime".[1] Their 1998 single "DJ Ride" tooped St. Lucia's Radio Caribbean chart for four weeks, only knocked off the top spot by the band's next single, "Faluma".[1] They also had a number-one hit in Barbados with "Bandit Dance", and had several hits in Trinidad and Tobago.[1] In 1999 they won a Sunshine Award for 'Best Group Recording' ("Kitty Kat").[4] The band performed at the Negril Getaway festival in 2002.[5]

Hinds left the band in 2004 after her daughter was born, having first taking a break in 2003 with Keanne Walters taking her place, but has since enjoyed a successful solo career.[6][7]

Square One split up in 2005 but reformed in 2010, headlining the 'Soca On De Hill' festival in 2010.[8] Anderson won the Party Monarch title in 2010 with his song "Foot On Fire".[9]

Discography

  • Eat Drink and Be Merry(1988)
  • Special (1992), Ice
  • Square Roots (1993), Ice
  • 4 Sides (1996)
  • Sweetness (1997), Square One
  • In Full Bloom (1998), I-Man/Gator
  • Fast Forward (1999), I-Man/Gator
  • Champion (2001), Square One
  • Higher Heights (2001), Musicrama/Koch
Compilations
  • Square One, A3
  • Missing Files Collections (2001)

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Thompson, Dave (2002) Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6, p. 275-6
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Lynne M. (2000) Adventure Guide to Barbados, Hunter Publishing, ISBN 978-1-55650-910-0, p. 12
  3. ↑ Collinder, Avia (2007) "Alison Hinds - Soca Mama", Jamaica Gleaner, 15 July 2007, retrieved 2010-10-30
  4. ↑ Oumano, Elena (1999) "Caribbean Acts Aim For Exposure Beyond 'Carnival Season'", Billboard, 11 December 1999, p. 11, retrieved 2010-10-30
  5. ↑ Chaos (2002) "'Di wata' ran at Negril Getaway", Jamaica Gleaner, retrieved 2010-10-30
  6. ↑ Pareles, Jon (2008) "Happiness Abounds, With Extra for the Ladies", New York Times, 27 August 2008, retrieved 2010-10-30
  7. ↑ "Soca star says farewell", BBC, 13 December 2004, retrieved 2010-10-30
  8. ↑ Springer, Michelle (2010) "Back to square one", NATIONNews.com, 24 July 2010, retrieved 2010-10-30
  9. ↑ Henry, Anesta (2010) "A footnote about fame", nationnews.com, 29 July 2010, retrieved 2010-10-30
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