SINGAPORE 60's: ANDY's POP MUSIC INFLUENCE IS A PERSONAL MUSIC, MEMORY TRAIL. BLOGGER DOES NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO VIDEOS, AUDIO TRACKS AND IMAGES. THEY ARE UPLOADED FOR FUN, EDUCATIONAL, ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES AND HAVE BEEN CREDITED. BLOG IS NOT SPONSORED NOR ADVERTORIAL IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER. INFORM BLOGGER OF COPYRIGHT ISSUES AND POST WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT COPY THE POSTS; GET PERMISSION N CREDIT ME IF YOU DO. ANDY LIM LA (NOVEMBER, 2008) -
(新加坡六十年代安迪的流行音乐影响力), SUDI MAMPIR !
Since I started this blog in 2008, I have had many requests for interviews regarding my opinion on the 60's music scene in Singapore. Obliging the dozen or more of them, it is the first time I've requested for a copy of a completed article to be posted on this blog. Below is a combined effort of a such a write-up by two young ladies who are students studying for their degree/diploma at a local university/polytechnic. They interviewed me at my usual haunt and came out with this piece for HYPE Magazine #41 (August - January 2016): CHRISTA CHOO (left)and SAMANTHA CHOONG go in search of musicians from the 60s, to learn more about why many still call it the heyday of Singapore music: When we think about the music from the 60's, Singapore bands would not usually come to mind. But put aside Marvin Gaye and The Beatles and step into the world of The Quests. The 60's was essentially the heyday for local music. A number of bands gained record deals with the help of radios lauding the music they produced. Rewinding back to the past, there was indeed a whole lot more support for local music then. Mr. Andrew Lim, better known by his stage name Andy Young, who runs singapore60smusic.blogspot.com won the Paul Anka competition in 1959, and led Silver Strings shortly after. His music career only took flight for all of two years, when he decided it would clash with his teaching career. He says that he "had some time free in between, because teaching then was half a day." "Silver Strings started in the band leader's house and from there we got contracts to play in night clubs," says Mr. Lim. "We only played for a few miserable dollars. It was more for the fun of it." Mr Lim recalls how parents would warn their daughters to stay away from band boys. "Musicians today are backed up by society, it wasn't so then," he explains. "Today's musicians are accepted, in a sense, because now we have so much backing by the authorities, the government." Mr Lim adds: "You can go for a full music course or degree at Berklee College of Music. At that time, there was no such thing. If you were a musician, you were on your own. Those were the days." You can read the full article by clicking on the connection below: http://nptribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/HYPE-41-SG50.pdf
Image and Article: 1) A Personal Collection 2) Google 3) HYPE Magazine Copyrights Reserved.
1) Stories abound regarding the birth of the well-renowned Fender solid guitar especially about its use by The Shadows and other 60's guitarists. There can be no truth if the whole truth is not told. Here's the beginning of what is to be a success story in the world of pop instruments from a book by Wade-Matthews and Thompson: "Although the first solid-body electric guitar was
built by Les Paul, it was first mass-produced by Leo Fender above (1909-1991), and became a key
element in rock n roll. Fender, a California-based guitar and amplifier
manufacturer, had often been asked by musicians if he could give more volume
and at the same time eliminate screech and feedback from the electrified
instruments of the time.
He came up with the solid-body guitar that he
developed just after World War II. His first model, the Broadcaster, entered mass production in 1948, and its sharpness and
attack made it an instant success, especially with country musicians.
In 1950 its name was changed to the Telecaster, and it was this instrument
that gave the rock of that decade its distinctive sound. In 1951 Fender introduced his solid-body bass
guitar and, five years later his futuristic Stratocaster.
One of the pioneers of electric guitar-playing was
Muddy Waters (left), 1915-1983, who moved up to Chicago to Mississippi. In 1944 he bought his first electric guitar
one made by Fender, and within two years had formed his first electric combo."
The article comes from:
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC
Max Wade-Matthews and Wendy Thompson
'Rock and Pop' on Leo Fender: Page 76.
Hermes House
Anness Publishing Ltd (Print: 2003).
2) Birddog, a regular contributor and reader of this blog, has provided a comment about Leo Fender after the above article has been published. It is a big piece item so I've decided to give the writer ample space. Thank youBirddog: "This unassuming giant of a man whose innovative inventions and contribution to the music world especially in guitars is legendary. Hardly there is any genre of modern music that is without an instrument synonymous with him. Besides guitars, his company also made the equally famous Rhodes electric pianos and amplifiers which carried his name. To me I believe his single greatest contribution to the music world was his invention of the electric bass. Before he came out with that, the bassist had to stand immobile in a corner playing the massive acoustic 'doghouse' bass. It was huge and backbreaking to carry one around.
