mod-ifed music

thank you =)

2008-10-01T21:25:00.005+08:00

I'm starting afresh so that I can blog about music that extends beyond the confines of this blog. It has been huge fun running Mod-ified Music for the past four years (almost), and getting to know all of you. But as much as I love 60s music (and I still do, honestly), I've realised that there's so much more to explore. Hence the new blog.

Mod-ified Music Ep 18

2008-09-29T17:54:00.002+08:00

My latest Mod-ified Music radio show (we're now onto episode 18!!) is available for download here. Among the thrilling songs played in this episode is TypeWriter's very Joe Meek-sounding "For Your Everything", with its Beatlesque chorus. Download the song here, and visit their MySpace!

And do check out Unpopular.Radio here.

Mareva!

2008-09-25T22:40:00.000+08:00

I've blogged about her before, but now I've finally got her cd. Mareva Galanter makes for addictive listening!

Mareva Galanter - Les Cornichons

Mareva on wikipedia, here.
There are several Mareva clips on Youtube. This is my favourite:

The Vampires!

2008-09-19T22:28:00.001+08:00

The Vampires were an all-girl group in the Singapore 60s music scene. According to the sleeve (paraphrased and roughly translated with assistance): this EP features Du Di Na on vocals, backed by The Vampires. Du Di Na joined The Vampires as singer 2 years prior to the release of this EP, and the group has won many fans among the young.

The Vampires - Han Yu Qu (Chilling Rain Song)

Interesting side note: the above picture was taken at Cavenagh Bridge, which is still standing in Singapore today.

Easy Rider...

2008-09-06T10:13:00.000+08:00

Because I can't read Chinese characters, when it comes to deciphering names of singers and song titles, I'm lost. Hence when picking my choice of blogging material, it's always easiest to stick to recognisable covers of pop songs, or at the very least, singers with English names. In this example, I don't know the singer's name, but this is too awesome a cover not to share! And check out that terrific sleeve art!

It Never Rains On Southern California

Sweet Stevie Loraine!

2008-09-01T23:15:00.005+08:00

I'm back after a long blogging hiatus. And with new music to share, as you've gathered from the recent posts (& more to come, I promise). I still love local Singapore 60s, and it's with great pleasure that I present one of my favourite buys of this year!

This is Stevie Loraine, backed by The Clansmen, comprising: Abdullah Abu (lead), Derrick Nunis (rhythm), Philip Monteiro (drums), and Raymond Lazaroo (bass). I'm guessing it was released (or purchased) in 1967, because that's scribbled in marker on my sleeve. Prior to this EP, Stevie Loraine recorded one backed by The Dukes, and you can view the sleeve here.

Stevie Loraine & The Clansmen - If You Always Say (EDIT: now a Box.net link)

Singapore 60's Pop Music Hall Of Fame is a recent blog, with lots of sleeve art and short writeups. Must-visit here!
Another single featuring The Clansmen, here.

Something Special!

2008-09-01T20:40:00.004+08:00

Something special for the girl pop fans! A chirpy Dusty Springfield cover by the late Irish singer, Maisie McDaniel. I just found this vinyl yesterday, and it's a song I can't wait to share!

Maisie McDaniel - Something Special (EDIT: now a Box.net link)

Maisie McDaniel's orbituary write up, here.

Go Go West!

2008-08-30T21:39:00.005+08:00

A recent quirky local 60s find. This EP is best described on its sleeve as 4 "Country and Western numbers with the a-go-go beat". Says the sleeve:

"Rocky Wong, the 'Singapore Hill Billy Singer', also nicknamed as the 'Cowboy from Pasir Panjang Hills', and whose style of singing resembles that of Slim Whitman, is no stranger to the music scene. Rock had competed in the "All Malaya Amateur Talentime Competition" during the 1950s and had since then appeared in many variety shows, nite clubs, the British Forces, Radio and Television."

Rocky Wong & The Dick Day Group - I Remember You (EDIT: now a Box.net link)

Eux Autres!

2008-08-16T23:18:00.004+08:00

Eux Autres is a brother-sister duo, Nicholas and Heather Larimer, from Portland. If you're a fan of happy cheery 60's-inspired pop tunes in the vein of Saturday Looks Good To Me, you won't be disappointed. Their second full-length album, Cold City, was released in 2007. I just got my copy last week (ordered it from Darla.com!) and I'm excited about sharing this wonderful find!

Eux Autres - The Deadball Era (Megaupload link)

Eux Autres' official site, here.
Allmusic's review of Cold City, here.

Nicholas Larimer directed and animated this pretty video for 'Anne Boleyn':

Hey, Baby!

2008-08-16T22:52:00.004+08:00

Dusty Springfield called Baby Washington her all-time favourite singer. With her powerful, moving and soulful voice, it's easy to see why. Baby Washington sang first in a vocal group, The Hearts, before branching out as a solo singer in 1956.

Baby Washington - Hey Lonely (Megaupload link)

Baby Washington on Wiki, here.
Baby Washington's Sue Singles, at Amazon, here.

Zouzou!

2008-07-07T20:43:00.003+08:00

Zouzou is an iconic French model, actress and singer of the 1960s and early 1970s. She dated several famous men in her heyday, including Brian Jones, and Jack Nicholson.

Zouzou - Il Est Parti Comme Il Etait Venu

More about Zouzou at Wikipedia, here.

Mod-ified Music Ep 12 - 17 June 2008

2008-06-15T17:13:00.004+08:00

Mod-ified Music Ep 12 on Unpopular.Radio

Tues / 17 June 2008 / 10PM - 11PM

Listen

Above shows a film still from 'Blow Up', which Modcentric is super excited to catch this Thursday at the National Museum. Film features 60s Beat Girls Jane Birkin and Gillian Hills! And not forgetting The Yardbirds!

(yousendit links below):

Gillian Hills - Qui A Su
Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg - La DÈcadanse

Youtube Finds:

Blow Up Trailer

The Yardbirds in Blow Up.

Holiday In A Totebag!

2008-06-10T20:12:00.004+08:00

A chance find in Bangkok. I thought this was a compilation at first (and the cd came bundled with a cute tote bag too), but Melting Holidays turned out to be a twee pop band from Japan. And their lead singer has a whispery voice, exactly like Kahimi Karie! Their last album was released in 2005, but they have contributed to several compilations since. While I'm at it, I must say that Smallroom label is a Thai indie pop fan's dream, as they locally distribute tons of international indie acts (lots of twee pop eg. Elefant releases) besides Thai indies. Do keep a lookout the next time you visit Thailand.

Melting Holidays - Rainbow, Rainbow

Melting Holidays on Wiki, here.
And their official website, here.

More Be My Baby!

2008-06-08T10:58:00.002+08:00

Be My Baby is still one of my absolute favourite songs. And discovering new cover versions of your favourite songs is always something special. French Ye Ye girl Sophie covered this in her 1963 EP.

Sophie - Reviens Vite Et Oublie (Be My Baby)

Read about Sophie at Ready Steady Girls, here.
More Sophie sleeve art, here.

Mod-ified Music Ep 10 - Local by Locals

2008-06-01T10:46:00.005+08:00

My latest radio show over at unpopular.radio is a must-listen for all those who enjoy local 60s Singaporean pop. As many of you would have realised, it was popular for Asian acts in the 60s to cover international hits (eg. Nancy Sinatra, The Beatles, etc). But there were also Singaporean acts who chose to cover other local acts. So in this episode of Mod-ified Music, you'll hear covers of Naomi & The Boys, Shirley Nair (above), and others. It's Singaporean music covered by fellow Singaporeans. How cool is that?

Download here:
Mod-ified Music Ep 10

Mod-ified Music show on unpopular.radio runs every alt. Tues at 10pm-11pm (SG time). Do tune in Live if you have the chance, elsewise you can download the recorded episode from the unpopular.radio site by the following week. The next show is on 3rd June.

To download my previous episodes, check out unpopular.radio's Broadcast Repository here.

Chicas Ye Ye!

2008-05-25T11:33:00.002+08:00

This is not a genre I'm very familiar with, but this compilation is a good introduction to the world of 'Chicas Ye Ye'. I was lucky enough to stumble on it on eBay, and I'm most pleased with it. Volume 1 presents songs by Adriangela, Silvana Velasco, Ivana and Lorella.

Adriángela - Me Gusta La Gente

ChaChaCharming has a fascinating article on the Spanish Girl singers scene, here.

Sing The Bossa!

