Machel Montano plans to dissolve his band Xtatik. The high-energy performer made the revelation during an interview on Sunday night after his performance at Island People?s all-inclusive fete, Amnesia, at Pier I, Chaguaramas.
?Xtatik is always a part of me and I am inevitably linked to the band, but I?m working on gradually separating the two,? he said.
This is not the first time Montano has announced plans to part ways with the band.
In November 2000, while on the verge of securing an international recording label with Atlantic Records, he also announced plans to start a solo career.
However, he rejoined the band the following year after the deal with Atlantic failed to materialise.
Since his return, several founding members have left the band, citing a host of different reasons.
Former musical director Vincent Rivers, who now plays with the Bunji Garlin-led Asylum, said in 2001 that he left Xtatik because he did not agree with Montano?s musical vision.
On Sunday, Montano said he had reached a point in his career where he needed to do something different.
?I?m happy for Vincent and the rest of the guys at Asylum,? he said.
?I?m not threatened by Bunji and his band. Everyone has their time and this is theirs. I?m just happy to be still around after all these years.?
Montano said his collaborations with American rapper Doug E Fresh on the track Not Giving Up and soon-to-be-released work with Haiti-born Wyclef Jean were the first stages of his overall change.
?Doug E Fresh was in Trinidad for the Slick Rick concert and he came to me to do a soca track, and I had the song already laid out so I just included him,? he said with a smile.
?Wyclef, that is something else. He just called and said he wanted to do a couple tracks and we ended up doing three.?
Doug E Fresh just wrapped up work on a track with New York rapper Nas while Wyclef is said to be hard at work on his album.
Montano said he expected the tracks, which were scheduled for local release later this week, to be featured on Wyclef?s soon-to-be-released album.
?It?s not really jump and wave material,? he said.
?If you look at all my songs this year, I have not mentioned rags or flags or waving at all. I?m trying to get away from that.
?I know the fans expect me to come and wave and wine on stage.
?That?s me, I can?t get away from that. But what I can do is make sure my songs have positive messages so at the end of the day, when they sit down and listen, they can say, ?You know that song Not Giving Up or No War is a serious message from Machel.??
Montano said his change in mentality towards his music was the end result of a recent visit to Brazil.
?Man, I went to Brazil and saw those poor children on the streets,? he said.
?Young girls were selling their bodies on almost every corner and drugs was everywhere.
?I said then and there I have to make a difference and be much more positive, not only in my music but in the example I set in my lifestyle.?
