Neil Diamond Hot August Night - Greek Theatre

According to Lester Bangs from Music Track, who wrote the review on Hot August Night, the set begins with a gigantic "orchestral flourish fit to put both Elvis and David Bowie to shame" and Diamond is one of the few who can actually outclass Elvis, as in the introduction to the song Morningside: 'This is a dream ... a dream about an old man who dies alone ... and leaves a gift behind...'

Like a hymn in church, the feeling reaches a peak on record two, "what with such celebrations of the common man's innate nobility as Canta Libre and I Am ... I Said", and by the time Brother Love is sung in the grand finale, it becomes hysterical. He is like Eric Burdon and the melodrama is incomparable.

As of 2007 Diamond has 120 million records sales worldwide, including 50 million records in the U.S. With his Billboard chart success, he is the third most successful adult contemporary artist, ranking Barbra Streisand and Elton John. He is also called the Jewish Elvis.
1. From: http://www.musictrack.com/
2. Image from record cover MCA 2-8000-1971: Andy Lim Collection.

Neil Diamond: Rarest Of Gems: 60's Music

It's a personal opinion; NEIL DIAMOND is the greatest pop male singer next to Elvis Presley. But he is a songwriter too and wrote so many hits since 1962 when he first composed, Solitary Man.

Some 38 songs of Neil Diamond are on the top 40 hits. Name them and they are on the list. Cherry, Cherry, Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon, Kentucky Woman, Red, Red Wine, Shilo, the Jonathan Livingstone Seagull album and the classics, Sweet Caroline and Song Sung Blue.

Personal choice is the Hot August Night album, where he performed at the Greek Theatre and produced by Tom Catalano (MCA 2-8000 produced in 1971 in Universal City, California USA.)

Watched him live in concert when he performed in Winnipeg, Canada in 1985. The best seats cost $30.00 and he sang for 2 hours.

"The human voice is the most important instrument at our disposal, yet it is one of the most difficult to understand or define... it is more than just a sound... it is the soul itself. Neil Diamond - 1974." Neil Diamond is still performing today. And he twitters.

Image shows Neil Diamond performing on stage, during the Toyota Concert Series on the Today Show, May 6th, 2005 in New York City.

There are more than 20 official websites about this great man. Check out: 

http://www.neildiamondhomepage.com/

Image from: http://www.vh1.com/

(Original article: Andy Lim).

Paul Mauriat Has Covered The 60s And Beyond

One big band that leaves nothing to the imagination is Paul Mauriat's. He had recorded so many cover albums his peers can only drool over his success. He had more than a thousand tiles from the Polygram label alone from 1965 to 1993. In Singapore, it was the 60s music revelation, as bands were in the midst of dishing out covers too.

To date he sold over 40 million albums around the world. His popularity in Japan was common knowledge and had concerts there from the 70s. He was so established that a line of saxaphones were named after him.

Paul Mauriat, who born in 1925 and died in 2006, was a French orchestra leader who specialized in light music. He was best known in the United States for his remake of André Popp's Love is Blue, which was at the top spot for 5 weeks in 1968.

Other recordings in his repertoire, of which only a small number can be listed, included melodies from movies, songs by top recording stars like The Beatles and countless other world hits and evergreens from the 60s onwards. There must be some Paul Mauriat albums in that cupboard.

Image: Universal Music.

Statistical information: Paul Mauriat's websites.

Original article: Andy Lim.

90.5FM DJ Brian Richmond with Henry Suriya

Brian Richmond and Henry Suriya (image) are well known personalities in our local 60s music scene. Richmond hosts the 90.5 fm Gold Classic radio broadcast, Nites With Brian and Vintage Sundays on MediaCorp Station. He will one of the hosts for Eurasiana, a musical tribute, on 26/27 June, 2009 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

Henry Suriya (check older posting), is a well-known crooner and has recorded many songs during the 60s with his brother Robert and The Boys. Two of his songs are included in The Definite Collection. Brian Richmond has a part in the promotion of this box set.

Image: Henry Suriya Collection.
(1st posting on MCs, comperes, radio personalities from 60s).

Heather - The Diamond Four - The Thunderbirds

Besides the selection of Heather's two songs Love Is Blue and Green Tambourine in 100 Greatest Singapore 60s, she has also recorded some songs with the Diamond Four, a band of UK naval servicemen.

The image was from Philips in 1966 when Heather was only 14 years old. When the Diamond Four returned to Britain, Heather Batchen teamed up with Singapore's Thunderbirds.

