House Of Rising Sun, Endless Love 不了情 Says Hair Stylist

                     

Here's the final Part 2 about Ah Kim's Journey and his love for 60's music:

Between 1984 - 2000 Ah Kim had 3 small saloons all located in the suburbs of Sydney, Australia and it was only in the year 2000 that he managed to buy a small property of his own which housed both a saloon and a hair-styling school.

Before he started on this 'Long and Winding Road' he had 3 simple dreams.

1. To own a nice house 

2. To drive a beautiful car 

3. To learn how to swim. 

Believe it or not, he failed in the simplest of all 3 dreams. It was only after his return to Singapore in 2102 that he managed to stand on water.

Today Ah Kim spends much his time innovating  and creating different hair styles for international hair shows. In his own words, "I am not a commercial hair stylist; I am a fashion hair stylist."

He was the finalist for the Alternative Hair Award in 2014 and 2016 in London and was one of the 16 finalists to be selected out of 900 hairdressers in the world. Ah Kim was the only Singaporean to be in the finals and for the record, the only Singaporean in the finals in the last 30 years. 

Hopefully at this renowned event Singaporeans will stand up with pride that among the world's best in coiffure and in this tiny Red Dot City we call Singapore we have in our midst a non-celebrated, giant.  

Cheers to Ah Kim and we wish him all the best for his next show in Singapore and the next big hair fashion competition in London in 2017.

Andy Lim with Ah Kim:

During Andy's interview with Ah Kim, he was kind enough to provide the former with a copy of his book, AHKIM (image) where beautiful and creatively coiffured hair styles of his work were presented in vivid images. 

Besides the glossy photographs, the publication has insights about Ah Kim from his teachers, friends and experts in the industry and a foreword from retired newsman Yeo Toon Joo, Peter.

When asked about his free time, he said he loved listening to Rediffusion in the 1960's. Here's a paragraph from his book where his Gan Eng Seng School classmate, Raymond Chong reminisced:

Our friendship continued to grow throughout our working life. Together with our friends in Chinatown, we used to visit the cinemas and spend time at cafes. Those were the usual activities of youth then. We also listened to Rediffusion and radio programmes, together making requests and dedicating songs to each other. 

  His Publication: AHKIM Copyright 2012. Designer: Eranga Tennekoon.

Urged on about his love for 60's music Ah Kim  revealed his love for the Beatles, The Animals, Simon and Garfunkel and the Rolling Stones with their hits: I Want to Hold Your Hand, A Hard Day's Night, House of the Rising Sun, The Sound of Silence and As Tears Go By.

His favourite singers are Marianne Faithful, Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley. He loves local singers like Huang Qing Yuan, Sakura and his favourite Rita Chao. The Chinese songs are *Endless Love, Wine and Coffee, Flowing Water, Manli, Night and Fog and Peach Blossom River. 

*(不了情, 美酒加咖啡, 水長流, 曼莉, 黃清元, 尤雅, 潘秀瓊).

When he visited a nightclub during his early years and they were rare, he would go with his friends to the Golden Million Club at Peninsula Hotel in Singapore. His friends would usually treat him for the evening. Ah Kim remembers and would return the treat when he had the opportunity in later years. 

He appreciates the vitality and style of Vidal Sassoon and the mini-skirt when it was in fashion, loved the short Bob Cut and Classic Bob hair style, together with the unique Asymmetrical and the Geometric hair cut. 

        Andy Lim (Blogger), Ah Kim and Larry Lai (60's DJ).

During the interview with Andy he revealed he would love to meet Larry Lai, Rediffusion 60's DJ. 

Andy told him, "Surely," arranged a meeting and above is a snap of the three.

Wish hard enough but work harder and dreams will morph into reality. All the best Ah Kim in your unending journey. You've made it, but there's more...

Click below to read Part 1.

