Godfather of Local Pops: Tan Peck Soo TMA Music: Post I

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.]

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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, The Trekkers ( 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. 

If you are, do write in to tell us.

Part Two:
Henry Chua (Quests) and Horace Wee (RTS Orchestra) tribute. Connect here:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/01/guitarists-henry-chua-and-horace-wee.html

Further reading: 
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2015/10/a-picnic-with-first-sg-chinese-guitar.html

Images: 1) Courtesy of Lee Kip Lin and National Library Board; 
             2) Henri Gann's Private Collection.

Video: YouTube by Toni Charlie - cs.

Article: Henri Gann Copyrighted.

London Olympics 2012 Plays 60s+ UK Pops: Part I

The grand opening at the London Olympics 2012 was also a celebration of 60s  music and the selection featured songs from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, The Who, Queen, Eurythmics, and many more. From the folksy Danny Boy at the beginning to Paul McCartney singing, Hey Jude at The End, the stadium lit up to a 21st Century UK return of its own popular music in ol' London town.

Some of my favourite songs that could be heard that night were Vangelis: Chariots of Fire, Lionel Bart: Food Glorious Food, Eric Clapton: Wonderful Tonight, The Who: My Generation, The Rolling Stones: Satisfaction, Millie Small: My Boy Lollipop, Kinks: All Day and All Of the Night,  Led Zeppelin: Trampled Under Foot, David Bowie: Starman.

The list also included the Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams,  The Beatles: She Loves You, The End and Hey Jude, David Bowie: Heroes. 

If you had been watching the TV series in the 60s like Coronation Street, Doctor Who and Monty Python Theme/The Liberty Bell, the melodies were played that evening.

Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and Monty Norman's The James Bond Theme were performed too and if it wasn't for the site below I couldn't have known about the songs presented. I fell asheep after the sleep appeared, I mean, asleep after the sheep appeared, counting them as I dozed off.

What interested me and Singaporeans were some comments from oversea readers below and overleaf:

1) Victor from London, UK believed Cliff Richard had more UK No.1 song hits than The Beatles, perhaps second only to his former idol, Elvis Presley. It would have been great to see a film clip of the young Cliff singing Living Doll..

2) According to cardiffflo from Cardiff McCartney was dreadful and it was time someone told him that his voice had gone and isn't coming back. After a wonderful night of entertainment he was the only low point.

My comment:

We had the four knights of the sound table Elton John, Cliff  Richard, Tom Jones and McCartney performing at the Queen's Anniversary concert earlier this year. I guess McCartney could have been replaced by another pop star? But I need to watch the show again and listen to the melodies, especially the ones from the 60s and 70s. Have you seen the show? What do you think?

(Aside: For the record and heritage: Feng Tian Wei won the Bronze for Table Tennis in the London Olympics 2012, the second individual medal won since Tan Howe Liang won the first individual Silver Medal for weightlifting during the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Don't forget to read Part II above.)

Images: from Google.

Information and Comments from various websites about the Games have been edited.
For the full song list and comments check out: MailOnlineNews:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2180131/Sir-Paul-McCartney-Songwriter-leads-Olympic-crowd-singing-The-Beatles-Hey-Jude-Opening-Ceremony.html

Carlos Santana & Eric Clapton: Jingo: From keat320

When the greats meet! Santana and Clapton! Jingo the song was recorded for SANTANA Album in May 1969 and released in August. It's Latin Rock, Blues Rock, Jazz Fusion and performed at Woodstock Festival.

In Singapore: Clapton, Santana, Eagles, McLean, Pointer Sisters, Buble, Jackson And Counting...

It's a bumper harvest in February and March 2011. There will be eight, yes eight, live performances by 60s and 70s music top guns in Singapore. Eric Clapton, The Eagles, Santana and Don McLean will appear these few months to take audiences back with music of yesteryears. Some of them will also be playing their new releases.
Eric Clapton:

Fans can scream his hits, Layla, I Shot The Sheriff, Wonderful Tonight, Tears In Heaven with ease. Basically a blues guitarist, he ranks 4th in the Gibsons' Top 50s Guitarist Of All Times. At 65, he's still king of the pack and started off with The Yardbirds and Cream in 1965. Grief stricken, he recorded Tears In Heaven around 1991 when his son passed away in an accident.

The Eagles:

This group's all time hit, Hotel California is so popular that the introductory guitar riffs are immediately recognisable by Eagles fans. From Desperado, Tequila Sunrise, Easy Feeling, Witchy Woman, Lyin' Eyes to Life In The Fast Lane, this group is one of the most successful in the 70s. Forty years on, they are still touring the world with a brand new song book.

Santana:

Carlos Santana and his namesake band made themselves so pop that they won 13 Grammys to date. From salsa, jazz fusion and latin rock, this man mesmerised the world with his finger-boggling guitar skill when they witness him on stage. Abraxas, Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, Evil Ways, Soul Sacrifice, You Just Don't Care are just some of the songs in their albums.

Don McLean, Michael Buble, Janet Jackson...
There's a write-up of McLean, the American Pie and Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) man, in an earlier posting. Click Don McLean under 'Labels' below. Michael Buble (90s man but sings pop evergreens), Janet Jackson, Elvis Costello, Iron Maiden and a host of other 60s and 70s pop stars will be coming to Singapore too. While some will be appearing at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, others will perform at the Esplanade Concert Hall or at the new Marina Bay Sands Ballroom.