As piracy was rampant in the 60s Heather's songs were included in an illegal EP with Kiss Me Goodbye and Me, The Peaceful Heart. Listening to Heather within the confines of a quiet and comfortable atmosphere brings back the nostalgia that only 60s Singapore music provides. She is the peaceful heart.

1. Joe Wu Seattle/WA/USA, has Heather on You Tube.

2. Image: Universal Music, Singapore.

3. Philips is under Universal Music, Singapore

Sweet Charity - Ramli Sarip - Esplanade Concert

According to information provided, the Esplanade Concert Hall was full with 1,600 people, so there was a packed house when Sweet Charity performed on Sunday (31.05.09).

Lead by Papa Rock vocalist Ramli Sarip, the band, in all its glory met again for its 40th anniversary concert to thrill the audience with Sarip's powerful vocals, SC's slick guitar runs, classic rock songs and stage presence.

Although most of the band boys are in their 50s and Sarip and drummer Rahman Sarbani the only original members left, they were as spritely on stage. For many fans in the audience, it was a night of nostalgia and definitely a meeting for music lovers, rock or otherwise. Thumbs up for Sweet Charity.

Another one next year?

Added in May 2012:

Ramli Sarip or PapaRock is an iconic figure in the Nusantara music scene. Ramli shot to fame with his pioneering rock group Sweet Charity that was set up in 1967. His last concert with his band, Sweet Charity in 2009 at the Esplanade was a sold out.

Generally accepted as the ‘father-figure’ by the artistes community on both sides of the causeway, this recipient of 1998 COMPASS Artistic Excellence Award is an all-rounder singer, musician, producer, composer and mentor. His last solo concert titled ‘Perjalanan Hidup’ was staged 27 years ago at the then World Trade Centre. SADAQA is therefore his first solo concert in almost 3 decades and the only concert for the year that is charity-based.

With special guest artiste, Raihan, Ramli will perform songs from his latest album – SADAQA. SADAQA features a compilation of 14 selected hits throughout Ramli’s solo career. SADAQA is in aid of Hasanah Mosque.       

Article: by Andy Lim

Image from: The Star Online/star-ecentral.com /Azhariah Kamin 12/05/2008.

Singapore 60s Music Including Silver Strings

No fanfare, no promotions, unnecessary discussion! Just stop, look, listen and buy. Take it home and enjoy the music.

"Stop, look and listen, baby/It's my philosophy..." (Elvis Presley).

Image: Box Cover/100 Greatest Singapore 60s/Universal Music Singapore.

National Theatre, Celestial Room, SEAsia Hotel: Guitar Bands That Rocked Singapore 60s.

Whole gangs of guitar bands performed within a night at three venues in Singapore. Again, newspaper advertisements from The Straits Times on 12th December, 1964 promoted a gig at the National Theatre at Tank Road and week-end dancing at the Celestial Room, Orchard Road and South-East Asia Hotel at Waterloo Street.

For me, as a school teacher then and only singing for fun as a hobby these were great times as I had the opportunity to sing with a live band on stage. My only knowledge of music was playing the guitar and knowing only 10 chords to accompany myself. It was during these performances that I met other band folks. 

Our boys and girls, both in the audience and on stage, were having a great time, entertained by The Silver Strings, Keith Locke & The Quests, Bobby Lambert & The Dukes, The Jets, Steven Tan & The Gippslanders, The Midnighters, The Tramps, Zainab Huri and Johnny Nakamura of Sukiyaki fame. Ticket prices were only one, two and three dollars. There was no cover charge for nightly dancing.

For those fans and pop music lovers who either cannot afford the entrance fee or just refused to pay for it, could climb trees beyond the half open-air theatre to watch, sitting perilously on the branches, as the cold winds blew. All in all, it was fun and games.

I'll Remember Today' from the late Shirley Nair

 with the Silver Strings. She joined the group 

in later years after Andy Young left the band.

YouTube Video from Audie Ng.

The Silver Strings, with Andy, entertained at the Celestial Room and South-East Asia Hotel too. Can anyone remember those days? Do write in to contribute.

An original article: Andy Lim.

Image: 

from The Straits Times Press Singapore 12/12/64. 

National Library Board Singapore)

One could climb trees behind the theatre to watch shows 

amidst a starry sky and windy whirls from the woods behind.