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2017/01/long-and-winding-road-fashionhair.html

Images and Article:

A Private Collection; Book AHKIM and Art of Hair Inter Coiffure.
Copyrights Reserved.

Blog Hits Monthly Record High: Thank You All

Usual monthly record is 14,000 to 15,000 readers a month. This month it's 20,000+ (as of 23rd July 2016).

Popular Postings 

Statistics as on 30th July, 2016

Statistics on 29th July 2016

Thanks to readers, friends, Facebook n Twitter followers. 

Click names under Labels below to read each posting:

1957 Singapore: Rock n Roll Might Encourage Riots

                    Topic: That Singapore Youth Is Not Given Enough Independence.

UP TO 2,000 VIEWS

Even in the late 50s, Singapore students argued about "not getting enough independence" from their parents. A friendly debate amongst a family of three mission schools, St Andrew's, St Margaret's and St Hilda's resulted in a battle of words with rock and roll music as target.

Saints' school badge.

One speaker suggested that rock and roll was the result of parents trying to control their children excessively. Another member of the team agreed that the music was "healthy fun" but pessimistic parents thought it was an "inclination to riot."

Saint Margaret's School badge.

An opposing member of the debating team argued that if independence meant rioting on the streets after viewing a rock and roll movie, then she would have, "none of it." And as the dance became a hot issue another debater suggested that rock and roll meant the independence of youth. To show his support, a classmate from St. Andrew's, Wong Peng Koon shouted, "Long live rock and roll!" He was a school debater and is now a prominent lawyer.

St. Hilda's School badge.

But the debate was brought back into focus when a speaker quietly suggested that independence carried responsibilities such as "obeying the law." So who says youths in the 50s are quiet and reserved? Not true. We've had our say. And rock n roll is here to stay. And who won the debate? Ah, you must read it from The Straits Times Press Singapore.

Were you in this debate? Tell us.

Information from: The Straits Times Singapore (page: 3, 27/07/1957) and original article has been edited by Andy Lim.

Image: from Google Images

This posting was taken from the back pages because of the interesting topic it discusses, a Singapore favourite Google word search currently - riots.

Pop Stars Could Not Perform In Singapore In 1970s

Can you guess who the pop stars on the left are before you read this article?

When eight international pop stars agreed to perform here in the late 1970s nobody wanted to sponsor them. According to a newspaper report these event companies in Singapore were not familiar with the western pop music world  and refused to bring them in.

Apparently none of the show promoters knew who these stars were when the list was provided as a reference. It is surprising because the singers and groups were the biggest names in show-biz and included: Elvis Costello, Linda Rondstadt, Manhatten Transfer, David Gates, Bread and imagine, even Eagles and Rod Stewart. Still don't know who's who, or do you?

These stars had concerts around the region in 1978 and were scheduled to appear in Australia, Hong Kong and Japan but some nightclubs and local promoters remarked that they had never heard of these most sought-after artistes. Others on the list were Shaun Cassidy, Bette Midler, country and western singers England Dan and John Fort Coley.

But some event companies denied the allegation explaining that they would not engage these stars because of problems with the local authorities.

According to them some of these artistes would be denied entry because of their hair length, considering past instances when top-notch super groups like the Bee Gees, Middle of the Road and Led Zeppelin were asked to leave immediately unless they had their manes cropped at Paya Lebar Airport itself.

Countering this argument a spokesman from a record company mentioned that groups like Manhatten Transfer were clean-cut, neat and wore the best suits in town.

Furthermore most of the artistes mentioned had record releases in Singapore and would charge less than S$20,000 for a show that included back-up singers, a full band and sound-system.  It was business sense to engage them. (Today it would probably cost half a million Sing dollars!)



Whatever the reason we will never know.  Perhaps these show promoters were familiar only with our local stars and those from Malaysia and Hong Kong?  Anyone with an answer?

Images: providec by Google except  the picture on the right which is from a private collection.

Information: from The Straits Times, Singapore.