2008-05-10T20:48:00.004+08:00

I found this curious cd while on holiday last week at Bangkok. Holidays for me are a great chance for music shopping, and this trip was no exception. So I got this cd primarily based on the pretty cover, not knowing much about the "teen idols" performing the bossa-nova covers. While in all honesty, this cd is nothing much to shout about (some of the arrangements and instrumentation sound very karaoke), this track got the ye-ye fan in me excited.

Laura - La Plus Belle Pour Aller Danser

julie grant!

2008-04-26T20:51:00.002+08:00

I personally think this is an awesome single, with its classic Brill Building sound. Unfortunately for Julie Grant, this single proved to be a non-event, as her label failed to promote her. Despite her quality recordings, Julie never quite managed to make her name as a major recording star and the flow of singles stopped at the end of 1965. Interestingly, Julie won a talent contest at a Brighton holiday camp in 1960, beating Helen Shapiro!

Julie Grant - Baby Baby (I Still Love You)

A well-researched bio on Julie Grant at Ready Steady Girls, here.
Julie Grant's discography at 45-rpm, here.

sailor girl!

2008-04-26T01:35:00.004+08:00

Because I can't sleep, and I was inspired by DJ Colleen Crumbcake's Linda Scott posting at her blog, I decided to share an early girl pop song that never feels to make me smile. Diane Renay and Linda Scott are very similar in style, and were the same age, though Linda Scott's big hit "I Told Every Little Star" came 2 years before Diane Renay's "Navy Blue". Written as a follow-up to "Navy Blue", Diane's biggest hit, it's very similar in sound and theme to the 1963 chart-topper. Diane even refers to it as "Navy Blue Chapter Two"!

Diane Renay - Kiss Me Sailor

More about Diane Renay at her wikipage here.
And find out what Diane's up to these days, at her official site, here.
An interview with Diane Renay, here.

Ernie Djohan!

2008-04-06T17:43:00.003+08:00

Brand new in my collection! Isn't the sleeve design cool? Ernie Djohan was an Indonesian singer who sang mostly English covers, like this Lulu cover. Most of her recordings were backed by the Band 4 Nada or Her Buana Suara. I found this nice collection of Indonesian Girl Pop (yet another genre to dwelve into!) sleeves here, though The Reynettes are from Hong Kong, not Indonesia.

Ernie Djohan & Her Buana Suara - To Sir With Love

More Ernie record cover art here.

Yeah Yeah Yeah!

2008-03-31T21:39:00.004+08:00

I did an All-Beatles show last Wednesday! As you know, I'm a huge huge fan of Beatles covers and novelty songs, so this episode was a real treat!

Download Mod-ified Music Show Episode 6 (The Beatles Special)

Download the playlist here!

Thank you all you lovely readers for your nice comments and emails! I'm really glad that you enjoy the stuff I post.

Wilson David and The Moonglows

2008-03-23T15:36:00.004+08:00

Wilson David had the title of Singapore's Elvis Presley. For a while, he was backed by The Quests, and together they put up many stage acts, such as at Goodwood Park Hotel. In 1964, Wilson David and The Quests were invited to audition with EMI, but in the end, only The Quests were signed up (and they recorded their first single, 'Shanty'). Nonetheless, Wilson David later went on to record under the Philips label. In this single, he's backed by fellow label-mate The Moonglows (featuring my late granduncle Sonny Bala on lead guitar). This song is an original composition of Robert Suriya, lead guitarist in Naomi & The Boys.

Wilson David & The Moonglows - Cold and Lonely

In case you haven't checked this out before - clips from an interview I conducted with Vernon Cornelius (of The Quests) in 2006. He talks about the vibrant 1960s music scene.

2008-03-11T09:57:00.004+08:00

Mod-ified Music Ep 5

sixties styled music and more

tonight / tues 11 march / 10pm - 11pm

DOWNLOAD

VISIT UNPOPULAR.RADIO, HERE.

New Episodes!

2008-02-27T22:17:00.003+08:00

Yes I know there's been a serious lack of posts here lately. But I have two new unpopular radio show episodes up for download, if you haven't already heard them.

Episode 3 (12 Feb 2008)
- Featuring Naomi & The Boys, The Crescendos, Rita Chao, Yang Mi-Ran & He5, Broadway Hush, Kylie Minogue, The Caravelles (see pix above), and more!

Episode 4 (26 Feb 2008)
- Featuring Sonny Bala & The Moonglows, Zhang Xiao Feng, Patrina & The Melodians, Nana Kinomi, Persephone's Bees, Chantal Goya and more!

I make it a point to play lots of local 60s music each show, so hopefully that's an incentive to tune in!

Tim, Do You Really Wanna Make A Film?

2008-02-17T10:17:00.003+08:00

Something from my favourite indie pop duo, My Little Airport! I love their whimsical melodies and quirky lyrics. Elefant Records released a nice compilation last year, comprising songs from their first two albums. This Hong Kong band is now on their third album, 'We Can't Stop Smoking In The Vicious And Blue Summer', which was also released last year. Allmusic named My Little Airport the "Twee-est Band of 2007".

This particular song was featured in a 2004 compilation of indie HK acts.

My Little Airport - Tim, Do You Really Wanna Make A Film?

My Little Airport official website, here.
My Little Airport on Wiki, here.

Baby I'm Yours!

2008-02-06T15:15:00.000+08:00

Countless artistes have covered this song, from Peter & Gordon to Cher, Cilla Black to the Arctic Monkeys. And so did Sakura!

Sakura - Baby I'm Yours

More on Baby I'm Yours, here.

Hey Guitar Man!

2008-02-03T10:20:00.000+08:00

Something I played on last week's Mod-ified Music show at unpopular.radio! I bought this EP not because I know anything about Rose Cheong (I don't), but because of the amazingly cool cover!

Rose Cheong - Guitar Man

The Applejacks!

2008-01-18T21:02:00.000+08:00

The Applejacks were part of the British beat group scene with a Lennon-McCartney castaway to their name ("Like Dreamers Do"). Perhaps part of their cool factor is the fact that they had a female bassist (just as The Honeycombs had a female drummer)! Read more about Megan Davies, here. "Tell Me When" was the band's first single and an instant hit. I love the photo above (very apt, with the apples and all) but sadly that "Special Price" sticker spoils it!!!

Applejacks - Tell Me When

Sample Applejacks' clips, over here.
More about The Applejacks, here.
Their discography at 45-rpm page, here.

Youtube Find!

dance, dance, dance

2008-01-15T10:12:00.001+08:00

Hello! I'll be broadcasting Live tonight at Unpopular Radio, from 10pm - 11.30pm (in Singapore time). I'll be playing the usual stuff I post on this blog, so it'll be fun!

This is the direct url so you can copy and paste it into your iTunes:
http://203.116.196.197:8000/listen.pls

First Fab Find of 2008!

2008-01-04T16:16:00.000+08:00

Oh gosh! I don't know how come I've never come across this site earlier. An info-packed site devoted to the Asian 60s scene. Visit Questing, here. It looks to be a work in progress (I hope, and not abandoned!), because the "new" site isn't quite functional.

Fantastic work! =)

(Picture above shows Rose Iwanaga & The Avengers, whom you can read about at Questing, here.)

LaLaLa!

2007-12-27T20:09:00.000+08:00

It's certainly a slew of posts in the past week! I can't resist sharing this gem of a song, off the 2 Days In Paris soundtrack. The song was written and performed by French actress and filmmaker, Julie Delpy, together with Nouvelle Vague. As she shares in this interview, over here: "I co-wrote a song with a band named Nouvelle Vague, which is actually a really good French band, and it was the way that I financed all the music in the film, all the songs playing in the background," Delpy tells FilmStew. "Because if I gave (a song) to the music company that works with the financing company in Germany who financed the film, then they would pay for all the songs in the film".

Nouvelle Vague feat. Julie Delpy - LaLaLa

Check out the soundtrack at Amazon, here.
Julie Delpy on imdb, here.
More on Julie Delpy at Wikipedia, here.
Official Nouvelle Vague website, here.
2 Days In Paris official site, here.

Ask Any Girl!

2007-12-26T20:40:00.000+08:00

Possibly my favourite song by The Supremes, this was on the flip side of their number 1 hit single, "Baby Love". Still, it's catchy and infectious enough to be a single in itself! "Ask Any Girl" also made an appearance on The Supremes' second LP, "Where Did Our Love Go".

The Supremes - Ask Any Girl

The Supremes on Wikipedia, here.
Check out the 40th Aniversary edition of "Where Did Our Love Go", featuring unreleased songs, live performances and more, here.

merry christmas!!

2007-12-24T11:34:00.000+08:00

Here's wishing everyone a very very Merry Christmas! From a music fan to another, here's to a new year with lots more fascinating listens!

