Okay guys, tomorrow we are starting. We'll have another sound check before we eat.
Not a word Chris. What do you mean? I can't. You lost your voice? Yes, totally.
How? I don't know and I was, I was in tears. There's nothing could come out?
Wow and? Not even one syllable. Oh dear.
Oh dear. And you know something Jerry, I mean, uh, it's been remarkable. I mean, I've been doing,
I have to do my research on my guests. Of course. Yeah. Oh yeah. This is a tribute show, you know?
This is, yeah it is. You're here because it's a tribute from me to you. All right. Right? And
this series is called, uh, tribute to SG's music icons. Right. And people that I actually invite
on the show must, to me must have that value to be given this tribute. Otherwise I'll cheapen
the whole thing. So, you know, welcome to the studio. Welcome to CCB TV and welcome to the
Chris Hansen conversation. Thank you Chris. Really? But 52 years, huh? Oh yeah. 52 long years.
Are you comfortable with the headphones? Oh yes I am. Okay. Okay. 52 years, man. I cannot imagine,
you know, and you're still on stage, you're rocking it. Still, still. Wow. I think that's
what I love most, the stage. The home, the stage, the family. And this other things will go down
with me well. Family, huh? Including family, huh? Oh yeah. Wow. Wow. I just told you that I want to
finish it up and go and look forward to lunch for them all. It's been a, it's been a routine for all
this years. Right. Uh, since mom left us in 2017. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. And my caregiver has to go
back home. So we are all on our own. Because my wife will only cook on Sundays and Sundays when
she's off. Right. Right. That's also not so predictable. Her moods and fancies come in. It happens.
I'm pretty sure of that. But Jerry, you know, Jerry, um, um, you've been around in the business,
in the music business, in the music scene for so long. There's so much to talk about. And this is
where I'm going to start the show. Hi everyone. Welcome back to my podcast, uh, the Chris Hansen
Conversation. This is a chat show and this is the first of our series called Tribute to SG's Music
Icons. And I've got with me, you've been hearing us chat as, uh, uh, just now before I started this
introduction, I can tell you one thing, man, 52 years as a musician and a front man of a band,
along with the band, 52 years too, Dave, these guys been rocking the stage is no mean feat.
Let me tell you, man. Okay. It is definitely something that to be in awe of because Jerry
on stage fronting and I've watched you, you may not know this man, but I watched you perform.
Really Chris? Happy days, Bedouin North. Oh yeah. Bedouin Central. Right. Right. Yeah. Happy days.
I was there, uh, and I saw you in a band perform. Yeah. And I'm asking myself this question. How the
heck does someone get on stage belt the whole night, the whole damn night for 52 years? Yeah.
I, how do you hold that up? Well, Chris, I think it's a gift from God.
And I treat the stage very sacred. I don't abuse this stage at all. And me and my guys,
many at times who get into prayers before we go on stage. Wow. That has been the routine. Wow.
Though the boys have not the same faith as what I am, but everyone the other year. And uh, that has
been going on, you know, going on. And uh, I think the stage plays a very vital role beside my family.
And I can only say one thing, Chris, I thank God for giving me the strength, the energy,
being there with me when I need him most. Never a day, I will say I'm not well to go on stage.
Always there. Always there. And always still able to just belt and still belting it out. Yeah. Yeah.
Cause the stuff that you guys do, man, I mean, there are lots of belting going on, man. Yeah.
We do. It's a cross-sectional repertoire. Uh, well we do the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties.
And a little bit on the, on the modern era, you know, but uh, we roughly like to do on that angle
because we have been labeled, been labeled legendary rock and roll band of Singapore. Right.
So I keep to that and that's how it all started.
So you see within the genre of the rock and roll band. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Chris. Okay. So Jerry,
if I want to ask you the question, I really want to ask you the question and I, I'd like to,
in your own words here, can you tell everyone who is Jerry Fernandez? All right. I'm Jerry Fernandez.
