Where Guitar Groups Perform Before A Movie

Where else did the new and unknown bands play before they hit the big time in Singapore 60s?
There were two big names in movie houses then, Shaw Brothers and Cathay Organisation. To promote their movies these two groups had bands to perform before a show and it's usually at the Capitol & Cathay.

I sang in 'Amateur Night' at the Capitol Cinema (still a landmark today) with others like the Goh Brothers. It was a blast!

The exceptionally large posters that fronted the Capitol building were usually planned, drawn and painted by creative artist Robert Song, who was also a singer with 60s bands like The Flamingos, The Checkmates and The Stylers. Song had sinced passed away in 1990 in the Philippines.

Image: from ST Collection Ebay

Happy Birthday, Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977)

Came: 8 January 1935. Left: 16 August 1977. Acknowledging The King on this website. 74 years young.

Marie Tang n Commancheros Sings Fireball XL5

 "Marie Tang is 14 year old student at St Joseph's Convent whose ambition is to be a school teacher. She has taken part in several competitions and qualified for the Finals of RTS Talentime in 1968 and 69. According to Marie, she owes a lot to a friend - Uncle James, who has been coaching her for this year's talentime. 

From: The Hamster and the Guppies."

This TV series was a success in the early sixties and most everyone who knew it whistled the catchy theme song. I tried it out with The Silver Strings during practice then sang it the first time at The Celestial Room where we played.

As far as I can remember the crowd loved Fireball XL5 and it became my song. It has since been recorded by Marie Tang (above), daughter of Wilma Tang.

Original article from Hamster and Guppies.
YouTube video by: blastfromthepast.
Images: from Google.

Paul Anka: Collect The Dreams You Dream...

Good morning yesterday
You wake up and time
Has slipped away
And suddenly it's hard to find
*The memories you left behind
Remember, do you remember?
The laughter and the tears
The shadows of misty yesteryears
The good times and the bad you've seen
And all the others in between
Remember, do you remember
The times of your life
Reach out for the joy and the sorrow
Put them away in your mind
The mem'ries are times that you borrow
To spend when you get to tomorrow
Here comes the saddest part
The seasons are passing one by one
So gather moments while you may
Collect the dreams you dream today
Remember, will you remember
The times of your life...

*Anka's latest version: "all the hair"

Key in to: you tube paul anka videos

'The Young Ones/Once' & 'Opposite Sex'

Home parties were held to celebrate birthdays and festivities like Christmas and New Year. They were also places where friends gathered to meet "the opposite sex". The atmosphere was usually cordial and to get to know someone new in an amicable way was exciting then.

There would be a live band. Music played? Cliff Richard numbers like, 'When The Girl In Your Arms', 'Travelling Light' and 'The Young Ones'.

Instrumentals include: 'Vaya Condios', 'Apache' and 'Red River Rock'. Seasonals include, 'Jingle Bells' and 'Phoenix Song' (CNY).

SDU was unknown then. Comments?

Home Christmas Party With The Stylers

Home parties were the craze in the 1960's. With few high-rise apartments and many village houses, terrace houses, semi-detached bungalows, neighbours were tolerant with the kampong spirit so noisy home gatherings playing guitar music and loud drumming would not attract police cars to the area. 

In fact, neighbours join in the fun by either, peeping through the fencing or get to know their next-door friends by coming in for a drink with them. The houses were not too large, sometimes only with a single-storey but the occupants were generally friendly and nice.

I used to be the MC for Christmas parties, usually organising it with close friends from as far as the Joo Chiat and Katong areas. I remember one where The Stylers (image) entertained. Stylers leader was a neighbour and Randy visited the area often. It was easy then.

It was too noisy to play rock music, so it was usually played in between Latino melodies.  We played less rock n roll but more cha-cha-cha, rhumba and sentimental music. 

Between dances and couple-cuddles, the guests were treated to finger-food and floor games (definitely clean). That was how young people got to know each other. I am in touch with two couples today, who met at this party and are still together.

The picture shows JOHN TEO (leader/lead guitar) seated on the amplifier. Bands saved the remuneration they get to buy instruments and band outfit.  RANDY LEE (with glasses, rhythm guitarist and currently FB famous), Frankie Abdullah (bass), Osman (drums). The man in front is Mr. Kwok and had managed the band.

Image: A Personal Collection/Copyrighted.

