Anslem Douglas
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Anslem Douglas

Whitby, Ontario, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 1988 | INDIE

Whitby, Ontario, Canada | INDIE
Established on Jan, 1988
Solo R&B World

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Anslem Douglas gears up for Carnival 2013 with ‘Bacchanal’"

‘BACCHANAL’ – Carnival 2013 hit released by soca artiste Anslem Douglas is slowly building momentum in this year’s Carnival.

The soca number features TT’s national instrument, the steelpan and the hype of the ‘bacchanal’ in a ‘trini’ carnival season.

Douglas is prepared to take it to the stage of the Play Whe International Power Soca Monarch Semi-Finals on January 20.

He has released two songs this year: ‘Bacchanal’ and ‘Do you think he will understand’ – written and produced by Carlton Roberts.

Speaking with TTnewsflash, Douglas, who resides in Canada, said he is hoping to perform on stage in the finals on Fantastic Friday, “I am hoping to be on the stage of Soca Monarch on the final night, both in power and groovy. Other than that, my plan for the season is to once again engage the soca audience with some high energy music and some laid back soca to dance”.

On a more serious note, when asked about his take on soca ‘seemingly’ overpowering the calypso art form, Douglas replied: “I think soca is doing what it is doing and calypso is doing her thing, however we need to pay more attention to the tree from which all these new music is being born. Kill the tree and the fruit of the tree will also die”.

When asked what he thought about ‘rum lyrics’ being injected into soca music – a trend which is very frequently heard in chutney music, Douglas said: “Look, the reality is the more things change is the more they remain the same. Sparrow sang ‘drunk and disorderly’, so it is nothing strange to sing about what we do. We, as West Indians drink rum and we ‘whine’ in fetes, so we sing about that too. I think as Trinis we could be a bit hypocritical at times, that’s why I say we wear a mask all year; it is carnival when we show our true selves. Carnival is not mas, it is self revealing, the rest of the year is when we put on our mask and do the acting”.

Out if the carnival season, Douglas is also busy recording other styles of music, along with doing music for the pan and performing in countries around the globe, “I do not have any tours planned at the moment but my handlers in Toronto are working on tours and performances for the future. I would also like to take this opportunity, to thank all my friends and fans for their continued support over the years. God is good all the time”.

Douglas first became interested in music watching folk performers at the local community center in his native village of La Romaine. He was also influenced by his older sister, who was a writer and a poet.

Douglas’ musical development began to flourish in the local Pentecostal Church, singing in the choir. At the age of sixteen, he formed his own group, called Exodus; this gave him his first real taste of stardom. The band became popular and performed frequently at venues around Trinidad.

In 1984, Douglas enlisted with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, where he served for six years. During this period he continued to sing, performing with the Coast Guard’s own band at local venues. There he experimented with other musical genres and discovered the Soca music culture.

He recorded his first song in 1988 with ‘Fireflight’, then joined the band Atlantik.

His musical influences include Lord Blakie and Lord Kitchener, as well as R&B greats such as Peabo Bryson and Stevie Wonder.

Douglas released hits such as “Good Music to Dance” and “Who Let the Dogs Out”, which was a popular party tune across the Caribbean, although the most popular version of the song outside of the Caribbean is probably the cover version of the song, sung by the Baha Men. Other releases include “Soul Island” from the Friend CD and “Abuse” from his 2000 CD Sir Anslem Douglas. - TTNewsflash


"Anslem Douglas gears up for Carnival 2013 with ‘Bacchanal’"

‘BACCHANAL’ – Carnival 2013 hit released by soca artiste Anslem Douglas is slowly building momentum in this year’s Carnival.

The soca number features TT’s national instrument, the steelpan and the hype of the ‘bacchanal’ in a ‘trini’ carnival season.

Douglas is prepared to take it to the stage of the Play Whe International Power Soca Monarch Semi-Finals on January 20.

He has released two songs this year: ‘Bacchanal’ and ‘Do you think he will understand’ – written and produced by Carlton Roberts.

Speaking with TTnewsflash, Douglas, who resides in Canada, said he is hoping to perform on stage in the finals on Fantastic Friday, “I am hoping to be on the stage of Soca Monarch on the final night, both in power and groovy. Other than that, my plan for the season is to once again engage the soca audience with some high energy music and some laid back soca to dance”.

On a more serious note, when asked about his take on soca ‘seemingly’ overpowering the calypso art form, Douglas replied: “I think soca is doing what it is doing and calypso is doing her thing, however we need to pay more attention to the tree from which all these new music is being born. Kill the tree and the fruit of the tree will also die”.

When asked what he thought about ‘rum lyrics’ being injected into soca music – a trend which is very frequently heard in chutney music, Douglas said: “Look, the reality is the more things change is the more they remain the same. Sparrow sang ‘drunk and disorderly’, so it is nothing strange to sing about what we do. We, as West Indians drink rum and we ‘whine’ in fetes, so we sing about that too. I think as Trinis we could be a bit hypocritical at times, that’s why I say we wear a mask all year; it is carnival when we show our true selves. Carnival is not mas, it is self revealing, the rest of the year is when we put on our mask and do the acting”.

Out if the carnival season, Douglas is also busy recording other styles of music, along with doing music for the pan and performing in countries around the globe, “I do not have any tours planned at the moment but my handlers in Toronto are working on tours and performances for the future. I would also like to take this opportunity, to thank all my friends and fans for their continued support over the years. God is good all the time”.