After his success with the guitars, he came out with the electric bass thereby freeing the often ignored bassist to the forefront to share equal glory with the guitarist. Most of his inventions from the 50's were so bold and futuristic, that even today his iconic instruments are still highly popular and much sought after by many professional and aspiring amateur musicians alike. The legacy and footprint he left behind is immense. Not bad for a man who could not even play the guitar well. I believe he is the 1st non performer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."
Image: Louis Johnson and Leo Fender.
Louis Johnson (1955-2015) was an American bass guitarist, best known for his slapping technique and session playing with his group The Brothers Johnson. His was the best selling album of all time, Thriller and hits in the 70's/80's.His signature sound was from Music Man StingRay Bass which Leo Fender made for him to first use. Read the story below about Mr Tan from TMA who sold the first Fender Solid Guitars in Singapore. This posting neither promotes nor try to sell any product.
The TMA logo on most of Mr Tan's shop offers. Pix by Gordon Pan from FB. He explains: "The guitar is a 1962 or 1963 Fender Jazzmaster identifiable by the Spaghetti logo bought from TMA around the same time. It was probably the 2nd most saleable Fender model at the time when Surf bands were using it instead of Stratocasters." The Tributes: The letters keep pouring in about Mr Tan in response to his passing away last week. Henry Chua, the former bassist of The Quests and Horace Wee, guitarist with RTS Orchestra, wrote a comment each for the blog and because both had much to share I decided to share their stories. Thank you, Henry and Horace.
Mr Tan of TMA by Henry Chua.
"My recollection of Mr Tan is still vivid in my mind. This man struck me as a kind and helpful human being.
I studied at Raffles Institution at Bras Basah Road in the 60’s. I was given just 20 cents for bus fare to and fro to school from my home in Tiong Bahru. Had to change buses for each trip. One the way home I need to take the STC bus from the St Andrew’s Cathedral and then changed to a No 6 Hock Lee bus at North Canal Road. Very often just to save 5 cents I walked from school to North Canal Road.
The walk was money saving and also it provides me some time to visit the music stores along the way. The first was Swee Lee at the Capitol Cinema complex. Then Sassoon, next to the Union Jack Club at the open car park next to Capitol. Sassoon was the importers of Vox guitars and amplifiers [image: Henry Chua].
The last stop was TMA at the junction of North Bridge Road and High Street. It was opposite the Metro departmental stores. There was also B.P. de Silva and Polar Café along TMA’s side of High Street.
I would always make a visit to the TMA shop to look and drool at the guitars. I was a 12-year-old kid and had dreams. There was a circular display in the middle of the shop. Vinyl record racks on the left and a glass showcase on the right as you enter the shop. On this glass case were displayed a few Fender guitars.
I recalled seeing a Stratocaster priced around S$700, megabucks in those days for a kid with 20 cents in his pocket. There was a sound room to listen to the records you wish to purchase. I remembered the friendly uncle who put on a Dave Brubeck LP for me to listen. My first introduction to jazz including the 5/4 Take Five and 7/8 rhythm.
Some years later in 1964, we (The Quests) got to befriend Mr Tan. He was helpful and loan us the whole set of Fender guitars and amplifiers for our gigs. We just had to pick them up at his home along Mountbatten Road. That house is still there. He even allowed us to pay for the things we purchased from TMA by instalments. No contracts, just gentlemen’s honour.
He even rewired Reggie’s Stratocaster to achieve the neck and bridge pick up combination. He kept this rewiring secret between the Quests and him alone. That’s where we got our sound. Thanks to Mr Tan. Of course these days most would know how to acquire this fix.
He was the service engineer for TMA. I usually find him in his little room fixing and repairing things. No matter how busy he was he would always find time to have a chat. He was a very patient man and I had never seen him enraged even on a difficult day.
We bought a Fender spring Reverb (S$400) from him and most of our guitars from him. At one stage he loaned us a Fender analogue tape echo to test, but unfortunately, there was just too much wow and flutter and the echoes were flat so we couldn’t use it. Finally, he imported the famous German-Swiss Echo and that was our tape delay for all our recordings since Shanty.
How could I not remember him as the friendly, kind uncle who helped us in our musical journey? RIP Mr Tan, the Singapore music world loves you."
