The band KRASH

At Fatima College, Dax and Vincent liked “to jam out” and would help out with shows in school as individual musicians, coming together with Philip as vocalist to play for graduation 2003. “We got drums at this time and that was our beginning.”

Lead guitarist, Dax and Vincent on drums practised their music at an establishment in St James. With a great love of music and perseverance they finally acquired instruments by Form Six and Rhys came on board as bass guitarist. After A-level exams, free of all that stress, they started to focus on the music and Trinity College students, Chris joined the band as lead singer, and Phillipe Ramos, who has since left, as back-up vocalist and on rhythm guitar.

There was a time when “we had no instruments, no name, no back-up singer or rhythm guitarist and not one original song under our belts. We had nothing and were just like there in the middle of nowhere,” said Dax. He made it clear that “there is no leader in the band we all have a mutual interest and put our heads together, agree on things and disagree on others.”

Philip Cartar, a Form Five student and violinist from age six, quickly learned the guitar and replaced the original rhythm guitarist/back-up vocalist, and “the band really started to take shape,” said Dax, himself a piano player from age nine, so that learning the guitar was “like a walk through.” Vincent, on the other hand, started off practising drums “caveman style, before hooking up with Dax I would mimic beats on the desk.”

By this time they rented a professional band room in Stanmore Avenue “as often as we could and started focusing,” and now proudly boasts of eight originals, compared to two back then. The band plays old school rock from the 80s and early 90s, and other people’s music like Linkin Park, and have written more Rock n Roll tunes.

In 2005, Dax, Chris and Rhys were badly injured in a car crash on Mucurapo Road and it was out of that experience that the band was named “KRASH.” They young men have actually written a song “Ward 21”, which is where they woke up after the accident. The band, however, was ready for this year’s gigs, the first of which was on April 18 at Chancellor Hotel in St Ann’s where the very young group was well received and says: “Surprisingly we were an unknown band and people were cheering us on at Chancellor where a series of bands played.”

Band practices now take place at the Cartars’ home in Westmoorings in their late father’s office. “We play softly not to disturb my Mom,” says Philip, who recently took a break from the band to complete his CXC exams. And, although Dax has been a good guitar teacher to his younger brother, they are thinking of using the violin in some of their songs, while Philip teaches the instrument to keep his hands in.

KRASH looks forward to going international. “That will be a dream come true to be with the big dogs.”

Yet, if the opportunity presents itself they would all like to study music, but meanwhile some of them have day jobs, as well as practise in the evenings for the upcoming September 2 International Bands festival at Pier 1 where they are one of 22 local bands who will perform.

The band’s first release “Subway” has gotten a lot of local airplay, and as I listened to it in the band house, I was surprised that it was understandable music, unlike some of what passes for music nowadays.

The band, says the happy group of friends, is managing fine for the time being and has even co-opted the Cartar’s younger sister, Marie, when a lead singer was needed for the Church Fest.

KRASH is Lloyd Cartar’s legacy as it was his influence which led to the three Cartar children’s deep interest in music. Already terminally ill with stomach cancer, Dax remembers that his father visited them daily in the hospital, so that is was harder to accept his death three or four months later when, “I was the one who was most likely going to peg out.”