Douglas first became interested in music watching folk performers at the local community center in his native village of La Romaine. He was also influenced by his older sister, who was a writer and a poet.

Douglas’ musical development began to flourish in the local Pentecostal Church, singing in the choir. At the age of sixteen, he formed his own group, called Exodus; this gave him his first real taste of stardom. The band became popular and performed frequently at venues around Trinidad.

In 1984, Douglas enlisted with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, where he served for six years. During this period he continued to sing, performing with the Coast Guard’s own band at local venues. There he experimented with other musical genres and discovered the Soca music culture.

He recorded his first song in 1988 with ‘Fireflight’, then joined the band Atlantik.

His musical influences include Lord Blakie and Lord Kitchener, as well as R&B greats such as Peabo Bryson and Stevie Wonder.

Douglas released hits such as “Good Music to Dance” and “Who Let the Dogs Out”, which was a popular party tune across the Caribbean, although the most popular version of the song outside of the Caribbean is probably the cover version of the song, sung by the Baha Men. Other releases include “Soul Island” from the Friend CD and “Abuse” from his 2000 CD Sir Anslem Douglas. - TTNewsflash


"Encouraged by fans and friends Anslem Douglas RETURNS"

He is a Grammy award-winning songwriter and a child of Trinidad and Tobago. After 14 years of resisting the urge to enter competitions locally, Anslem Douglas has not just returned for Carnival 2013 but has thrown his hat into the ring for this year’s International Soca Monarch competitions.

At the 2001 Grammy awards, Douglas’ Who Let the Dogs Out earned The Baja Men the award for Best Dance Track. Already a resident of Toronto, Canada, Douglas says the success changed his life “forever.” He explained, “The changes have been both good and bad. The good side was getting worldwide recognition as a songwriter. You know you are big when the New York Times calls you for an interview, and Jamie Foxx’s people call you for material. On the down side, people expect thereafter that every song you write is a Grammy award winner.”

With a new CD under his belt, Douglas has also released three songs for C2K13. “I have two releases this year,” he revealed, “one a power soca named Bacchanal (Ah Come Again), and a groovy soca named Do You Think He Will Understand. I also wrote a techno soca which I intend pushing after Carnival. It is called Touch Me and it was produced by a Toronto-based musician named Rocky.”

Bacchanal was written by Douglas, and Do You Think He Will Understand by Carlton Roberts, a young producer out of Toronto. Douglas has resided in Canada for the past 19 years, migrating there in 1994 after rocking the town with his hit single Ragga Pum Pum, and after breaking ties with Atlantic Records. He said, “I have always been in music out there (Canada). I just released a new ten-track CD, titled Project AD. It’s neo soul/R&B, with a few smooth jazz tracks as well, and has been receiving favourable rotation on the airwaves in Toronto.”
Douglas participated in the 1999 edition of the Soca Monarch competition. Performing Palms on the Ground, he placed fifth. That final was won by Kurt Allen, singing Dus Dem.
About competing against his peers, Douglas said, “I decided then that the competition wasn’t really my bag and that I should focus on the music. This year however, encouraged by fans and friends, I decided that I should return. My mind to do so was made up during an interview on WACK Radio station when listeners and a few knowledgeable people called in and advised me to enter this year’s contest. Earl Crosby was the one who pointed out that I shouldn’t regard the contest merely as a competition but as a powerful vehicle for international exposure.”

The handsome, lanky composer/recording artiste, who has been in the music business for many years, said, “I jumped into this soca thing while I was still a member of the Coast Guard, singing with Fire Flight during the ‘80s. I went full time, 100 per cent, when I left the Coast Guard in October 1990, just after the coup in July. Overall, the music has been good to me.”

Attempting to make a comparison between the genre of old and today, Douglas said, “Soca music cannot be classified as better or worse. Change has happened. I find that the music aspect of the genre has become less melodic and less musical, but more rhythmic, at least for a period.
“Today, I am seeing more music coming back into the music. It definitely now is getting better as the rhythm is here to stay. And as we begin to incorporate those beautiful chords we once had it will get better. The thing that lasts the longest in music is its melody. If we can get back to the nice melodies we had before, with the rhythms of today, I think we’ll have a stronger music genre.”

Douglas believes that soca music internationally is more recognised and popular today than when men like Ras Shorty I breathed life into this new music genre four decades ago. He said, “Soca music in North America is seeing a new growing interest in the music. The second and third generation West Indians up North are growing up now with a sense of belonging and wanting to identify with the music of their parents. Some of them who were born out there are actually now trying to speak like West Indians, trying to nail down the accents perfectly. The younger generation is really into the music. I’d say our culture is alive and well in North America.”

Asked not to name Machel Montano as an example of young artistes to take soca music international, after some thought, Douglas said, “Not mentioning the obvious, which is Machel Montano, some of the young soca artistes I am impressed with today are Bunji, Benjai, and Fay-Ann. A lot of young people are doing some very good work here, but I wonder if they are getting the kind of rotation their work deserves on the airwaves. Nonetheless, they’ve got to keep toiling because, at the end of the day, it’s all about WORK.”

Douglas expressed concern over local ‘ageing’ music. He explained, “I think it’s a sad thing that bookings for fetes and shows are not based on repertoire but more on what have you done lately. It would be nice if promoters would hire an ente - Guardian Media


"Encouraged by fans and friends Anslem Douglas RETURNS"

He is a Grammy award-winning songwriter and a child of Trinidad and Tobago. After 14 years of resisting the urge to enter competitions locally, Anslem Douglas has not just returned for Carnival 2013 but has thrown his hat into the ring for this year’s International Soca Monarch competitions.

