What is happening at Ice?

EDDY

The Post Master General on behalf of the The Government and People of Guyana, have decided to release FOUR STAMPS featuring Eddy Grant and Ringbang, the Philosophy, Music and Brand he has conceptualised. Three of the stamps are commemmorative and one perpetual. So that the occasion will be well marked, the launching has been postponed until the end of February when it is hoped that all the invitees and dignitaries will be in a position to attend without having to compromise their various diaries. The event is to be held in Georgetown, Guyana, at a place of gathering called the Umanayana, the construction of which is Amerindian in design and looks like a very large thatched roof that extends almost to the ground, a very luxurious native Gazebo, Guyanese through and through and a fitting place for such an occasion honouring a true son of the soil.

It would be the first time in Guyana's history that such an issue would have been made. Certainly the only time that Guyana would have honoured one of its own, who has not held the position of President of the Republic. Guyana like most other countries, have been reticent in issuing non-commemorative stamps of its heroes until their demise. But, in Eddy's case, he has been made the exception to the rule in his homeland. He has carried proverbially, the flag and people of Guyana on his back with great distinction as an Artist, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Businessman and human being for almost forty years, at the top of one of the most competitive businesses in the world, that of Entertainment.

It is hoped that the event will be videotaped (Eddy tries to have videotaped most of the important events for his substantial archive) and excerpts from it shown on this website, along with singular moments captured with stillframe photography.

All Eddy Grant friends and Fans wishing to secure these stamps should keep an eye open for an announcement regarding their imminent sale on eddygrant.com and icerecords.com

Ringbang For Life......................

The Ringbang Foundation:

For the fourth year Eddy's Ringbang Foundation held its annual Christmas Party for the Children of Guyana. Each year it is hoped that it will get larger and larger until hopefully it will spread across the entire Caribbean and one day the WORLD.

This year we were fortunate to have Eddy present...no not playing Santa Claus, but just hanging around with the kids and eating lots of Good Guyanese Food. He had just returned to Guyana having been to Brazil and Surinam (Dutch Guyana) where he has a number of close friends. It was nice just seeing him be one of the crowd for a change without the pressure of being on show. You cannot imagine how the kids enjoyed getting up on the stage and singing and dancing for him. Who knows maybe one day the next "Eddy Grant" will surface from amongst this, or one of these groups, who are being supported both spiritually and materially by the Ringbang Foundation. Eddy always says that Ringbang is not about him, but about each and every person and how they see themselves, their value to themselves their community and to the Natural World.

Ringbang For Life...........

Gabby

Gabby, now that he has been designated Cultural Envoy of Barbados (Mind you, the people call him the Cultural Ambassador and the Culture Minister and I suppose he therefore must be all of them) seems to spend most of his time teaching youngsters how to write, sing and perform his

beloved Calypsos and Caribbean Folk Songs. This last year he has not spent much time in the Studio but out on the live stage where everyone knows Gabby is a Master Craftsman. It could not have been much fun losing the Master recording, due to failure in a digital Hard Drive, of his song

"England And America", a controversial piece about the war in Iraq; maybe one day he'll rerecord it for us. It really was very good though, as anyone who caught him singing it in the Crop-Over Tent would testify.

VIKING:

Lately it seems that Viking Tundah has been spending a lot of time in the Bluewave Recording Studio. No, not as the engineer on one of the Ice Records Artists recordings, but alas on a New Album would you believe. He seems to have relegated E.G to the position of Executive Producer

while he seeks to cut his chops as Producer, and why not? We're all awaiting his grand debut and we all wish him well. Go Vikes Go.

Ringbang For Life.........................