One of dancehall's most exciting formats - the sound clash - is in serious trouble, according to the former selector and owner of Bass Odyssey, Keith Walford. He compared the sound clash to a critically ill patient with a fading pulse, hooked up to life-saving machines, and in need of new medicine to keep him alive. He thinks the new Guinness Sounds of Greatness treatment will save the sound clash.

Walford's Bass Odyssey and seven other sound systems - Area Code, Black Kat, Bodyguard, Firesounds, Pieces, Rebel T, and Swatch International - are part of the Guinness Sounds of Greatness effort to redefine and re-energise the sound clash. Area Code and Firesounds were eliminated by Black Kat and Rebel T, respectively, in the first playoffs. Last weekend's clashes in Cambridge, St James featured Bass Odyssey against Bodyguard and Pieces up against Swatch International, with Pieces and Bodyguard taking the titles in their respective matches.

But the comments are not a 'sour grapes' effect, as the Bass Odyssey boss isn't the only sound system operator who feels the sound clash is in trouble. Lloyd Young, owner of Pieces, who went on to win the other match, and Courtney Singh, owner of Bodyguard, said the sound clash had seen better days, but they disagreed with Walford over the severity of the problem. They do not speak of imminent death for the sound clash, but they think its main malady, lewdness in the music and the banter, is revolting.

Singh feels the obscenity is overwhelming. "One of the reasons why I took a backseat in the music business was the profanity and the slackness."

And before anyone starts accusing Singh, or the other owners who used to be selectors, of hypocrisy, they admitted quickly that they too contributed to lewdness in the dancehall, in general, and in the sound clash, in particular.
Young confessed, "Back in the day, [I was] just as guilty. I had to play [clash with] Kilamanjaro; to play him you had to stoop to that level." But just as quickly as they took responsibility, the owners gave a caveat: they used colourful language in good fun, they said, but nowadays "it's too personal; too outrageous".

Despite their concern about the turn the sound clash has taken, Walford, Singh, and Young still spend big bucks to enter sound clashes in Jamaica and around the world (Walford's Bass Odyssey are defending UK Cup Clash champions). They stay in the sound clash business because they love it and because it makes sense. "We have to do it because of our supporters," said Walford. The audience loves clashes and the title Champion Sound is priceless. It is the dancehall equivalent of a World Athletic Championship gold medal.

The Guinness Sounds of Greatness champion sound title will mean that bit more to the owners because it is more than a competition, but a mission to improve the image of something they still believe in and want to share proudly with the next generation of dancehall pundits. Guinness is putting a premium on creativity and positive music, and any endorsement of violence or anything profane will not be allowed.

Each sound system wants to be the first to win the Guinness Sounds of Greatness title. The owners and selectors believe it will be a turning point in the dancehall. Not one expletive was heard at the first play-offs two weeks ago in Portmore, St Catherine, and the five thousand people who attended did not miss that kind of language.

It means a lot to beat an idol. It means more when the reward includes the Guinness Sounds of Greatness national sound clash title, trophy, and a share of J$1.5 million.

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