WILD GINGER: Singapore 60's Band That's Only 10.

On the concert stage with Wild Ginger, the group that gets spicier with age, is full of energy and living an active life during their senior years.

When Joseph Woon told me that his group Wild Ginger was performing in Penang, Malaysia, I was surprised, knowing that he was with the group, The Easybeats.

"I am with two bands," he replied. 

He took up my suggestion to feature it. Member Francis Yuen sent me the details.

Thanks very much, Joe and Francis.

Hi Andy, 

I got your email address from Joseph whom I believe spoke to you about our band Wild Ginger. You may recall that we have briefly met at Pek Kio during a concert event. 

Thanks for your kind consent to host our posting to showcase Wild Ginger which, though existing for over 10 years, is only in the local music scene lately. The following is a write up on the band. 

Best regards

Francis 

Wild Ginger with its current members.  From left drummer KH Leong, bassist Joseph Woon, lead guitar Yvo Goosen ( founder member), rhythm n vocal Francis Yuen ( founder member) and keyboardist KT Keong.

“Wild Ginger is a Rock band consisting of five executives reliving their youth years playing music from the 50‘s through the 80’s. They play music not for a living but for the passion they have for music.

All of the band members used to play in bands during their teenage years and therefore share a common musical heritage.

The band originally started in Shanghai more than 10 years ago when they were on expatriate assignments. They played mainly rock and roll music and have performed for many charity and social events alongside with professional stars and artistes. On their return to Singapore, the band has recruited new members who are senior executives with a similar passion for music and love for songs from the rolling good times.

The name Wild Ginger has been chosen to aptly reflect that one can still live an active life in their senior years. In fact, one gets better and spicier with age! This is a bunch of executives who are still very young at heart and full of energy to rock.

Monthly Jam Nite at TMCC. Guests are invited to sing with the band for the last 2 sets of the performance.

The band comprises:

Francis Yuen - Vocals & Guitar: Francis is retired. He was a senior executive with a global company. 

Yvo Goossens - Lead guitar & vocals: Yvo is a European living in Singapore and is a retired General Manager.

Joseph Woon - Bass Guitar: Joseph is retired. He has played for bands such as Easy Beat in the 60s.

KT Leong – Keyboardist: KT is semi-retired and is now the advisor to an IT organization.

K H Leong - Drummer: K H is the newest member of the band. He is a Rheumatologist with his own clinic in Singapore.

    Wild Ginger performing at charity dinner at H Urban Hotel, Penang in Malaysia.

Wild Ginger has a wide repertoire of music. This includes music of The Shadows, Cliff Richard, The Beatles, The Eagles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chuck Berry, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Everly Brothers, Bee Gees, Queens, Santana and other classic Rock legends. 

They play music ranging from rock n roll to country to Latin to pop. They are also into Cantopop music such as those by Alan Tam and Jacky Cheung. 

Wild Ginger first appearance at a charity event in Shanghai (2008) organised by Coca-Cola. A pic with Gary Player, the patron of the event. Co-patron was Jacky Chan. 

The band has in a recent couple of years performed regularly at the Tanah Merah Country Club as well as events like Oktoberfest at the club. They have also been active at community events performing for residents such as that at Teban Garden last year. Last Christmas they performed for Centrepoint shoppers. 

Many of their appearances were in aid of Charity. In April this year, Wild Ginger had their 10th Anniversary Charity event and donated all proceeds to the Lupus Association of Singapore. And just this week Wild Ginger was in Penang for a Charity Concert with Gurmit Singh and other Malaysian artistes raising fund for the Penang Hospice.

What kept the band together has been their passion for music especially music from the rolling good times. They do not play music for a living but hope that they can inspire and give joy to others through their music. For them, it’s never too old to rock!"

At Penang Charity concert in November 2018 with  MC Gurmit Singh.

Images and Article have been copyrighted by Wild Ginger Group.

Below:
Joe Woon, bassist with 'Wild Ginger' and Andy Young, blogger. Picture courtesy of John Cher, the social butterfly who flutters around to connect everyone in town.

The Easybeats Connection:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2018/01/singapores-easybeats-joe-woon-founding.html

Donald Trump Honours Elvis Presley With Medal Of Freedom

Mr Donald Trump, President of the United States, honoured Elvis Presley, King of Rock and Roll with a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom on 16 November 2018 at the White House. It is the highest honour given to a civilian of the US.