At the 2001 Grammy awards, Douglas’ Who Let the Dogs Out earned The Baja Men the award for Best Dance Track. Already a resident of Toronto, Canada, Douglas says the success changed his life “forever.” He explained, “The changes have been both good and bad. The good side was getting worldwide recognition as a songwriter. You know you are big when the New York Times calls you for an interview, and Jamie Foxx’s people call you for material. On the down side, people expect thereafter that every song you write is a Grammy award winner.”

With a new CD under his belt, Douglas has also released three songs for C2K13. “I have two releases this year,” he revealed, “one a power soca named Bacchanal (Ah Come Again), and a groovy soca named Do You Think He Will Understand. I also wrote a techno soca which I intend pushing after Carnival. It is called Touch Me and it was produced by a Toronto-based musician named Rocky.”

Bacchanal was written by Douglas, and Do You Think He Will Understand by Carlton Roberts, a young producer out of Toronto. Douglas has resided in Canada for the past 19 years, migrating there in 1994 after rocking the town with his hit single Ragga Pum Pum, and after breaking ties with Atlantic Records. He said, “I have always been in music out there (Canada). I just released a new ten-track CD, titled Project AD. It’s neo soul/R&B, with a few smooth jazz tracks as well, and has been receiving favourable rotation on the airwaves in Toronto.”
Douglas participated in the 1999 edition of the Soca Monarch competition. Performing Palms on the Ground, he placed fifth. That final was won by Kurt Allen, singing Dus Dem.
About competing against his peers, Douglas said, “I decided then that the competition wasn’t really my bag and that I should focus on the music. This year however, encouraged by fans and friends, I decided that I should return. My mind to do so was made up during an interview on WACK Radio station when listeners and a few knowledgeable people called in and advised me to enter this year’s contest. Earl Crosby was the one who pointed out that I shouldn’t regard the contest merely as a competition but as a powerful vehicle for international exposure.”

The handsome, lanky composer/recording artiste, who has been in the music business for many years, said, “I jumped into this soca thing while I was still a member of the Coast Guard, singing with Fire Flight during the ‘80s. I went full time, 100 per cent, when I left the Coast Guard in October 1990, just after the coup in July. Overall, the music has been good to me.”

Attempting to make a comparison between the genre of old and today, Douglas said, “Soca music cannot be classified as better or worse. Change has happened. I find that the music aspect of the genre has become less melodic and less musical, but more rhythmic, at least for a period.
“Today, I am seeing more music coming back into the music. It definitely now is getting better as the rhythm is here to stay. And as we begin to incorporate those beautiful chords we once had it will get better. The thing that lasts the longest in music is its melody. If we can get back to the nice melodies we had before, with the rhythms of today, I think we’ll have a stronger music genre.”

Douglas believes that soca music internationally is more recognised and popular today than when men like Ras Shorty I breathed life into this new music genre four decades ago. He said, “Soca music in North America is seeing a new growing interest in the music. The second and third generation West Indians up North are growing up now with a sense of belonging and wanting to identify with the music of their parents. Some of them who were born out there are actually now trying to speak like West Indians, trying to nail down the accents perfectly. The younger generation is really into the music. I’d say our culture is alive and well in North America.”

Asked not to name Machel Montano as an example of young artistes to take soca music international, after some thought, Douglas said, “Not mentioning the obvious, which is Machel Montano, some of the young soca artistes I am impressed with today are Bunji, Benjai, and Fay-Ann. A lot of young people are doing some very good work here, but I wonder if they are getting the kind of rotation their work deserves on the airwaves. Nonetheless, they’ve got to keep toiling because, at the end of the day, it’s all about WORK.”

Douglas expressed concern over local ‘ageing’ music. He explained, “I think it’s a sad thing that bookings for fetes and shows are not based on repertoire but more on what have you done lately. It would be nice if promoters would hire an ente - Guardian Media


"A New Vibe for Anslem Douglas"

He’s one of the Calypso/Soca music industry’s ‘top dogs’— and he’s also one of Brampton’s own. And now, Anslem Douglas, the mastermind behind the wildly popular song Who Let the Dogs Out?, is embarking on a new, exciting musical journey.

The writer, composer and singer of the original version of the Grammy-winning song is branching out from his Calypso roots and exploring neo soul sounds in his new album, Project A.D.

“It’s a complete change to what his fans are used to,” said his manager Kim Lee Look-Cleary.

Douglas, who made Brampton his home six years ago, said his new musical venture reflects a turning point in his almost 25-year musical career.

“I’m at a point where I think I would just like to do something different, because I think I was blessed with the ability to do it,” he said.

The 10-track album focuses on neo soul— a genre that meshes old school soul with R&B with smooth jazz. And while the music brings in many different influences— and one element may be more dominant in each artist’s music— it gives Douglas the freedom and room to explore these genres.

“I really like that style of music because it doesn’t lock you down,” he told The Guardian.

He’s excited for the release of his newest project on Aug. 11, and the event to celebrate it that night at The Vue Nightclub in Toronto.

Along with a performance by Douglas, the 19+ event will feature Jay Martin as the evening’s host and performances by DJ Soca Vibe and ace pianist Eddie Bullen and his band.

Douglas has worked closely with Bullen, who produced the album Project A.D.

He said before now his focus was mainly on Calypso and Soca sounds, but he’s dabbled in reggae, R&B, soul and jazz— and thought he’d take that one step further.

