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{{Short description|Montserratian musician (1949–2010)}}
'''Alphonsus "Arrow" Cassell''' is a [[calypso music|calypso]] musician from [[Montserrat]]. He became well-known after his 1983 hit "Hot! Hot! Hot!", and he is now by far the most famous representative of the [[music of Montserrat]].
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Arrow
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|MBE}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1949|11|16}}
| birth_place = [[Plymouth, Montserrat]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2010|09|15|1949|11|16}}
| death_place = Lime Kiln Bay, Montserrat
| birth_name = Alphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell
| instrument = Vocals
| genre = {{Flatlist|*[[Calypso music|Calypso]]
*[[Soca music|soca]]}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer-songwriter}}
| years_active = 1959–2010
| label = {{unbulleted list|Arrow (1973–2010)|[[Chrysalis Records|Chrysalis]] (1981–1984)|[[London Records|London]] (1984)|[[Island Records|Island]] (1988–1989)|[[Mango Records|Mango]] (1989–1990)}}
| associated_acts =
| website = {{Official website|arrow-music.com}}
}}


'''Alphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100|MBE}} (16 November 1949<ref>Associated Press, [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/afterword/2010/09/soca-singer-arrow-cassell-dies-at-60-on-montserrat.html "Soca singer Alphonsus 'Arrow' Cassell dies at 60"], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 16 September 2010.</ref> – 15 September 2010), known mononymously as '''Arrow''', was a Montserratian [[Calypso music|calypso]] and [[soca music]]ian, regarded as the first superstar of soca from [[Montserrat]].<ref name="Thompson">Thompson, Dave (2002) ''Reggae & Caribbean Music'', Backbeat Books, {{ISBN|0-87930-655-6}}, pp.&nbsp;26–28.</ref> Internationally, his biggest hit song was "[[Hot Hot Hot (Arrow song)|Hot Hot Hot]]" (1982), known from the original by Arrow and numerous later versions by other musicians.
{{listen|filename=Arrow - Hot Hot Hot.ogg|title=Arrow's "Hot Hot Hot"|description=Breakthrough hit by Montserratian Arrow}}


== References ==
==Early years==
Born in [[Plymouth, Montserrat]],<ref name=Davison/> Cassell first performed at the age of 10 in a concert at the [[Montserrat Secondary School]].<ref name="Thompson" /> He began singing calypso in 1967 and took the ''Junior Monarch'' title that year.


Cassell took up singing professionally in 1969. In the same year he was runner up in the ''Montserrat Calypso King'' competition. He won the title the next year, following in the footsteps of his brothers Justin (known as Hero) and Lorenzo (known as Young Challenger).<ref name="Thompson" /> Alphonsus won the title four times.
*{{cite web|url=http://www.statecraft.net/montserrat/doc/MUSICOFMONTSERRAT2003.doc|accessdate=April 27|accessyear=2006|title=Music of Montserrat|work=Montserrat First, Montserrat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) Inc.}}
*De Ledesma, Charles and Georgia Popplewell. "Put Water in the Brandy?"". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific'', pp 507-526. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0


==Career==
{{musician-stub}}


Alphonsus Cassell released his first album ''Arrow on Target'' in the summer of 1971, two singles in mid 1972, "Dance with me Woman", and "Jean Under the Bed." In 1972 November he released his second album ''Arrow Strikes Again'' His third album was released in 1975. Ed Watson served as the arranger for his first three albums. Arrow recorded five more albums with Watson before he began working with Leston Paul. Arrow began to fuse calypso with other genres including [[zouk]], [[R&B]], and [[Salsa music|salsa]] resulting in some criticism and accusations that he was destroying Montserrat's calypso traditions. Others argued that his updating of the genre brought it to a new audience.<ref name="Thompson" />