Tomorrow's World - I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You
Valerie Masters - Christmas Calling

Valerie Master's page on imdb, here.

Nancy Sit a go-go!

2007-12-23T15:21:00.000+08:00

Nancy Sit was a popular teen idol in the 60s, recording numerous albums. She is also a respected television actress. I suppose in many ways, renewed interest in her 60s recordings can be attributed to compilations like Girls In The Garage. It's a similar story for acts like Rita Chao and Sakura. She even has Myspace presence!

Nancy Sit - Sugar Town

More Nancy Sit tracks in this fantastic post over at Garage Hangover, here.
Nancy Sit's Wiki page, here.

Patricia Carli!

2007-12-23T15:00:00.000+08:00

Because it's been ages since I posted any French Ye Ye! According to the Ye Ye girls website, most of Patricia Carli's tracks are ballads. I haven't heard any of her other songs, but this particular number is anything but "middle of the road". An awesome song to dance to!

Patricia Carli - Le Lion

More information on Patricia Carli, from the Ye Ye girls website, here.

modcentric recommends!

2007-12-21T22:36:00.000+08:00

These days, fans of 60s girlgroup obscuria needn't depend on vinyls alone, when there's so many compilations and reissues out there! Whether or not they are readily available at your nearest music megastore is another story. But then, there is always eBay and Amazon. I know that there are blogs a-plenty with free downloads of full compilations (out of print or otherwise), but I honestly believe that sometimes it's worth shelling out for girl group compilations, if only for the liner notes! =)

Two girl bands from awesome cds I have in my collection!

Daughters of Eve

An all-girl garage band from Chicago! This article from Spectropop tells it best. This track is taken off Ace Records' high recommended comp, 'Girls With Guitars'. I love almost all the girl group compilations Ace Records put out. Their liner notes are always second to none! If you like 'Girls in The Garage', 'Girls With Guitars' is worth tracking down.

Daughter of Eve - Help The Boy

Cake

A recent cd purchase that I have no regrets about - 'More of Cake'. "Three sassy NYC girls wrote baroque folk, psychedelic madrigals and blue-eyed soul with rock attitude." This cd puts together Cake's only two LPs in a gorgeous package with lots of photos in the liner notes. Its a mix of psychedelia, R&B, and pop sensibility. They even have an 'official' Myspace page, here!

Cake - World Of Dreams

Youtube Finds!

The Cake performing 'You Can Have Him', 1968

Lesley goes Motown

2007-12-20T09:40:00.000+08:00

From the opening guitars, you can tell that this song is very uncharacteristic of Lesley Gore's usual style. Still it doesn't detract from its coolness! Taken from her 1965 album, 'My Town, My Guy and Me'.

Lesley Gore - No Matter What You Do

Lesley Gore on wikipedia, here.
Her official website, here.

Jackie and Jill!

2007-12-09T17:27:00.000+08:00

A girl group rarity! Jackie and Jill were on the Parlophone label, like The Beatles, and that might explain their Christmas novelty song - "I Want the Beatles for Christmas". According to this list of Parlophone releases, this single might have been their only other release. If anyone has any information on Jackie and Jill, do share!

Jackie and Jill - Who's There

Oh Carol!

2007-11-26T20:48:00.000+08:00

Carol Deene might have recorded a lot of cover versions throughout her recording career, but her covers were often as good as the originals. Here, she covers "Johnny Get Angry", originally performed by Joanie Summers, and also covered by Shelley Fabares.

Carol Deene - Johnny Get Angry

There's a dearth of information online about Carol Deene, so thank goodness for this bio and discography, here.

Rita Chao! On Youtube!

2007-11-19T14:35:00.000+08:00

This is truly amazing! A vintage, 1973 clip of Rita Chao performing 'Butterfly' on tv! Credit to Joe Wu and Vernon Cheong for unearthing and digitizing of this cool find. I only supplied the mp3 audio clip for their synching (apparently the original audio of the clip was in bad shape).

View the clip here.

Enjoy!

Kopi Susu!

2007-11-18T18:42:00.000+08:00

A childhood song favourite! Indonesian born Sandra Reemer scored hits in the Malaya region in the early 1960s, with songs like Kopi Susu and Singapura. She went on to represent Netherlands three times at the Eurovision Song Contest! Though Sandra Reemer was not quite of the indo-rock genre, it's interesting to note how the movement of Dutch-Indonesian musicians who repatriated to the Netherlands in the 1950s led to a new music subculture which was popularised in this region. Other Dutch-Indonesian singers of the pop vein include Anneke Gronloh and the Blue Diamonds.

Sandra Reemer - Kopi Susu

Read the previous post, here.
Sandra Reemer's official bio and timeline, here.

Theme For A Dream!

2007-11-13T20:39:00.000+08:00

Kong Ling started singing in Singapore in 1954, and was in great demand when she returned to Hong Kong, with regular nightclub appearances. In fact, she became known as "Hong Kong's Singing Sweetheart". Her ambition at the age of 25 (according to the album liner notes here) - "to be a very good singer and a very good wife"!! Besides Kong Ling, other artists in the 1950s nightclub market such as Rebecca Pan and Mona Fung became well-known for their mixed Mandarin and English repertoires.

Kong Ling - Theme For A Dream

A very interesting article on Hong Kong English pop from the era, here.
Liner notes from Kong Ling's LPs (translated to English!), here.

Olivia Newton-John!

2007-11-11T10:01:00.000+08:00

Olivia Newton-John was 18 when she cut her first solo single, the very stomping and garagey "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" for Decca Records in England in 1966. She had an even earlier start to show business however, as she had formed an all-girl band, Sol Four, at aged 15 and soon was a regular on Australian television and radio shows. She got her first recording break after moving to England. Jackie DeShannon had flown to England looking for singers for her songs, and decided that her song "Till You Say You'll Be Mine" would go to Olivia.

Olivia Newton-John - Till You Say You'll Be Mine

An interesting article on the early recordings of Olivia Newton-John and Karen Carpenter, here.
Olivia's Wiki page, here.
You can download the B side to this single, "For Ever", at the More Than Physical blog, here.

I Should Have Known Better.. in Hokkien!

2007-10-29T21:15:00.000+08:00

In my list of favourite Beatles covers (and there are many!), this would be somewhere near the top. Infectiously catchy Hokkien cover! And plus, 'I Should Have Known Better' happens to be one of my favourite Beatles songs. This track was taken from an EP of 4 Beatles covers sung by this same pair. Interestingly, the EP's title, translates to - 'The Bachelor EP - Hokkien Mad Man Songs'!

Zhang Xiao Yun & Lin De Chuan - I Should Have Known Better

Yeah Yeah Yeah!

2007-10-22T21:49:00.000+08:00

This girls might have no relation to John Lennon, but they do a fine Beatles cover! I'm thinking it may be time for another batch of Beatles covers. More to come!

The Lennon Sisters - I Want To Hold Your Hand

The Lennon Sisters on Wikipedia, here.
Unofficial Lennon Sisters site, here, with lots of pictures!

Youtube Find

Check out this very kitschy cute performance of 'Something Stupid':

Mama Guitar!

2007-10-13T12:17:00.001+08:00

Cai Mi Mi, a Taiwanese singer, was a bright star in the late Sixties. In 1968, she led The Five Petal Group (an authentic girl band who apparently played all their own instruments!). Mama Guitar was their biggest hit, and the group won instant fame when appeared on a popular television variety show singing the song. Interestingly, the original singer of this song was supposed to be Teresa Teng, but as she was overseas, Mi Mi and The Five Petals had the opportunity to record it.

Cai Mi Mi and The Five Petal Group - Mama Guitar

Coronation Street's Wild Child!

2007-10-06T09:40:00.000+08:00

I just purchased 'Let's Go With Joe Meek's Girls' (via emusic) yesterday, and was immediately caught by the first track, Jennifer Moss' Hobbies, which I played repeatedly several times. I wanted to blog about her, so this morning I found her Wiki page. And discovered that the 1 year anniversary of her passing was just a week ago. Freak coincidence!!!

Jennifer Moss was a British actress and singer, best known for her role as wild child Lucille on the long-running soap opera, Coronation Street (which also starred Peter Noone). She ventured into pop singing, releasing Hobbies, in June 1963, but though catchy, it missed the charts. Moss also appeared in the beat movie, Live It Up! (1963), singing Please Let It Happen To Me. All her tracks were produced by imaginative British record producer, Joe Meek.

Jennifer Moss - Hobbies

Jennifer Moss' orbituary in Guardian Unlimited Arts, here.
Another article from the Telegraph, here.
Jennifer Moss on IMDB, here.

