Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

Members of the band Chalice in 1990. - File photo

FOR OVER 10 years, Trevor Roper's gruff vocals and rhythmic riffs helped make Chalice one of the top acts in Jamaica. But 13 years after leaving this country for the United States, he says recording music is a thing of the past.

"I haven't been doing anything musical at all," said Roper last week in an interview with The Sunday Gleaner. "Sometimes I pick up my guitar, clean it, strum a few chords and put it back down."

Roper, now 53, has lived in the windy city of Chicago since early 1993. These days, he is into physical education, working with swimmers and clubs in his adopted home.

At the time of his chat with The Sunday Gleaner, Roper was heading to neighbouring Indiana for job-related business. Interestingly, the Wolmer's High School 'old boy' was employed at the Mona Rehabilitation Centre in St. Andrew when he was approached by Wayne Armond and Robi Peart to join a band called Chalice.

He said he and Armond were members of a band named Time which recorded one song during the late 1970s. Prior to Time, Roper had been in another band, Rotation, handling vocals and playing guitar.

Chalice hit the ground running in late 1980, going straight to number one on local charts with the ballad I Still Love You. Written by Armond, Roper said the song summed up the mood of the band.

"Chalice in the early days was beautiful, we pulled together as brethren," he said. "When we went on the road it wasn't just as a band, it was a brotherhood."

In addition to Armond (guitar, vocals), Peart (vocals) and Roper, Chalice's roster included experienced musicians like Irvin 'Allah' Lloyd (keyboards), Mikey Wallace (keyboards), drummer Desi Jones and bass player Keith Francis.

The members' influences were eclectic: from ska to roots-reggae and Top 40 rock.

That variety played out in their hit songs. Marie, I'm Trying and Stew Peas were hard-core reggae songs, while Good To Be There was a throwback to the roots anthems of the early 1970s.

I Still Love You, which stayed at number one for several weeks, was homage to the soft rock bands that emerged in the United States during the late 1970s.

For a time, Chalice seemed ready to take off overseas. They toured Europe frequently and were signed to the German record company, Ariola, which distributed one album by the group, Good To Be There.

The band had a big hit in the early 1990s with Pocomania Day (alongside Lovindeer) which featured Roper's distinctive vocals, but it turned out to be their swan song.

Roper says he has visited Jamaica three times since he moved permanently to Chicago. Once was in 1999 when he attended Wallace's funeral; the keyboardist was murdered at his home in July that year.

He said last year he was approached by Armond to appear on a Chalice 25th anniversary show, but he declined. Although he has fond memories of his time with the band, Roper said Chalice self-destructed.

"The only thing that stopped Chalice was Chalice. Everything was cool until the band started moving to different drummers," he said.