Robert Song - Singer, Artist Extraordinaire

Shirley Nair left the *Checkmates, to join the Silver Strings in the mid-60s. Robert Song [image right with microphone], who was percussionist with The Flamingos Combo Band, replaced Nair. Although Song fronted the Checkmates as a vocalist he was still playing with the Combo band for some time. He was also with The Stylers (check out the previous posting under Stylers).

Song was the Johnny Ray - Cry - of Singapore and already in the music scene since the mid-50s. He produced many stage shows to promote movies that his company brought in. He was best with jazz standards but could sing rock and roll. Just Walkin' In The Rain, was one of the standards he did.

The Checkmates play instrumental song Sylvia.wmv. Video: eosyeo.

Robert Song and The Checkmates performed at the Cellar and other venues that included the Golden Venus and the Celestial Room. Golden Venus was a rendezvous for British servicemen stationed in Singapore then and love different genres of music, including jazz. Song could perform jazz standards easily.

Song, always with a personal touch, distributed postcards of the band while he was with the group. As a graphic artist and an excellent one at that, he designed the above card; it was a special calling card for promotional purposes. 

Robert Song in a blue shirt [3rd from right].

Many of the huge cinema posters in the 60s, fronting the Capitol cinema at North Bridge Road, were created by Robert Song. These colourful creations have become synonymous with the building and thousands of passers-by or motorists would take notice of these colourfully gigantic posters.

The card (image) was a gift from the talented singer. Song had since migrated to the Philippines.

*The Checkmates comprised, Benny Chan (lead), Lanky Lawrence Lee (bass), Hans Hussein (rhythm) and Amir (drums). They were one of the top guitar groups in the 60s.

Checkmates, Trailers, Golden Venus, Palace

It was Saturday night on the 12th of December, 1964 and obviously about 2 weeks before Christmas. Nightclubs were full and so were the spirits of youths in Singapore. The above advertisement (image) from the Straits Times Press, Singapore, shows the Golden Venus at Orchard Road and the Grand Palace theatre at East Coast Road doing brisk business.

And on Sunday, bands were in full swing with Robert Song and the Checkmates and The Trailers fronted by Vernon having the rockingest time ever.

Although admission was free, patrons paid for their drinks. Usually they bought one drink for the whole afternoon, well sometimes two. But nobody bothered because each couple was trying to show the rest on the floor that the cha-cha-cha, twist, shake and rock would rule the T-Dances that day. After all it was the Dave Clark Five & The Animals Twist & Shake Special.

(Image from: Straits Times Press, Singapore/National Library Board, Singapore.)

The above idea was initiated by Dennis Tan.

Sands Singapore Or Elvis Club From Las Vegas?

The Elvis Presley vivalasvegas Fan Club has written to Singapore60sMusic on the GI Blues posting. Welcome to Singapore. Surfers can join them.

About The Club:

Established January 2004.
"Do you want to meet fans and celebrate the life of Elvis Presley in the Las Vegas area?

This club's goal is to commemorate the memory & legacy of Elvis in Las Vegas - his contributions to Entertainment and Charity. This club is for Elvis fans to have the opportunity to have fun, make new friends, and promote "The King of Vegas".

We focus our charity work LOCALLY, just like Elvis used to do when he had his souvenir booths at the Hilton International and out of state fans are most welcome, but much of the activity of this club is for local and Vegas area fans who can attend our meetings & activities. But no matter where you are, see what it's like to experience that Elvis/Vegas connection."

(Image/Article From: The Viva Las Vegas Elvis Presley FanClub Website.)

Key in: http://www.vivalasvegasclub.net/

Phil Spector Wall Of Sound Quests 60s Music

Legendary music producer Phil Spector created the famed *Wall of Sound recording technique during the 60s and is regarded as one of the most influential figures in pop music history. In the early 1960s, he scored hits including, Da Doo Ron Ron, Be My Baby, Baby and You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin. He was also famed for his work with The Beatles, Tina Turner, The Righteous Brothers, The Ronettes and The Ramones.

The Quests have recorded Da Doo Ron Ron on EMI/Columbia: DO. 4733 (image). The flip side is: I'll Be Looking Out For You

*Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by Spector at Gold Star Studios during the 1960s.

Image/article: From Andy Lim Collection (image is a used vinyl cover and coloured by previous owner.)

Information from: Yahoo News Singapore/Wikipedia.

Deep Purple - Rock Band For Non- Rockers Too!

Deep Purple is one of very few heavy metal bands I appreciate and Smoke On The Water, Space Trucking and Highway Star are three of the very few rock songs I love. Formed in 1968, this magnificent English band is from Hertford, Hertfordshire.

Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members have tried not to categorize themselves as any one genre. The band also incorporated classical music, blues-rock, pop and progressive rock elements.

They were once listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's loudest band and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Deep Purple was ranked number 22 on VHI's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock program.

Ian Paice, Deep Purple drummer, was featured in another posting on February 22nd 2009. Check it out.

Article from: Wikipedia

Image: Deep Purple Website

There are too many websites. Just key in: deep purple.

Sweet Charity Rock 40th Anniversary Esplanade

Sweet Charity, veteran rockers extraodinaire, has a gig this Sunday, 31 May 2009 at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Dubbed the Deep Purple of Singapore's rock connection that started in the late 60s, the band had, within 10 years, fan idolatry all over Singapore and Malaysia. And they are still rocking today, influenced also by Santana, Led Zeppelin and other rock musicians.

Ramli Sarip, well known to local Mat Rockers and most Singaporeans, led this group since 1969. And their success story is a rendition of fusion music , combining melodies from the west and ones from their own Malay and Indonesian heritage. And they are hot because tickets are sold out for the concert.

Ramli Sarip - Living Legend Of SE Asian Rock

His is a household name, not only amongst the Malay community but throughout Singapore and most of Malaysia, having established himself both as a guitarist, singer and the power behind the rock group Sweet Charity. In short, Ramli Sarip is a living legend.

Original albums called, Kamelia, Musibah, Zakiah and Pelarian became instant hits and today, they have become classics, "so much so that fans have forgotten that some of the numbers were cover versions. Altogether they had 7 albums and when Ramli Sarip went solo, he produced 8 more albums alone, selling 100,000 per album. From: (Amrantx3's Site)."

Ramli Sarip is as active as ever today. Unless you bought the tickets, you'd be missing a rocking good night at the Esplanade on Sunday.

Pop 60s - Sugiman Jahuri - Radio TV Singapore

September 7th, 2007: Mr. Lam Chun See from Good Morning Yesterday writes about the black and white programmes on Radio Television Singapore (RTS) in the early 60s. In reply, Peter remembers, The Rado Show with Tan Tock Peng and The Citizen Watch Show in 1972 with Larry Lai.

He continues, "The Talentime finals was beamed 'live' from the National Theatre. I remember one contestant who could make music from bending his carpenter's saw, The Bambinos and velvety-voice, Sugiman Jahuri who sang, Woman, Woman."

By coincidence another kind and close friend gave me his small collection of about 25 EPs of local singers and two of them were recorded on EMI by *Sugiman Jahuri (image).

The first one has, Woman Woman, Everytime I Fall In Love, If You Change Your Mind and Give Her My Love, while the second album features: Look At You, It's Not For Me To Say, You Make My Life Worthwhile and Born Free.

*Sugiman is known as, 'The Man from Bukom', 2nd prize winner of the RTS Talentime 1968.

(Image/Original Posting: Andy Lim Collection. )

Yes More Than One Pop 60s Band In Singapore!

Philips' label has released a CD box in Singapore by Universal Music. Shirley Nair and the Silver Strings are featured, including a host of other 60s bands.

Christopher Toh, journalist for Todayonline.com wrote on 21st May 2009, "I used to think that Singapore's music from the 60s started and ended with The Quests and their instrumental hit, "Shanty" but boy was I ever wrong."

Apparently Christopher Toh is not the only person unaware of Singapore 60s music. Why the ignorance then? During the 2009 American Idol finale last night, some 60s singers and musicians were featured singing with the current Idol group. Shouldn't it be done during the forthcoming Singapore Idol competition too? Make the younger generation aware of our 60s bands.

Please spread the information around. Talk about our pop music heritage. And let it also be known that there are many people in Singapore who are familiar with 60s pop music culture.

Find out and learn from the buskers on our streets, the older musicians playing in the clubs and those who have been part of the vibrant scene in the mid-50s, 60s and early 70s. They may not be around for long.

The Hunters - 60s Pop Music - British Invasion

The group originated with guitarist Brian Parker and the band from Hertfordshire, England, was called the Hunters, who recorded for the Fontana label in 1961. Parker left the Hunters in early 1962 and joined Adam Faith's (singing idol) backing band.

The Hunters from 1962

Hits From The Hunters was first produced in 1962 but the attraction was the music selection. Elvis Presley's, "All Shook Up," "Hound Dog," "Love Me Tender," Cliff's, "With A Girl Like You," and The Everly's, "Walk Right Back," and "All I Have To Do Is Dream," were instrumentalised and a standard oldie, "Misty" brought to life by the uniqueness of The Hunter's composition and rendition.