Accordingly the 60's icon, "defined American culture to billions of adoring fans around the world. Elvis fused gospel, country and rhythm n blues to create a sound all his own selling more than a billion records."  Six other recipients were also awarded the Medal.

Turning back the clock, Mr Trumped recalled an Elvis concert he attended, where members of the audience and fans were screaming and going crazy, ripping the hall apart. To appease the crowd, the usual announcement was made for most Elvis shows, "Elvis has left the building." 

Instead, Mr Trump misquoted saying, "Elvis has left the house." 

Elvis Presley with 'How Great Thou Art,' heard in the White House. 

He was clearly in a happy mood. He described Elvis as legendary and the popular Grammy awarded gospel How Great Thou Art was played for a moment.

Congratulations, Mr Trump. One of the best moves that you made. I can hear Elvis fans screaming now. 

And Elvis. The medal has been reserved for you, a long time ago. The question was, who's going to give it away.👍

Images: Google 

Marvel Super Hero Stan Lee Is Gone @ 95 EXCELSIOR!

Stan Lee
28 December 1922 - 12 November 2018

Marvel Comics creator of many of their superheroes, Mr Stan Lee is dead at 95 years young. He's gone, *ever upward! To the heavens.

He will certainly be missed by many who love comics since he had created famous superheroes like Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, Captain America and others. These characters have depths in their personalities and the series is considered to be a form of modern Literature.

He became a phenomenal success and profited from his corporation since the 60's. If I am not mistaken the comic market crashed in mid-1990's and the business was affected much.

The 1960's Spiderman Theme song from the television series. In the 21st Century, it was revised and became a bigger hit on the big screen.* Check the details below. Above video by battyguy. Thank you.

With CGI (Computer Generated Images), the heroes came alive on the giant cinema screens and the whole world of superheroes thrilled the world once more.

Stan Lee was huge in Singapore with thousands of fans buying his comics and watching movies of the superheroes he created. Even Seniors are buying up these comic books to read or collect. Local cinemas are always full when Marvel superhero movies are screened.

Stan Lee's comic characters from the covers of older booklets. The paper was newsprint and if touched for periods of time, the ink would smear on our fingers.

As a child, I started reading this colourful booklet every day but it was another superhero from a different comic label. I remember the paper was made of newsprint and had my fingers all dirty with the ink on them. But the comics were cheap. And you pay a few cents for first-class entertainment in your hands. 

RIP Stan Lee. *EXCELSIOR!

Spiderman Theme Song:*
It was first produced for the TV series and elevated to full orchestration scale with Spiderman Homecoming (2017). As human beings, we can allow ourselves to improve and expand just as well. We're all superhumans one way or another.

Comic Stories Connections on this blog:

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2014/04/fun-fifties-comic-capers-and-pennies.html

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/07/if-theres-anyone-as-good-looking-as_06.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2012/04/cartoonist-lat-n-frankie-rock-in-ipoh.html

'Spiderman Homecoming Theme 2017'. Thank you. Video Benjamin Squires.
Composed and arranged by Benjamin Squires. Original Spider-Man theme composed by Paul Francis Webster and Robert "Bob" Harris.

Images: Google and Stan Lee's Twitter masthead below:

Circle Game - Joni Mitchell: Do Lyrics Age?

 

Songs I Love:

Circle Game
(With reference to the lyrics please.)

This song's been recorded by more than 200 international artistes but it wasn't much of a hit for the singer-composer who recorded it.

I have no comment about its popularity but love the lyrics and what it meant to me then and how different the lyrics are today with a senior's mindset. 

Some lines connected well:

We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return, we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game.

It's natural but commonplace that we should think back and regret painfully that certain aspects of our life could have turned out differently?  But go along that line and we could end up psychologically perturbed and be in a tumble. So just be happy with our lot? For me, yes.

At Carnegie Hall in 1972; singing with her audience. Video by Hannah Green. Thank you

In the composition, written by one of the greatest Canadian songwriters ever, Ms Joni Mitchell described the young man in question as one who's turned sixteen springs and sixteen summers. He's like my grandson and other children announcing with pride, "No I'm not twelve, I'm thirteen, a teenager." It's like hey I'm no kid anymore. But the advice:

Take your time it won't be long now, Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down. Yes, drag your feet or wish you were 48 instead of 84. So as the years go by and the boy turned twenty his dreams would have lost some significance. 