YouTube Screens Singapore 60s Music - Joe Wu

Dear Andy,

I must quickly confess that I was just a brat and was never a performer during the Golden Era of Singapore Pop Music. But I am defintely an enthusiast for this genre, and have been one ever since I got hooked big time on Rediffusion in the early 60s. The good old days of "Top Tunes Of The Week" when our local artistes would compete so successfully with the international artistes for the #1 position week after week.
.

Andy, thanks to information from our mutual friend, Joseph Pereira, in 2003, I first heard of you and your place in the history of The Silver Strings. I must congratulate you for being the first lead vocalist with that distinguished band. Surely you must have some great memories of the music gigs with the band.
.

I always had dreams of fronting a great pop band like you did, but, alas, such was never to be my pathway to fame, and I could only live your life vicariously. I heard you left the band to focus on (your career) shortly after The Silver Strings started accompanying Veronica Young, and then there was Shirley Nair, and also Vernon Cornelius for a few months. What a sterling history.
.

I live in Seattle, and was not able to attend the concert (pic) at VivoCity... friends gave me raving reports of the concert... three big cheers to all the performers... organisers... folks in the audience for suporting the heroes of Singapore 60s Pop Music.

Best Regards,
Joe Wu

*Minimal editing of letter.

Stylers (Chinese Pop), Robert Song (Baba Pop)

You cannot discuss Singapore Chinese Pop without The Stylers. Like most local bands, this group started at home parties.

They had since made it big accompanying Chinese singers, comedians, appearing on Singapore tele and recording instrumentals that became very popular.

The recordings were similar to James Last non-stop ballroom music only the local versions used Cha-Cha & A-Go-G0 music. One that I like is their version of 'Stupid Cupid'.

Robert Song (far left) who was a baba and Singapore's Johnny Ray, sang with them. In the early 60s they played at a home party where I was MC. Song had sinced passed away and as a friend he was always humble and pleasant. I will never forget Robert Song for his kindness and goodness.

Original article: Andy Lim.

YouTube: Key in: the stylers

Sakura Teng: Pop A -Go-Go Yodel Lady Who?

They are like sisters on stage but there's a way to differentiate Rita Chao & SAKURA TENG of which this article is about. The former is quiet, the latter animated although both sing Singapore-style Western pops just as well. New World Amusement Park was the place where Sakura Teng, a well-known 1960s Malaysian songbird, launched her music career at age 17.

During her heydey in the 1960s and 1970s, the A Go-Go Queen as she was nicknamed, cut more than 50 records and was best known for her yodelling. Sakura aka Ying Hua was one of the more popular female Mandarin singers and had sung in a variety of languages, from Mandarin to Bahasa Melayu, English, Japanese and a few other languages.

                            Sakura Teng Medley Video from: eosyeo

Many of her recordings were accompanied by top pop guitar group The Quests. Ask any Singaporean and the answer would be the same, that she was a household name and appeared frequently on Radio and Television Singapore's (RTS) Chinese Variety Show, on local radio stations and looming larger than life in Singapore's nightclub scene during yesteryear.

This yodelling queen rose to fame with her rendition of, I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Comes. With more than 50 albums behind her Sakura's recordings included many Western songs that were translated into Chinese. Many recordings were also done with Rita Chao.

Sakura and her family have a new life in the U.S. today. She has been to Singapore recently and appeared in a few shows. The 60s fans are still around to buy her concert tickets to cheer her on.

Image: Google.

Article: compilation from Website information.

RITA CHAO - Pop A-Go-Go. For William's Dad

Hi William,
Remember her? I think your dad could have been one 60s fan who listens to Rita Chao. Singers like Rita and Sakura Teng were popular with the non-english speaking crowd. But she's eye candy and was most popular then.

If you've seen her performing at one of our venues please write in. Rita was a draw with a-go-go, hala-hala and off beat cha-cha enthusiasts with music from the west like Woolly Bully etc. But where is Rita now? Anyone?

There are many Rita Chao websites at GOOGLE SEARCH.

Record Players And Vinyl: Yesterday And Today

Written in 2009:

"Find a wheel as it goes round, round, round, As it skims along with a happy sound..." sings Perry Como. I know. I am at it again. 

No news about local bands today but harping about 60's paraphernalia. But don't forget, without these gadgets we won't be able to play those black vinyl records like the singles, EP's and 10 and 12 inch LP's.