Born and raised in Trinidad, Douglas got his musical start singing in church as a young boy. At 16, he and some of his church friends formed a band called Exodus, which very quickly gained popularity. It was several years later when he found his passion with Soca music— Trinidad’s indigenous genre.

In 1998 he wrote the song Doggie, recorded it in Toronto, and took it back to Trinidad for the annual Carnival festival.

“At first it caught on with the kids,” recalls Anslem of the song now known as Who Let the Dogs Out?. “And then it just spread like a virus.”

It wasn’t long before he took the song on tour— along with his other hits— to other festivals across the globe like Carnival. Two years after that, a producer got in touch with him and asked if the song could be re-recorded by the Baha Men and Douglas agreed.

“That song changed my life,” he said, candidly. “On one hand, I realized there was real money to be made in the music business; but when money is involved, people can be really nasty. I saw the ugly side of success.”

He refers to a 2001 lawsuit over the authorship of the song. Douglas ultimatley lost the suit, and it cost him more than his earnings.

“When everything was erupting around me, I actually got physically sick— I was depressed,” he shared. “And I decided ‘That’s it, I’m done’ and like that I was done with music.”

He opened a Caribbean grocery store, and started anew.

“I needed to shake that off, and move on,” he said.

But he couldn’t stay away from his passion for long. After two years, he decided to make his way back into the studio.

And, he has no regrets about his hit song that is still played all over the world.

“Who Let the Dogs Out? is a great song— and it’s a song that’s known in every nook and cranny of the world,” he said, adding that there is a whole new generation hearing it now, and he thinks it will continue to be heard generation after generation.

“But I should say I don’t think it’s my best work,” he said with a playful tone. “It’s my most popular, yes, but the best is yet to come.”

For more on Anslem Douglas, or to hear the track Forever from his upcoming album, visit www.facebook.com/AnslemDouglas. Information on the Aug. 11 event can also be found on that page. - Brampton Guardian


"A New Vibe for Anslem Douglas"

He’s one of the Calypso/Soca music industry’s ‘top dogs’— and he’s also one of Brampton’s own. And now, Anslem Douglas, the mastermind behind the wildly popular song Who Let the Dogs Out?, is embarking on a new, exciting musical journey.

The writer, composer and singer of the original version of the Grammy-winning song is branching out from his Calypso roots and exploring neo soul sounds in his new album, Project A.D.

“It’s a complete change to what his fans are used to,” said his manager Kim Lee Look-Cleary.

Douglas, who made Brampton his home six years ago, said his new musical venture reflects a turning point in his almost 25-year musical career.

“I’m at a point where I think I would just like to do something different, because I think I was blessed with the ability to do it,” he said.

The 10-track album focuses on neo soul— a genre that meshes old school soul with R&B with smooth jazz. And while the music brings in many different influences— and one element may be more dominant in each artist’s music— it gives Douglas the freedom and room to explore these genres.

“I really like that style of music because it doesn’t lock you down,” he told The Guardian.

He’s excited for the release of his newest project on Aug. 11, and the event to celebrate it that night at The Vue Nightclub in Toronto.

Along with a performance by Douglas, the 19+ event will feature Jay Martin as the evening’s host and performances by DJ Soca Vibe and ace pianist Eddie Bullen and his band.

Douglas has worked closely with Bullen, who produced the album Project A.D.

He said before now his focus was mainly on Calypso and Soca sounds, but he’s dabbled in reggae, R&B, soul and jazz— and thought he’d take that one step further.

Born and raised in Trinidad, Douglas got his musical start singing in church as a young boy. At 16, he and some of his church friends formed a band called Exodus, which very quickly gained popularity. It was several years later when he found his passion with Soca music— Trinidad’s indigenous genre.

In 1998 he wrote the song Doggie, recorded it in Toronto, and took it back to Trinidad for the annual Carnival festival.

“At first it caught on with the kids,” recalls Anslem of the song now known as Who Let the Dogs Out?. “And then it just spread like a virus.”

It wasn’t long before he took the song on tour— along with his other hits— to other festivals across the globe like Carnival. Two years after that, a producer got in touch with him and asked if the song could be re-recorded by the Baha Men and Douglas agreed.

“That song changed my life,” he said, candidly. “On one hand, I realized there was real money to be made in the music business; but when money is involved, people can be really nasty. I saw the ugly side of success.”

He refers to a 2001 lawsuit over the authorship of the song. Douglas ultimatley lost the suit, and it cost him more than his earnings.

“When everything was erupting around me, I actually got physically sick— I was depressed,” he shared. “And I decided ‘That’s it, I’m done’ and like that I was done with music.”

He opened a Caribbean grocery store, and started anew.

“I needed to shake that off, and move on,” he said.

But he couldn’t stay away from his passion for long. After two years, he decided to make his way back into the studio.

And, he has no regrets about his hit song that is still played all over the world.

“Who Let the Dogs Out? is a great song— and it’s a song that’s known in every nook and cranny of the world,” he said, adding that there is a whole new generation hearing it now, and he thinks it will continue to be heard generation after generation.

“But I should say I don’t think it’s my best work,” he said with a playful tone. “It’s my most popular, yes, but the best is yet to come.”

