Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Silver Strings Recreate Our Shore's Audio Waves

When HYPE magazine writer Benedicta J. Foo, (Feb-July Issue 38) discussed the vivacious and developing music scene in Singapore she focused on 60s music veterans, The Silver Strings.  Interviewing managing director  of Supreme Musical Connections and band leader, Audie Ng (image below) and myself, she described the group as one that was inspired by The Shadows and started as an instrumental band sans any characteristically suave front man in 1963.

However when talent time contests came with titles to be won the band soon found themselves accompanying four singers: Singapore's Paul Anka, Singapore's Millie Small and Malaysia's Beatles i.e. Andy, Veronica, Mike and Herb respectively.

The success of this group (Andy didn't stay too long) brought them a performance at Stadium Negara in Malaysia where they played to an audience of 20,000 for a Miss Universe Pageant.

When Shirley Nair came into the picture Philips contracted the group with Mike and Herb to record for its famous label. By then Veronica had left the band too.

It was another leap forward when the Strings opened for the Rolling Stones concert at the Badminton Hall in Guillemard Road.

Cover: Issue 38.
Extracts:

Perhaps what contributed to this legendary band's success was their sheer enjoyment for music.

"We were all more fun and games, money wasn't in the picture," Andy recollects his glorious days.

"We're only glad to have one of Singapore's pioneer bands introduce us to it," says Veronica.

Andy also started a Singapore 60s Music Blog to document the crevices of 60s culture and provide a window for the younger generation to take a peek into the rarely documented golden era of Singapore's music.

To read the rest of the Strings' exciting journey you can get a copy of HYPE magazine by calling them at (65) 6460-8504, or email them at: enquiry@theurbanwire.com

Article from: Golden Riffs of The Silver Strings Page 16; Feb-July Issue 38.
Images from HYPE Magazine, Singapore.
Copyrights Reserved.

6 comments:

Alexander Krulik said...

Great blog here! Also your website loads up very fast!
What web host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link
to your host? I wish my website loaded up as quickly
as yours lol

Jen said...

Yay! You got the magazine :)

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, this blog's going far and wide. Thank you Alexander. I don't know where you're from but I guess our web host could be SingTel itself, our local telco. But let me find out and will let you know soon...

Glad you visited our audio shores.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Jen thanks for the comment. Are you from HYPE magazine?

suituapui said...

I love Shirley Nair's Come home to me. I hear she has passed on, real sad. I knew Veronica but I can't remember for what songs. Teresa Knoo's Singaporean too or not? I remember her "Unspoken words".

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you for the visit and comments about the songs and singers. I tried logging on to your blog but couldn't get in. You've got a great site too and I enjoy the postings. Please keep in touch.