"Hi, Andy,
My take on Mr Tan of TMA
This has to be one of the kindest persons I have ever known. Besides being a great salesman, he was able to relate to and support the young of that time who aspired to be a famous band or musician. The comments on your blog attest to this.
Every time I look at my Fender Twin Reverb, Stratocaster guitar and Swiss Echo machine (all of which I still own) I still think fondly of Mr Tan of TMA from whom I bought these instruments in the sixties. Much has been said on how he offered the Fender instruments on loan, instalment payments and other generous offers of sponsorship and promotion.
But the friendship I formed with him was a passion for electronics and at that time the dawn of guitar effects pedals. He would share his information on circuits with me and likewise, I would do the same. When he was about to leave for Canada, he took the trouble to see me in order to introduce his US contacts to me in order that I might be able to have some business connections with them. Something that he did not have to do, but it illustrates the generosity and big-heart of this man [image: Horace Wee].
In all the years that I've been in music, there have been very few music stores or salespersons (IN THE WORLD) that I can say that I was happy to have bought from them. Mr Tan of TMA is one of them.
RIP M. Tan. It was a privilege to have known you, I shall never forget you and I hope to meet you or someone like you again, in some other lifetime.
MRS TAN PECK SOO passed away exactly 4 years after Mr Tan. A fine woman, she was 93. You may remember her as the elegantly dressed very friendly and soft spoken "hokkien" lady who stood behind the violin counter at the old TMA store on High Street. I bought my first guitar [a Harry Belafonte Calypso] round hole guitar from her. [From Henri Gann - 14 January 2021.]
UP TO 2,000 VIEWS, 30+ COMMENTS
I received a note from blog reader Mr Henri Gann who announced the demise Mr Tan Peck Soo, former owner of TMA Pte Ltd. @ High Street, a music shop in the 1960's. Any band boy who played decent guitar would have met and known him. He was the Godfather of local 60's pop. Mr Tan passed away on January 11th, 2016 in Vancouver B.C., Canada. A fine and generous man he was a friend to all who met him. He is survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter and two grand children. According to Mr Gann, he was the man who sold the first Fender Stratocaster and Fender Reverb in Singapore to pop guitar group, TheTrekkers ( 1962 ). Mr Tan and his equally enthusiastic electrician assistant helped the Trekkers build their first guitar amplifiers to simulate the sound of the Fender Showman and the Fender Bassman. Thank you Mr Gann for your personal tribute. "The Trekkers tribute to the man they called Mr Tan of TMA (Pte) Ltd - Singapore 1960's.
Peck Soo had vision The year was 1960. The 2 major guitar shops were Swee Lee and TMA. The former had an advantage guitar product being the sole agent for Gibson. TMA only had the Belafonte calypso guitars and ukulele and was focused on Hohner harmonica and accordion. I had just met Peck Soo. He had returned from a tour of the musical factories in Europe TMA represented. I showed him a Fender catalogue. He convinced his dad to import Fender even though Fender was a little unknown custom shop company in America. The Fender Stratocaster was later made famous after the death of Buddy Holly and the surfing music of the 60's. Peck Soo was a born banker I was just a kid. Peck Soo offered me one of his first Stratocasters on credit. Buying things on credit was almost unheard of at that time least of all to a kid with no credit. The man knew relationship was key to business success.
Peck Soo was a gifted salesman Store products were primarily displayed in the showroom and occasionally advertised in the newspaper for early Singapore. Peck Soo went a step ahead of the others. He had the Trekkers played his showcase amplifier on stage and especially at the British R n R club on Beach Road and the stores would be filled with British servicemen asking for the Fender products the next morning.
Peck Soo loved his electronics
He scanned his Heathkit catalogues daily like some people shop Amazon today and owning a Fender Showman and Bassman then was like having a Tesla today. Peck Soo saw it in our (Trekkers) eyes with the Fender amplifiers and said that he could build us one and he had a very sharp electrician who could do just that. Peck Soo knew his speakers well which was key to designing a good sounding amplifier and Geylang had great custom cabinet maker. The Trekkers build the first look alike and sweet sounding Fender tube amplifiers in Singapore in 1960.
Peck Soo was a funny man We had one travel together from North America to Singapore. The year was 1985. Yes we did travel on SIA business class. Our first stop was Taipei,Taiwan. Peck Soo had his Sherlock Holmes rain jacket on and moved impatiently from one line to another as we were clearing immigration till I lost sight of him. When I found him after clearing customs he was the only person left at customs and they were making him empty his pocket and unroll his US$100 bills while another official was looking closely at his passport. He looked bewildered after the cross examination by customs.
