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.

A Tribute To Mike [Beatles of Malaysia - Mike n Herb] From His Son Scott.

To all who sent condolences to Mike van Dort, his son Scott writes about him in remembrance. 

UP TO 1,000 VIEWS

I am Mike’s son (Herb’s nephew) and it has been truly incredible to read all the comments from people who met him way back in the day and from people more recently and how he made an impression and impact on them.

I just wanted to share my early memories of him teaching me HOW to listen and appreciate music from a very early age. I have great memories of being very small and sitting in our family house in Melbourne where he would put records on the turntable and ask me to listen to vocal harmonies and guitar parts. He would even repeat sections so I could REALLY hear and understand the parts. 

Mike and Herb continued to play music throughout my life - I remember being very little and attending one of their concerts with my sister (Mike’s daughter) in our pajamas, standing backstage! Over the years, we spoke about guitars and music and, in fact, we both own several of the same guitars (Taylor and Maton acoustic guitars). We used to trade tips on our guitars and how much we loved their sound.

Herb and Mike played a show in Melbourne some years ago and I even got to do their sound, which was such a great night.

Thank you for sharing your memories here - it has been a pleasure to read.

Scott Van Dort

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2021/10/rip-mike-van-dort-beatles-of-malaysia.html

RIP - Mike van Dort - Beatles of Malaysia - Mike n Herb - Silver Strings

MIKE VAN DORT [Beatles of Malaysia], 

brother of Herb who were both with the Silver Strings.

UP TO 2,000 VIEWS 

  30 CONDOLENCES  

Mike has passed away last night at 7.43 pm at the age of 77 years.  The sad news came from Australia when younger brother Herb called the Silver Strings leader/bassist].

Mike, with brother Herb, were Philips recording artistes accompanied by the group and had recorded four songs on vinyl in the 1960's. 

RIP Mike. 

All those musicians and guitar groups who knew you will miss you much.

Condolences to Herb and the Family.

Mike and Herb were touring with Malaysia's Falcons.

Connect -

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2016/12/christmas-gift-beatles-of-malaysia-mike.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2021/10/a-tribute-to-mike-beatles-of-malaysia.html

MIKE, who has passed away, is on the right. 

Younger brother Herb is beside him.

At the RELC International Hotel [2014] , Singapore

Mike and Herb performing. Mike, with dark hair 

and more passive, has just passed away in 

Melbourne, Australia. 

YouTube video by Fabian Foo [Singapore].

RIP - MIKE VAN DORT [RIGHT].

Herb [left]

Images - A Private Collection.

Sungei Road Flea Mart Singapore Walk Right Back

It's been one year now since Sungei Road Flea Market closed. That was July 2017. People from all over the world, especially record (vinyl) lovers, come to the area to buy Singles, EP's, LP's, CD's, antique stuff, old books, photographs and other odds and ends to take home as souvenirs. Prized stuff to many but rubbish to others, this place is no more (3rd July 2018).

I want you to tell me, Why you walked out on me, I'm so lonesome every day...

**********
Last Year's News:

Sungei Road or Thieves Market will soon be gone, literally taken off the streets and its area transformed for urban rejuvenation. People from all over the world have visited this place since the 1930's to buy nostalgia. One is VINYL. There were many such makeshift stalls in this central area in Singapore selling records, but today you need to hunt the two or three makeshifts that might have them.

By the middle of this year, Robinson Petang will be no more. Like so many of the 60's international and local pop musicians who are gone, Sungei Road will pass away in mid-2017. Extensions are unlikely so it's R.I.P. to Singapore's only Flea Market (15 February 2017).

Walk Right Back With The Everlys - 20 Golden Hits

The article below was written in 2013.

SONGS I LOVE:

In the early 60's, they transformed the bluegrass sound of their Kentucky (USA) boyhood into a richly harmonised form of rock n roll and this close harmony vocal influenced many singers from the West.  Similarly, in the East, Indonesian/Dutch duos like The Blue Diamonds, Singapore's Cyclones and Malaysia's Mike and Herb followed their unique style.

The above vinyl record is one of those rare finds I walked away with for only $2.00.  On the internet, it's about $20.00 or so and that's without shipping cost.  Not a collectable but with twenty songs in the pocket and all genuine recordings by the Everly Brothers.  What more could I ask for? 


