Pop Group Anniversary: By Eddino Abdul Hadi

         Image: From The Straits Times Press: 16th August, 2014.

A three-hour, 45-song reunion gig – that is how Singapore band The Silver Strings, a familiar name from the 1960s music scene, are celebrating their 50th anniversary. The show will be held tonight at the RELC International Hotel. Bass player and...

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Article by Eddino Abdul Hadi (Music Correspondent) and photograph are Copyrights Reserved.

(This space has been reserved before the actual posting - thus the difference in the blog date.)

The Silver Strings Rocked Orchard Road Central

Images are not very clear.

The Silver Strings.

It was a large crowd indeed at the Platinum Music World Disco Venue at Orchard Central but more importantly they were very supportive, singing and clapping to the performance that evening.

Rickie Chng highlighted as he plays FBI.

The mostly silver tsunami Silver Strings supporters who came were re-living the 60s Orchard Road  phenomenon with sounds from the Shadows like, Apache and FBI played by lead guitarist Rickie Chng (image above - with silver mop) who won over the audience with his professional finger gallops.

Singapore's Chuck Berry Patrick Chan with Johnny B. Goode.

Rhythm guitar Patrick took over the microphone and enthralled the crowd with Johnny B. Goode, the Chuck Berry classic.  Great rocker Pat!  He came on again later in the night with a tribute to Keith Locke and the Quests singing, You Lied. The applause was deafening.


Audie Ng always has a smile for his audience as Nick concentrates.

Audie was in the spotlight when he went solo with bars from Elvis' Mean Woman Blues.  He looked resplendent carrying his white bass guitar and charismatic smile.

Silver Strings fans in the front row seats.

Guardian Angel Rickie makes sure I do it right.

The band accompanied me with My Hometown, Diana, Red River Rock, and Mean Woman Blues while pop singer Irene Yap saved me with her beauty and graciousness when I went on the aisle. The other pretty lady (sorry didn't ask her name) helped me with my awkward dance steps.



At the drums, Oliver Bala with My Lonely Heart.

Drummer Oliver Bala, who had a percussion hide-away all to his own at the back of the stage was finally in the limelight with his tribute to local band The Thunderbirds singing My Lonely Heart.  Later on and in contrast he screamed the night away with the Beatles' top hit, I Saw Her Standing There.


The youngest one, keyboardist Nick.

Keyboardist Nick was next with Cliff's Young Ones. The audience connected when he sang, "And some day, When the years have flown,  Darling, then we'll teach the young ones, Of our own." The crowd repeated every line.  We rehearsed Stoney but Nick who is Singapore's Lobo did not perform it.

Crowd enjoying the show.

By about 9pm the house was packed and nobody moved as the Strings played The Ventures' version of El Cumbanchero.  Lead Rickie completed the instrumentals with Midnight in Malaya from Boy and the Rollin' Kids.  The crowd was melted by nostalgia magic.



Veronica Young, Singapore's Millie Small took over the stage. And the crowd burst with energy again as she thrilled the audience with My Boy Lollipop, Stupid Cupid and Hippy Hippy Shake.



Powerhouse Veronica Young with Connie Francis', Where The Boys Are.

Her rendition of My Happiness, Frankie and That's All I Want From You subdued the crowd as they listened to her sing about 15 hits altogether that included Too Late For Tears, Silver Threads and Golden Needles and Happy Birthday Baby, tributes to Shirley Nair, The Crescendos and Naomi and the Boys. She ended the evening's gaiety with Gronloh's Burung Kakak Tua and sang an encore, You Mean Everything To Me.  




Fans from all over Singapore.



Andy and Veronica with house boss Marissa after the show.

Eddino Abdul Hadi  Recommends: Straits Times LIFE Happenings article - 15.11.2013.

Images from The Straits Times Press, Marissa (Sweetymariz), Audie Ng, Veronica Young.
Check their FB pages for more photographs.

Apologies to Merlin Lim (original rhythm guitarist and Philip's recording artiste) who went to the club but could not get in touch with me. I had invited him personally to come.

Silver Strings In TODAY News with Chris Toh

Music journalist Christopher Toh talks to Silver Strings' leader Audie Ng (08th November, 2013):

One of Singapore’s most versatile pop groups of the ’60s is back for one more hurrah.  “We want to bring back the memories of yesteryear!" said an enthusiastic Audie Ng over the phone.  There's a sold-out charity concert for Boys’ Town this weekend and a performance at a club in Orchard Road next weekend.

For these shows, The Silver Strings’ two original singers, Veronica Young and Andy Young, will be fronting the band as they will sing not only their past hits but also songs by other local groups from that era.

Silver Strings in the 1970s.

But Ng wasn’t keen to play that up. “To be honest, only three of us are from the original group from 1963/64: Myself, Andy and Veronica."  he explained.  While they also wrote their own songs, The Silver Strings were likewise seen as the band that could play with anybody, backing everyone from Shirley Nair to Mike n Herb and Anita Sarawak.

The original Silver Strings adopted The Shadows’ set-up, with Ng on bass, David Chan on lead guitar, Merlin Lim on rhythm guitar and Danny Boy on drums.

“David left, and I got the late Dicky Tan to replace him and play on our records,” said Ng. With his astute guitar-playing and song-writing skills, Tan would be one of the key contributors to the band’s sound.

