Singapore 60s Music: Chatter Matters: A Letter From Abroad. Searching For A Long Lost Friend.

CHATTER MATTERS! 

Full letter extract from

the Blog's Comment pages.

The anonymous letter below has never been answered. If anyone is familiar with the circumstances and is known to the writer, do reply on this blog. Thank you.

Hi Andy,

"I’m so happy to see the picture of your band Velvetones, because in 1964 I have a pen friend called *Charles Tung, of Chinese dad and English mum; he and his friends formed a group called the Velvetones too and later changed to Cormorants. His friends are Wilson Ong, Sam and Sammy the drummer; the three off them are guitarists.

Then in 1978 when I was moving house I lost his photographs, address, as he had just moved too. I wonder if any of you know anything about these boys. We are now almost 80 years and as my family can to go for a holiday in Singapore, he had always liked to talk about how nice your country is and had always wanted us to go visit whenever we can. 

So I hope if any of you can help me please find my friend. He has a younger brother called *Walter, a younger sister called *Linda and for a long time they lived with their parents at 110 Dorset Road Singapore 8 . I would very much appreciate your help.

The sixties had the best music and songs. We are lucky to have passed through that era. Thank you so much in advance. I pray to get some good news."

Anonymous Writer/Country Unknown. 2.7.2023.

Elvis Presley: 'Return To Sender'

YouTube Video by: Reigh Phillip Clayton.

Andy Replies:

Hello,

If there is any response, your friends will write to me. I shall give them your email address if you send it to me. You must also provide me your full name, address and the country you are from.

I shall not publish your address, etc. on this blog. It will remain confidential.

3.7.23.

Singapore 60s Out Of Tune 60 Years Ago. Racial Riot @ Kallang Gas Works 21 July 1964.

This story was featured on 23rd November, 2014 during Brian Richmond's 90.5fm radio show, Sundays With Brian during the 'Reminiscing with Andy' segment.

EXACTLY 60 YEARS AGO TODAY.
21st JULY, 1964:

Mine is not a political blog but I have to address this matter because it shaped my mind for later years and because the Velvetones pop guitar band and I were together that day. We met during this holiday and spent our time till late. 

The Velvetones in 1964 and morphed into The Firebyrds [Philips Records.]

Members of the pop guitar band called The Velvetones were jamming at a bungalow in Lorong 39, Geylang that day; the house was diagonally opposite the former Chief Minister's Lim Yew Hock's bungalow on Sims Avenue. This group consisted of our usual Singaporean mix.  We had been practising for a few weeks and I was enjoying myself as one of their many singers. It was the first time that I had joined a band and it was extremely exciting for a 24 year old. 

While we were practising the leader of another Singapore pop band visited us to watch me sing.  Both of us had thoughts that I could join his group as a singer since I had met him some time ago to discuss it. 

The jam session lasted till late evening when we decided to call it a day. Meanwhile there were goings-on in the streets that we were not aware of. My friend only told me when he was sending me home in his car since he did not want to alarm the others during our practice. Although I was living around the corner I took his offer only after learning what had happened earlier.

Quietly in the car he told me how he had to dash through a barricade at one of the roads in Geylang before coming to the bungalow. He was not sure whether it was a police barricade or otherwise. No one stopped him as he sped to where we were, fearful for his life.

When he left me at my home at about 6.30 pm I experienced a strange quiet and uneasy stillness in the air. There was not a single vehicle or human being anywhere near my home or street. It was an eerie, eerie feeling as I felt my hair behind my head stood on ends. I felt as if an atomic bomb had dropped on Singapore and that the whole island had been devastated.  

"Not a soul on earth..." was the thought in my mind.  The whole stretch of Geylang Road, from the Paya Lebar end on one side, to the other where I could see the distance at Lorong 30, was totally empty and quiet. It was truly frightening. And the memory lives to this day!

My family, who were anxiously waiting for me and huddled behind the door, told me that a racial riot had started at the Kallang Gas Works earlier that day. I realised how serious the situation was when I read about it in the newspapers the next morning. The Gas Works was not too far from my home.