On another note, I'm very keen on exploring more of Joe Meek's productions. He's been said to be UK's answer to Phil Spector. This is an interesting article on Joe Meek, here.

A song they gave away!

2007-10-04T22:28:00.000+08:00

This Lennon/McCartney castoff was the second top 20 hit for The Fourmost (their first being Hello Little Girl, another Lennon/McCartney number). The Beatles connection was strong - The Fourmost had Brian Epstein as their manager, and were also signed by George Martin to EMI's Parlophone label. This recording is so incredibly Beatlesque, (vocals, instrumentation and all), that I could imagine it on With The Beatles!

The Fourmost - I'm In Love

'I'm In Love' chart and record details, here.
The Official Fourmost website, here.
The Fourmost on Wikipedia, here.

Skeeter goes pop!

2007-09-28T21:40:00.000+08:00

The very first time I heard this song, it covered by The Beatles on the 'Live at the BBC' cd. Originally performed by Little Eva, and written by Goffin/King as a follow up to her hit 'Locomotion', here is an entirely different take on it by Skeeter Davis. This track is taken from her 'End of The World' LP, which you must admit, has a truly awesome sleeve.

Skeeter Davis - Keep Your Hands Of My Baby

Skeeter Davis on Wikipedia, here.
This looks like a nice Skeeter compilation - promising more pop than country.

Go Sylvie!

2007-09-22T11:06:00.000+08:00

Don't be fooled by her "oh so sweet" looks. Sylvie actually sounds pretty tough and garagey when singing in English! From her 1965 all-English album, 'A Gift Wrapped From Paris', which was recorded in New York:

Sylvie Vartan - I Heard Somebody Say

Comprehensive Sylvie bio, here.
Sylvie's discography and tracklisting at The Ye-Ye Girls Website, here.

Talentime 69!

2007-09-11T20:13:00.000+08:00

The Radio Television Singapore Talentime 69 finalists were a mix of star-struck talents, offering a variety in musical styles. Among the finalists were a 6 year old piano prodigy, and a contestant offering Mistrel-type entertainment. Of course, there were the singers too, like these two featured here. From a commerative record showcasing each of the Talentime 69 finalists:

Marie Tang: A 14 year old student at St Joseph's Convent whose ambition is to be a school teacher. She has taken part in several competitions and qualified for the Finals of RTS Talentime last year. According to Marie, she owes a lot to a friend - Uncle James, who has been coaching her for this year's talentime

Marie Tang - When Chinaboy Meets Chinagirl

Ainah Ahmad: Took part in Radio Talentime series 1963 and 1964. She is 21 years old and is happily married.

Ainah Ahmad - The Look Of Love

"Best New Girl Singer of 1964"

2007-09-06T21:23:00.000+08:00

Honestly, "Puppet On A String" is not one of my most favourite songs. Still, that hasn't stopped me from appreciating Sandie Shaw's other recordings. According to the liner notes of her debut album, Sandie Shaw's career started when she sang (for a laugh) with the Roulettes (Adam Faith's backing group) backstage at a theatre. "But she sang well... well enough for Adam, passing by through the backstage corridors to stop, listen - then look. Adam reported Sandie's talent to his manager, Eve Taylor. Within a month or so, Sandie had a Number One hit record - 'There's Always Something There To Remind Me'".

From her second album, "Me":

Sandie Shaw - I Don't Need That Kind Of Lovin'

Her ultra-fab official site, here.
Sandie Shaw's Wiki page, here.

Breakaway Girls!

2007-08-31T09:36:00.000+08:00

What do Lynda Graham and Ethna Campbell have in common? Both artistes had The Breakaways on backing vocals during recording sessions. Like Nina Stern of the previous post, both ladies have limited discographies. Ethna Campbell released 2 singles in 1964 before reappearing again in the 70s as a folk singer. I can't find much information on Lynda Graham, except her discography on 45-rpm.org.uk, which states she released 3 singles between 1962-1964.

Ethna Campbell - Girls Like Boys
Lynda Graham - Wait and See

Ethna Campbell's discography at 45-rpm.org.uk, here.
Lynda Graham's discography at 45-rpm.org.uk, here.

The "classic break-up song"

2007-08-26T10:28:00.000+08:00

A song I fell in love with at first listen. Because I couldn't find any info about Nina Stern, here's some background on this awesome song. 'Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone' charted first in 1931, and was sung by Gene Austin. Written in 1930 by Sidney Clare, Sam H. Stept & Bee Palmer, the song has been covered by numerous artistes, from Frank Sinatra to Bill Haley & His Comets.

Nina Stern - Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

More about the song, here.

Downtown, Downtempo

2007-08-19T10:32:00.001+08:00

My podcasts generally reflect the songs heavy on my playlist for that month, week or day. Episode 4 brings an eccletic mix of sounds together, from instrumentals a-gogo to soaring vocals to Northern Soul.

1. Mark Ronson Feat. The Daptone Horns - God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
2. Donna Douglas - Blue Star
3. Camera Obscura - I love how you love me
4. Takako Minekawa - Maxi On!
5. Natacha Snitkine - Le jeu du telephone
6. Georgie Fame - Somebody Stole My Thunder
7. Shammy & Famous Ruis Family - I'm Just A Little Girl
8. The Peddlers - On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
9. Helen Shapiro - Beyond The Sea (La Mer)
10. The Postmarks - Let Go
11. Jackie De Shannon - Heaven Is Being With You
12. Twinkle - So Sad
13. 山内賢 & 和泉雅子 - 〜エレキ・ファンタジー〜二人の虹 Ereki Fantajii Futari No Niji

Download the epidode here.
Or subscribe to the podcast by clicking on the iTunes logo on the right column.
*EDIT: For some reason, if you are unable to subscribe to the latest episode via iTunes, you can download it or stream it straight from the Podomatic page here.

Let's Go Soul!

2007-08-08T20:34:00.000+08:00

The Idaly Sisters were Lolly, Linda and Elsie, real life sisters from Indonesia. They began their performing career as soloists, before teaming up in 1967. Here's an interesting tidbit of information: the sisters came from a family of 10, all musically inclined! From their second EP, "Let's Go Soul":

The Idaly Sisters - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

DJ Anchovy posted an Idaly Sisters track (backed by the X-Periment!) over here, at Youtube.

Four Jacks & A Jill!

2007-07-31T12:32:00.000+08:00

South African band, Four Jacks and A Jill had an international hit with "Master Jack", in 1968 which reached number eight in the USA and number one in Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia. The song was even covered by Rita Chao! Here is the B Side to that hit single.

Four Jacks and A Jill - I Looked Back

A really super band fansite, with lots of pictures here.
Four Jacks and A Jill discography, and album sleeve art here.
An interesting article on the band, here.
History of South African pop music, here.

Do The Freddie!

2007-07-29T13:06:00.000+08:00

One of the many Beat groups to emerge in the wave of the British Invasion was Freddie and The Dreamers. Best known for hit singles like "I'm Telling You Now", Freddie Garrity's stage antics also won him US appeal. Appearing on major US televisions shows like, "Shindig", "Hullabaloo" and "The Ed Sullivan Show", American audiences were amused by Garrity's zany dance, swinging his arms and legs out to his sides.

This is the B side to their 1965 single, "A Little You". Throwaway pop for sure, but still a melody that'll bring a smile to your face!

Freddie and The Dreamers - Things I'd Like To Say

Above track is also available on this cd, here.
Freddie and The Dreamers' discography, here.
A comprehensive bio, here.
The band also appeared in several 60s musical films. Check them out, here.

Les Sultans!

2007-07-26T10:58:00.000+08:00

Les Sultans were one of the more popular acts in Quebec's garage band scene. The British Invasion must have been a huge influence on the band, because they covered songs by The Zombies, and The Kinks. Moreover, there's no denying the Beatle sound on this 1965 release:

Les Sultans - On Est Trop Jeune

Read more about Les Sultans, here.

Download selected tracks from Les Sultans' self-titled album, at Five Bucks On By-Tor, here. I've just only discovered this very cool music blog, which focuses on 'lesser-known heroes of Canadian musical history'.

Youtube Find!

Les Sultans - Pour qui pourquoi

Pretty Lotus!

2007-07-22T10:41:00.000+08:00

Lotus Liew was Miss Singapore/Universe 2nd Runner Up in 1967. I love random vinyl finds like this! Especially when they are cheap to boot. This is by far being the most rocking track on her EP release.

Lotus Liew - The Lonely One

And if you're really keen, I've noticed that this same EP has been showing up in eBay lately.