Born to a family of seven. I'm the eldest married to my beloved wife, Mary Ann Olivero.
Got two boys that's Robin Lee Fernandez and Jeremy Lee Fernandez, both are married.
And I'm happy to be a grandpa of two little ones that's Raiden and Reena. So, uh, I'm just gifted
to my two beautiful daughter-in-laws and I love them much. And I'm a no nonsense man anyway. Home
is home. Prayers are prayers. Church is church. Come to music. Music is music. That's how I've been
running my whole life. I must say that I never really did work in the office. Never did. I don't
know what is it like. I've been having a freedom to express myself because that's music and that's
what I love. Can I ask, can, can I like to ask you this based on what you've just said, there's a
separation between family stage and faith. Yes. Right. Yes. Being in the business of so many years,
how many people do you know in the music business that has kept so much like you
to the faith, whichever religion they be, they may observe. Yeah. And separate them from music
because being in the music business, a lot of people seem to have this, let me, let me use this
term then, very fairly, misconception that, Hey, if you're a muso, you drink, you smoke, you're
womanized, you don't care about religion, you do all kinds of bullshit. How is, is, is, am I right
to say that that is a misconception generally across the board for musos? Yes. Yes. It is a
misconception. Not every musician indulge in all the things. All the vices. No. Yeah. There are
many that I know of straight. Okay. And, and you're saying that generally across the board,
just speaking about those of us here in Singapore, right? Musos, we are not the type of people
we, the people always think maybe have this perception, right? You guys do and all that
kind of stuff. Oh, talking about that, Chris, I got to draw your attention way back. Yeah. All
right. This was, this happened to us in 1974. When I came back after a performances from Karachi,
Pakistan, I was there. Okay. And we were performing one night at the national stadium, the old national
stadium. There is a place called Tilted Tankard. Tilted Tankard. Okay. And we had the band, we came
back and we assigned to the contract of six months. We were performing on the very first set. Second
set. All of a sudden, the police, plain clothes, walked in, search on the lights, bright and told
us to say where we are and took us away. Took you guys away. What do you mean? Arrested you guys?
Yeah, arrested all of us. Handcuffed? No handcuffed. But just took you away in a van. We were all in our
outfits. Imagine. Okay. We're in our outfits and we're looking at one another and I say, yeah,
we got to go. The police officer was kind in his words. All the plain clothes, we didn't even know
who they are. Right. We were brought to Pearls Hill. Okay. Kept there. CID, Pearls Hill, the old one.
And we went through the procedures of giving our reports all about to do with, are you involved in
this? Are you dead? Right. You see, the thing is when they were watching the band, I think I was a
bit going here. They think, oh, you guys must be high. Must be high. But after all the tests,
and all the things we were released in the morning, if I remember, eight o'clock in the morning.
But then I already told my wife to call. That time she was my girlfriend. I said,
you call daddy and tell what's happening. Get the lawyer to take me out. I don't want to sit here.
In the lockup. In the lockup. Right. So before that could happen, we were released.
We were released. Okay. And we all came out clean. Okay. This was the first incidence of
thinking they, they are thinking that we are. Oh, it's not because you're going a wire and playing
this and my bass player is jumping around. So somebody watched you guys probably. Yeah. We
didn't know who they are. Yeah. And they probably thought that you guys were having so much fun.
You were so high on music that it couldn't be music. Yeah. Let's talk about that, Jerry. Let's
talk about being high on music, man. See the thing is when the music gets into your soul. Yeah. Gets
into you. Just how would you describe it? How would you describe it for, for the uninitiated,
man? People who are not musicians, they don't get that. I get it. Well, as I need to know, I need to
ask Jerry for that. There's a man who's been doing this for so many decades in your own words. How
would you describe that high? Well, it's a very sensational feeling. I don't know how to put it
in words. Yep. Yeah. I can tell you as I speak, my head stands, Chris, that's music. It gives you a
lot of feeling, the soul and the spirituality. You will sing and you can feel it through. Okay. Which
song in your years of experience that gives you that kind of feeling, really the greatest kind of
feeling like that. The greatest kind of feeling. Yeah. The number one song in your mind, top of
head that gives you that feel. All right. I was always into James Brown. Whoa. And there was, I
feel good. Just yesterday I was watching it. Right. Oh, his biopic, right? I tell you, man. Yeah.