For more on Anslem Douglas, or to hear the track Forever from his upcoming album, visit www.facebook.com/AnslemDouglas. Information on the Aug. 11 event can also be found on that page. - Brampton Guardian


"No Stopping Anslem"

By Nigel Telesford
Story Created: Aug 1, 2010 at 2:08 AM ECT
Story Updated: Aug 4, 2010 at 3:00 AM ECT

Anslem Douglas is not a zillionaire. As a matter of fact, the 46-year-old singer/songwriter is not quite a millionaire either. In 1997, Douglas recorded the song, "Who Let The Dogs Out?" and released it for the 1998 Carnival season where it quickly became a national hit. Two year later, Douglas signed a deal for pop group, The Baha Men to remake the song which then became an international smash and sports arena favourite: selling over 3 million copies of the Baha Men's debut album, being included on the soundtrack of the movie, Rugrats in Paris (and subsequently featured in several other movies), and eventually winning a Grammy for Best Dance Recording in 2001, among other accolades.

Of course, Douglas did make some money from his contribution, but in his own words: "yes, money was made, but lawyers were paid!"

"At the end of the day," he said, "I did get a lot of international mileage out of the song, so I have no regrets and Intellectual Property is not for sale, so you would still collect some royalties... and ever so often a cheque would come in that you would be happy with, but the whole lawsuit thing definitely took its toll.

"I want to make one thing clear: The Baha Men and I were never in court for anything. We never had any disagreement. All the controversy came from the greed of some other producers who had permission to use the song before, but they did a lot more than just that—they re-recorded it and were making a lot of money off of it, so by the time the Baha Men came along and we did a search for the song, there were so many other versions, it caused a lot of confusion and in the end, only the lawyers really got paid."

Now over twelve years old, "Who Let The Dogs Out?" was nonetheless featured recently in the 2009 comedy, The Hangover. Douglas is proud of the song's success and hopes to have more triumphs in the future, but for now, he's obliged to chalk up all the chaos surrounding that song's meteoric rise to "a learning experience".

"Every experience in life is a learning one," he noted, "and at the end of the day, I learned my lessons and I came out of it a better person... financially and otherwise. This is one of the reasons I decided to go with Question Mark Entertainment as management for the band because I find them to be very trustworthy and therefore I don't have to worry so much about that kind of stuff anymore: I can just focus on the music."

Wait a minute? Band? Management? Music? What's going on here?

Douglas launched his new band, Zanté recently. Described as a Calypso/Jazz fusion band, Zanté is designed to fulfil several of Douglas' musical aspirations.

"I've been making music and performing for over 22 years now," he advised, "and I got tired of singing over tracks. That's one reason for the band, but also, I feel that the world still needs to be re-introduced to calypso music and I think that mature people in general want to be able to come out and hear lyrics and melodies and not have to be commanded to jump and wave and run all the time. I think that given the state of the music industry worldwide, now more than ever, musicians and performers have to return to the stage and really give people a show for their money's worth and that's what Zanté will do."

With Leason Jacobs on drums, Albert Bushe on Bass, Shac de Burg on keyboards/programming and Joe Sookram on guitar, Douglas provides his signature 'husky' lead vocals, as Tricia Hamilton shares background vocals, Marc Lemessy serves as their Road Manager and long-time friend and collaborator, Steve Sealey completes the ensemble as their engineer.

"This band is small and light as bands go," said Douglas, "but we get the job done. We're going to play for that mature crowd of people who like to dress nice and come out and have some good, clean fun. I see it more as a show/concert band, than a Carnival band because I don't intend to switch for 'seasons' and I'm not one of those artistes who strives to be relevant to each generation that comes along. I like the idea of knowing my audience and having them know me as well already, so we know what to expect from each other and neither of us disappoints... This is not to say that we will not perform for new audiences: we aim to reintroduce calypso to the world after all, so we will definitely be seeking new markets to explore, but in terms of the maturity level that we're targeting, we're definitely aiming higher as opposed to trying to be the nex - Trinidad Express


"21 Questions with Anslem Douglas"

1. What quality do you like most in women?
A woman who knows how to carry herself.

2. Your happiest moment?
When I'm on stage.

3. Your secret fear?
To grow old alone.

4. Which living person do you admire most?
My mother.

5. What quality do you value most in your friends both male or female?
Dependability and trustworthiness.

6. What is your greatest extravagance?
Shoes.

7. The place you would like to visit before you die?
Egypt.

8. What is your favourite journey?
A drive from Port-of-Spain to Maracas via Maraval.

9. What advice would you give to people wishing to enter your field?
Be true to yourself; be true to the music and know that if you have a God-given talent, leave ego at home!

10. What is your current state of mind?
Driven.

11. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Envy.

12. What is your greatest joy?
My family.

13. What is your biggest turn on in a woman?
Intelligence.

14. What is your guilty pleasure?
Red wine

15. What is your lowest depth of misery?
When I see what my beautiful twin island, Trinidad & Tobago is becoming……..honestly that makes me really depressed.

16. What is your pet peeve?
Massages.

17. What do you get complimented most about?
My smile.

18. When was the last time you cried?
When my cousin was murdered in July this year.

19. What was the first thing you did this morning?
Pray and make sure my voice is still intact…….literally.

20. What do you consider your most cherished virtue?
My kind-heartedness.

21. If you had one personal wish (which you alone can benefit from hence world peace, etc not applicable) what would it be?
To own a private island.