Read the full article:
http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/music/veteran-pop-band-silver-strings-back-again

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Veronica Young, Andy Young and the Silver Strings 

Popularly known as the Connie Francis of Singapore in the 1960s. Veronica Young together with Andy Young and the Silver Strings will be performing at a dinner concert to help raise funds for Boys’ Town. All proceeds will go towards helping Singapore’s youth-at-risk from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds and families in crisis.  

Invitation of 1 guest is available for a $250 donation (for AES old boys and girls). Other contributions are welcome to help support Boys’ Town’s services and defray the fundraising event cost. All donations are entitled to 2.5 times tax exemption. 

We hope you can join us during this special evening and look forward to welcoming you and your guests."Boys Town Fundraising(The above article is an advertisement featured on Boys' Town FaceBook before the show. 

The postings these few days will probably be filled with Silver Strings photographs. We have not received the official ones from the organiser.  Performance was on 9th November, 2013.

Silver Strings Family from left: Rickie, Oliver, Patrick, Veronica, Nick, Audie, Andy.

Andy with Audie on stage: "Took a little trip to my Boys' Town..."



Veronica with audience participation

Silver Strings backstage.

Images from Veronica Young Facebook, Andy and Boys Town Photographers.

Seriously Seductive Seniors: Silver Strings Session

Silver Strings - Seductive Seniors @ Play - 9th November 2013

Rickie Chng

Audie Ng and Patrick Chan

Nick Stravens

Oliver Bala

Veronica Young

Strings practising hard for gigs @ Bukit Timah and Orchard Road.
Have you read about them? Check posting below for individual profile.

Host Blogger Andy will sing with the group.

Images: Private Collection.

Silver Strings Play Songs By Local n Foreign Artistes

Group will play songs by local and foreign artistes.

This Silver Strings line-up below will perform *a Charity Concert in Bukit Timah on 9th November and @ Orchard Road on 15th November 2013, where they will play 60s music by both local and foreign artistes. 


Rickie Chng plays lead guitar and has been with Shadows' styled groups since the 1960s. During practices with him and the rest of the Silver Strings for the upcoming gigs, Rickie has provided strong and confident backing for the singers. His prowess as a guitarist shows when he tackles with ease the opening bars to each number rehearsed.

Rickie played for a while with The Trailers during Singapore's golden music years and has been within the guitar circuit since. A regular at the Tanglin Community Club he is currently playing with another band, The Esquires.  He believes in Fender and owns a Stratocaster 40th re-issue.


Patrick Chan, who plays rhythm used to perform with D Peddlers.  According to him, his group was, "playing for kicks in a bungalow at the Norfolk area."  It was great fun during his short bachelorhood days before pursuing a career in the Civil Service and business world afterwards.

A dedicated guitarist, he currently plays lead and sings with his own group called, Pat n Patricians and shares musical fellowship with friends who likes to sing 'live' and social dance at Whampoa CC . Their repertoire includes pop rock, country and evergreens.  Pat also plays for charity, grass-root activities, social functions and at their weekly Sunday T- Dances.  He owns a Fender Stratocaster, the model used by Stevie Ray Vaughan. He rocks with Chuck Berry's JBG.















Oliver Bala's fascination with drums started when he "was captivated by the radio sounds  of the Beatles Rubber Soul album in 1965." His mother's present of a Lucky Star drum-set during his school years led him to take up the skill with heart n soul.  He played with various bands up to 1971 when he started his professional career in the education service.

He only played seriously again in 2005 jamming with friends but intensified when he retired from 2009 and bought a new Tama Superstar set.  Oliver admits that he is a fanatical Beatles fan and his drum influences as a child were Ringo Starr, Tony Meeham and Bobby Elliot. He also does some lead, backing vocals and, "plays the guitar, piano and various percussion instruments."  His rendition of  Orbison's Pretty Woman is hot!

Nicholas Emile Stravens (Nick) played keyboard since 1970.  His first club scene was at Toby's Paradise with a band known as the New Generation which became The Change. The group performed at 3 venues each night, The London Scene, The G-Room  and the Oberoi Imperial Hotel.  They later did stints at  West Point, Golden Million, Golden Mikado, Barbarella and the El Amigo.

While in the SAF's first ever talentime, Nick walked away with the 1st prize and won the title of Singapore's Lobo. After ROD he got together with the band Shang, performed at the Ion Bar at Apollo Hotel, took over from Sonny Bala and transformed the music scene there. They did stints in Indonesia, Malaysia ,Taiwan, Brunei and Philippines.  Then came a Malay album they recorded, road shows for SBC and performed at National Theatre gigs.


Audie Ng, bassist and band leader needs no introduction. Since 1963 this music-maker has been in the business both as boss man and bass man.  

          
Veronica Young, known as Singapore's Millie Small and who sings like Connie Francis, will take the Silver Strings to new heights when she sings with them this November.




Andy Young, first 1960s front man for Silver Strings and Music Blogger today, appears with the gang.

SILVER STRINGS NIGHT @ ORCHARD ROAD

TONIGHT: 15th NOVEMBER @ 8PM!

We're meeting again since the Esplanade Concert in 2010. At our age we're wondering when there'll be another get together.

*Please excuse the print error: Spore (Singapore) should read: S'pore's (Singapore's). Although the titles had been won in genuine and official competitions, both Veronica and Andy have abandoned these titles many years ago but for 60s music authenticity and flavour the producer of the show included them. 

Located right in the heart of Orchard Road, the venue has been selected because of its convenient accessibility by road and train.

Image: Audie Ng. Copyright.