So he was one of the favorite of mine. And then so much so that the boys used to call me the Godfather
of soul. But I, yes, I do things from him, uh, sex machine. Yeah. Yeah. I feel good. Yeah. Papa's
got a brand new back. Okay. So we went into, because that soul music was there. And of course,
the music that inspires me most also will be Carlos Santana. Sorry, Carlos Santana. Yes. Yes.
Right. So that puts you on, that gives you that, that feel. That kind of feel, you know. Yeah. Yes,
of course, uh, I did Tom Jones, uh, Chris. Tom Jones became a thing like, uh, the press wrote
about me, Wilfred Yul. Yep. Okay. The reporter. The reporter. And I was singing, she's a lady,
not that I want to impersonate, the voice fall in place. And then from there on, it became like,
Jerry, you got to do Tom Jones. So Tom Jones became like part of it. Yeah. I do Delilah.
Yeah. She's a lady. I've, I've heard you sing, uh, I've heard you sing and yes, there is
a style that is quite similar to Tom Jones. So I kept on that in the 50th concert, the 50th concert
in, uh, Desmonet, Explanet, yeah, Chris. Yeah. 13th of March. Now there was from the crowd. I mean,
it was a good show. It's tickets sold out. Good from the crowd. There was someone saying,
not only that someone, there was few Delilah Jerry, Delilah, but I was going to, I feel good.
Then again, Delilah said, who's that? And then there were a few show of hands, you know,
I went to Delilah Chris. I nearly broke down, man. It was so emotional for me because I know
this has been always the case in every shows that we do. Delilah will come into place.
It's not in the, my set repertoire, but people will ask people always. So I just do it. And that
really, really, really hits me, man. You know, I just love and I want to deliver it to the best
later. So these are some of the things that I really enjoy and not a day that I don't say I
don't enjoy it. So music is the addiction. Yes. Music is my, and it's a clean, decent addiction.
And you know, I want to understand for Jerry Fernandez, when did this all start? When do you
realize that you have, let's talk about the love for music. When do you realize you had this?
Yeah. This is going back when I was 11 year old. 11. Okay.
Chris when I was 11 year old, when I'm from St. Joseph's junior. Okay. Which was St. Michael's,
right? We were sharing the same building. St. Michael's, St. Joseph junior. Okay. So
when I was in primary three, teacher's day. So I went on stage to sing. Nine years old. Okay.
And I was singing Little Ship Cape Sailing and Ramona.
Not knowing who the artists, but my class, we have a band, a little band, you know,
that's not full band. Right. You can go ukulele and guitar, then you would drink. Simple setup.
Simple. Yeah. And we were doing, and I love to sing and we went on, went on. And at the age of 11,
I was taken in to be an altar boy with the redemptive monastery, that's known as a novena.
Novena church. Yeah. I was actually spotted by the late father, P.J. O'Neill.
He came to our house one rainy evening and said to my late father,
I want to get all your three boys to become altarservants. We all were so happy about it.
Because every day mom and dad is driving us to church before we're going to school.
My two brothers, St. Michael's, I'm St. Joseph's. So from there, I started to do the altarserv
duties. Those days, six o'clock was the morning. I was in the morning, I was in the morning,
duties. Those days, six o'clock was the morning maza. So went on.
Then one day, the late brother Kashmir said, Jerry, I wanted to go up to the choir loft. Come with me.
I went up to the choir loft and brother said, you sing. I said, you sing, I follow, you know.
And he was singing, he, oh, he was singing he. He, the him, he. He's a good guitarist.
