Chuck Fenda

Since last Friday afternoon, when the entertainment community was jolted by news out of the Fifth Element recording label camp via a press release announcing that label-founding artiste Chuck Fenda was to be dropped, Chuck Fenda insists that he has yet to be officially informed of the planned action.

"I don't know anything; I heard it on the radio on Friday and see it in the papers, but up to now nobody has come to me or called me to tell me anything like that," a confused-sounding Fenda told the Observer earlier this week.

"We had a little disagreement in a meeting over some management issues, but nobody has said anything to me since," Chuck Fenda added, glossing over details of the real dispute.

Spanner Banner

But while Fenda, who was the first major artiste to sign with Fifth Element, thereby launching the label as a major contender in the local music business, professes ignorance, the officials at Fifth Element maintain that there is no ambiguity about the situation.

"There was a disagreement between Chuck Fenda and the management team. He was called to a meeting, which I understand ended prematurely, and following that the decision to drop him was taken by the label executives," Fifth Element road manager David Smith told the Observer yesterday.

"But the issues surrounding this dismissal did not arise solely in that meeting. There have been ongoing problems between management and the artiste over time, and even though Chuck Fenda is still a chart-topper, there was no resolution to the many issues in sight and we had to let him go," Smith added.

When contacted by the Observer, Chuck Fenda insisted that there was no bad blood between the various parties, and even explicitly tried to pre-emptively quash rumours of jealousy and infighting between the artistes on the label.

"Everything copasetic with me and Richie Spice, me and Anthony Cruz, me and Spanner Banner. We are like family, and I still see them every day, we still talk, we still voice riddims same way," Fenda said. It's not business as usual with the executives, though.

"We are very sorry that it came to this on both sides, but if people cannot settle working differences, then there has to be a separation. We are sad, in certain respects to see him go, after all, he still is a top artiste with a career ahead of him. It was good working with Chuck Fenda for the past few years, and we wish him the best on any future endeavours.

"Fifth Element will continue to make household music, environmentally friendly music, music the whole family can share and listen to, and with our remaining slate of artistes, Richie Spice, Anthony Cruz and now Spanner Banner, we will continue the work we've been doing," Smith told the Observer.

As the Fifth Element family tries to sort out its well-publicised spat with Chuck Fenda, a quieter, more gradual development has started to take place.

Singer Spanner Banner, who scored several hits in the late 1990s, has worked his way into the label's inner circle and is currently preparing to make his entry into the label official.

"I recently got back from the Fifth Element 'Elements of Righteousness' six-week US tour, and so far the reception I get as a part of the label has been good," Spanner Banner, whose real name is Joseph Bonner, told the Observer earlier this week. But the tour was just an extension of Banner's gradual public debut with the label, as, since last year, he's been performing cameos on major stage shows like East Fest, Sting and Rebel Salute.

Truth be told, Spanner Banner is no complete stranger to the group - his brother, Richie Spice, for the past year has been the virtual crown jewel for Fifth Element, which also represents Fenda and crooner Anthony Cruz. Last year, Richie Spice virtually dominated the reggae charts locally and abroad, raking in big bucks and a spotlight of recognition for number one hits Earth a Run Red, Marijuana and Grooving My Girl, all off his Spice in Your Life album.

Spanner Banner is no stranger to the Jamaican music scene either. Not only does he come from a family that has produced three independently famous singers, (he falls in the middle between Everton 'Pliers' Bonner of Chaka Demus and Pliers fame and Richell 'Richie Spice' Bonner) but also, he may very well be the artiste on the label that's been in the business the longest.

"My first hit came in 1989 - Life Goes On - and that created a hype for me here in Jamaica. That told Jamaica who I was, and I kept writing songs and recording, and not long after that, I signed with Island Records and released the album Chill," Spanner

Banner, who was born and raised in Rock Hall, St Andrew recalls.

Chill, which featured singles like the very popular Michelle and Universal Love, a combination with Tony Rebel, did well on the reggae circuit - particularly overseas, prompting Spanner Banner to migrate in search of better opportunities.
He moved to England, established his own label Sweet Angel Productions, and even boasted of a mild-to-moderate hit, a combination with Sean Paul called Ladies Man of which he was also executive producer.

Most recently, Spanner Banner was working with an all-girl Indian pop group called Freedom Angels, writing and composing songs for both himself and for the group.

Somehow, explained the singer, all that wasn't enough. So when his brother Richie Spice began calling him, extolling the virtues of his new label in 2003, it was only a matter of time before Banner started packing.

"Well, this is my birthplace, family is here and really, Jamaica is where you really get the vibes for music. Yeah, Richie always tell me to come, and I'm glad I did, because so far the people's response to me has been overwhelming," said Spanner Banner, who like his brother sports dreadlocks and a humble, reserved disposition.

Since his re-entry to the local music scene, Spanner Banner has been generating interest on the music charts, and no doubt there is more to come. Right now, his single, the remix of Life Goes On is currently receiving high rotation on radio stations, and the music video has just been released by director Big Daddy. Bright Fire on the Hard Drugs rhythm, She Makes Me Hot, a combination with Anthony B and Rise Again are also singles from his upcoming album now generating attention.

According to Fifth Element executives, the official signing will happen any day now, and for Spanner Banner, the opportunity to reinvigorate his career has left him very hopeful.

"Lots of things in store, lots. Look out for the album, we don't know when,, but it's gonna drop this year," he advised.

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