Peck Soo said to me many times that he had a full life. He was a good son to his father and moved to Canada only after his father decided to close down the business in 1980's. He immigrated to Canada to give his children and wife a better life. And he achieved his Canadian dream by having a good life in his retirement years.
Thank you Peck Soo and I like to send this closing song tribute to you... Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven - Eric Clapton."
Eric Clapton's: Tears In Heaven: Tribute to Mr. Tan Video.
YouTube Video from Epitaph.
Many band members from the 1960's are familiar with Mr. Tan.
Crystal Abidin is an anthropologist, ethnographer, and percussionist who grew up in Singapore and now lives in Perth. She used to play classical percussion in orchestras and now sings harmony in church. Reach her at wishcrys.com
This young lady is completing her PhD studies and we 'met' on her website. I wrote to ask if she could write an article about Singapore music in the 60's. She agreed and I must thank her for the kindness to do so. Find out what she reveals and who she really is:
A labour of love: Growing up with Jerry Murad of The Dukes.
By Crystal Abidin.
My father has five brothers and two sisters, which makes for a whole lot of cousins for my sister and I to play with when we were growing up (and every Raya is a mini logistical nightmare, but that’s another story for another time).
Uncle Murad is secretly my favourite one.
Many veteran musicians in Singapore know Jerry Murad as the front man and lead guitarist of the 1960's band, The Dukes. My father, Zainal Abidin, was the bassist – he has several magazine covers and vinyl covers from his treasure trove to prove that they were once young, fine, eligible young men.
While many great musicians of his cohort have gone on to fulltime jobs in other sectors, Jerry Murad is one of the few musicians who has managed to maintain a career (and raise a family of five) as a professional musician for over five decades.
Here is a snapshot of his life.
I know Jerry Murad intimately.
He is the uncle who showered me with the most gifts when I was growing up.
As a child, I remember weekly visits to Nenek's house where Uncle Murad and his family live. There was a glass cabinet by the window in the living room, in which my uncle kept all his musical scores, meticulously filed and labeled.
I soon learnt that if I lurked around for long enough while intently peering through the glass door, Uncle Murad would come over, ask what I was “interested in”, and offer to hand on another one of his precious scores to me.
I never really asked for anything out rightly, because I was a polite child. But seeing as how a good third of my current collection of scores were gifts from my uncle, I guess being sneaky and patient pays off.
When my sister later started recording herself on YouTube and playing at gigs, she inherited a couple of guitars from Uncle Murad. It would have been nice if he had a few spare marimbas or vibraphones laying around for me (FYI Uncle Murad, my birthday is in March).
Uncle Murad is also the resident one-man band at every one of my cousins’ weddings.
It is almost a family ritual for Uncle Murad to rock up with his mics, e-guit, portable amps, and miscellaneous electronica at every family function, big or small. He has his signature batik shirts, a badass ponytail, and a library of song dedications for everyone. It only gets embarrassing when at weddings he makes song dedications to all the “single nieces and nephews”, wishing we would “find love and happiness… maybe at the wedding”.
I also know Jerry Murad professionally.
Some time in 2009, I sat down with Uncle Muradand interviewed him about his life as a professional musician for a school project. Today, I revisit these fieldnotes to share some snippets of our conversation. Crystal: So! How did it all begin?
JM: My scouts days were the best of my life… James Cook Petrol Boy Scouts. We were so famous in school! During camping, hiking, canoeing, we always sang our own songs, so during one campfire, we formed The Dukes, our own band. Then we got famous and signed a record with a record company), and played for many years. But then we grew up, some migrated, some had to work
Crystal: You’ve done this for over fifty years. Is it tough being a professional musician in Singapore?
JM: I already know from the start that it’s gonna be tough in the music industry, you know? I was prepared for it. I’m not saying it’s easy, but I just have to face the difficulties. After all, I’m earning money for my passion you know? How many people can say they love their jobs? For me, my passion became my job.
Crystal: Do you think musicians are sometimes under-valued or underpaid?
JM: Well… Sometimes I play past the allocated time, or play even though they cannot afford to pay me my rates. I’m quite flexible, but only because to me the music business is not all about money. If you play solely to earn a living, you will be miserable. I always go all the way, I give everything I’ve got. I’m really just playing because I love music.
The Dukes withSelina and Rhumba de Havana, two of my favourite hits. Video by Malaysiaboleh Crystal: How do you maintain relations with your clients?
