Maximus Dan - the music man

“I wanted to have a song to sing to infinity … til God come. I didn’t want it to just be a football song.” Using his unmistakable voice to deliver conscious messages blending soca and dancehall music, his hits include “Obeah Man”, “Lash Satan”, “War”, “Kick It Way”, “Love Generation”, “Soca Train”, “Hosanna Fire”, “Earthquake”, and “Order”.

1. Who were the people who have influenced you the most to start singing? I would have to say my peers at school and in my community of Carenage. Also my grandmother who was a Spiritual Baptist. Also school teacher Elsa Mc Cooney and Sabbath school teacher Monica Porter encouraged me a lot as they saw the talent and drive I had for music.

2. You are known for your unique, relatively more socially acceptable style of onstage performance.

What led you to stay away from the wining and vulgarity that some performers feel compelled to exhibit? I am a serious dude in the music industry. My music is about liberating and educating the minds of the people. So what is expected from me is not what you see from everyone else. I am here for a different purpose. I’m not bashing anyone, but we all have our roles to play.

3.As an entertainer which would you rate as your most memorable and satisfying performances/presentations/ experiences? Going to the FIFAWorld Cup 2006 in Germany, where I performed before the start of the TT vs Sweden game.

Also in Nuremberg where I performed for over 25,000 people, mostly Germans.

4. Where were you born and where did you grow up? Born in Petit Valley and lived there up to age 12.

Then I moved to Carenage and lived there from 12 to 22 years old.

5. If you had to perform for an audience who has never heard or seen you before and had only one song to perform, which would you? And if you had to perform one other song from a Trinbagonian artiste which would it be? The one song from my composition would be “Love Generation” and the other song from a Trinbagonian artiste would be “Progress” from King Austin.

6. What are your plans for the future? Immediate plans are to facilitate the music industry of TT with a recording studio with First World facilities in keeping with international standards for music production.

At present we are focusing on the immediate demands of the industry, so we are providing the industry with a recently refurbished band rehearsal studio located on Stanmore Avenue called Bush Fire Records. The studio will also be used as a learning facility for young engineers/producers in an effort to increase the cadre of professionals involved in the music industry.

7. At what schools/institutions did you receive your education? For primary school I attended Petit Valley Boys RC; for secondary I attended Diego Martin Junior Secondary and then St James Sec.

8. What are your greatest accomplishments, musically and otherwise? My greatest accomplishment is having my songs on two of the largest game consoles PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. “Fighter” is featured on the FIFAWorld Cup Game and “Love Generation” is featured on ICC World Cup 2007.

9. How did the name Maximus Dan come about? When I was in Toronto in 2000, I saw the movie Gladiator and based on the meaning of the word maximus in Latin being “the Greatest”, I felt that this name was compatible with my outlook on life — striving for greatness.

10. What is your most prized possession, tangible and intangible? For the intangible I would say that my most prized possession is my talent and for tangible I would say the documentation of my progress from my albums, videos, awards, etc.

11. What was it like growing up in your family? My experience growing up with my family was enjoyable, strict and also religious.

As a boy living with four other women, I had to always think about family. Always being there for my sisters and taking on a lot of chores, I had to be disciplined.

12. If you could dine with anyone in history, who would that be and what would you want the conversation to be about? It would not be one person; present at the table would be Bob Marley, Uriah Butler, Sam Cook and Pele. The conversation would be about how one can help to shape the world in a positive way and not lose focus or give up while on the journey.

13. If you had to solve the ills that prevail in TT what would you do? No one really knows how to solve all the ills in TT. But I will do my part as a citizen by ensuring the people closest to me know how important life, respect, faith in God, diligence and co-operation are vital in the progress of a community, country, region and the world.

And what we do definitely affects the world because we are all world citizens.

14. If you could hire any singer and/or band (local and or/foreign) to perform in your living room (other than yours), whom would you choose? The Band Journey with Steve Perry on lead.

15. What advice/recipe for success would you give to young people coming into the business? You need to do homework and research when entering any career field. So research is key. Also to understand that the industry is not a bed of roses.

That the hours that go into making a song, performing, practising, etc need total dedication. It is not about becoming a star because we are already stars. But it is about how long your star can shine. Take a look at the greats, find out why they became greats and search for that greatness within yourself.

16. What is your favourite pastime/interest/hobby outside of performing? My passion is watching the beautiful game of football and I am also interested in those pioneers and visionaries who came before me. So at times I look at the History Channel.

17. What daily (and/or in general) motto do you live by? “The stone that the builder refused shall become the lead corner stone.” And also “In order to live, first one must learn to survive.” 18. What are your favourite calypsos and soca songs (not yours)? “Dingolay” by Shadow, “Ah Feeling It” by Baron, “Rock it” by Merchant, “Foreigner” by Lord Nelson, “Om Shanti Om” by Ras Shorty I and “Signal to Lara” by Super Blue.

19.Your favourite meal or dish/food, and drink? My favourite meal is red beans, bake and fried fish, vegetable rice with green salad. Favourite drink is banana punch made by my wife. I hope when she reads this she will make me an extra special, extra large glass! (laughs out loud).

20. The one place you would like to visit and why? I’m torn between two places: China so I can see the Great Wall and Egypt because I want to experience the Pyramids