In 1982, Arrow began collaborating with arranger Leston Paul and recorded "Hot Hot Hot". It was his biggest hit and it became the biggest selling soca hit of all time. "Hot Hot Hot" was composed by Arrow's brother, Justin 'Hero' Cassell. The song was adopted as the theme song of the [[1986 FIFA World Cup]] in [[Mexico]], and was later covered by [[David Johansen|Buster Poindexter]], [[Menudo (band)|Menudo]], and [[Babla & Kanchan]].<ref name="Thompson" /> Arrow capitalized on this success with 1983's ''Heat'' album, the "Rub Up" single, and 1984's ''Soca Savage'' album from which the international hit "Long Time" was taken, a top 30 hit in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="Thompson" /> He enjoyed further chart success in the UK with a remixed version of "Hot Hot Hot", which reached number 38 (the original had stalled at number 58). By that time, Arrow was also incorporating Latin brass into his music. Later albums incorporated [[Merengue music|merengue]] (1986's ''Heavy Energy''), and rock (1988's ''Knock Dem Dead''). ''Heavy Energy'' was his first album for [[Island Records]]' Mango label, with two further albums released on the label.

Arrow established himself as a businessman in Montserrat in 1973, owning the Arrow's Manshop store in [[Plymouth, Montserrat|Plymouth]]. When the business was destroyed by the [[Soufrière Hills|Soufriere Hills]] volcanic eruption, he moved to [[St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda|St. John's, Antigua]]. He organized a fund-raising calypso festival on the island in 1996, in response to the devastation caused by the volcano.<ref name="Thompson" /> Arrow co-headlined [[Bermuda]]'s Soca '96 festival and continued to regularly release albums. In 1988, he was given the Living Legends award by the organizers of the Caribbean Song Festival and the Bahamas Tourist Board.<ref name="Thompson" />

Arrow continued to be much in demand in the [[Caribbean]]. He performed at the [[2007 Cricket World Cup]] opening ceremonies at [[Trelawny Stadium]] in [[Jamaica]] with [[Shaggy (musician)|Shaggy]], [[Byron Lee]], and [[Kevin Lyttle]]. Arrow's last performance was at a fund-raising concert for Haiti at the Montserrat Cultural Center in January 2010.

==Death==
Alphonsus Cassell was diagnosed with [[cerebral cancer]] in January 2009. He received treatment in [[Miami]] and in [[Antigua]].<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918205237/https://trinidadexpress.com/news/arrow_flies_no_more-103017689.html|archive-date=18 September 2010|url=https://trinidadexpress.com/news/arrow_flies_no_more-103017689.html|url-status=dead|title=Arrow flies no more|first=Wayne|last=Borman|date=15 September 2015|access-date=2 June 2024|work=[[Trinidad Express Newspapers]]}}</ref> After a bout of [[pneumonia]], he died from complications of cancer on 15 September 2010 at his home in Lime Kiln Bay, Montserrat with his family at his side. He was 60.<ref name="Davison">{{cite web|first=Phil|last=Davison|title=Arrow: Soca singer who came to worldwide fame with his hit 'Hot, Hot, Hot'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/arrow-soca-singer-who-came-to-worldwide-fame-with-his-hit-hot-hot-hot-2082611.html|date=18 September 2010|access-date=2 June 2024|work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref><ref name="Laing">{{cite web|first=Dave|last=Laing|title=Arrow obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/sep/16/arrow-obituary|date=17 September 2010|access-date=2 June 2024|work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Montserrat gives 'Arrow' a rousing send off|url=https://discovermni.com/2010/10/03/montserrat-gives-arrow-a-rousing-send-off/|date=3 October 2010|access-date=2 June 2024|publisher=Discover Montserrat}}</ref>

==Discography==

===Albums===
*''The Mighty Arrow on Target'' (1972)
*''Arrow Strikes Again'' (1973)
*''Keep on Jamming'' (1975)
*''Sweet Beat'' (1978)
*''Instant Knockout'' (1980)
*''Man From Africa'' (1980)
*''Double Trouble'' (1981)
*''Hot Hot Hot'' (1982)
*''Heat'' (1983)
*''Soca Savage'' (1984)
*''Deadly'' (1985)
*''Heavy Energy'' (1986)
*''Soca Explosion'' (1987)
*''[[Knock Dem Dead]]'' (1988)
*''Massive'' (1988)
*''O'La Soca'' (1989)
*''Soca Dance Party'' (1990)
*''Hot Soca Hot'' (1990)
*''Zombie Soca'' (1991)
*''Zombie Remixes'' (1991)
*''The Best of Arrow Volume 2'' (1992)
*''Model De Bam Bam'' (1992)
*''Outrageous'' (1993)
*''Classics'' (1994)
*''Phat'' (1995)
*''Ride De Riddim'' (1996)
*''Turbulence'' (1998)
*''Beat De Drum'' (2000)
*''Arrow – Vintage Volume 1'' (2002)
*''No Rules'' (2002)