Comment:

The seat prices are mighty high. Imagine paying about $400 a ticket to watch from the best seat. Even the $100 ones are too much for the general public, especially for some Seniors. When I attended the Engelbert Humperdinck show, there were vacant seats all around.

Follow London:

Perhaps, for those who just cannot manage a hundred dollars for the inexpensive seats, the organisers could follow the guidelines used by London (England) theatres for many years - half price for all unsold tickets a few hours before the show. Worth the long queue?

'Rich' Singapore:

If Singapore is to be South East Asia's entertainment hub then ticket prices should be more reasonable. Perhaps the ticket tax is too high? Seeing that Singapore is displaying its wealth in the newspapers, are the artistes themselves charging high prices? Meanwhile organisers will not bring in shows that will not make a profit. What do you all think?

Images: from Google.

Article: Information from Wikipedia and local newspaper advertisements.

(This posting is not an advertisement.)

Pop Songs About Cars All The Way (Part II)

Rocket 88*The song was put together by Ike Turner and his band. It is a hymn of praise of an Oldsmobile Rocket 88, which had recently been introduced. The song was based on the 47 song Cadillac Boogie and was the second-biggest R&B single of 1951.

Ike Turner's piano intro to the song was later used, nearly note-for-note by Little Richard in Good Golly Miss Molly. Again, when vehicles reigned supreme and the American car symbolises sexual prowess: 'Gals will ride in style, movin’ all along...'

Pontiac Blues*

It was written by blues great Sonny Boy Williamson but when the British blues bands emerged in the 60s, they covered just about every memorable blues tune by every important blues artist.

In this case, an early edition of the Yardbirds with Eric Clapton recorded Pontiac Blues, and joined up with Sonny Boy for a live album recorded in 1963 at England’s Crawdaddy Club. And the lyrics? 'I found out what my baby likes... whole lot of loving, and a straight-eight Pontiac.'

Crocodile Rock:

It is a 1972 composition by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The song was inspired by John's discovery of Australian band Daddy Cool and their hit, Eagle Rock, while the lyrics take a nostalgic look at early rock n roll and a relationship with Suzie. It has possibly been influenced by The Diamonds 1957 hit, Little Darlin, while the chorus resembles Pat Boone's Speedy Gonzales.

Don't forget the car, cause it's a Chevvy again, 'Me and Suzie had so much fun, holding hands... Had an old gold Chevy and a place of my own, Long nights crying by the record machine, Dreaming of my Chevy and my old blue jeans...

Hitchin' A Ride:

This song spells it all. It's a problem without a car in the US because, as the lyrics explain, 'I got no fare to ride a train, I'm nearly drownin' in the pouring rain, Hitchin' a ride, hitchin' a ride, Gotta get me home to my baby's side... Oh won't somebody stop to help a guy...' Especially if it's a male!

Vanity Fare (image), a UK based band, made this 1969 song a hit in the US, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970 and selling a million copies. It didn't do too well in the UK charts though. It was written by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander.

Steve Farram is right. There are many pop songs about cars. But the road ends here. If you know of favourites with the same theme, do contribute.

Image: http://belovedsong.com/?m=201006&paged=3

*Edited Info: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17579943

Original article: Andy Lim.

(B) Gulf War Banned Songs - Must Be The Lyrics

Some of the 60s and 70s songs that were not played on some broadcast stations during the Gulf War:

Jose Felicano - Light My Fire
Abba - Waterloo
Animals - We Got To Get Out Of This Place
Arrival - I Will Survive
Joan Baez - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

.
Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian
The Beatles - Back In The USSR
Eric Clapton - I Shot The Sheriff
Skeeter Davies - End Of The World
Duran Duran - View To A Kill

.
Jose Feliciano - Light My Fire
Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly
John Lennon - Give Peace A Chance
John Lennon - Imagine
Lulu -Boom Bang A Bang

.
Ricky Nelson - Fools Rush In
Donny Osmond -Soldier Of Love
Rod Stewart -Sailing

Obvious sensitivities where the lyrics are concerned. Racial discord, war topics, weaponry, etc. could be issues that would have created controversies amongst those involved in the raging war in the Gulf region. Especially for those where death in the family is involved.

But Walk Like An Egyptian banned? Your views?

Image: google
Information: Wikipedia and other websites.
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10qLYy6hiFQ

Also: http://www.tabootunes.com/gallery.html
Thanks to Steve Farram.

John Martyn: Appropriate Symbol Of Goodbye

An appropriate cover 'Solid Air' (top image) for John Martyn's classic depicts the goodbye wave in black. Another great musician who has passed on and "been painting the blues... and seeing it through" the years (Solid Air lyrics, 1973) from the 60s.

Ian David McGeachy, a huge and soulful guitar man indeed, became John Martyn and was a fusion artiste combining blues, folk and jazz. His music will last many more years than the 50 years that he had contributed internationally to the pop music scene. He was recognised for his 'Solid Air' and 'One World' recordings and those who know will honour him as they would Eric Clapton (2nd image) but Clapton is still around.

Recently recognised by the British monarchy he received an OBE on New Year's Day. 'Solid Air' is the 67th best British album of all time.

He died on 29th January at 60 a youthful man indeed and will be missed by our musicians too.

Goodbye, you're now on solid air, truly.

Image/Information: Google, Wikipedia.