Homegrown Bands: Then & Now
The Quests
On The Record: Homegrown Bands from Then and Now traces the evolution of Singapore’s English popular music scene from the 1960s til today. Combining print and video, the exhibit features interviews with prominent local musicians that include Vernon Cornelius (The Quests), Derek Fitzgerald (The Thunderbirds), Patrick Chng, Joe Ng, Lunarin, and My Precious. On The Record is now on display at the library@esplanade until the end of the year.
Exclusive to digi.talk, we present a series of audio clips extracted from interviews done during the research process.
Vernon Cornelius
Vernon Cornelius performed in several bands in the 1960s, including The Checkmates, and The Trailers. In 1966, he joined The Quests, Singapore’s top pop band in 1960’s. The Quests were prolific recording artists, recording four albums and more than 30 singles and EPs, under the EMI label. Besides being the were the first local group to record an album in English, their second album ‘33rd Revolution’, was the first local album recorded in Stereo. Vernon Cornelius worked in Rediffusion in the 1970s, and currently does research.
Vernon Cornelius in 1960s
Vernon Cornelius with Jap Chong today
Click on the audio links below to listen to Vernon Cornelius' interview.
1. Did you know that the Beatles made a brief stopover in Singapore in the 1960s? Although the Fab Four didn’t perform in Singapore, bands like The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Yardbirds did. Here, Vernon Cornelius talks about the influence of the British Invasion in Singapore’s 1960s music scene.
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2. The Sixties was the golden age for Singapore music. It was a fertile music scene, unlike anything seen today, with many local bands performing and recording. Here, Vernon Cornelius talks about the peak of 1960s euphoria, when it seemed as if almost everyone was either in a band, or knew someone who was in a band.
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3. Bands in the 1960s enjoyed the support of the media. The dailies and weeklies devoted much newsprint to local bands. Even in its infancy, the television industry was also supportive of local music, with many bands making frequent appearances on music-themed variety shows screened on television. Here, Vernon Cornelius talks about the media support, and also shares about touring the Malaysian states in the 1960s.
Download file to listen NOW! (Right click, and select "Save Target As.")
Related links:
(1) http://dl.nlb.gov.sg/highbrowseonline/2007/03/on_the_record_homegrown_bands_from_then_and_now.html
Comments
Thank you for the 'never-before-seen-pics' of Singapore's most famous Band, The QUESTS! Appreciation also for those rare actual interviews telling us like it was!
They truly deserve all the accolades even after all these years. Their impact then holds good today, as the QUESTS are still fondly remembered, and very much talked about like no other groups and singers then!
We are truly greatly proud of the international SINGAPORE's QUESTS!
Thank you again!
Thank you "THE QUESTS"
A Fan Forever, Hendri
Posted by: Hendrik Gunawan | June 18, 2007 07:30 PM