===Singles===
*1973: "Dance with Me, Woman"
*1981: "Soca Rhumba" / B-side "Bills"
*1982: "Curacao" / B-side "Bills"
*1983: "Rub Up"
*1983: "[[Hot Hot Hot (Arrow song)|Hot Hot Hot]]" No. 59 [[UK Singles Chart|UK]] / B-side "Money"
*1984: "Long Time" No. 30 UK / B-side "Colombia Rock"
*1987: "Hurray Hurray" / B-side "Wanna Dance"
*1988: "Groove Master" No. 23 US [[Hot Dance Club Play|Dance]]
*1989: "O' La Soca" No. 38 US Dance
*1994: "Hot Hot Hot (World Carnival Mix '94)" No. 38 UK, No.9 Australia<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 30}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*De Ledesma, Charles and Georgia Popplewell. "Put Water in the Brandy?"". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific'', pp 507–526. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. {{ISBN|1-85828-636-0}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/kaiso15.htm Alphonsus Cassell bio]
*Thomas, Norman "Gus" (6 August 2004) [http://ecaroh.com/profiles/arrow.htm Soca Superstar Arrow Among Honourees In Antigua].

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arrow}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Calypsonians]]
[[Category:Calypsonians]]
[[Category:Montserrat people]]
[[Category:Island Records artists]]
[[Category:Chrysalis Records artists]]
[[Category:Montserratian musicians]]
[[Category:Deaths from brain tumor]]
[[Category:Soca musicians]]
[[Category:Deaths from pneumonia]]

Latest revision as of 04:11, 15 December 2024

Arrow
MBE
Birth nameAlphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell
Born(1949-11-16)16 November 1949
Plymouth, Montserrat
Died15 September 2010(2010-09-15) (aged 60)
Lime Kiln Bay, Montserrat
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
InstrumentVocals
Years active1959–2010
Labels
WebsiteOfficial website

Alphonsus Celestine Edmund Cassell MBE (16 November 1949[1] – 15 September 2010), known mononymously as Arrow, was a Montserratian calypso and soca musician, regarded as the first superstar of soca from Montserrat.[2] Internationally, his biggest hit song was "Hot Hot Hot" (1982), known from the original by Arrow and numerous later versions by other musicians.

Early years

[edit]

Born in Plymouth, Montserrat,[3] Cassell first performed at the age of 10 in a concert at the Montserrat Secondary School.[2] He began singing calypso in 1967 and took the Junior Monarch title that year.

Cassell took up singing professionally in 1969. In the same year he was runner up in the Montserrat Calypso King competition. He won the title the next year, following in the footsteps of his brothers Justin (known as Hero) and Lorenzo (known as Young Challenger).[2] Alphonsus won the title four times.

Career

[edit]

Alphonsus Cassell released his first album Arrow on Target in the summer of 1971, two singles in mid 1972, "Dance with me Woman", and "Jean Under the Bed." In 1972 November he released his second album Arrow Strikes Again His third album was released in 1975. Ed Watson served as the arranger for his first three albums. Arrow recorded five more albums with Watson before he began working with Leston Paul. Arrow began to fuse calypso with other genres including zouk, R&B, and salsa resulting in some criticism and accusations that he was destroying Montserrat's calypso traditions. Others argued that his updating of the genre brought it to a new audience.[2]

In 1982, Arrow began collaborating with arranger Leston Paul and recorded "Hot Hot Hot". It was his biggest hit and it became the biggest selling soca hit of all time. "Hot Hot Hot" was composed by Arrow's brother, Justin 'Hero' Cassell. The song was adopted as the theme song of the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, and was later covered by Buster Poindexter, Menudo, and Babla & Kanchan.[2] Arrow capitalized on this success with 1983's Heat album, the "Rub Up" single, and 1984's Soca Savage album from which the international hit "Long Time" was taken, a top 30 hit in the United Kingdom.[2] He enjoyed further chart success in the UK with a remixed version of "Hot Hot Hot", which reached number 38 (the original had stalled at number 58). By that time, Arrow was also incorporating Latin brass into his music. Later albums incorporated merengue (1986's Heavy Energy), and rock (1988's Knock Dem Dead). Heavy Energy was his first album for Island Records' Mango label, with two further albums released on the label.