For me, at this age, as one of the painted ponies that go up and down, there are hardly any more dreams, except that the grandchildren would grow up safe and have a full life. Hopefully for them: There'll be new dreams and maybe better dreams and plenty, Before the last revolving year is through.  

Joni Mitchell was one lady I thought I could meet during my long stay in Winnipeg, Manitoba but never did. Not during the mid-80's.

She's born on the 7th of November 1943.

Happy Birthday, Ms Mitchell.

Hong Kong singer, Agnes Chan and Penny Lim with Silver Stones from Singapore, recorded this song. 

A few Asian singers recorded this song. Just for reference, below is a shorter list of singers who have recorded Circle Game:

Tom Rush
Buffy Sainte Marie
George Hamilton IV

Cornelia
Penny Lim and The Silverstone
The Travellers

Ricky Ely
Ian Campbell Group
Tokyo's Coolest Combo

Agnes Chan
Maureen McGovern
Ian Campbell Group 
and others.

A Carousel of Life where painted ponies go up and down in the Circle Game.

Connect Circle Game Recordings: http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/05/dr-agnes-chan-beauty-brains-bopper.html

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/06/singapore-malaysia-hong-kong-and-other.html

An original article.
Google images and gif.

Singapore DPM Tharman Finds Andy's 60s Music Blog Most Interesting

DPM Tharman on his Facebook profile picture. 
Mr Tharman is now Senior Minister (2020).

Since 1st September, 2023 Mr Tharman has been
elected President of Singapore.

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DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in his usual cool and unhurried way, could have browsed through this blog after I provided him with a copy of the Tharman Quotes Elvis article last week on Facebook. I have never sent a posting to any VIP, let alone a VVIP. It was my first time. But below is his encouraging reply. Thank you very much, DPM.

Sunday 4 November 2018 4.47pm. Dear Andy, Thanks for sharing the blog post with me. Your whole blog is most interesting. It adds to the memories of those of us who grew up with the music of the era. Best wishes, TS.

Mr. Tharman S. Quotes Elvis Presley Article:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2018/10/economist-elvis-presley-dpm-tharman.html

Economist Elvis Presley & DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam:

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Elvis Presley and Deputy Prime Minister, Singapore: Tharman Shanmugaratnam

Since 1st September, 2023 Mr Tharman has been
elected President of Singapore.

I have always appreciated Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, with his quiet humour and intelligent ways. Look at his eyes when he's being questioned and you can see them darting back and forth behind those glasses. He's one for a quick reply but scribbles on paper first before he provides an answer. 

So what has Mr Tharman, Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, to do with a 60's music blog? A surprising connection.

He quoted a famous superstar from the 60's at the end of his speech. During the Group of 30 International Banking Seminar  on October 14, on a lighter note and to the delight of serious looking participants, he recited famous lines from The King of Rock n Roll:

"This was an economist called Elvis Presley, who unfortunately deceased now but made a significant impact on economic thought. And in one of his master treatises, he said, 'A little less conversation, a little more action, please. A little less fight and a little more spark. Close your mouth and open your heart, and baby, satisfy me.'"

Elvis Presley: A Little Less Conversation... From the movie 'Live A Little, Love A Little'. Video from Jimmy Cool. Thank you.

In context and as Co-ordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies he felt that there should be an urgency for more action and less conversation amongst the economists and policymakers across the world. Everyone thought so too, listening to the applause.

Mr Presley would have been pleased to know that he's being quoted using a song composed by Mac Davis and Billy Strange in 1968 for his movie Live A Little, Love A Little.

Bravo. 

(An original article by Andy Lim written in2018.)

Mr. Tharman Loves This Blog. Read His Letter. Click Below:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2018/11/singapore-dpm-tharman-finds-blog-most.html

Images: Google
YouTube Video: Jimmy Cool.

International Stars @ National Theatre: Singapore 60s By Stephen Han

The National Theatre Singapore 60s had many international stars on stage.

UP TO 1,000 VIEWS, 70 CHATS & COMMENTS

Mr Stephen Han (right) was a pop sixties enthusiast way back when. He is still one today and a regular concert goer for many of the pop 60's shows so currently in demand amongst the seniors.