We shouldn't, as Singapore citizens, let this incident happen ever again!

On the music scene, the Beatles were hot those years with so many of their songs on the Top Hits list, "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "She Loves You", "A Hard Day's Night", "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me". 

But the most ironical song those months was Dean Martin's, "Everybody Loves Somebody Somehow." I wish! Ironical it was!

[I cannot remember the details but the story is reasonably accurate.]

Dean Martin: 'Everybody Loves Somebody Somehow'. 

YouTube Video from Dean Martin.

Were you aware of this 1964 Singapore riot? Comments are welcome.

The roads were empty with 

a few bystanders and the police.

Racial riots affected the country as 

people were in chaos and business disrupted. 

Reference:

'The Singapore Story. Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew' 

Pg: 556-559. (SPH/Times Edition 1998).

Images: 

Google; National Heritage Board, Personal Collection.

Raya 2021 - Paul Ibrahm [Tania], Julie Sudiro, Alina Rahman, Aziz Jaafar, Wahid Satay.

WISHING ALL MUSLIM READERS AND FRIENDS 

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDIL FITRI 2021

Julie Sudiro, Aziz Jaafar, 

Wahid Satay, Alina Rahman

UP TO 2,100 VIEWS , 12+ COMMENTS

My friendship with Paul has lasted 60 years...

Paul Ibrahm (Tania) is a good friend, having known him since we were in a band called The Velvetones. This period was the early 1960's when every pop guitar group in Singapore was in its infancy. The kampong bands (Malay = village) started in the living rooms or compounds of houses. Such similar styled bands in the West would be called, garage bands.

The Velvetones used to practise in a huge bungalow diagonally across from the former Chief Minister of Singapore's corner home at the T-junction of Sims Avenue and Lorong 39 (Malay = Lane). 

It was there that I met Paul, young and handsome, fashioned with an Elvis Presley haircut with some sideburns showing. Usually with a short-sleeved shirt and drain-pipe trousers, he would come over in his usual casual and easy manner to belt out songs with the Velvetones. He's good.

We kept in touch for a few years now and during our chats he told me about his home at Lorong 40 which was just across Geylang Road from Lorong 39.

So it is here that I take my leave and allow him to relate his story. Thanks Paul. 

Chand-ni Raat, Siang Lim Park, Lorong 40.

Johari Salleh went on to become 

RTM Orchestra Conductor,

Aziz Jaffar, actor for Malay Film Productions.

"Yusof B (composer of Nona Nona) is my uncle, my late mother's elder brother. B stands for Bluguk. Wak Rahman, father to well-known singer Alina Rahman was Yusof B's younger brother. There were four siblings and my mother was Fatimah, Yusof B's sister. I have lost touch with Kak (Sis) Alina, I wish somebody could provide me with her phone number.

So much of Malay music originated from Lorong 40. Osman Ahmad lived there; Johari Salleh joined Radio Talivishen Malaya (RTM) and became their conductor. 

The famous Indian band, Chand-ni Raat was near my home in Siang Lim Park. It was probably the first rock and roll local band in Singapore. It won so many awards during band competitions. 

Yusoff B

Wandly Yazid

Some residents who lived at Lorong 40 went to become well-known actors when they joined the Cathay Keris Studio at Jalan Ampas. These Malay gentlemen were Aziz Jaafar, comedian Wahid Satay and Ahmad C, to name just a few.

Then there was composer Wandly Yazid, singers Jasni and Julie Sudiro. Julie used to hang out at our house almost every other day as she and Alina Rahman would come for lunch time and again to their aunt's and uncle's home.''

Paul, with his talent and versatility went into the limelight during the 60s and beyond and joined one of the best rock bands in this region, TANIA. He was with a few other bands before joining this forceful group but that's another story.

Comments in Malay are welcome too!

Thanks to Paul Ibrahm

for the above article.

Images - Google; A Paul Ibrahm Personal 

Collection. Copyrights Reserved.

YouTube Videos

Alina Rahman and The Rollies

'Chinta Bahagia'. YouTube video by Keon 60s

Wahid Satay - Senorita Lembu Tua'

YouTube Video dari: Doxok DX

Terima Kaseh

Images: Google, Paul Ibrahm, Yusnor Ef, Doxok DX.

