This thing with ‘VI Showtime’ will go to court if it has to- Ottley Hodge
Speaking exclusively to Virgin Islands News Online, Mr Hodge said he had no issues with persons moving on from the popular band but that it was disrespectful for them to now identify themselves as Showtime.
Mr Hodge was referring to the newly formed ‘VI Showtime’, which is headed by former lead singer Raul ‘Juggo’ Sprauve.
“This thing with ‘VI Showtime’, it will go to court if it has to because I am not going to let it go down like that. I will not rest like that... I can’t open a ‘VI Harney and Riegels’, maybe I can but it is not right to do. That is utter bull and should not have been allowed but for them to get up and do something like that shows that it was about power and them thinking they were Showtime. That is the highest disrespect to anybody, not only to me but anybody else.”
Hodge said band members have come and go and he was cognisant that changes happen and so he had no qualms if members felt the only alternative was to leave the band even though persons never approached him on issues they had but for them to turn around and try to duplicate Showtime band was wrong. “If you wanted to do your own thing why didn’t you use your own name? Why did you have to go and use Showtime? Because you feel that is what you are? It wasn’t you alone, there were people who came and went. You saying that you and them guys is Showtime and me and ‘Boss’ [Eustace Freeman] is nobody?”
Mr Hodge believes that the issue amounts to much ungratefulness too as he had welcomed some of those now ex-band memberss into the band when other bands had rejected him and now the same people felt that they needed to take the business from under him. He noted too that it was himself and a friend who had started the band.
“Guys were begging me to give them a chance because other bands had rejected them. I am not a dictator, I have never been a dictator and I will never be a dictator. I had everybody involved in everything that was going on so that we could have a unit...When you have people who been a part of certain things for so long and now trying to thief your business under you is a problem,” Hodge said.
The band manager was not optimistic that there would be a re-uniting although the band had faced such problems in the past but were able to resolve and re-unite.
He also said he was still unclear as to what were the real issues that resulted in the three persons leaving the band since he has heard different things being said but no one had approached him about any. He said he did try to find out but was told there was no problem and now feels certain persons were only looking for excuses to leave.
About the many Showtime fans, Mr Hodge said they are very upset and understandably so. “I fully agree with them. I am ashamed and appalled by the whole thing because we don’t have national pride, we as BVIslanders don’t have national pride because you going to let a little stupid thing [cause the band to split]...well I don’t know what is the reason because so much things I have been hearing that I don’t even know what the issue really is.
Hodge noted that he had issues too but he always put them aside because of national pride. “Because I love my country and I love representing my country.
He vowed 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.”
The three members who have parted ways with Showtime band are reportedly a keyboard player and two singers, including Mr Sprauve.
Sprauve declined to comment when contacted by this news site.
79 Responses to “This thing with ‘VI Showtime’ will go to court if it has to- Ottley Hodge”
Jam Band did the same thing when members left and called the band "Awesome Jam Band".
Go to court, you will waste your money!
Birds of a feather flock together thats why one in the pen for taking up what don't belong to them.
To question and for all who wants to know. ROAD MARCH MONEY was a problem yea MONEY was a problem cause J****O and MAC****Y took road march money in the past and didnt even inform the band Thats why boss leave the band a couple years ago. Playing for Anastacy dancers jugo people troupe and not paying the band member was an other issue complimence JUGO. Mr hodge Ownes showtime and showtime hd so why would he take hiself to court??
Right about now Ottley i would always be a fan of show time, j...... need to stop spending his other half family money and seek his own............................when people put u up, hes such a senseless greedy bastard of a little boy.
Show time is our band for life, vi show time jokes have a sit please try to beg for vans. i sure wouldnt care to listen with wicked people like you. Grow up look how u trying to bad talk Show time band and have Ottley in it, dude i thought better of u and renrick if thats how to spell his name, what his need to worry about claiming his daughter since shes all grown up and looking like his side of the family and not lol. check yourself now, mine your business and stop mining others because ur back yard need cleaning
i was in showtime band and i stay around them...the problem is J.... and his little click the click that leave the band roger ,macdady and the accountant kerry. Roger was j..... scape goat for all his wrong doing and when the rest of the band realise it they decided to fire roger but j.... told roger and roger resigned before he was fired. smudge, kushung, ottley, glen, boss, hassey, and even ramon (who is j..... brother) know and said j...... wrong for alot he been doing and full of it!
1. R.... take band money claim it lost,
2.m...... and j...teke road march money,
3. k.... never wants to give account for the bands money.
boss is extremely smart and once he recognize the wrong doings and mentions it in meetings or waever it turns personal ..people i was their and always going be a showtime fan but i am happy those guys leaving so now they could go at each other to see who could th.ef the most.
really wonder how they does get road march but then again......