When I asked Stephen if he could write an article again for this blog he agreed. He writes well, has such a good memory, that remembering names and occasions have always been easy. This piece is the second by Mr Han. he has written one about meeting Rita Moreno at the Cathay Cinema.*

Again thanks, Stephen.

Singers, Bands, Local And Abroad:

The National Theatre had been demolished many years ago but the memories of the many concerts and shows still linger in my mind.

The first concert I attended in the early 60s was performed by Brenda Lee a.k.a. Miss Dynamite. Her voice was so sweet on numbers like 'Walk Away' and 'Johnny One Time' and so powerful on 'Dum Dum'. Petite and pretty Miss Lee was a great attraction with the crowd.

Brenda Lee: 'Dum Dum'. 

You Tube Video from: jukejointjohnny48. 

Thank you. Great sound.

I can also vividly recall that other American recording stars like Eartha Kitt, Nancy Wilson and my idols, Pat Boone and Johnny Mathis had also performed at this theatre. Popular big bands like Xavier Cugat, Edmundo Ros, Perez Prado and the German band James Last drew large crowds. 

During the British Invasion when the hits of the Beatles and other bands were popular, lots of groups from the United Kingdom came over to showcase their talent. I had the pleasure of watching The Bee Gees featuring the late Robin Gibbs as lead singer. Others who came included The Hollies, Dave Clark 5, Herman's Hermits, Freddie and The Dreamers.

There was a Taekwondo (TKD) variety show that featured the physical might of Rhee Khee Har. His wife was a local singer, very popular those years, called June Mok. Do you still remember that name?

It was an unforgettable sight watching Mr Rhee, a powerful man, displaying his kata (form) and quick-as-lightning TKD kicks. Bricks and planks were smashed to smithereens when he used his weapons, his hands. This Korean martial art was popular during the 60's. Even the Filipino group D'Starlites displayed their ability before each music performance.

Many of our Singapore concerts like these ones discussed were organised by pioneer show promoter, Johnnie Young. (Johnnie was a good friend of Stephen Han as the picture below shows; extreme right: Johnnie Young, with sweater: Stephen Han.) 

One of Johnnie's notable shows was the Sanyo Spectacular in 1969. It featured the well-known dancing duo, Sunny and Betty Low. They were a brother and sister team and wowed the audiences in the 60's with their rock n roll and famous Cha Cha Cha and Mambo steps and costumes.

Crowd favourites included Sakura and Rita Chao who sang with the backing of The Stylers, a band so famous that they were the accompanying guitar guys for many top singers and recording artistes for both the Chinese and English crowds.

As I write this article the sound of 60's music can be heard ringing in my ears.

John Calvert @ The National Theatre:

"I still recall my younger days at the National Theatre in the John Calvert Magical-Rama Show - Top Gunter."

"I saw John Calvert Magic Show at the Sky Theatre. He was assisted by the pretty Pixie Monteiro.

"He was good in hypnosis. During his show, he would invite about ten people and sat them on chairs and hypnotized them and made them perform funny acts to make his audiences laugh. I remembered he drove a car blindfolded through the streets of Singapore - Stephen Han."

Disclaimer:
Dates and venues may not be accurate as many postings on this blog have been written from memory. 

Written by Stephen Han.
Images: Stephen Han (Copyrighted). 
YouTube video: Heath Wilson (2013).

Performing For Singapore Presidents, Prime Ministers, Malaysian Royalties: By Michael Bangar

Again, with much pleasure, this article is another of many stories that Michael Bangar has contributed. I must thank him for his generosity and the friendship we have developed throughout the years. It is, without doubt, he and his band members are the most versatile music makers in Singapore.

Thank you Mike.

The Wild Wild West With DJ Brian Richmond and the Band. Their Colt 45's have been retained by security at the door 😉

"Very seldom do I blow my own trumpet. I hope you all don't mind. Another Music Topic. But I just need to talk about This Group Of Guys that I had Great Pleasure Of Playing Music With. The Band with multiple names: Katz Konnection (Jerry's), Country Gentlemen (Donald's), Mixed Combination (Jeffery's), Transit (Ivor's) & The NewNotes ( mine).