ANSLEM'S MINI BIO Anslem Douglas was born July 23 and raised in the village of La Romaine in south Trinidad. His calling, however, to a bigger stage and brighter lights led him to Trinidad and Tobago's indigenous genre, soca. Needless to say, it did not take Anslem very long to establish himself and be recognised as a true artiste of exceptional talent. He performed with some of the biggest bands out of Trinidad like Fireflight and Atlantk where he got the opportunity to show off and share his unique and husky yet sultry sound with a wider audience. During this time he delivered some mega hits like "Ragga Poom Poom", "Good Music to Dance", and his internationally acclaimed hit, "Who Let The Dogs Out" which went on to win a Grammy and is arguably one of the most popular songs ever written and recorded in the history of the industry. Over the years he has performed to audiences literally in countries from "A to Z", he has gone from Antigua to Zimbabwe, Jamaica to Israel. Now with his aim of keeping his music relevant and the desire to challenge himself he has produced a ten-track Neo Soul/Pop album with most of the songs written by him and produced by Eddie Bullen and his son Quincy Bullen. This album was released in the spring of 2012 and is on heavy rotation in the US. Anslem's contribution for 2013 includes a single, "Do you think he will understand"; a power soca called "Bacchanal" and a collaboration that is soon to be released. - Trinidad Express


"21 Questions with Anslem Douglas"

1. What quality do you like most in women?
A woman who knows how to carry herself.

2. Your happiest moment?
When I'm on stage.

3. Your secret fear?
To grow old alone.

4. Which living person do you admire most?
My mother.

5. What quality do you value most in your friends both male or female?
Dependability and trustworthiness.

6. What is your greatest extravagance?
Shoes.

7. The place you would like to visit before you die?
Egypt.

8. What is your favourite journey?
A drive from Port-of-Spain to Maracas via Maraval.

9. What advice would you give to people wishing to enter your field?
Be true to yourself; be true to the music and know that if you have a God-given talent, leave ego at home!

10. What is your current state of mind?
Driven.

11. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Envy.

12. What is your greatest joy?
My family.

13. What is your biggest turn on in a woman?
Intelligence.

14. What is your guilty pleasure?
Red wine

15. What is your lowest depth of misery?
When I see what my beautiful twin island, Trinidad & Tobago is becoming……..honestly that makes me really depressed.

16. What is your pet peeve?
Massages.

17. What do you get complimented most about?
My smile.

18. When was the last time you cried?
When my cousin was murdered in July this year.

19. What was the first thing you did this morning?
Pray and make sure my voice is still intact…….literally.

20. What do you consider your most cherished virtue?
My kind-heartedness.

21. If you had one personal wish (which you alone can benefit from hence world peace, etc not applicable) what would it be?
To own a private island.

ANSLEM'S MINI BIO Anslem Douglas was born July 23 and raised in the village of La Romaine in south Trinidad. His calling, however, to a bigger stage and brighter lights led him to Trinidad and Tobago's indigenous genre, soca. Needless to say, it did not take Anslem very long to establish himself and be recognised as a true artiste of exceptional talent. He performed with some of the biggest bands out of Trinidad like Fireflight and Atlantk where he got the opportunity to show off and share his unique and husky yet sultry sound with a wider audience. During this time he delivered some mega hits like "Ragga Poom Poom", "Good Music to Dance", and his internationally acclaimed hit, "Who Let The Dogs Out" which went on to win a Grammy and is arguably one of the most popular songs ever written and recorded in the history of the industry. Over the years he has performed to audiences literally in countries from "A to Z", he has gone from Antigua to Zimbabwe, Jamaica to Israel. Now with his aim of keeping his music relevant and the desire to challenge himself he has produced a ten-track Neo Soul/Pop album with most of the songs written by him and produced by Eddie Bullen and his son Quincy Bullen. This album was released in the spring of 2012 and is on heavy rotation in the US. Anslem's contribution for 2013 includes a single, "Do you think he will understand"; a power soca called "Bacchanal" and a collaboration that is soon to be released. - Trinidad Express


"Who Really Did Let the Dogs Out?"

By 2000, Baha Men were already stars in their native Bahamas, their exuberant “Junkanoo” style inspired by the music of the Islands’ street parades. The band formed in 1980 as High Voltage but success in the U.S. remained elusive.

That would change when producer Steve Greenberg brought the band a tune written by soca singer Anslem Douglas. Soca, or the soul of calypso, originated in Douglas’ native Trinidad. The song, Doggie, was written and recorded by Douglas in Toronto, Canada — a thousand miles north of the Caribbean — where its popularity made Baha Men founder Isaiah Taylor refuse to cover it.

But Greenberg prevailed and the song, retitled Who Let the Dogs Out, became an international sensation, winning a Grammy in 2001.

After 20 years of performing, Baha Men were an overnight success.

Rock Cellar Magazine spoke with Isaiah Taylor and Anslem Douglas about the phenomenon that’s still heard in sports stadiums and movies like Men In Black II and The Hangover.



Rock Cellar Magazine: How can you write soca music when you’re buried in ten feet of snow in Toronto?

Anslem Douglas: (Laughs) That’s just a myth, there’s no ten feet of snow! I’m an island boy. I was born and bred in Trinidad, it’s the music I grew up on. So regardless of where you go, it stays with you. I dabble in different types of music, but calypso/soca is my true, true genre.

RCM: How did you come to write Doggie?

AD: My ex-brother-in-law at the time would always come to the house and he would say that phrase. He has a very big voice and he’d say, “Who let the dogs out!” He said, “Why don’t you write a song with that?” I said, “That phrase sounds so American, it doesn’t sound Caribbean at all.”

It’s just a street cry, like someone would say, “Yo, what’s up dog!” I wrote three versions of the song. The first version, I decided, this is the one. I hit the nail on the head.