Then I sang and then he said, I'm going to tell old lady conductor that you're going to be in the
choir. So I started singing in the choir. Started singing from the choir and went on, went on.
And then went to secondary school. Right. So from that particular age, right about 23, Chris,
I was serving the church until 23, until 23 national service. And yet I'm doing,
I'm in singing in the choir and then doing, doing the stuff. And then
it happens that secondary three, sec three in HGI. I had a band called
The Idols. The Idols. Okay. We formed this band, all the classmates, you know,
beside myself was Albert Lewis on drum, Victor Yeo on rhythm guitar, Josh Peely on guitar,
lead guitar, Stuart Allison on bass, Carl Ambrose on keyboards, organ, those days not keyboards.
The organist. What year was this? 1967. Wow. I wasn't even born yet, man. 67, Chris. So we were
just, this is SGI, right? SGI. Okay. So I told them, I say, hey guys, we're going to take part in
the contest. You know, there's a soul competition organized by Sanyo Malaysia, the method. I went
to take the application. It's a soul competition. Wow. Oh boy. So I said, come let's take part.
And yeah, we took part without our parents knowing it, without the school knowing it.
Would your parents and the school give you issues about this at a time? My mom and dad
might not be so keen about all this. Really? School was very strict. My brother Patrick,
our director and Mr. The late Mr. Terrence. Terrence area. Terrence Oswald area. Yeah.
Was my principal since Steven's school. Yeah, correct. Yeah. Yeah. He was my principal.
Say Gerald Stoppold. Is that right? And then what happened, Chris, this is the best part.
We went for the audition at the, what is this building now? Great world. Okay. Great world
city. Great world city. Yeah. Great world. There was a club. Maybe old great world. Old great world.
There was a nightclub called Flamingo nightclub. Okay. That's where the auditions and all the
subsequent rounds going to be conducted. Okay. Went for the audition, we went through and they
went through. So we went into the final. The final was held in at the national theater.
We won. No. And we got $500 as a prize. Did your folks ever find out? Yeah, they found out after
the papers came out about it. That was really... What happened? And then we went to school,
feeling very proud about this achievement. Yeah. And a $500 means a lot to all of us.
Sure. And in those days, of course, yes. We went for the assembly and everything was done. And then
here comes our messenger, Mr. Erie. Mr. Erie. Smile. Okay. Went to our teacher and said, hey,
Mr. Erie wants to see Gerald. Then I went down with him. I said, why? So you've come and see Mr.
Erie and brother Patrick. I went to Mr. Erie and said, hey, Gerald, come here. How is it you took part?
I said, yeah, we took part. I said, Mr. Rodriguez and Mr. Zazati was very...
You know, I'm just... Mr. Rodriguez. Marvin Rodriguez. Marvin. The leg. Oh my goodness me.
My teacher too. Is that? Yes. He just passed on not too long ago. Yes. I was there for his wake.
Yeah. I was there for everything. I used to go and lend him the instruments for his Monday jam session
at his home. He plays piano. He plays the piano. Yeah. And the organ. Yeah. And he was very fond of
me. And so was my brothers and my son. Nice guy. Very nice. Very missed. Yes. Very good man. Yeah.
So we and Fred Zazati. So anyway, Mr. Gerald, I want to tell your parents about what you do.
I see my parents knew and they were not so happy about it. Like, no, no, no. I want to talk to them.
I said, you're all right. Go. And my father was very strict about it. He said, listen, this is not
good when the school is to call me. You're supposed to be studying. Oh man. I just cannot understand
why the school took such a hard stance on this. You know, and then the best part Chris, we don't
have many instruments in our. Yeah. Yeah. So all our rehearsals was done at Racecoast Road. Right.
The home of Frankie Supiah, the backbone, the drummer of Experiment. Wow. He has got a very
beautiful basement room converted to a studio and we practiced there virtually every weekend.
