The Trailers: Phoenix Theme: Seeing Double

Seeing Double: Play the song on the right bar while you read >>>>>>>

For those readers who are familiar with Singapore pop music from the sixties, seeing two different covers of the same vinyl is not surprising. For those who aren't, here are two Chinese New Year red packets. This particular vinyl sold so well that they produced another lot but with a slightly different cover. Not a bootleg copy, definitely.

44 Years Ago:

It was released exactly 44 years ago - in February 1967. The new Trailer for this recording was Jimmy Chan, featured as the man on the keyboard. Chan was with the Flamingos Combo (remember them?) and replaced Michael Teo.

Victor Woo:

That's the story I have at the moment until Victor Woo comes back from his trip to tell me the real story, so for those interested the record from Cosdel contains: Phoenix Theme - Go Go Beat (EMI HongKong), Lara's Theme (Jarre/Albert), Ding Dong Song - Off Beat (Yao Ming n Bart, Peter Maurice) and Ali San - Off Beat (Formosan folk song, unknown).

Line-up:

The back cover includes the Trailers line up for the vinyl: Victor Woo on lead, Edmund on rhythm, Eric Tan on bass, Jimmy Chan on the electric organ and piano, Tony Zee on drums and special guest, Robet Song on percussion instruments. In case you are interested, record number is: CEP 3001. You hear the songs everywhere in Singapore and the rest of South East Asia after this vinyl was released.

Images: Andy Lim Collection.

(D) Jamaican Jive, Combo Band, Not Belafonte

The Mysterians only single on Cosdel with My Girl Les and *Forget The Time sold quite well even though there was not much airplay on Radio Singapore or Rediffusion. Even today people still remember Forget The Time. Singer Mike left the band after the record was released.

There were two more releases afterwards, a single, You've Got To Move On and Searching, and an EP, Forever, They Lied, Is Everything Alright and Down In The Valley. But this time around the band had Leroy Lindsay (image) from the U.K. fronting them. And Searching had shades of Jamaican jive and combo backing. I love the exceptional presence of the harmonica (mouth-organ) in Is Everything Alright?

There were also changes in the band line-up when Michael Gan and Charles Koh replaced Mike and Jeffrey Tan. From 1970 to 1979, James Choa (check previous postings) from The Flamingos Combo and Gaylads vocal group, joined the Mysterians. James Choa is one of the best keyboardist in Singapore.

With new members came a new policy and although they retained the group name, they identified themselves during their performances. They had nothing to hide. The third record (image) shows the very distinguished studious looking gentlemen with their glasses.

Image: from EBay. Original article: Andy Lim

(2) Canadian Influence: Local Vocal Groups

Remembering the late 50s and 60s, James Choa (check his posting earlier) recalled the good old days of radio and his own vocal quartet, The Gaylads who played to full houses in the nightspots in Singapore with their band, The Flamingos.

They sang songs by The Diamonds, like, Little Darlin', etc. Now there are hardly any pop quartets that have survived in Singapore. But we have cappella groups though.

In fact in the late 50s and early 60s another vocal group called The Three Bambinos were just as popular. Then came The Crescendos and The Sundowners who were able to cut records with international labels.

Incidentally, most of the Singapore vocal groups discussed came from the Katong area in the East Coast. I wonder why?

Image: Universal Music Singapore.

Original article: Andy Lim