Sheila the Ye Ye Girl

2007-07-14T10:00:00.000+08:00

While in Tokyo a few months back, I picked up this Sheila cd at a second hand cd shop. Like Sylvie Vartan, Sheila covered a lot of American pop songs (eg. Doo Wah Diddy) in the chirpy, happy early Ye Ye style. Born Annie Chancel, she got her stage name after her first teen pop hit - a French version of Tommy Roe's 'Sheila'.

Sheila - Papa t'es plus dans l'coup

Youtube Finds!

Sheila's original Scopitone for Papa t'es plus dans l'coup

Ludivine Sagnier's cover of the song, as featured in '8 Femmes'. This is a remixed version not included in the film!

Sheila's very comprehensive bio at RFI Musique, here.
Sheila on The Ye Ye Girls Website, here.

Laisse tomber les filles by Mareva

2007-07-02T21:20:00.000+08:00

Found this garage gem on Youtube:

The video (deceptively aged) would make anyone think Mareva was a genuine 1960s Ye Ye girl! Not true, as her first album, Ukuyéyé, was released last year. Though nothing beats France Gall's original, I liked the punkish/surf guitar backing on Mareva's cover.

Mareva's wiki page, here.

The story of The Crescendos

2007-06-29T00:06:00.000+08:00

From my interview with Raymond Ho and John Chee on 24 June 2007, I've put together a mini Cresendos digital repository. For visual reference, you can check out articles and record sleeves I've scanned here. If you have any material you'd like to contribute, do let me know.

The Crescendos began with 3 schoolboys - Raymond Ho, John Chee and Leslie Chia. Music was an after-school hobby, a means to "stay out of trouble". In 1961, the three of them took part as a three-part harmony group in the Radio Singapore Talentime, which threw the group into the limelight.

Audio Clip (John): The 1961 Talentime and the gigs that came after that.

For the 1962 Talentime, the group decided to inject a new element, and found it in a female singer, Susan Lim. Susan was a friend of Leslie's sister and was all of 13 years old. She fitted right into the group, with the older boys taking care of her like their kid sister. The Crescendos were very well-received because at that time it was still uncommon for local groups to feature a female lead singer, backed by male vocalists.

Audio Clip (John and Raymond): Meeting Susan

Audio Clip (John and Raymond): A Novelty Factor?

Even though The Crescendos didn't win the Talentime, they got a Philips recording contract (even before the Talentime Finals!), making them the first local group ever to be signed by an international record label.

Audio Clip (John and Raymond): The Philips Recording Contract

Their first record, the Mr Twister/Frankie single, sold over 10, 000 copies in Malaysia, placing it in the Philips World Top Ten. Such was the record's popularity, that in Singapore, it outsold a similar song by Connie Francis. Intense radio exposure was one of the factors that contributed to their success. It can be said that The Crescendos' success ushered in the Golden Era of Singapore music, which saw numerous local bands performing and recording.

Audio Clip (John and Raymond): The First Record

The Crescendos - Frankie

The Crescendos went on to score a hattrick on the Philips' International Top Ten, with three singles in a row being placed among the best sellers in European and Asian markets on the Philips label. Their second single, "In The Good Old Summertime", and their third, "The Boy Next Door" (an original composition by the label), sold over 10,000 copies each.

Audio Clip (Raymond): On recording

The Crescendos - Bengawan Solo

In spite of the changing music trends as the 60s wore on (from Everly Brothers to The Rolling Stones), The Crescendos stuck to their trademark style of harmonised vocals. Still, the band evolved to include Israel Lim on bass and Peter Soh on drums, so that The Crescendos could appear on stage as a self-contained group.

Audio Clip (John and Raymond): Evolution of the group - Peter Soh and Israel Lim

The Crescendos stopped performing and recording for four years in 1966, while Susan enrolled in University. The group had the intention to resume after she finished her studies. Sadly, it was not to be as in her fourth year at Uni, she disappeared on February 8 1970 while picnicking off the East Coast of Malaysia. The last record that Susan put out, shortly before her accident was a solo release, backed by The Thunderbirds.

Susan Lim & The Thunderbirds - With Every Little Tear

Susan was only 22. As you can tell from all her recordings (from her cuts with The Crescendos right up to the final solo record), the Singapore music scene lost one of its best female singers.

Looking back, Raymond and John believe that their success was due to being at the right place at the right time. For The Crescendos, it was all about the love of music.

Audio Clip (John and Raymond): Just For The Love Of Music

My sincere thanks to Raymond and John for allowing me the interview opportunity!

These Boots Are Made For Walking!

2007-06-27T19:53:00.000+08:00

I haven't bought any vinyls from eBay in the longest time, because shipping costs can be a problem. So I was pleased to pick up 3 Quebec Ye-Ye singles for a bargain recently. The records just arrived in the mail, so here straight from its packaging... I present to you Dominique Michel's rendition of Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher (These Boots Are Made For Walking).

Dominique Michel - Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher

If you've already heard Eileen's version, how do you think this one compares? I think this is a lot less "garage-y". Dominique's cutesy voice adds a Lolita flaire though.

The fab photo above is taken from Retro Jeunesse 60.
The song even has a Wiki page!

Interview exclusive!

2007-06-26T21:44:00.000+08:00

On Sunday, I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Raymond Ho and John Chee, of The Crescendos. This vocal group was the first local act to be signed to an international record label in Singapore. It was an amazing experience, and I have a lot of audio clips to share from the interview. The only thing is that it's taking me a bit longer than expected to edit everything and put up a proper post. I don't want to make this a half-hearted / rushed attempt, so do bear with me. Akan datang!

Thursday link madness!

2007-06-21T20:51:00.000+08:00

What does everyone think of the new header graphic? Would you believe that I actually bought that Chang Siao Ying record simply because of the fab sleeve art? Unfortunately I can't say much about the record itself. It isn't a record from her "Off Beat A Go-Go" days. Even the stall owner told me he had better Chang Siao Ying records on sale. Above shows the complete artwork, but note that this isn't even the entire sleeve - my scanner was too small. Look how she's sitting there, listening to her own records!

Local gig alert
Nothing to do this weekend? unpopular radio has compiled several local gigs and parties happening this week. Check it out, here.

Modcentric's Myspace Pick
Quasimodo is a band I really really like. Fresh indie pop from Singapore, with the sweetest lyrics around ("you're the number one girl on my top ten chart"). Plus, you can actually hear the Sixties influence in some of their songs. 'So Close To Me' features opening drum beats straight from 'Be My Baby'! Check out their myspace here. Their next gig is on 7 July, Youth Park/*Scape. I heard they'll be playing a Chuck Berry cover.

Recommended download: So Close To Me

Not music related but still cool
How do you meet fellow book geeks and library junkies? You might want to give Shelfari a try. I think it's a pretty cool concept, as you get to meet people with similar reading tastes, and you can join online reading groups (this one on banned books is worth a look). There is a Music Lovers group too, but it's dormant. My last 4 books read, here.

The Vigilantes / The Guys!

2007-06-18T21:21:00.000+08:00

Don't regard The Vigilantes as just another of the many instrumental groups who churned out cover recordings filed under the "off beat cha cha" category. Think The Melodians, Polar 5, or Charlie and His Go-Go Boys.

In 1968, The Vigilantes adopted a new name - The Guys, and recorded with Ismail Haron. A familiar pairing for those of you with the Steam Kodok cd compilation.

The Vigilantes - Till We Meet Again

Steam Kodok is available for purchase at Aquarius Records, here.

local gig update: Rampage The Durian

2007-06-17T17:58:00.000+08:00

'Rampage On The Airwaves', a local music podcast, celebrates its first year anniversay with a whole slew of gigs galore. They also pay tribute to Wayne 'Thunder' Seah (The Suns), a passionate local music advocate who recently passed away.

From their press release:
"This July, bringing the action to the streets, ROTA presents a weekend of spectacular home-grown music live at the Esplanade Powerhouse Stage, showcasing the brightest rising young talents in our local rock music industry.

Kicking off the event on Friday 6th July will be Rika, a promising young band playing a unique hybrid of screamo and electronica. High-energy melodic emocore outfit A Vacant Affair takes the stage next before Malaysia’s post-hardcore export Love Me Butch closes off the night.

Saturday 7th July brings the skanky ska tunes of The Sally’s, the funk-pop beats of The Pinholes and possibly the most exciting product of 2007, brit-rock outfit The Great Spy Experiment.

Closing off the series of gigs will be the infectious reggae and ska hooks of Comic Strip, onstage alongside Syawla Evol’s catchy funk-rock melodies on Sunday 8th July.

...Rampage The Durian is set to celebrate Singapore music as much as a whole year worth of podcasts, as a fitting tribute to Wayne’s passion and dedication to the local music scene."