Sungei Road Yesterday. Called Robinson Petang.

It's a 1975 mint conditioned Warner Brothers recording distributed by WEA Records Ltd.  I love the artwork by Mick Brownfield on the cover and overall album sleeve design by Graves Aslett Associates. 

Some tracks are re-recorded versions of their Cadence hits, the result of a nostalgic recording session held in Nashville, Tennessee in 1962.  If you're an Everly Brothers fan there's even a Chart Position for US/UK/Year for the 20 songs.  

The Blues Diamonds inspirationally Everlys.

I bought this particular record two years ago when #Sungei Road was still wide enough to accommodate the sellers and make-shift stalls in the area but now with the building of the MRT, the place has shrunk to nearly half its size.  Or even less than that? 

The Brothers inspired a generation of musicians from the Beatles to Simon and Garfunkel.  Dressed in snazzy outfits and sporting pompadours, they offered instant appeal to teenagers who easily identified with their songs about dating parents and high school. 

Everly Brothers - 'Walk Right Back'. Thank you.


In 1960, Phil and Don Everly sold eight million copies of their worldwide hit Cathy's Clown.  Between 1957 and 1965 they notched-up a collective total of over 35 million singles and albums.  Many of their biggest hits were penned by Boudleaux Bryant and wife Felice. 

For this particular album, the tracks were cut in Nashville under Chet Atkins who had worked with Elvis Presley.  They include most of their hits with others like Love Hurts, Love Is Strange, How Can I Meet Her, Temptation, Don't Blame Me, So Sad, No One Can Make My Sunshine Smile, The Ferris Wheel, The Price of Love and Muskrat.  On July 14th 1973, they announced their last concert appearance together each preferring to follow a solo career.

Phil Everly, half of Grammy-winning duo The Everly Brothers, passed away in January 2014, aged 74.

I want you to know that/ Since you walked out on me/ Nothing seems to be the same way... 

#In case you're a tourist who's never been to Singapore, Sungei Road used to be called Thieves' Market or Robinson Petang (evening Robinson's Department Store). Not any more but lots of second-hand goods and if you're lucky you can find some vinyl records.

Images: Google.

Beatles of Malaysia: Mike and Herb - With The Falcons

A May Gift for Andy and Readers

Thanks, Mike and Herb for the present

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When life was simple and the air was pure in Malaysia, two very young boys went on an adventure not many have experienced, perhaps not even today. They did a 240-day pop singing tour of Peninsula Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei.

                                         Yesterday and Today

And don't forget their audiences were rural folks who had hardly any electricity or drinking water, let alone a TV or radio set.  But when the heard that the Malaysian Beatles were in their kampong, they headed to the nearest cinemas on bicycles, in carts and rickety trishaws, buses, vans, and cars, to watch the mop-hair pair in action. Together with this duo, other top Malayan pop artistes were on stage too. The shows were a treat indeed.

Then they came to Singapore and at the National Theatre, the crowd broke loose...

I must thank Mike and Herb, who wrote all the way from Down Under, for sharing their experience with me and my readers. Let's open this gift.

Hi Andy,

After reading your latest blog on the Ipoh Falcons from Malaysia, it brought back memories of our time with them and I just had to write something about them.

The Falcons were our first group when Herb and I started.  We did a solid eight-month tour with them and we performed in every state and town in Malaysia.  

We started in Alor Star then did all the east coast (Kelantan and Terengganu) and also most large towns on the way.  

We were performing almost every night and in most cases two or three shows daily.  The tour took us to many towns like Batu Pahat, Muar, Telok Anson, Seremban, and other towns.

Our eight months’ tour was organized by Cathay Organisation and we performed at all their theatres.

Rocky Teoh was with us and we had a great time with him especially when we were driving in his Sunbeam sports car.  He loved speed and for us, it was thrilling to be visiting many towns this way.  

On one occasion, Rocky drove us to another town for a visit and we got back very late and the show at which we were due to perform had already started. Management was frantic when we turned up late.  

We had to hurry into our stage clothes and quickly got on stage.  The Falcons had already started playing for the show.  Rocky was also late for his performance as Malaysia’s Elvis, but all the drama was soon forgotten once we took to the stage and did our performances.

