Former Visage lead singer Greg  Douglas takes to the stage tonight with the band for a performance on a home stage for the first time in almost a decade-and-a-half. (Photo: Greg Douglas)

It's been almost a decade-and-a-half since former Visage lead singer Greg  Douglas performed on a home stage, but tonight his fans are in for a treat as he will bring the love to the stage at Fantastic Fridays. And those people who aren't familiar with Douglas will get a spectacular introduction to the man who delivers romance with vocals that are sweet as honey and as smooth and languid as molasses, as he takes to the stage with his former band at the hottest end of month party.

It's a one-night gig Douglas is looking forward to. They've gotten the cobwebs out as he rehearsed with the band in preparation for his debut at Bullion in the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.

"We rehearsed, but it's just like riding a bike," said Douglas. "You have it in you and you have people around you who know you. I'm looking forward to being involved with the band and having fun. I'm excited to just have the opportunity to work with the band."

For fans who remember his music, it will be like orientation again and an opportunity to get reacquainted. For those that don't know him, tonight's show is an opportunity to get to know Douglas. He promises to be true to what he does and he promises love.

"My style is more love. I'm not so good with the soca stuff that is quite pronounced now, but I'm looking forward to being involved with the band and having fun. I'm excited to just have the opportunity to work with the band," he said.

He will perform with the Visage of today that showcases Dyson Knight and Wendi as the lead singers. In fact, since Douglas' heyday -- the only remaining band members from his day include leader Obi Pindling and bass player Ian Young. And Douglas is looking forward to the meshing of styles from the Visage of his era to the Visage of today.

"I think Visage has really made the journey encompassing a lot of different styles, and today I think it's an era where they have wonderful singers in Dyson and Wendi, and what I like about it is they are more entrenched with creating their own music which will transcend. It's alright for us to play people's music and sound good, but to be able to hear our own local music -- whether they call it rake n' scrape or Junkanoo is fantastic."

While Douglas did not speak to what they had practiced, he said fans should come expecting him to do his thing, expecting to hear some old school and to songs he recorded with Visage. He said they might even hear songs they didn't release.

Douglas' featured performance with Visage at Fantastic Fridays is one that has been in the making for a while as Pindling has been wanting him to make guest appearances since he returned home, but he was heavily involved with his business, D'Vanya's Spices Ltd., which concentrates on the manufacturing and distribution of Bahamian spices and condiments worldwide. He said he was so entrenched he couldn't get around to it -- that is until now. With things finally settling down with the business and after a recent band reunion that included current and former members after receiving an award, he said Pindling once again spoke to having former band members making guest appearances. The time was right for Douglas and tonight he will take to the stage.

Even though it's been many years since he performed on stage at home, Douglas has not been squandering his talent and still has envious vocal chops. While residing in China for the past 13 years, he performed and sang.

"I was on the road and busy, as the entertainment field in China is so vibrant. It's amazing. They do a lot of contemporary stuff -- Usher... Chris Brown... and I was singing this stuff and people wouldn't believe it the track was so clean," he said. "A business would hire a band just to play in front of their business on a Friday and have food and drinks. It's a work environment, but social at the same time."

During those years in China he said he also learned how to MC live which he now mixes with his performances.

"I was singing, but the unique thing I learned was how to MC. Live MCing and mixing the two together was good."
Even though he is looking forward to tonight's performance, Douglas has no designs on going back full time into the local music industry where he would have to take to the stage and perform on a regular basis.

"I would like to get more involved in helping the younger people... maybe a guest appearance here and there, but not constantly. I think for me, it is to see how we can get some of the talent showcased overseas," he said.

Douglas whose smooth, unlined mocha-colored skin belies his 50-something age, realized he had talent as a junior school student at H.O. Nash School. His teacher, Ms. Carey, who he said he saw the other day, brought his ability to his attention. He showcased that talent during a school talent show, which he said were important events in those days.

Whether he knew he had a voice or not, he knew what he liked to do and did it. He would sing during cooking class and school assemblies. At Government High School he continued to sing. He formed the group Fame with Lawrence, his brother Leo and Don Williams.

Fame turned out to be a popular group and was always in demand. They maintained their "mystique" by not doing too many shows. Looking back, Douglas said the group wasn't a means to an end for them, which he said allowed them to be selective in their appearances.

Pindling came calling asking him to sing with Visage, which was formed in 1981. Taking on the lead singer's role with Visage was difficult for him at first.

"It wasn't that I couldn't sing. It was that I was so used to having that harmony around me, because we [Fame] could go to a party and sing with no music, that being the lead singer was difficult. You're in the front, and you had to learn how to pull it off. You had to learn how to entertain. Even when you're not having good nights, you had to learn how to pull it off."

The lead role proved difficult for him again when he left Visage to sing in then Crystal Palace Hotel show as the lead singer.

"That was even more difficult -- working in the day, singing in the night, and then once the curtain went up, you had to turn it on. I did all these things to get the experience, and now it is coming full circle," he said.

The son of Leo Douglas and Annie Gibson now has the stage presence down pat.

With years of experience also comes wonderful memories accumulated along the way associated with his vocal ability, from singing at people's weddings, to having heard people talk about his music made them feel, what it did for their events, or that unions came together after they met at events at which he performed.

As for where Douglas gets his talent, he's not certain, but recalls that his mother hummed all the time.

"Maybe from my mom, because I don't know anyone on my dad's side," he said of his vocal ability.

He also said she didn't try to convince him to sing with the Our Lady's Church choir, she told him he had to. Douglas used to go from the club to pick up his mother to take her to church. And with that being the scenario he says most often he would be sleepy.

Douglas takes to the stage tonight with Visage which is undoubtedly the country's foremost party band known for rake n' scrape, reggae, disco, soca, R&B and dance sounds. The party kicks off right after work at 5:30 p.m. Admission into the hottest end of month happy hour event is $20 and includes one free drink.

FANTASTIC FRIDAYS
Who: Visage featuring former Visage lead singer Greg Douglas
When: Friday, August 26
Where: Bullion, British Colonial Hilton Hotel
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Admission: $20 includes one free drink

Shavaughn Moss, Guardian Lifestyles Editor

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