Arrow established himself as a businessman in Montserrat in 1973, owning the Arrow's Manshop store in Plymouth. When the business was destroyed by the Soufriere Hills volcanic eruption, he moved to St. John's, Antigua. He organized a fund-raising calypso festival on the island in 1996, in response to the devastation caused by the volcano.[2] Arrow co-headlined Bermuda's Soca '96 festival and continued to regularly release albums. In 1988, he was given the Living Legends award by the organizers of the Caribbean Song Festival and the Bahamas Tourist Board.[2]

Arrow continued to be much in demand in the Caribbean. He performed at the 2007 Cricket World Cup opening ceremonies at Trelawny Stadium in Jamaica with Shaggy, Byron Lee, and Kevin Lyttle. Arrow's last performance was at a fund-raising concert for Haiti at the Montserrat Cultural Center in January 2010.

Death

[edit]

Alphonsus Cassell was diagnosed with cerebral cancer in January 2009. He received treatment in Miami and in Antigua.[4] After a bout of pneumonia, he died from complications of cancer on 15 September 2010 at his home in Lime Kiln Bay, Montserrat with his family at his side. He was 60.[3][5][6]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
  • The Mighty Arrow on Target (1972)
  • Arrow Strikes Again (1973)
  • Keep on Jamming (1975)
  • Sweet Beat (1978)
  • Instant Knockout (1980)
  • Man From Africa (1980)
  • Double Trouble (1981)
  • Hot Hot Hot (1982)
  • Heat (1983)
  • Soca Savage (1984)
  • Deadly (1985)
  • Heavy Energy (1986)
  • Soca Explosion (1987)
  • Knock Dem Dead (1988)
  • Massive (1988)
  • O'La Soca (1989)
  • Soca Dance Party (1990)
  • Hot Soca Hot (1990)
  • Zombie Soca (1991)
  • Zombie Remixes (1991)
  • The Best of Arrow Volume 2 (1992)
  • Model De Bam Bam (1992)
  • Outrageous (1993)
  • Classics (1994)
  • Phat (1995)
  • Ride De Riddim (1996)
  • Turbulence (1998)
  • Beat De Drum (2000)
  • Arrow – Vintage Volume 1 (2002)
  • No Rules (2002)

Singles

[edit]
  • 1973: "Dance with Me, Woman"
  • 1981: "Soca Rhumba" / B-side "Bills"
  • 1982: "Curacao" / B-side "Bills"
  • 1983: "Rub Up"
  • 1983: "Hot Hot Hot" No. 59 UK / B-side "Money"
  • 1984: "Long Time" No. 30 UK / B-side "Colombia Rock"
  • 1987: "Hurray Hurray" / B-side "Wanna Dance"
  • 1988: "Groove Master" No. 23 US Dance
  • 1989: "O' La Soca" No. 38 US Dance
  • 1994: "Hot Hot Hot (World Carnival Mix '94)" No. 38 UK, No.9 Australia[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Associated Press, "Soca singer Alphonsus 'Arrow' Cassell dies at 60", Los Angeles Times, 16 September 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Thompson, Dave (2002) Reggae & Caribbean Music, Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-655-6, pp. 26–28.
  3. ^ a b Davison, Phil (18 September 2010). "Arrow: Soca singer who came to worldwide fame with his hit 'Hot, Hot, Hot'". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  4. ^ Borman, Wayne (15 September 2015). "Arrow flies no more". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  5. ^ Laing, Dave (17 September 2010). "Arrow obituary". The Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  6. ^ "Montserrat gives 'Arrow' a rousing send off". Discover Montserrat. 3 October 2010. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  7. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 30. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

Further reading

[edit]
  • De Ledesma, Charles and Georgia Popplewell. "Put Water in the Brandy?"". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 2: Latin & North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific, pp 507–526. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
[edit]
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