Our shows also took us to Kuching (Sarawak), Brunei and all of Sabah.  We must have performed in well over 100 towns in Malaysia and the fans were unbelievable everywhere we went.

The Ipoh Falcons (Christopher, Tony, Tommy, and Thomas) were a great bunch of guys and very talented musicians too. We had so many good memories and stories of our eight-month tour and I must say Rocky Teoh turned out to be a really good friend until his untimely death at an early age.

After that, Herb and I went to Singapore where we joined the Silver Strings for the start of the 1960‘s pop scene.

After reading your blog on the Ipoh Falcons I wanted people to know that Herb and I started our music career with them. 

Kind Regards,

Mike

NB: 

Readers might have noticed the billboards were put up along the Malayan roads near the cinemas they were appearing at. These show-posters were colored and hand-painted on canvas and common in the '60s. They were an attraction and could draw passers-by and drivers.

              

Images and story: A Private Collection. Copyrights Reserved.

Active Ageing Well Supported: Pioneer Generation Package Posted @ Orchard: Silver Strings Delivered

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                               The Late Bobo n Rickie: both lead or rhythm

             The capacity crowd at RELC International Hotel, Singapore.

Inspired by the forthcoming Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA) 2014

Dear Andy,

Last Saturday evening was memorable for all members of the Silver Strings including the resident singers. My congrats to Audie Ng and the organizing committee for a wonderful effort in bringing back lots of memories of our younger days. I do admire some of the guests in the audience showing so much energy by rocking and rolling to the good old music.

I am sure many of us will strongly support the revival of local 60's music and we do hope to have more performances in the years ahead.

For others who could not attend last week and for those overseas, they may wish to view some videos uploaded by me.

Fabian Foo.

           (View Mr Foo's videos above and on the right side-bar of this blog.)

 

                            Below: Audie bass and Danny Boy drums.

                 Young Ones in the audience who, "Live while the flame is strong..."

                                     Andy Young: Blogger and Singer

Keyboardist Nick.

                        Another young 'un with Herb (Beatle of Malaysia).

Hey Singapore, we've got a community here. The army of seniors from 60s pop culture was back to conquer Orchard Road last night. And the turn out of followers for Silver Strings Night was a good full house at the RELC Auditorium on 16th August, 2014. 

                      Below: Larry (MC), Audie and Jerry (MC).

                         

                  Herb and Mike with Elvis impersonator Mustapha              

"RELC rocked tonight with Veronica Young, Ernesto and Greg, Mustapha, Mike and Herb, Andy Young and company at the Silver Strings 50th Anniversary Concert ... (from Alice Chong FB)"

                 Seniors seeing Silver Strings swing Sixties songs.

Photos put up are the clearest I could get on FB from dear friends Irene Yap, Richard Toh, Tan Soo Khoon, Veronica and Marissa DC:

1. From left the Silver Strings group at RELC International Hotel in Orange Grove Road: Nick, Herb, Mike, Ernesto (guest artiste), Andy, Danny Boy, Audie, Veronica, Bobo, Mustapha and Rickie. 

           2. The audience and supporters made the show possible. 

                          3. Tan Soo Khoon, former MP and music-maker.

Larry and Ernesto.

                               Mustapha, Herb and brother Mike

                                           Veronica and Andy

Audie (bass/leader) and Nick (keyboard).

                                   Rickie and Bobo (on and off stage).

                    Danny Boy, the percussionist, interviewed by journalists.

          Sound engineer Patrick checking the system before performance

           "I'm sending you a big bouquet of roses, Andy..." Thank you.
           "Nice bouquet for a gentleman," from Lim Kuan Min.
            

                Mike and Herb rocking the house with Wooley Bully.

                  Full house at RELC International Hotel Auditorium.

                 Audie on guitar and Mustapha wooing with roses.

                                   Veronica, young on screen.
  

                       Larry Lai, MC with the most distinctive voice.
                             
                             Click to read the 50 plus comments below.

Images from FaceBook of:
Irene Yap, Marissa DC, Veronica Young, Richard Toh, Tan Soo Khoon and Audie Ng. Thank you all.