JM: Sometimes my clients are Chinese… so I will secretly prepare a Chinese song to sing without telling them. If it’s for old people, I memorize some Hokkien songs that they all like. When they see a Malay putting in effort to make their event memorable, they will remember me.
Crystal: Has age affected your business?
JM: Asia is very different, they think old people are useless. In the US, you see all these old men, they walk on stage with their walking sticks…these black people…but once they take out their instruments…magic! They are so skilled you know! But in Asia, people just see your appearance first…
Crystal: Any gig that was particularly eventful?
JM: I played for the Hong Kong-China handover... But I played for two bands! My big band and combo band… I was the only one, what a good experience. Before midnight when we played, we were playing for the British… then after midnight, I was still playing, but now for China… who else can say they have played for two countries in one night? I watched the royal queens yacht passing… cruising to England… hearing the bells ringing at midnight, like the last bastion of the British empire… then I saw the red flags marching in, choreographed so beautifully… really blessed with the experience.”
Crystal: Do you have plans for retirement?
JM: I don’t want to stop playing. I want to die with a guitar in my hand, and maybe ‘go down’ to jam with MJ (Michael Jackson) and Elvis!”
A New Year Posting: I found the above record during one of my vinyl hunts in Malaysia and chanced upon this gem. Inscribed on the back cover of the little EP is an introduction to the foursome: "The four young Methodist Ministers who make up The Christones are all highly accomplished soloists in their own right. They have been singing together throughout churches, schools and over Radio and TV Malaysia and Singapore, and have been highly acclaimed for their unique blend of evangelism and musicianship. Their distinctive style of singing folk and religious songs in close harmony has earned them high praise from many musicians, and has led them to be described as the finest popular group ever to emerge in this part of the world." On this little Extended Play record the group had selected four popular hits and each recording had been arranged by different members of the group all of whom are qualified musicians. Each arrangement was original and under the leadership of Samuel Liew.
Where Have All The Flowers Gone by Pete Seeger was arranged by Samuel Liew. Aura Lee, an American Civil War Song was the original, Love Me Tender sung by Elvis Presley. It wasby Poulton, arranged by Hunter, Parker and Shaw. Come On People, was arranged by Philip Chan and I believe, could be the one original song by this group. Finally the fourth and last song, I Believe by Drake, Graha, Shirl and Stillman was arranged by H. R. Wilson with Bernard Tan on the piano. I Believe was also introduced to many Singapore listeners in the 1960's by the Tidbits, a female local, vocal group.
This recording had been released around 13th September 1969 and sold through advertisements in the newspapers under the banner, a folk singing group, the pride of our country and distributed to record shops all over Singapore and Malaysia under a distributor called, Tribunal Far East Corporation. The group from Singapore and Malaysian churches could only make a tour to promote their records when all were on leave at the same time. Philip Chan (32), Ho Chee Sin (35), Won En Mien (32), and Samuel Liew (31) were practising pastors when they came to Singapore to sing at the Barker Road Methodist Church in June, 1971 for a Special Song Service Session.
What is interesting is that the selected numbers are not Christian songs or hymns or carols but ordinary sing-along melodies that anyone can connect with. Where Have All... was recorded by The Kingston Trio in 1961 followed by dozens of covers. The tune of Aura Lee was made famous by Elvis Presley's derivative adaptation Love Me Tender and found on many children's learn piano hits. I Believe sung by Frankie Laine spent 18 weeks on the UK Hit Parade Chart with a deluge of cover versions by Perry Como, Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra and other Hollywood pop stars. If you are familiar with this group and know their whereabouts, do write in to tell us. The print on the cover indicates that it is Volume One. Just wondering how many more volumes this group had recorded? Happy New 2016 Everyone! Images: A Private Collection; Google. Article: Copyrights Reserved.
CHRISTA CHOO (left) and SAMANTHA CHOONG go in search of musicians from the 60s, to learn more about why many still call it the heyday of Singapore music:
Mr. Andrew Lim, better known by his stage name Andy Young, who runs singapore60smusic.blogspot.com won the Paul Anka competition in 1959, and led Silver Strings shortly after. His music career only took flight for all of two years, when he decided it would clash with his teaching career. He says that he "had some time free in between, because teaching then was half a day."
Mr Lim recalls how parents would warn their daughters to stay away from band boys. "Musicians today are backed up by society, it wasn't so then," he explains. "Today's musicians are accepted, in a sense, because now we have so much backing by the authorities, the government."
