Magazine Memo: RAF Changi Connection Part IV

Jumping Jupiter! Well, here's a blast from the past and sent all the way from the UK by great friend Allan Thompson. He has sent me images of our pop scenes in Singapore 60s. The above groups and singers is a page taken off Goodwood Park Hotel magazine from a programme for ‘The Goodwood Presents...', a show held at The National Theatre on Wednesday 23rd September 1964. Direct quotes below are from the page:

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Crescendos:

The first Singapore vocal group/band to have their songs released by an international recording group: "The Crescendos, Susan Lim, John Chee, Raymond Ho and Leslie Chia are today the best selling artistes on the Philips label. In a short space of a year these young Malaysians have achieved the distinction of having one of their hit songs 'The Boy Next Door' included in the 1964 'Big Hits' record. it is expected to be released in early October.

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Susan the lead singer of the group is in her final year in school and plans of the quartet's future can only be drawn in 1965. Since they started their singing career a year ago, they have recorded 12 numbers and sold 35,000 in Malaysia alone. In the last ratings of Philips 20 discs on Philips international label The Crescendos recording of 'The Boy Next Door' held second place."

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Wilson David:

"Malaysia's Beat King is undoubtedly the teenage solo singing craze, teams up with the Jumping Jupiters to cut his first disc on the Philips International label."

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The Jumping Jupiters:

"A group of talented and energetic instrumentalists, popular on TV, radio and many a stage show now cut their first disc on Philips International label. Wilson David and The Jumping Jupiters appear by courtesy of Asia Promotions."

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Comment:

In the above write-up about the Crescendos, Singapore was still with Malaysia until August 1965, so the group, which was formed in 1961 and Susan Lim only 15, were still "Malaysians." One of the Crescendo boys remarked in a recent interview that they were lucky and had just happened to be at the right place, at the right time. But they were talented too. Twelve Crescendos numbers sold 35,000 copies. That's still a record today or has it been broken?

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Wilson David cut an EP with Jumping Jupiters and 2 more EPs afterwards accompanied by The Jets and The Moonglows. He had sung with the Stompers, Esquires and Quests. Wilson was popularly known as Singapore's Elvis Presley. Just wondering why no one has put on You Tube the EPs of Wilson David? Comment anyone on this article and magazine comments?

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Images: Allan Thompson Collection.