I remember having one (picture) while my very rich friends have radiograms with built in stereo speakers and record cabinet.

It was a joy to place a record lovingly through the spindle and watch it fall gently on the turntable. Then the playing arm automatically falls on the spinning record and the song begins... scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch. Now with technology everything's too perfect, too clinical.

Written in 2017:

Today after so many, many years, from the 1960's for the modern record player and late 1800's for the gramophone, this machine still exists but it's a digitalised version. You can now insert a thumb-drive (image: left of machine) to record whatever vinyl you put on the turntable. And you're looking at recording hundreds or thousands of songs, depending on the size of your thumb-drive.

But it's not an automatic player. Records have to be placed individually, which is the proper method. And it's inexpensive, having bought one a few years ago. 

But I hardly record any song, preferring instead to just listen to a few melodies with its stereophonic sound from a richer and more natural tone from the simple loudspeakers and amplifier I own. But the scratch, scratch sound is still there. It's a choice, I guess.

                    The Teddy Bears: To Know Him Is To Love Him.

From Honey by Bobby Goldsboro to Mr Twister by Singapore group The Crescendos, it's actually the process, most times, of taking the vinyl out of the sleeve cover and placing it on the turntable, then reading the literature provided, than listening to the song itself. Quite an operation for our younger generation. But for us Seniors, the routine is in our blood stream.

So dear readers, with the information explosion and millions of songs on You Tube and elsewhere, do you need a player. Think again before purchasing one. It may be more of an ordeal than a blessing.

Yes, and don't forget, you still need to clean the records, store them for easy search. Not like mine. Quite messy in the cupboards that I shelved them in. Took time looking for my first single record that I bought, To Know Him Is To Love Him by The Teddy Bears. 

Images: Google

Andy 60s Fiat 600 1964 Model Silver Strings Overload

#This story was featured on 9th November 2014 during Brian Richmond's 90.5fm radio show, Sundays With Brian during the Reminiscing with Andy segment. 

A Memory Trail:

We didn't know how but Audie, bass guitarist of the Silver Strings, owned a Fiat 600 in the 60s and the 5 or 6 of us squeezed into the tiny car with two doors.

We were entangled all over like a human octopus, limbs dangling, with probably three sitting in front and four seated behind, with at least 3 Fender guitars, a snare drum, and sticks. We knew how sardines felt after that. Compact travel. It was fun though as our driver went round before that picking everybody up. The cramping got worse as the numbers increased.

Wilfred, Danny Boy, Andy, Audie and David during one of the first few gigs at the old Kallang Airport Dance Hall.

If I remember correctly, the usual troupe was in the car, handsome Hainanese boy David Chan lead guitarist, Wilfred Chew rhythm, the rich young man from a bungalow house in Katong, 'Danny Boy' or Osman our drummer and our taxi-driver Audie Ng who owns the car, the band, and the bass. 

Somewhere in that mess, I was inside too. Five so far. Sometimes a fan would come in; he would help carry our guitars. You wouldn't believe it but the car can take in five people easily.

Audie still does it now, picking band members up and sending them way back home in the night from as far as Yishun and Pasir Panjang. I remember him driving home the band boys after our studio practices in November 2008. He drives a bigger car now. This particular car took us home during the racial riots (check postings) in 1964.

I bought one in the mid-60s too. Kiasu. Red in color; no choice. Second hand. The above illustration shows the two doors opening V-shaped, facing the engine. They were wide when opened, very wide indeed. It was easy to enter and exit the car because of the wide gaps the two doors made (image). 

Once I fooled a friend, telling him that the Fiat 600 didn't use any engine [image below]. He was shocked when I opened the front bonnet to prove it. The space for an engine was empty. If only I had shown him the boot, where the engine was. 😂
Good old Eddie is still around today. I'm just wondering if he knows...

My first car ever!

The engine is behind? Fooled a friend who was shocked

when he saw there wasn't any...

Classic Cars and Music of the 50s

YouTube Video from: 1970s English Teddy Boys

This fantastic video took a lot of patience and energy

to produce. Thank you very much guys.

With Brian Richmond during the recording session at MediaCorp which was at Caldecott Hill. He is a DJ at Singapore's 90.5 FM Radio Station.

Image: Google and A Personal Collection.
This post has been rejuvenated from 1.1.2009.