Thunderbirds, Silver Strings, The Dukes, Checkmates Together National Theatre and Boys Town

Front Cover of Souvenir Programme: From Boys' Town Facebook.

47 Years Ago Today:

In the 60s when a variety show was held, either at the most popular venues like the National Theatre at Tank Road, Victoria Theatre at Stamford Road or in smaller venues like the FnN Hall at Kim Seng Road or SJAB Hall at Beach Road, the souvenir magazine was usually a simple 8 to 10 page booklet made out of typing paper.  At times it consisted of an A4 size paper folded and stapled into place to form the evening's programme.

The Early Bird Line-Up of The Thunderbirds

The inner pages were usually printed in black and white with a mildly colourful cover page done using silk-screen printing in two colours and the paper's white background (image one). Graphics could be quite attractive depending on the amateur artist's ability and committee in charge.


Personally David, Merlin and Danny Boy (Osman) were the nicest guys ever!

The rest of the pages would be filled with pictures and write-ups of our local pop stars while the centre-fold revealed the programme for the evening.  It was standard procedure.

The Surfers from album cover.

The printing would usually be done manually using a *Gestetner duplicating machine.  Such a procedure saved cost but with a little more financial backing the organisers would have the programme printed professionally by a company as the Peep Pop Show programme (image 4) shows.

A Typical Pop 60s Show.  The Best There Was, And Well Worth The Entrance Ticket.

Again the choice depended upon the organisers' financial situation and whether there were advertisements between pages. These advertisements from sponsors would certainly have covered part of the cost.


Siglap Five With Jeffridin.

The above show sponsored by Boys Town OBA could have been less expensive to produce in the 60s where bands performed because they loved the glamour and glory of being pop stars.  Some bands were also eager to help out with the charities that needed assistance.  Mostly the boys and girls who participated were doing the gigs for fun and enjoyment while earning an honorarium.



Checkmates - Without Doubt In The Top Five Category.

This particular charity event showcased the best of the guitar groups from the 60s. It could have had attracted a large audience at the National Theatre seeing that it was held on 9th December 1966, exactly 47 years ago since it was a time of year-end festivities like Christmas and New Year. It was also the school holiday season.  Boys Town had organised successful shows like this one to help raise funds.



From Velvetones To Firebyrds. Recorded too.

The bands featured that night need no introduction. Except for one or two, the line-up of artistes were the best from our local 60s stable. They were well-represented with an array of top singers and guitar personalities from Singapore. Even bands from the UK were participating and included singers like Brian Neale, Leroy Lindsay and Winston Walters. Terry Marsden compered the show.

The National Theatre Singapore (1963-1986).

If you had attended this particular show 47 years ago please write in because it would be exciting to have you bring back memories that happened nearly half a century ago. You don't have to give your name. Would really be great cause I know hundreds of people would have been involved in planning and executing such a large happening.



*A Manual Office Duplicating Machine

Images: From Boys' Town Facebook and Bloggers' Collection.

Still Searching For The Velvetones Since 2008

The sleeve image on the right was sent in by Steve Farram from Australia and has the name of the band, The Velvetones printed on its cover. Just wondering if it's the same Velvetones from Singapore, or another one from Malaysia or Indonesia with a similar name?

If you are familiar with the vinyl, the recording company, Oriental, the singer S. Azim Tjan and the songs, Khayal Penyaer, Gadis Di-Jendela, Oh Mulsalmah and Puspa Kenchana, please write in.

(On Dec 22, 2008, there was a posting on the Velvetones. Click below.)

Did The Velvetones Record In Minangkabau?

Thank you Steve.

Adelphi Hotel Ballroom Singapore: With The Velvetones

The Adelphi Hotel many years ago fronting Coleman Street and North Bridge Road.

There is no intention to show off or self-project here but just a personal memory I enjoyed and the group of boys I still remember. It happened more than half a century ago. Cheers.

