The man who has all of town barking says that the idea of "Who Let the Dogs Out" came from his girlfriend's brother, a university student in Canada, who upon arrival at her home will always enter with that phrase - "typical campus talk," he says.
Anslem Douglas says that the young man then suggested that he sing a song about it. But Douglas took only the subject and decided to build verses on an entirely different topic - one that had been on his mind for some time.
He said the song wasn't as easy to compose as he thought because he wanted to do something different - something 'crossover' that youths could relate to, while retaining that soca sound.
"My biggest supporters are children, young males and, of course, the women. For years amen in general have been calling women degrading names so I decided to give women the opportunity to call men names but to have fun with men and to tease them basically," said Douglas.
"Men are fun-loving and we are supposed to respond with a bark; for that matter, as I walk down the street, I notice that men don't 'pssst' women anymore, they are just barking."
He added with a grin: "We men don't mind being called anything, just don't call us late for lunch."
Douglas, who thinks that 1998 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in his music career, says that the actual dog sound on the record was a mixture of himself, SW Storm, a couple other humans, and a computer CD sample of a dog's bark, carefully mixed in the studio.
The Revue Tent artiste said that it was while in the studio that he realized that he would run into problems later on in the season with his voice, given the intensity of the bark. And as he thought, because of the popularity of the song he is forever nursing his strained vocal chords. He hastens to add, however, that audiences have been very helpful with the chorus as they end up barking for him.
As for the chances of 'The Dogs' becoming Road March, Douglas says that 'any young artiste will like to be Road March champ but I don't write with that in mind; my aim is to attack the party going people.'
"Road March belongs to the people and if they decide to choose my song I'd be very happy."
He says jokingly: "I copied from Superblue's formula where he injects a line between the lines in his song to give people something to sing instead of a whole chorus - for example, 'ah yippy ya yo'. Now people will hold on to this sort of line unconsciously."
But what has Douglas most happy at this time is the fact that some 14 steelbands played his pan song at the just concluded Panorama preliminaries. The song, 'Behave Yourself' is his second effort for pan and was composed by Brian 'Bean' Griffith, with lyrics done by Alvin Daniell and arrangement by Pelham Goddard.
Douglas, who admits that he has enjoyed a fair amount of airplay over the years, lamented that despite the fact that there is a lot of festive music this year, radio stations are concentrating on just a few songs. This, he says, results in problems for 'live' artistes trying to render their own songs.
"While I can't say there is a Soca Mafia going on, payola definitely goes on, not only in Trinidad but internationally."
The six-foot dimpled-faced entertainer, who completed a six-year contract with the Coast Guard with the blessings of the then commander Kelshall.
"Since then it has only been music," he says.
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DOUGLAS FULFILLS A 1992 'PROMISE'
Anslem Douglas started his professional career in 1991 when he was invited by arranger Kenny Phillips to do the vocals for his compilation that he released in the middle of that year. Following the success of that compilation, Douglas was asked to do another in 1992, this time by the Barbadian group, Spice and Company.
Between 1991 and 1992 he obtained a recording contract with Kisskidee, joined Atlantik and also produced a solo album which included the song 'Good Music to Dance.'
Also in 1992, Douglas was named the Most Promising Calypsonian by both the NCC and Young Kings for the song 'Our Children' a social commentary calypso.
In 1993, having left Atlantik, 'Rock Back On It' and 'Dance Like A Soldier' brought him a certain amount of success as a solo artiste. He says he remembers 1993 as the year he started touring overseas especially "when I performed my music 'live' to non-West Indians. He says it was "amazing to see how people lapped it up and from then to now it always crosses my mind as to when our music will go mainstream."
Bigger success came his way in 1994 with his 'Ragga Poom Poom/Wine Down' combination. "That entire year was great, I travelled for nine months performing my songs to places such as England, US, Canada and the Caribbean."
As much as '94 was a success, 1995 was even better financially with the hit song 'Mash Up The Party'. "I think by that time most people knew and recognized me as an established entertainer," Douglas says.
1996 was a sad year as the song 'Dey Mad' didn't take off as he expected. However when Douglas released 'When I Dead Bury My Clothes' in 1997 "the public held on to the song as there was a lot of history and nostalgia in it. I see it as a 'pleasant bring back' I remember performing in the US to an older West Indian community in a show which also featured Stalin and Cro Cro and you could have seen the sheer delight on the faces of a more mature audience. Even when I perform the song now, it creates a terrific impact.
"Towards the later part of 1997, Steve Sealey who I consider 'my big brother' called in Toronto at a time when I wanted to go back into bands, to be a part of Horyzon."
With the help of Stanley Barnes (manager), the band became a reality when they did their first performance in October of last year at the launch of mas band Legends. Horyzon is expected to be on the road with Legends for carnival and has already been booked for jobs overseas after the season.
For the first time in the history of the Soca Monarch competition, Douglas would not be competing this year.
"I have been there and done that; my highest placing was 5th. I recall a song by Kurt Allen 'Pass The Ball' and I am doing just that. I want to open the way for another young artiste to get into the competition as I feel every artiste should experience it at sometime in their career. I also admire Ronnie McIntosh for the stand that he has taken as well."
About the National Monarch title, he says: "I never entered that competition before because each year I only sing one song in the tent but I want to give a shot at that competition, just once, for the experience".
"My plan for myself in the immediate future is to be one of the vehicles to take soca mainstream by trying to break new ground like Australia, India, Japan, Africa and Europe knowing that Horyzon is behind me."
On his personal goals in the future, he says: "I am trying to be more disciplined with myself, my music, my relationship with my girlfriend following a divorce after a 9-year marriage and my two kids, a girl 13, and a boy 9. I have a diary now in which I try to write down everything that I have made a commitment to do. I try my best to acknowledge God in all things because I have a very strong religious background. Though I am very far from perfect, I want to get closer to godliness not necessarily recognized by any particular denomination. I want to be more spiritual.