Karesi Means Boyfriend

2007-06-17T00:54:00.000+08:00

Karesi is a guitar pop band from Japan. They play happy music to listen to when you're feeling low. Because from my experience, a good sing-along melody usually perks me up when I'm down. Or else (in really bad cases), huge melodramatic songs work too! This tune in particular should bring a smile on your face no matter how gloomy your day.

Karesi - Kitty Guy

I found this gem on JUNK magazine's cd sampler. Check out the magazine's blog here for updates on the contemporary SEAsian music scene.

Karesi's official site, here.
And their Myspace, for more tracks, here.

Sakura the pint-sized livewire

2007-06-12T20:43:00.000+08:00

A 1967 Radio Weekly article called Sakura a "pint-sized extrovert and livewire". Interestingly, her stage name is actually a literal translation of her Chinese name, 'Ying Hua', (meaning cherry blossom in Mandarin)! Apparently she was given the nickname when she started singing Japanese numbers in Chinese during her stage performances. Sakura's debut EP, featuring the tracks: "Like I Do", "My Bonnie", "Sad Movie" and "Listen People", sold over 25,000 copies when it was released in 1966. The backing band featured in this recording is none other than The Quests (credited as Sounds Anonymous). I think this is such a happy tune, you can almost sense Sakura's fun spirit.

Sakura - Like I Do

Rita Chao seems to get a lot more love here than Sakura. No one commented on the last Sakura post, but I'm assuming it was fab, right? =)

Sugar rush!

2007-06-09T20:55:00.000+08:00

This latest podcast episode isn't exactly themed, because I was just experimenting to find the quickest possible way to record a podcast. It's all girl pop though! So expect lots of sugar and spice and all things nice. Can too much sugary pop be a bad thing?

Ria Bartok - J'y Pense Tout Bas
Twinkle - The End Of The World
Shelley Duvall - He Needs Me
My Little Airport - 白田購物中心
The Cupons - Turn Her Down
The Shangri-Las - It's Easier To Cry
Shao Fong Fong - Gold Finger
Sharon Tandy - I've Found Love
Nancy Hollaway - Prends Tes Clefs
Mono Taxi - Here Right Now (Demo)
Maxine Darren - Don't You Know

Download it here.
Or subscribe to my podcast on iTunes by clicking on the logo at the right column.

The Little Mice

2007-06-03T10:51:00.000+08:00

French all-girl band, Les Petites Souris (the Little Mice) recorded one EP in 1965 before splitting. Their drummer, Evelyne Courtois, went on to record a mixture of R&B covers and original songs between 1966 and 1969, under the stage name "Pussy Cat".

Les Petites Souris - Ce N'est Pas Triste

Les Petites Souris' EP tracks are available on the 'Sixties Girls Volume 1' cd compilation. Read the review, here, purchase it here.

Evelyne Courtois (Pussy Cat)'s Myspace, here.

Can't afford Dara Puspita vinyls?

2007-05-29T14:36:00.000+08:00

Dara Puspita's records are notoriously expensive. I can't afford any of their records myself. Just look at this copy, going for US $315.00! I think their records are very overpriced, jacked up because of the demand for "exotic asian psych sounds".

Fortunately, you can actually listen to Dara Puspita tracks on YouTube! These amazing gems were uploaded by DJ Anchovy. Some of the clips were uploaded as early as January this year, but I only stumbled on them by accident this afternoon. Anchovy says: "This is for the curious who want to enjoy their sounds but can't afford the high price tags. It is also dedicated to all snobbish record collectors who won't share..."

Dara Puspita Jang Pertama LP (all tracks from Side 1), here.
Dara Puspita Green Green Grass LP (all tracks from Side 1), here.

Click here to check out all the wonderful, wonderful tracks posted by DJ Anchovy.

Love is Blue!

2007-05-28T18:55:00.000+08:00

A truly fab cover of Love is Blue! I really like the spoken verse in the middle of the song. The identity of the male vocalist is a mystery, as is the blurry guy in the photo above. Maurice Patton (of The Melodians), or Simon Junior (Patrina's labelmate)? The Melodians were an A-Go-Go instrumental band who also recorded on their own, besides backing artists like Patrina and Simon Junior.

Patrina and The Melodians - Love is Blue

You can hear another song by Patrina at this myspace page set up by a fellow Singapore 60's pop enthusiast. Speaking of myspace, even Rita Chao and Penny Lim have myspace pages of their own! Kudos to whoever set up these two pages.

Podcast in Space

2007-05-26T21:22:00.001+08:00

My latest podcast episode is a thematic one, entitled "Lost in Space". Featuring space-travel inspired tunes and such. Lots of instrumentals in this one. They may not be spectacularly rare, but it's a collection of tracks I wouldn't mind listening to when I space out. Enjoy!

1. Phofo - Roger, Seven
2. Gabriela Robin - Cats on Mars
3. Die Sputniks - Walk Don't Run
4. Terry Snyder - Puttin' On The Ritz
5. The Ventures - Telstar
6. The 5678s - My Boyfriend From Outer Space
7. The Marketts - Out of Limits
8. Ivor Slaney Orchestra - High Wire
9. Kahimi Karie - Tiny King Kong
10. The Byrds - Eight Miles High

Add Mod-ified Music Podcast to your iTunes by clicking on the iTunes graphic over there at the right column.
Or if you prefer, you can download it here.

This podcast was partly inspired by the *amazing* collection of vintage robots, rockets, and space-themed toys I saw yesterday at Singapore's Mint Museum of Toys. 4 storeys full of retro toys (from Batman to Dan Dare to Mickey Mouse, and even a few Barbies)! As part of IMD2007, the tour was led by the museum owner himself. Besides collecting toys, he's also a huge record collector himself. That might explain the impressive display of Beatles and Monkees collectibles at the museum (a real highlight for me!).

Malay Pop Yeh Yeh 3

2007-05-22T19:53:00.000+08:00

A. Halim was one of the popular Yeh Yeh singers of the 60s. His Wiki page (in Malay) highlights some of his other songs.

A. Halim - Salam Mesra

And to round off this Malay pop special, here's a video clip of my long-time idol, P. Ramlee. An acting, singing, and directing star! See what I mean about the subtitles... even the song lyrics are translated! Very convenient.

P. Ramlee - Bunyi Gitar

Malay Pop Yeh Yeh 2

2007-05-21T19:49:00.000+08:00

Helen Velu scored a hit with this song at the age of 15. Google sleuthing reveals some interesting trivia on Helen Velu (from this message board): "Apart from her famous Malay number Kereta Lembu, she also managed to record an English LP with the title Songs For My Mother. After her divorce from Adnan Othman, Helen Velu later married an Arab businessman." FYI "Kereta Lembu" means bullock cart.

Helen Velu - Kereta Lembu

Abstract from an article on Helen Velu, here. (I haven't tried subscribing to access the full article).

Malay Pop Yeh Yeh

2007-05-21T18:59:00.000+08:00

On a recent trip to Malaysia, I found several cd compilations of original 1960s Malay pop recordings. A few looked obviously non-official (tacky cover illustrations) but I picked up a couple of label-sanctioned 'digitally remastered' ones as well. I couldn't resist buying one bootleg cd, for the sake of some tracks not available elsewhere, and found the quality comparable to the legit ones. It was amazing to find such a wide selection of 1960s compilation cds there, because it's a different situation here in Singapore, where local 1960s cd comps are few and far between. So the only way to hear long-forgotten tunes would be to go out and collect vinyl records, or tune in to Gold 90.5 on Sundays with Brian Richmond. Ok that's enough bitterness for one post!

My next 3 posts will feature tracks from Malaysia's pop scene of the 1960s.

"In the 1960s, western-influenced Pop Yeh-yeh musicians came to the forefront. The Pop Yeh-yeh genre was popular in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei in the 1960s. Pop Yeh-yeh ruled the Malay music scene from 1965 to 1971. The music and fashion of The Beatles and other British rock and roll bands during the 1960s were a strong influence of the pop yeh-yeh bands and also generally influenced the Malay music industry of that period. The first local song in the Pop Yeh-yeh vein was a song called "Suzanna", sung by M Osman in 1964." Taken from this incredibly informative Wiki page on Malaysian music history.

M. Osman - Suzanna

Another article on Malaysian music, here.

Two of the cd comps I bought are listed here: "Pujaan Pop Yeh Yeh 60'an Vol 1 & 2".

Bobby's Girl / Twee Like Me this Saturday

2007-05-17T20:10:00.000+08:00

Marcie Blane was the girl who knew what to say - "I want to be Bobby's Girl". This hit sold a million by 1963 before it was covered in the UK by Susan Maughan. Her escapades with Bobby continues in this follow-up record, co-written by Neil Diamond.