Lead Guitarist: the late Donald Thaver( Ivor Lesslar took his place later ). From time to time we also played with Peter Gonzales & Roland Shepherdson too ( Good Guitar Players as well ). Bass Guitarist Jeffery Pinto ( we played with Stephen De Souza too. Good Bassist ). Drummer Ramon Francis ( we also played with Drummers Chris Miles, Stephen Gomez (also a guitarist), Patrick Fernando - Very Good Drummers too). And last but not least, the multiple -  instrumentalist Jerry Murad: Sax / Flute. They all did lead vocal duties and vocal harmony too. The Band did strictly gigs when we first got together in January 1987 -  to date.

A short while later, we did a gig for Mr Conrad Rappa ( a veteran music man from the 40's & 50's who had the title Spore's Jim Reeves bestowed upon him ) and he put Jerry Murad with the 4 of us and we evolved into a 5pce. And the gigs just kept on rolling in.

With Mr Lim Boon Heng and Chief Steward of Shangri-la Hotel and the band.

After a while, we realised how well we got on together musically. All of us had come from so many different bands and unknowingly brought along with us our variety of musical experiences. Effortlessly we went from one musical genre to another. Oldies, Jazz, Country & Western, Rock,  Pop Hits Of The Day & even a few Classical Numbers.

Our repertoire covered the big hits of the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's & beyond. We performed covers of songs by Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Andy Williams to Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison to Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Tony Christie, John Rowles etc. We covered the big hits of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Hermans Hermits, The Byrds, The Eagles &  generally covering as much of The Oldies.

We did a lot of instrumentals by The Shadows, The Ventures, The Jumping Jewels, Big Band Stuff, Bossa Nova & Jazz Instrumentals, etc. Jerry, Ramon and Jeffery could even do different language songs like Malay, Tamil, Hindi, Chinese ( a few Mandarin, Hokkien & Cantonese numbers ) even some Japanese, Thai, French, Italian Hits.  With all the music genres that we covered, we could also play Dondang Sayang, Keroncong and Dangdut.

 We were one of a few bands that got into the function circuit when it was at its peak. So we had to have a wide repertoire to try to please as much of the International audience as we could. We did gigs at almost all the major hotels, country clubs and convention centres.

Professor Jayakumar and the band in bow-ties and black suits.

I must not forget to mention that when the need arose, we could go from solo performances to 2piece, 3, 4, 5 even up to 10pce. band line - up. This is the electric band set up. We even used to take on strolling gigs ( called Mariachi - in the West ). 1, 2, 3, 4 and even 5pce. Strolling lineups, going round the table to table routine, corner to corner even restaurants to restaurants, using acoustic instruments as you all kinds.

Dignitaries we have performed in front of- Presidents - the late Mr Wee Kim Wee, the late Mr S R Nathan, the late Indo President Suharto ( when he & then S'pore PM Mr Goh Chok Tong did The Grand Opening of The Hotel Sedona Resort in Bintan Lagoon ). Dad & son Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew & Lee Hsien Loong ( even his younger brother Lee Hsien Yang & his Mrs.).

Old Guard Ministers : Dr. Goh Keng Swee, Dr. Toh Chin Chye, Mr. E W Barker. Ministers Prof. Jayakumar, Abdullah  Tarmugi ( we played for his 60th. Birthday Party ), Mr. Lim Boon Heng, Mr. Lee Boon Yang, Mr. Yatiman Yusof, Mr Chandra Das, Mr. Ibrahim Othman, Dr Ahmad Mattar, etc. Yeo Ning Hong.

Many years ago, for some Malaysian Royalties too. The then Sultans of Perak, Kedah, Selangor and a Birthday Party of the then Tengku Mahkota Of Johore, currently The Sultan.

With President Tony Tan in 1998 at dinner as Michael Bangar's band strolled the floor.

During that period, we averaged 12 gigs per month from January 1987 onwards. I had a habit of recording details of all my gigs in my diary.

The month of December 1999, heading on into the new millennium we did 22 gigs that month. Sometimes 2 even 3 per day. How good times were during that period."

With Dr Yeo Ning Hong and the late Mr E.W. Barker and the band.

Disclaimer:
This article and its photographs have been posted in good faith. If there is any objection to their publication, do write in on the Comment Page and, with appropriate reasons, they will be deleted.

Images: Michael Bangar Collection.
Written by Michael Bangar verbatim.