Mike and Herb: Beatles Of Malaysia Make 60s Music History! By Herb n Barbara Van Dort

The late Mike Van Dort [right] and Herb Van Dort, presently in Australia. 

This article has been written by sister Barbara and Herb. 

Below is a Christmas message I received from Barbara, Herb's sister, about how the two brothers, Beatles of Malaysia, started their music career and became a household name. 

Thank you both, Barbara and Herb. It's a late posting and I have explained why, but it's better late than none at all. 

A December 2023 Christmas Letter:

Dear Andy,

My apologies for not getting back sooner, in Cairns and Townsville are just now recovering from Cyclone Jasper and it caused a lot of havoc. We lost power and flooding in the suburbs still and it hasn't stopped raining. Plenty of debris everywhere.

Now this is from Herb to you. It's been sometime since I last wrote to you.

I remember that I mentioned that I was going to tell you how Mike and his brother Herb got started in the music scene. Well it all started when we heard the Beatles song on the radio and we loved what we heard. So we went and bought  their LP record "I Saw her standing there" and learnt their song and harmony.

Image from:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/229699807/the-beatles-i-want-to-hold-your-hand-bw

Now where we lived in Butterworth, mainland - Malaysia , there was a group of guys that had formed a band  and we would have jam sessions with them and also there was Rocky Teoh (Malaysia's Elvis Presley). We became very good friends.

Now there was a live variety show that came to Butterworth with bands and performing artists. The band was the Ipoh Falcons and they backed all the singers, just to name a few Rocky Teoh (Elvis), Rubiah Lubis (Connie Francis), Rudy Locke (Cliff Richard), and a lot more other artists and of course, dancers.  The show was called "Sakura Presents",  and it had all the performing artists and all backed by the Falcons. 

The show's first port of call  was in Butterworth and they had 2 nightly shows, 6.15pm and 9.15pm and the tour was in Butterworth for 2 days. We both heard about the show and went to the 9.15pm show on the first night , mainly to see Rocky Teoh. 

On stage with the duo on a Cathay Organisation cinema stage.

The show started with the Falcons playing 2 instrumental songs and they were fantastic. Their showmanship playing got the audience in a frenzy and the Falcons were rocking and rolling . Then came the artists one by one doing their stuff  and finally when Rocky Teoh came out, we both shouted out to Rocky saying, "Knock 'em out Rocky!" 

He did a very good show and the audience kept shouting for more. He saw us and waved to us to come backstage. So during the interval, we went to see him and he asked us if we were still singing all the Beatles songs and we said, "Yes." He asked us to come to the theatre during mid-morning (2nd day and last day)  and we had a practice session with the Ipoh Falcons. So we did and  when we went to the theatre for a practice, Rocky had told the managers of the tour to listen to us perform.. 

We practiced 5 songs with the band and I can remember 3, they were, "I Saw Her Standing There, Can't Buy Me Love, and She Loves You."  We did both the 6.15pm and 9.15pm and the audience kept shouting for more and more and we did the 5 songs. (Beatlemania was everywhere. I guess Mike and Herb's performance just enhanced the Beatles popularity). As soon as we finished both the shows, the manager of the variety show asked us to sign a contract to join the troupe. 

I told him that I was still at school and Mike said that he was learning to be a diesel mechanic. The manager informed us that the show was only going for 6 days. Well, we signed  the contract and told the manager that we would be there at the theatre to be picked up. 

We went home and asked our parents if we could go on this tour; it was only for 6 days.  We asked our mum to tell Mikes' employer and my school that we were both sick and we will be away for one week. Our parents agreed and so off we went.  

Rocky Teoh Malaysia's Elvis helped to make Mike and Herb 

famous by giving them a start and allowing them 

to join his Malaysian and Singapore tours.

The manager decided to change the name from Sakura Presents to The Beatles of Malaysia with huge banners with wordings and performances on stage with 2 hours of non stop entertainment featuring Mike and Herb, Rocky Teoh other artistes, dancers, comedians. The show sold out for every performance and we had the audience screaming for more when we were singing with the backing of the incredible Ipoh Falcons. Our Beatles hairstyles just got the whole crowd into a bigger frenzy.

As I said before Beatlemania was everywhere  and that made Mike and Herb stars of the show . The show was so successful that the Cathay Organisation gave the tour to all their theatres to perform all over Malaysia, Sarawak, Brunei, Jesselton, Sandakan, Semporna and also Singapore.  

The Beatles of Malaysia show was so successful that it lasted for almost 7 months . We were performing 16 shows a week  and in the last 2 months it was 17 shows a week.

Mike and Herb accompanied by the Falcons of Malaysia,

On stage performing at a cinema in Malaysia during their tour.

2 shows 6.15 and 9.16 Monday to Friday = 10 shows.

3 shows on Saturday, 3 shows on Sunday 1.15pm, 6.15pm and 9.30pm -6 shows = 16 shows. 

In the last 2 months it was as above except Sunday , we had a 9 am show as the rest.

I have to say that it was a fantastic variety show and we had the best  times of our lives having fans chasing us and screaming and signing autographs.  It was our very good friend the late Rocky Teoh who gave Mike and Herb our start in the Entertainment Industry. 

My late brother and best friend Mike and myself Herb, once again have to thank Rocky Teoh for giving us our start. The rest is history!

Please find below the photo of Herb as Santa Claus🧑‍🎄 ready for a function. He is again booked in for the 21st Thursday 6.30pm  in Palm Cove Life Savings Club, Cairns Queensland.

Herb, of Mike and Herb fame as Beatles of Malaysia, 

dressed as Santa Claus [2023 December] 

for a Christmas show in Cairns, Australia.

In the meantime Andy, I wish you and your family a Very MERRY and BLESSED CHRISTMAS and a safe NEW YEAR. Here's hoping that 2024 is a very good year for everyone.

Kindest Regard,

Herb and Barbara.

[Copyrights Reserved]

With the late Mike, Danny Boy [drummer], 

Andy [blogger] and Herb, writer of this article

during a concert at Vivo City, Singapore in 2009.

Article and Images have been copyrighted.

If you take information from this article for your own use, 

at least credit me because copying is stealing.

Andy.

A Christmas 2024 present from Freda Hanum, 

the most active and creative member of girl group

The Teepees, from Malaysia and Singapore.