Marcie Blane - Bobby Did

Read more about Marcie, here.

------

If you're up for some sunshine pop, make a date with Twee Like Me this Saturday! What goes at a Twee Like Me!: indiepop, 60s pop & northern soul, twee, C86, anorak, french ye' ye', honey & brie, swedish pop, wimp rock, mary janes and chuckies, cute punk, shibuya kei, northern soul, jangly shinys, synth-pop, 60s heartbreak, fuzzy popping vinyls, electroindie, the newer wave, and sunny sunday mornings...

A whole bunch of DJs will be spinning, so you can expect a night of fantastic music and great fun! I'm playing my mix of hyperactive 60s pop at 9pm (DJ Peppermint).

More details on flyer above; click to enlarge. Venue: Barbaablackchic.

Early Shangri-Las!

2007-05-15T18:19:00.000+08:00

B-side to The Shangri-Las's first single, this tune begins with that distinctive spoken intro, and has all the sassyness of their later work.

The Shangri-Las - Hate To Say I Told You So

A very cool Shangri-Las resource page, here.
The Shangri-Las' page at Spectropop, here.
I love that photo of the girls, by the way!

Zombies' time at the charts?

2007-05-09T15:42:00.000+08:00

Big news for Zombies fans. Next Monday sees the re-release of 'Time of The Season', and the four surviving members will be performing 'Odessey and Oracle' live next March! Has anyone bought tickets for that yet?? From the Ace Records website:

"Ace are excited to announce a flurry of Zombies related activity over the coming months. The first thing which you may have spotted already is the use of the group’s psychedelic pop soul classic ‘Time Of The Season’ in the current Magners advertising campaign.

Ace will be releasing 'Time Of The Season' as a CD single on Monday 14th May, we’re hoping that the song which reached number 3 in the US Pop Charts back in February 1969 will belatedly see some UK chart action.... If you are new to the band be sure to check out the album which the track was taken from “Odessey and Oracle” - one of the finest pop records of the 1960s.

The album which Ace reissued back in 1998 will also be coming out in replica LP packaging (on 28th May) as part of our limited edition ‘Hip Pocket’ CD series.

As an added treat for fans the four surviving members of the band will be perfoming the album live at Shepherds Bush Empire in London on the 7th and 8th of March 2008 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of it's release. Check www.colinblunstone.co.uk for further details."

A track from their swansong masterpiece, Odessey and Oracle:

The Zombies - I Want Her She Wants Me

Shirley Nair and The Silver Strings!

2007-05-05T20:30:00.000+08:00

During Singapore's band craze of the 60s, "super bands" sprouted, featuring tie-ups of popular bands with well-known vocalists. For instance, besides recording on their own, The Thunderbirds also backed several vocalists in their recording career - Heather, Alan & Doug Lyford, and even Susan Lim (of The Crescendos)! The Quests is another example that springs easily to mind. I'm sure these attractive combinations worked well for the record-buying public!

This release features vocalist Shirley Nair, backed by The Silver Strings. Prior to joining The Quests, Vernon Cornelius was once a vocalist with the Silver Strings, though this line-up did not release any recordings.

Shirley Nair & The Silver Strings - If You Ever Go

An article on Shirley Nair, announcing her teaming up with the Silver Strings.

old and new, nothing blue

2007-04-28T17:13:00.000+08:00

I've accumulated several post-worthy tunes over the past few months, so I decided to lump a few together and revive my podcasting ambitions. RSS feeds are at the column.

Track listing:
1. Bananaskin - Funny
2. The Bird and The Bee - I Hate Camera
3. Claudette Et Sylvie - Hold Me Tight
4. The Mascots - Words Enough To Tell You
5. Harmony Grass - Walk on By
6. My Little Airport - I Don't Know How To Download Good Av Like Iris Does
7. Heather and The Thunderbirds - I Call Your Name
8. Bel Divioleta - Desayuno en Tiffany's
9. Flying Machine - Magic Rocking Horse
10. The Pancakes - Even Together

Bananaskin: Finnish indie pop band. Their official site seems to be down, but you can hear some song samples at the Japanese site here, and read about them here.

The Bird and The Bee: My new favourite band. Check out their myspace here - the music video for 'Again and Again' is a must-watch.

Claudette Et Sylvie: Record sleeve art, here.

The Mascots: My favourite track from the Nuggets II boxset. Very Beatlesque pop from Sweden. Read about them here. Sample other tracks by The Mascots, here.

Harmony Grass: This track was from a 1969 radio session, hence the inherently poor audio quality. Short bio of Harmony Grass (formerly Tony Rivers & The Castaways), here.

My Little Airport: Indie popsters from Hong Kong. I'm still waiting for their Elefant compilation. Their bio, here, and more tunes are available at their myspace and official site.

Heather and The Thunderbirds: Fab Beatles cover. More on her at my previous posts here and here.

Bel Divioleta: A cute tribute to Breakfast At Tiffany's. Read her debut album review, here.

Flying Machine: Best known for their hit song "Smile A Little Smile For Me". Concise bio here and another one here.

The Pancakes: The Pancakes is a Hong Kong based one-girl band consisting of independent singer-songwriter Dejay. She also composed and performed that catchy Qoo song. Her wiki page here and official site here.

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On a side note, I found this cool free programme that helps to levelate the audio levels. Will see if it improves my vinyl-mp3 rips. But what I'll really like is a programme that can automatically turn playlists into podcasts. Wouldn't that be amazing??

Charming Chantal

2007-04-24T20:46:00.000+08:00

French New Wave classic Masculin féminin has been on my must-watch list for the longest time. After all, it stars French Ye-Ye girl Chantal Goya, and Jean-Pierre Léaud, of whom I'm quite a fan. I finally got a chance to watch it recently, and it was definitely worth the long wait. More than anything, its a good time capsule of Paris in the 1960s. On the DVD version I saw, Chantal's lyrics were translated in the subtitles, and you could see how they made sense in the film.

Chantal Goya - Si tu gagnes au flipper

A very comprehensive bio on Chantal Goya at chachacharming, here.
The film was re-released theatrically in 2005. Visit the official site, here.
A scene from the film on youtube, here. (no subtitles)

On The Record: The 1960s scene

2007-04-20T21:31:00.000+08:00

What were the social-cultural influences that shaped Singapore's music scene of the 1960s? Vernon Cornelius, a popular musician from that era, shares his experience at digi.talk blog, here (scroll all the way down for the clips).

The clips were extracted from an interview conducted in September 2006, while researching for the On The Record: Homegrown Bands From Then and Now exhibition.

Nouvelle Vague!

2007-04-19T11:52:00.000+08:00

Oh joy! Nouvelle Vague performs in Singapore on May 12! The group which brings 80s post-punk covers to a whole new shimmering level.

Nouvelle Vague - Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)

Nouvelle Vague's myspace, here.
Their official website, here.

Introducing Mona!

2007-04-18T20:27:00.000+08:00

Not much is known about Mona, except she recorded at Kinetex Studios, a Singaporean record studio frequented by bands such as Naomi and The Boys. I suppose it pays to examine each record purchase carefully - at first glance in the record store, I wouldn't have given this sleeveless and dusty vinyl a second look had I not recognised the recording studio as local. And thanks to Joseph Pereira's extensive record sleeve collection, we know how she looks like. According to him, the backing band is probably The Brown Boys.

Mona - Hanky Panky

girl from Bandung

2007-04-15T10:09:00.000+08:00

Sandra Reemer might be better known as a Dutch singer (representing Holland several times in the Eurovision Song Contest), but she was born in Bandung, Indonesia. She even recorded some songs in Malay when she was first launched as a child singer, such as this top seller of 1964.

Sandra Reemer - Singapura

Check out this fabulous page, with lots of Sandra's picture sleeves, here!
Sandra's official website (in Dutch), here.
Her discography, here.

Blue-eyed Soul

2007-04-06T20:32:00.000+08:00

Len Barry saw himself as "the white James Brown". This version of Bobby Hebb's Northern Soul classic was presumably rcorded before Hebb's version.

Len Barry - Love, Love, Love

- Above track is available on 'The Original Northern Soul Selection', a budget priced compilation of 36 Northern Soul gems. Get it here.
- Len Barry's bio, here.