The former Adelphi Hotel [image 1] stood at the junction of North Bridge Road, opposite the present Funan Mall on its left and the St Andrew's Cathedral on its front, along Coleman Street. Some memories about this hotel and my lovely parents when I was a child. But for this posting, about a night's outing with a band that initiated me to sing, non-professionally though, at this touristy area. They were my neighbourhood kampong band, as opposed to the garage band in the west [the common factor is - these bands started as a home-based hobby.]

The ballroom of the Adelphi Hotel on 9th May, 1964 when I sang with the Velvetones, Wilson Khoo is on lead guitar, during a charity dinner called, A Nite To Remember.  The song was Cliff Richard's, When The Girl In Your Arms and many of the patrons were locals and foreigners on the floor dancing and listening to our repertoire of songs and instrumentals [image 3].

The Velvetones. We didn't have many pictures then; this one is only one of a few that we have. 

The Velvetones [image 2], played some instrumental numbers too. Our group was fresh, youthful, wearing the cleanest garb and using the newest Hofner guitars. These were golden nights where we were able to express ourselves in songs and melodies.

Notice the big, fat microphone and the long fan hanging from the ceiling. You guessed it, the night was also sponsored by Matterhorn Cigarettes [image 3]. Today it would be a miracle if a charity night is sponsored by a cigarette company. Where would dancers and diners smoke?  Perhaps outside the Adelphi on the streets of North Bridge Road.

This particular gig was one of a few that I participated in, with this very friendly and harmonious group. We split company as we went our own way. I was invited to join the Silver Strings and the others formed their own bands. One well-known group was called the Firebyrds, who went on to cut a vinyl recording. Paul Ibrahm [image 2 - back row, right] later became a member of recording stars, Tanya.

No intention at all to be a musician or full time singer. I found the scene, although bright and promising, difficult and a challenge to a young person. Imagine when one gets older, as a nightlife was never for me. But to be fair, many of these young friends have done well but some have also left the music scene to pursue other careers.

The Adelphi building still stands but is today a shopping mall selling mostly audio-visual equipment and of course, IT based goods and services.

Memories.

When the girl in your arms: Cliff Richard 

YouTube Video from: VanAllesWat33

Image: Andy Lim Collection (Copyrights Reserved).

Did The Velvetones Record In Minangkabau?

When The Velvetones accompanied Z. Tjaniago was he singing in the Minangkabau language*? It is spoken by the people of West Sumatra in the western part of Riau.

Response please. (Picture by courtesy of: Mr. Dennis Tan.)

*Or dialect.

Velvetones Turned Firebyrds; Andy Joined Strings

The Firebyrds with  bothWilson Khoo and Kiong on the right from The Velvetones.

The Firebyrds
Remember them? The two gentlemen on the right, Wilson Khoo and Kiong were from The Velvetones. They accompanied Andy Young in a few gigs in the 60's when Andy was also an MC, promoting the band and the evening's entertainment as a package.  

The Velvetones manager was able to secure a contract playing at the Adelphi Hotel while Andy rounded the boys up for private parties and birthday get together.  There was a lovely evening when the band played at the Paya Lebar Shell Sports Club, a popular venue among the young. 

Andy was not sure what happened in later years but the Velvetones lead guitarist, Wilson left them and grouped The Firebyrds and Katherine joined them as vocalist. Andrew Tan, Royston Jansen and Peter Ong made up the rest. They were well defined and came into the limelight just as quickly.

MC Andy Young with The Velvetones conducting a Spot Dance.

They have cut vinyls with Philips including an original by Robert Suriya of The Boys. The songs recorded are: He's Sure To Remember Me, Baby Don't (Suriya), You Better Move On and Yes, I've Fallen (ME 0168 KE).

Andy, who was in the game for fun and as a past time, left much earlier and joined The Silver Strings when Audie Ng invited him to join the band. He discontinued his MCing and continued fronting the new band where they had weekly stints at the Celestial Room as guest artistes. 

Audie found the band boys, with David Chan as lead guitarist, Wilfred Chew as rhythm guitarist and Osman as drummer, a very pleasant group and camaraderie was strong indeed. Their practices were either held at Audie's home or at Toby's palatial bungalow at Tanjong Rhu. 