RCM: What do the lyrics mean?

AD: It’s a man-bashing song. I’ll tell you why. The lyric of the song says, “The party was nice, the party was pumpin.’” When I said the word “party” I was being metaphorical. It really means things were going great.

The “Yippie-Yi-Yo,” that’s everybody’s happy, right? “And everybody was having a ball.” Life was going great.

“Until the men start the name-callin’ / And then the girls respond to the call.” So the men started calling the women “skank” and “skettel,” every dirty word you can think of. The men started the name-calling and then the girls respond to the call. And then a woman shouts out, “Who let the dogs out?” And we start calling men dogs. It was really a man-bashing song.

RCM: Do people know what those lyrics mean?

AD: (Laughs) I don’t think people even give a shit what they mean. They just want to get to the point where they can bark. They really don’t care.

When you have such a powerful hook or a powerful chorus line, where people sing along to it, the first time you hear the song, you listen: “Ooh, this is good.” But when you get to the chorus and you can sing along with it, the hell with the rest: “I don’t want to hear that anymore, I just want to get to the chorus!”

RCM: Isaiah – how did Steve Greenberg come to you with Who Let the Dogs Out?

Isaiah Taylor: We were in my house in the Bahamas rehearsing one day. And my phone rang. Steve was on the other line and he was talking about this song he heard in Europe. And he said, “Man I would like for you all to do this song.” And I asked him, “What is the name of the song?” And when he said it, I said, “Man, you got to be crazy.”

RCM: Why did you think it was crazy?

IT: I knew the Anslem Douglas version, I used to play it in the nightclubs. That’s why I didn’t want to do the song. At that time, I didn’t think that the song would have even worked, but Steve was very strong on it and I’m glad he was because it definitely worked. Believe me, I will keep my mouth shut from now on.

RCM: Tell me about recording Who Let the Dogs Out.

IT: We had to try and get the best voice to fit the song. I was ever-expanding the group so I ran an audition in Nassau just for singers. We ran an audition on Saturday and on Monday the singer was in Miami doing the recording. We had a couple of different voices but Rick Carey is the one really singing the lead.

RCM: Were you surprised that Who Let the Dogs Out was such a monster hit?

AD: Yes I was, because when I heard the Baha Men version, I thought it was kind of thin, thinner than what I was doing. I was doing hard core soca. You could hear the Caribbean flavor but it became very poppy. For lack of a better term, it’s kind of watered down. When people ask me what I think, I say, “Oh, it’s great!” but I’m lying. I think it’s good (laughs). But when I played it one, two, three, four times, it started to grow on me. I think just the way it grew on me, it grew on the rest of the world.

RCM: What’s the secret of the song’s popularity?

AD: - Rock Cellar Magazine


"Who Really Did Let the Dogs Out?"

By 2000, Baha Men were already stars in their native Bahamas, their exuberant “Junkanoo” style inspired by the music of the Islands’ street parades. The band formed in 1980 as High Voltage but success in the U.S. remained elusive.

That would change when producer Steve Greenberg brought the band a tune written by soca singer Anslem Douglas. Soca, or the soul of calypso, originated in Douglas’ native Trinidad. The song, Doggie, was written and recorded by Douglas in Toronto, Canada — a thousand miles north of the Caribbean — where its popularity made Baha Men founder Isaiah Taylor refuse to cover it.

But Greenberg prevailed and the song, retitled Who Let the Dogs Out, became an international sensation, winning a Grammy in 2001.

After 20 years of performing, Baha Men were an overnight success.

Rock Cellar Magazine spoke with Isaiah Taylor and Anslem Douglas about the phenomenon that’s still heard in sports stadiums and movies like Men In Black II and The Hangover.



Rock Cellar Magazine: How can you write soca music when you’re buried in ten feet of snow in Toronto?

Anslem Douglas: (Laughs) That’s just a myth, there’s no ten feet of snow! I’m an island boy. I was born and bred in Trinidad, it’s the music I grew up on. So regardless of where you go, it stays with you. I dabble in different types of music, but calypso/soca is my true, true genre.

RCM: How did you come to write Doggie?

AD: My ex-brother-in-law at the time would always come to the house and he would say that phrase. He has a very big voice and he’d say, “Who let the dogs out!” He said, “Why don’t you write a song with that?” I said, “That phrase sounds so American, it doesn’t sound Caribbean at all.”

It’s just a street cry, like someone would say, “Yo, what’s up dog!” I wrote three versions of the song. The first version, I decided, this is the one. I hit the nail on the head.

RCM: What do the lyrics mean?

AD: It’s a man-bashing song. I’ll tell you why. The lyric of the song says, “The party was nice, the party was pumpin.’” When I said the word “party” I was being metaphorical. It really means things were going great.

The “Yippie-Yi-Yo,” that’s everybody’s happy, right? “And everybody was having a ball.” Life was going great.

“Until the men start the name-callin’ / And then the girls respond to the call.” So the men started calling the women “skank” and “skettel,” every dirty word you can think of. The men started the name-calling and then the girls respond to the call. And then a woman shouts out, “Who let the dogs out?” And we start calling men dogs. It was really a man-bashing song.

RCM: Do people know what those lyrics mean?

AD: (Laughs) I don’t think people even give a shit what they mean. They just want to get to the point where they can bark. They really don’t care.

When you have such a powerful hook or a powerful chorus line, where people sing along to it, the first time you hear the song, you listen: “Ooh, this is good.” But when you get to the chorus and you can sing along with it, the hell with the rest: “I don’t want to hear that anymore, I just want to get to the chorus!”

