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 !
Showing posts with label Henry Chua (Quests). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Henry Chua (Quests). Show all posts
A bygone golden age of music, stunning musicians, brilliant voices and perfect harmonies, dear Brother Andy! Only the tender mercy of God did I ever get to meet Keith Locke.
I was attending a concert to watch my childhood idol, Veronica Young at NLB Singapore. I was at this charity event and this dude was seated next to me. I recognised him.. and said ‘wow’ you’re Keith Locke? Blessings.
We stepped out to take a breather during interval, and I thank him for his contributions to our Singapore music scene with The Quests. I asked him for an autograph and he scribbled it out on a card that I carried around in my wallet until it disintegrated!
Concert tickets for Keith's show in 2012 Singapore that
Fred attended. Fred has watched 100s of international
pop music performances in Singapore alone...
We had supper together with Veronica and friends after the show. We walked Veronica back to her hotel and I took Keith for a car ride. I blasted some of the Quests songs and it brought tears to his eyes on hearing some of the songs that he wrote.
What a remarkable man who worked extremely hard for his days with The Quests, probably the biggest Singapore band of all time! Wherever Keith may be.. God bless him.
🙏❤️🙏..
By Fred Ching
Fred Ching has authored
a number of articles for this blog.
Check him out under LABELS below.
Keith Locke, 'Don't Play That Song'.
YouTube Video by: William Chan.
[With Ernesto Valerio, Veronica Young and
the amiable Jimmy Yap.]
With Henry Chua, Quests bassist,
who went solo with Keith.
Here's socialite Jolly Jimmy Yap [in white], singing
beside Keith Locke. Everyone calls him Mr. Everywhere.
The people below have either appeared, contributed articles or commented on this blog. All comments are new and were received within these months in 2024.
Thanks to the folks below who did. Appreciate the recognition this blog receives.
JOHN KLASS [RADIO DJ: MEDIACORP GOLD 905]
"Andy Young! Keep up the great work on your blog
I enjoy reading it. It’s always a great trip. 😊👌🏻"
DANNY KOH [PIANIST/LRSM, FLCM]
"Thank you Andy. Wow!! I'm truly amazed at your blogs.
You jogged my memories. Yes, the photos and stories
reminded me of the good times!"
HENRY CHUA [BASSIST/'QUESTS']
"Andy, Your blog must be the most informative on the music
scene. I check it often. Congratulations! 🙏🙏🙏 👏👏👏".
LESLIE WILSON JOSEPH [MUSICIAN/GUITARIST]
"I love your articles. It's a history lesson for me."
STEPHEN HAN [SINGAPORE/CONTRIBUTING WRITER]
"This is Andy Young aka Andy Lim who is not only a wonderful singer but also a prolific writer. Do visit his music of the 60's blog and you’ll like it immediately. It contains interesting and good information of local and international recording stars. You won’t be bored because there are quizzes for you to solve."
Danny Koh: I Wish You Luck
YouTube Video: ktjong
HIROSHI DEGUCHI [JAPAN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER]
"Hi Andy, I am always honoured to be on your blog.
I always respect your country and its achievements."
DENNIS NG [SINGER/DANCER/CONTRIBUTING WRITER]
"Hi Andy, Thank you very much for your blog. You have showcased many in the music scene in Singapore and there’s never a dull moment reading the various stories of different people. Once again, thank you for your great effort and keep up the good work!"
"Comment is from my friend, a top local lawyer
and accomplished guitarist," says HAPPY TAY
[VANCOUVER ELVIS PRESLEY, BC. CANADA].
"Andy Young is probably the only one in Singapore that is keeping Music Memorabilia in Singapore alive and fluttering, as many of our generation have reached an age who treasure precious memories of our past. Kudos to him. His site will be worth a lot in time to come. Please convey my good wishes to Andy. When you next come back to Singapore, we could get him together."
ELLA TAN [BLOG READER]. ILLUSTRATION
"I have to write you here, but I have to tell you that you always share great posts. I was fascinated by your great contributions and your wonderful pictures. God bless you.
It is a journey and I can thank my blog for it. I kept many pictures on my little iPhone 4. Today, about 10 years later, they are still as colourful, clear and intact. Mostly family photos, I found some images I have of our music friends and celebrities in Singapore during my exciting and rewarding adventure. This post is another one without too many words, just some pictures. Ignore my face, just look at the celebs:
Ms Tan Kheng Hua who scored the latest hit in
Hollywood, acting with 'Crazy Rich Asians'.
We did a documentary where she hosted oldie goodies.
Now here's a lady who's on Chinese TV
@ MediaCorp, Ms Zoey Tay while on the set at
KTPH shooting, 'You Can Be An Angel Too'.
With Tee Peng [guitarist], Henry Chua [Quests] and
Larry Lai [Rediffusion] @ Tan Soo Khoon's CNY dinner.
*'Photograph' By Ringo Starr
YouTube Video by: richbuskin
*1973 song from Starr's third studio album,
co-written by George Harrison.
Big hit in 10 countries including #1
in US, Canada, Australia.
With archeologist, Lim Chen Sian and Josh during
the opening ceremony of MediaCorp's documentary,
'Treasure Hunt' at Stamford Museum.
Former Parliamentary Speaker, Tan Soo Khoon
sings Elvis well. At OLPS, before he went on stage.
With recording artiste Barry Walker and wife from England,
on his visit in Singapore. Barry was with The Figures.
Camera crew @ Opera Estate garden during
a documentary shoot about SG music from the past.
With my first group when I started the blog and did
a few documentaries with owner director, Ms Chang Soh Kiak
of 'Shooting In Pictures'. The group includes Peter Chan [pianist], Philip Chew [Mr Joo Chiat], Dick Yip [ukulele], and Lam Choon See [author].
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.