Like many Singapore re-union gigs, there was a short come-back with the group in 2001 in England, with Parker playing lead. For the audience, it was really emotional to listen to so many old tunes, especially the perennial hit, "Runaway."

Hits From The Hunters Fontana Records (Cover)

Runaway was definitely a favourite with the guitar groups in Singapore and played as many times as there were 60s concerts. It was always in the repertoire. I have taken the liberty of posting this article because I have the original copy  of the above record. Quite a find for $2.00.

"Another instrumental on the same record, Teen Scene was pretty well known. It had been written by singer Teddy Randazzo. The Hunters gave it a real punchy treatment and used an added vocal chorus to boost up the sound. The Hunters grew up in the Cheshunt locality, the boyhood home of Cliff Richard.

Line-up:
Brian Parker (Fender Jazzmaster, Gibson GA-5T amp , Watkins Copycat echo)
Norman Stracey (Gibson ES-175)
John Rogers (Fender Precision Bass)
Norman Sheffield (Trixon drums)

Dedicated to the late Brian Parker (also member of Unit 4+2 and co-writer of Concrete & Clay)".
Above information from You Tube by: yellowitoms61

Image: You Tube Video from SirBasildeBrush.

mp3 Player - Singapore 60s Radiogram Music

Grundig, Normende, Siemens, Philips? It was the centrepiece furniture in the living room in the grand old days. Before the television set peeked round the corner and engulfed the Singapore home with its *"one big-eye" and *"one long-horn," the ultimate entertainment machine was the radiogram.

It had a record player with two speeds, a smaller 45rpm Extended Play function and the larger, more popular 33rpm Long Play. Beside it, (image) in another compartment, was the radio, the source of inspiration for many people then, when Elvis, The Beatles and Connie Francis sang their lives out on Maisie Conceicao's, "Calling All Hospitals," at nine o'clock in the morning.

If you chose to spin your own selection instead, there was a spacious area below the player and radio where black vinyls were placed neatly, single file for storage. With about 12 songs per Long Play record and storing about 200 records or so, you would have about 2,400 songs on the playlist. Not too bad, considering the number you could store now on your mp3 player. It was the 60s and valves were the craze. Not chips.

"When I was young/I listened to the radio/Waiting for my favourite songs..." Comment anyone?

*Sheb Wooley's, "Purple People Eater (1958.)"

(Image courtesy of: http://www.radiograms.co.uk/)

Poon Sow Keng/Pan Xiu Qiong Chinese Pop 60s 潘秀瓊

UP TO 9,100 VIEWS

But for all her popularity, Xiu Qiong never had singing lessons and what "talent she has is God-given (Dave Dexter Jr, US record producer)." 

She was particularly successful in Singapore and Malaysia and up till today, her songs are still sold in CD shops all over S.E. Asia.Pan Xiu Qiong's - Poon Sow Keng song, "Lover's Tears," is another Chinese melody known among the English educated. 

The first is also a tear-jerker called, "Love Without End." Both are theme songs and "Lover's Tears" (there is love in every teardrop) is no different, coming from the Shaw Brothers' film, "The Lark" (1965).

She was born in Macau and moved to Malaysia with her mother when she was sixteen but had been singing since twelve.

When she was 17 she recorded for the first time and within weeks the Asian populace fell in love with her. Pan took up Singapore citizenship in the 1980s and with her signature (guess what) she became very popular in the 1960s and 70s. She has been known affectionately as Queen of Alto because of her fantastic voice.

                              Poon Sow Keng/Pan Xiu Qiong: Qing Ren Te Yen Lei

Her songs have English titles, "The Foggy Night," (a dense, thick, unmoving fog in the harbour provides natural cover for two lovers), "Little Darling," (the girl pleads with her lover not to give her the cold shoulders but to tell her he loves her) and "Book Of Life," (a philosophical statement about family life).

"A Caged Bird," "A White Handkerchief," and "On The Elephant's Back," are but a few translated titles from her Capitol Hi-Fi Recording on T10326 with an explanation in English for the uninitiated.

Quote “I have always led a simple life, and I feel that anyone can be happy if they keep things simple. Even so, I hope to be remembered. Please forget me not. I wish that the songs of Poon Sow Keng would be a part of everyone forever.”

Connect below to read another post about her:

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2009/06/pan-xiu-qiong-straits-times-press-today.html

Images Google.
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