RCM: Isaiah – how did Steve Greenberg come to you with Who Let the Dogs Out?

Isaiah Taylor: We were in my house in the Bahamas rehearsing one day. And my phone rang. Steve was on the other line and he was talking about this song he heard in Europe. And he said, “Man I would like for you all to do this song.” And I asked him, “What is the name of the song?” And when he said it, I said, “Man, you got to be crazy.”

RCM: Why did you think it was crazy?

IT: I knew the Anslem Douglas version, I used to play it in the nightclubs. That’s why I didn’t want to do the song. At that time, I didn’t think that the song would have even worked, but Steve was very strong on it and I’m glad he was because it definitely worked. Believe me, I will keep my mouth shut from now on.

RCM: Tell me about recording Who Let the Dogs Out.

IT: We had to try and get the best voice to fit the song. I was ever-expanding the group so I ran an audition in Nassau just for singers. We ran an audition on Saturday and on Monday the singer was in Miami doing the recording. We had a couple of different voices but Rick Carey is the one really singing the lead.

RCM: Were you surprised that Who Let the Dogs Out was such a monster hit?

AD: Yes I was, because when I heard the Baha Men version, I thought it was kind of thin, thinner than what I was doing. I was doing hard core soca. You could hear the Caribbean flavor but it became very poppy. For lack of a better term, it’s kind of watered down. When people ask me what I think, I say, “Oh, it’s great!” but I’m lying. I think it’s good (laughs). But when I played it one, two, three, four times, it started to grow on me. I think just the way it grew on me, it grew on the rest of the world.

RCM: What’s the secret of the song’s popularity?

AD: - Rock Cellar Magazine


Discography

Who Let The Dogs Out - single
Doggie (Who Let The Dogs Out) - single
Palms On De Ground - single
Ragga Poom Poom - single
Good Music To Dance - single
Soul Island - album (January 3, 2012)
Do You Think He Will Understand - single
Jock Yuh Waist - single
Bacchanal - single
Project A.D. - album (August 11, 2012)
Forever - single
Dancing With You - single (Spring 2013)
When You Wine - single (May 2013)
When You Wine (DJ Stephen Remix) - single (August 2013)
Shadow's Parang - single (October 2013)
Christmas Coming - single (October 2013)
Boom Boom - single (December 2013)
Broughtupcy - single (January 2014)

Photos

Bio

Who hasnt heard of the 2000 massive internationally acclaimed hit and Grammy Award-winning single Who Let The Dogs Out? Sure it was made famous by the Baha Men, (an English band that utilized a popular style of Bahamian music called Junkanoo), but did you know it was written and recorded two years before, in the very exciting and traditional soca style by Toronto-based singer-songwriter Anslem Douglas? It was originally called Doggie and here is the link to that first recording which was a huge hit in the Caribbean initially and which is very different from the version that most of us know. The covered version was a chart success in many countries, and also became a popular song at U.S. sporting events and featured in the 2009 hit comedy The Hangover.

Music has always been at the core of this Trinidad-born Canadian, and the accolades that Anslem Douglas has received prove that he has made an indelible mark on the musical world stage. But his taste of the spotlight had come much earlier in his career where at 16 he cut his teeth singing in his local Pentecostal church as well as a group that formed from there called Exodus. He served and performed for the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard Band where he honed his skills further and began to incorporate his many diverse influences such as Soca greats Blakie and Lord Kitchener and international R&B superstars like Peabo Bryson and James Ingram.

It did not take Anslem very long to establish himself and be recognized as a true artist of exceptional talent. He performed with some of the biggest bands out of Trinidad like Fire Flight (with whom he recorded his first song in 1988) and Atlantik. During this time he delivered some other mega hits like Ragga Poom Poom and Good Music To Dance. Anslem has musically delved into the entire gamut of human experiences from Friend on the Soul Island album and Ooh Ahh, the smooth jazz hit produced by Eddie Bullen and written by Anslem on the same record, to the social outrage of Abuse featured on his Sir Anslem Douglas album released in 2000.

Fast forward to 2013. Anslem Douglas is set to bring it with new music to new audiences at NXNE and more dates currently in the works for this summer. With the aim of keeping his music relevant and the desire to challenge himself, he has recorded a ten-track neo soul/pop album entitled PROJECT A.D. with most of the songs written by himself and produced by Eddie Bullen with his son Quincy Bullen. Released in the spring of 2012, it has been on heavy rotation in the U.S. and offers much more than just the traditional style soca.

This hip, upbeat album winds its way around energetic dance mix riffs and mellow grooves. The unique, husky yet sultry sound of Anslems vocals fit like a glove, especially on some of his more sizzling x-rated tunes like The Sex You Give To Me, I Aint Gettin None, and the funkadelic and very danceable Slap-It. Arrangements and production is slick yet raw at the same time as evidenced in the beat-driven, house-styled tracks Love Making and Forever (where his voice sounds very reminiscent of early Seal recordings). The more psychedelic-inspired Tony Needs a Daddy and the soul-baring Mrs. Brady shows off the softer melody and lyrics from Anslems arsenal.

Anslems other contributions for 2013 include the single, Do You Think He Will Understand, a power Soca called "Bacchanal", a neo-Calypso single, "Dancing With You", and a piece written specifically for women "When You Wine." Project A.D. and the singles are all now available on iTunes and CD Baby.

Band Members