It was around 1961 after giving up hockey that I found a new interest - music. It all began with the school talentime. In my school at St. Michael's Institution, Ipoh, the talentime was held every year featuring the Hawaiian Rhythmaires as the backing band for every hopeful contestant..
The band consisted of my school teachers. I was particularly impressed with one teacher whose bass guitar resembled the one used by Paul McCartney of The Beatles.
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After watching them, I was really eager to learn the guitar. My brother was just an occasional player and played the guitar just to amuse himself but at least he knew a few chords. So that was how I started. I was also fascinated with talentimes too as they were really popular then. I recall several popular contestants at each talentime contests in at the YMCA, Ipoh. Deep inside I was wishing that some day, I would also make it up there on the stage doing my thing.
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In my parent’s house there was a Grundig gramophone and I used to play the black vinyl records over and over again so I could pick up the songs and commit it to memory. With guitar in hand, and an ear as near as possible to the gramophone speaker, I slowly and painfully picked up the notes of the songs. I was 14 years young then.
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Image: Joseph Chin today from 'Facebook'.
Edited Article: Joseph Chin Collection, Ipoh, Malaysia.
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