Mon Amour Tokyo

2007-04-04T20:01:00.000+08:00

Tokyo is a fantastic place to go crazy shopping for music. There are just so many music shops - from mega stores to small niche outlets. Disk Union stands out as my favourite store in Tokyo, especially the main branch in Shinjuku. Never have I seen so many Ace Records 60s compilations in one place. And some in the used cd section too (you can be sure I grabbed what I could, especially those from this guide). And 'Girl Pop' is a recognised genre in the store - all the Dusty Springfield, Cilla Black, and assorted girl group stuff are put to one side and labeled. I scavaged the used J-Pop section as best as I could without knowing Japanese, and came away with several Kahimi Karie, Pizzicato Five, and Nelories cds. Oh, and the cherry blossoms were great photo subjects too.

Pizzicato Five - Mon Amour Tokyo

Song available on 'Big Hits and Jet Lags 1994-1997', purchase it here.

On The Record!

2007-03-16T18:15:00.000+08:00

I'm very pleased to announce that "On The Record: Homegrown Bands from Then and Now" is finally up and on show at library@esplanade. Discover how Singapore's English popular music scene has evolved from the 1960s to present through video interviews with prominent personalities through the eras - The Quests, The Thunderbirds, Lunarin, Concave Scream and Electrico, just to name a few.

Please see here for details.

And if you visit the exhibit from now til 30 April, you'll get to see a mini showcase of some 1960s record sleeves from my personal collection and The Quests memorabilia (the latter on loan from Vernon Cornelius). Just a little trivia - included in the display is the very first local 1960's record I got in 1998 (Naomi and The Boys' Happy Happy Birthday) and my latest purchase (Shirley Nair and The Silver Strings).

Sakura & The Quests Go Boom!

2007-03-11T15:48:00.000+08:00

Here's a fab garage rock stomper from Sakura, backed by The Quests. Just listen to those guitar riffs at the intro! Not something you'd expect from a Connie Francis cover. From The Singapore Encyclopedia: "Sakura's vocal 'trademark' was her yodelling - she came to be known as the 'Yodelling Singer'. Along with Rita Chao (...) they were both known as 'A Go-Go Queens of the Sixties". You can catch a tiny bit of her yodelling in this song.

Sakura & The Quests - Stupid Cupid

And good news - you can now purchase tracks off "Recollecting Singapore Vol 2" at these two digital download sites: 7digital.com and Soundbuzz. WMA files only though. Included in the compilation line up are two Rita & Sakura duets, and one by Sakura & The Quests.

Julia on Saturday Night!

2007-03-08T21:15:00.000+08:00

This super catchy powerpop song was a 1984 release by Japanese band, The Checkers. It seems the song was given a rebirth of sorts after J-Rocker Hyde performed a karaoke cover on Matthew's Best Hit TV (the same wacky gameshow featured in Lost in Translation!).

The Checkers - Heartbreak by Julia

I'm in a bit of a Japan music craze at the moment, because I'm planning a trip to Tokyo at the end of March. If anyone has any recommendations on record stores to check out, please share! I bought a street atlas so that I can navigate my way to the "dozens of specialty shops" at the back of Tokyo Hands store.

Clip Clap Clip Clap...

2007-03-04T20:49:00.000+08:00

There's good reason why this tune sounds so much like a Sixties pop song. It was specially written for Kahimi Karie by French Ye Ye aficiandos Stereototal.

Kahimi Karie - Clip Clap

Above track is available on K.K.K.K.K. cd, here.
Get the song's sugary sweet lyrics, here.
Kahimi's official website, though it doesn't look like its currently maintained, here.
An interesting article on Kahimi Karie here.

allstar party

2007-03-01T19:59:00.000+08:00

How about some surf guitar, Japan style? This swinging tune comes from an LP entitled "The Best Hit Tunes For Teens", so my guess is it's an instrumental cover. A Google search reveals a song of the same title, performed by Akira Mita.

Japan Victor Allstars - Utsukushii Judai

Del, Peter and Gordon

2007-02-25T18:17:00.000+08:00

Peter and Gordon's hit song "World Without Love" is a song I admire greatly. It's classic Paul McCartney all over. I haven't heard too many covers of the song until I recently came across this cover by Del Shannon. Interestingly, one of Shannon's compositions, "I Go To Pieces" gave Peter and Gordon a US Chart hit. Del Shannon, might have been an early rock and roller, but he was clued into the changing pop music trends - he was the first American artist to record a Beatles song (From Me To You, 1963).

Del Shannon - World Without Love
Peter and Gordon - I Go To Pieces

Del Shannon's official website, here.
Peter and Gordon's official website, here.

Arcade Fire channels France Gall

2007-02-17T09:43:00.000+08:00

It's nice to hear Poupee de Cire, Poupee de Son still being covered by newer bands. Check out The Arcade Fire's LIVE cover of the Eurovision classic at The Torture Garden blog, here. I like how they ended the song - quite an original touch.

Pop Symphony

2007-02-13T22:39:00.000+08:00

Lucky Soul is one of the few new bands I'm truly excited about. I thought their last single, "Ain't Never Been Cool", was a stomping classic! Hear it for yourself on their myspace.

I wrote in the previous post about how many have been calling their sound "shimmering". I don't know about you, but when I think of the word "shimmer", I picture a pretty butterfly that flits around. I have a twee imagination. The word was apt enough to describe Lucky Soul's previous singles, because while they sparkled, they were lightweight in the manner of classic pop songs. (not that there is anything wrong with classic pop!) Then along comes this song, which doesn't quite fit that mold. Compared to "Lips Are Unhappy", for instance, this one's a lot more complex. It begins like a simple ballad, before it builds into an epic of grand symphonic proportions, with lots of lush sounds swirling round and round. It doesn't just "shimmer", or flit around - it hammers its point home. Like a "Wall of Sound" anthem!

Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted

This is from Lucky Soul's upcoming debut album, "The Great Unwanted", out on April 9th. Hopefully it'll be out on eMusic as quickly, because that's where I've been buying all my Lucky Soul tracks so far!

Lucky Soul's official website, here.
View their next video, for "Add Your Light To Mine", here.

The Breakaways!

2007-02-11T21:05:00.000+08:00

The Breakaways were the girls who provided back up vocals for Petula Clark's Downtown, among others. Besides their impressive cv of backing artistes like Paul Anka, Burt Bacharach, Brigitte Bardot, Peter and Gordon, Dionne Warwick, etc, The Breakaways also put out records on their own.

The Breakaways - He Doesn't Love Me

Read more about The Breakaways in this fantastic article from Spectropop, here.
A shorter bio frm All Music Guide, here.
The Breakaways' singles are available on cd, here.

mod-ifed music

thank you =)

Mod-ified Music Ep 18

Mareva!

The Vampires!

Easy Rider...

Sweet Stevie Loraine!

Something Special!

Go Go West!

Eux Autres!

Hey, Baby!

Zouzou!

Mod-ified Music Ep 12 - 17 June 2008

Holiday In A Totebag!

More Be My Baby!

Mod-ified Music Ep 10 - Local by Locals

Chicas Ye Ye!

Sing The Bossa!

julie grant!

sailor girl!

Ernie Djohan!

Yeah Yeah Yeah!

Wilson David and The Moonglows

New Episodes!

Tim, Do You Really Wanna Make A Film?

Baby I'm Yours!

Hey Guitar Man!

The Applejacks!

dance, dance, dance

First Fab Find of 2008!

LaLaLa!

Ask Any Girl!

merry christmas!!

Nancy Sit a go-go!

Patricia Carli!

modcentric recommends!

Lesley goes Motown

Jackie and Jill!

Oh Carol!

Rita Chao! On Youtube!

Kopi Susu!

Theme For A Dream!

Olivia Newton-John!

I Should Have Known Better.. in Hokkien!

Yeah Yeah Yeah!

Mama Guitar!

Coronation Street's Wild Child!

A song they gave away!

Skeeter goes pop!

Go Sylvie!

Talentime 69!

"Best New Girl Singer of 1964"

Breakaway Girls!

The "classic break-up song"

Downtown, Downtempo

Let's Go Soul!

Four Jacks & A Jill!

Do The Freddie!

Les Sultans!

Pretty Lotus!

Sheila the Ye Ye Girl

Laisse tomber les filles by Mareva

The story of The Crescendos

These Boots Are Made For Walking!

Interview exclusive!

Thursday link madness!

The Vigilantes / The Guys!

local gig update: Rampage The Durian

Tag cloud and more!

Karesi Means Boyfriend

Sakura the pint-sized livewire

Sugar rush!

The Little Mice

Can't afford Dara Puspita vinyls?

Love is Blue!

Podcast in Space

Malay Pop Yeh Yeh 3

Malay Pop Yeh Yeh 2

Malay Pop Yeh Yeh

Bobby's Girl / Twee Like Me this Saturday