Those years were memorable because of the new friends Andy made as a part time "band-boy", a handle not many parents would be proud of.  But it was all in fun, for him anyway.

Do write in if you remember them.

Images: Andy Lim Collection.

Andy Young & The Velvetones - Early 60's Sixties

The Velvetones, the original line-up, one of the pioneers of kampong bands or as they call them in the West: garage bands.

I was a neighbour and met The Velvetones by chance when they were practising in an exceptionally large bungalow near the junction of Lorong 39 Geylang and Sims Avenue, Singapore. It was a stone's throw from another bungalow owned by the former Chief Minister of Singapore, Mr Lim Yew Hock.

I remember, from the left, Aziz (bass), Adam (drummer), Teo Bock Kiong (rhythm), Andy (vocals) and Wilson (lead) as shown on the image above. They were using Hofner guitars then and Aziz and Kiong were quiet and great team players. 

Because he was so good looking, Aziz was always sought after by the young ladies in the crowd. Drummer Adam was exceptionally good with his skins and a pretty serious player at that. The drum set wasn't that great as it had a tinny sound. It could have been an inexpensive set. But as a group, we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

Wilson didn't have too many problems with his lead and was exceptional with his fingering and ability to master the chords of many Shadows and Ventures numbers (60's popular guitar bands from the west). He had leadership ability and was able to steer and encourage the group for the few months I was with them. The Velvetones was a formidable group, enthusiastic and strong during the early years of Singapore's guitar group craze.

*Straits Times Advertisement with ANDY YOUNG at National Theatre 1965.

The team was financed by a member of the family called Mr. Wahab (of Arabic descent) who owned the bungalow and regular practices were held in the evenings amidst the living room comfort and middle eastern décor. A large radiogram, in the corner of the spacious hall where they met, played Extended Play and Long Play vinyl records for the group's pleasure and practice.

Those were really great days as most of us did not have a care in the world and enjoyed our practices and gigs together as a team. There were no squabbles on financial matters and the time we had together was blessed with a peaceful calm amidst the cool surroundings of Lorong 39 which was a tree-lined lane with huge double-storey bungalows.

I can never forget Mr. Wahab's family who were so kind and allowed us the use of the family bungalow (image below as illustration).  Sometimes finger food was served to enable a hungry lot of youthful musicians to fill themselves in fun and frolic.

The Velvetones were a good, confident group, enthusiastic and strong during the early years of Singapore's guitar group craze so when the band boys finally separated, three of them became The Firebyrds with a new singer, a young and talented lady called, Katherine.

Andy joined The Silver Strings and sang with The Swallows during a show at the Victoria Theatre. These two bands were among the top dozen local bands during the golden music heyday those years.

A typical Geylang bungalow in an avenue (lorong), huge and airy.

But many neighbours knew our presence and the only sound to have disturbed the quiet neighbourhood in the evenings would have been the group playing Shadows and Ventures melodies on their solid guitars. 

At the end of our practices, we would sometimes adjourn to the sarbat stall at the junction of Lorong 39 and Geylang Road, sipping frothy hot tea (teh tarek) and ginger tea, (teh-aliah) in the dead of night.

These years were truly the beginning of local pop music, where guitar bands sprouted like soya-beans (or towgay: a Chinese dialect) from everywhere. And it's all thanks to Cliff Richard and his Shadows. But never forget, that it was not the beginning of pop bands in Singapore because pop bands and combos came well before Mr. Richard visited in Singapore. 

So if you have read books and articles on the internet that Singapore's pop music history started with Cliff Richard it isn't true. For these stories, you need to browse around on this blog to find out.

This blog welcomes artistes, musicians, friends who appeared at the above show. Many of us have lost touch with one another so please write in on the Facebook page. It was 1965, more than half a century ago.

*(Sometimes appearing as a solo singer without the Silver Strings or Velvetones as the above advertisement shows.)

Image/article: Andy Lim Collection.

Image 2: from Straits Times Press.


SG50: The Pioneering Spirit walks The Singapore Memory Trail.