If you still don't know, here are the answers: Manhatten Transfer (Pic 1), David Gates, Bread (Pic 2), Rod Stewart (Pic 3), Eagles (Pic 4) Linda Rondstadt (Pic 5), Heather and Thunderbirds (Pic 6).

If you enjoyed reading this article click to this one: http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2009/03/blog-post_24.html

Marvin Gaye: You Have Issues Compose The Blues

If you love mellow funk this is it. Marvin Gaye's Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), a 1971 composition, pulls the heartstrings because this song is a poignant plea for attention to the problems faced by America's urban areas, as well as a call for help.

The lyrics vividly depict life in the bleak ghettos of inner-city America and how such an existence makes them question the people who are in charge. Their predicament was real.

I wonder if the complainin' and grievances of Singaporeans can be effectively transcribed into a song. Maybe a local composer from our sunny island can compose a song too, entitled: Many Doin' Nothin' But Just Complainin'.

Meantime an edited version of the Marvin Gaye and James Nyx hit, Inner City Blues:
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Fore we see it you take it
Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain't livin', This ain't livin'
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can't pay my tax
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long
(This song is the 3rd and final single from Gaye's album, What's Goin On)

SINGAPORE GOVERNMENT BANS LONG HAIR?

pOp 6Os music icon: Cliff Richard with his longest hair ever. 

Was he in Singapore? Check it out...

[pin by: Kayla Coleski]

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/795940934138539351/

Singapore Poster That Discourages Long Hair.

UP TO 21,000 VIEWS, 

25 CHATS, COMMENTS

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh...
'What's Going On?' - Marvin Gaye

In the early 70s government offices in Singapore clamped down on males sporting long hair because it spelt gangsterism. For present generation readers who don't believe this is true, the above poster from the 70's National Library Archives proves it.

Led Zeppelin  (Google Images)

I remember an incident where a man with long hair was queuing up at a government department to pay his bills. He was told by an officer that he would be served last. The man was taken aback but quietly took his place at the end of the line.

To make matters worse, the country discouraged and finally banned pop music as it was termed yellow culture. Singapore's pop music industry faded after all its glory and support from that generation.

The industry was a thriving and decent way for both amateur and professional musicians to make an honest. But because of these circumstance it died an unnatural death. Many enthusiasts moaned the local pop music's demise and up to this day the industry never really recovered.



Bee Gees in Singapore

Jimmy Page and his new band Led Zeppelin had their show cancelled on 14th February, 1972 because they refused to cut their long hair. Also in the same year the Bee Gees were all here in Singapore to play their music but were forced home immediately after performing on stage at the National Theatre on March, 21st because their hair were too long.



The Hekk that performed at Hotel Malaysia in Singapore in March 1973, was a five piece band much renowned for their long hair by the Australian rock group circuit. Each member of the group gave up two feet of their beautiful locks so that they could perform for three months at The Pub and Discotheque. The members were Peter McCormack, Anthony Sampson, Edwin Boath, Veda Man and Peter Austen.

The Strollers from Malaysia. (Google Images).

Below is a Singapore Press Holdings unedited description to explain the above poster: 

"The government is to step up the campaign against the cult of the long unkempt hair among males in the Republic. For some time now certain government departments, like immigration and schools as well as institutions of higher learning had been taking action against males with long and unkempt hair. 

The campaign will take another step forward when all government offices dealing with the public will display posters in English, Chinese and Malay with the message: 'Males with long hair will be attended to last' (20.06.1972)."

To be fair to the Singapore government, not only did this island discourage males from sporting long hair.  Other countries in the 70's followed the same trend. Cities like Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Seoul in South Korea, Melbourne in Australia and even Dublin in Ireland were strict with male students who sported long hair. 

I guess Singapore went just one step further. It included all males, young and old.

You Tube Bee Gees - Lonely Days (1970).

Image 1: National Heritage Board, Singapore.
Images 2,3: Google.