So we practiced and later the experiments would be coming to a rear. Yeah. Yeah. Experiments got
really big. Yeah. And then we used, yeah, because they were the guest band for the contest. Oh. They
brought the instruments. So we were so happy to use because we are so familiar. So from there,
we won the contest and then I knew the idols not going to last long because we all are in
the final year of studies. Right. And you really listened to the school. I did. Wow. So I went to
keep on studying, did our best. The boys all did well. They all did well. Academically, they are
brilliant boys. I must say the boys are brilliant. I'm not that academically as them. Not as inclined.
Not. Not. Yeah. Yeah. I'm okay. I know I can speak and talk and sing, but they are much, much, much
better. They migrated to Australia. Can I just rewind back a little bit, the time when you
were with the Redemptorist Priests in Nuvina Church and you became an altar server, then after
which you went to the choir loft and with Brother Kashmir. Brother Kashmir, yeah. Okay. And can I
safely say that the influence of music started there. Yes. So which means you started to realize
you had a gift in that choir loft. Right. And the influence of music wasn't because at home
your folks were playing records and you were listening to songs and you realized you love
music. When do you realize you love music? Through the friend of Rediffusion.
So which means in your much younger years. Yeah. How old were you then when you had that influence?
Pretty young. The little box. The little box which your folks actually subscribed to. Rediffusion.
Yeah. Yeah. Cable radio. So we were listening to Rediffusion. Yeah. I'm so happy to listen to
KC Caseman. American Top 40. Yeah. American Top 40. So there was the influence and then
of course on Sundays we listened to the, there's a radio program. On Radio One. Those days. Yeah.
Now it's gold but in those days it was Radio One. So I used to listen to programs from there
hosted by the various prominent DJs. Yeah. And I'm glued to it at four o'clock. Four o'clock date.
No. So those were some of the things Chris that inspired me. So who would you, so who, is that
going to be a person or something that you can safely say you attribute your love for music to?
We know that attributing the fact that I've discovered I've got a talent I can sing was to
Brother Cashmere on that choir loft in Novena Church. But the love for music was, who can you
and what can you attribute this to? The influence. You know that my goodness this is music. I love it.
You know and who brought that influence to you? It was because there were these implements like
your Rediffusion set at home. Rediffusion set. Radio. Radio. And you hear songs coming out from it.
And that's your influence. And then there's a Westpamalam. There's a Pasa Malam in Audit Road.
Okay. That happens on Fridays. Okay. So all my kampung boys. Uh-huh. I had a kampung band also
called the Peddlers. What? Okay. Along with the idols you had another band? Kampung band. So you
had two bands together. The Peddlers you know. The Peddlers. Okay. So we go for the Pasa Malam. It's
not because you want to buy anything. Because there is the Vespa Malam show. Vespa Malam show.
Okay. Scooter. Oh the Vespa Scooter. Yeah. Wow. So we go there early. You got to stand huh. Uh-huh.
And watch the bands. Oh Singapore is so fun man. That was great. Hey. Oh so fun man. We saw that
band. Actually we we don't know them and they don't know us. So you mean you mean Pasa Malam
back in the day. Yeah. Yeah. Had band performances. Orchard Road. At Orchard Road. Oh boy. Westpamalam.
They call it Westpamalam. That happens on the Pasa Malam day. You know something man. I don't
know what I missed. I mean that was awesome. You just go to a Pasa Malam free of charge.
No Pasa Malam is the whole Orchard Road. Okay you're correct. Yeah. So it was like the. There's
one ground there. Uh-huh. And then that ground is the Vespa Scooters and all this. Wow. I think so.
And they're the sponsors. It's so fun man. Fantastic. Fun. It's free of charge. You just stand there
watch the bands play. Oh wow. Unbelievable. So we see a number of bands. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Wowie.
So. So okay. So now I'm because I asked this question of every one of every muso
or person I pay tribute to for the show right. I asked him you know what what got you into this
man. I mean how did you end up loving music. And most people actually say it's my folks. My parents.
They play songs every day at home. They play records. They put on the radio. And in this case
Rediffusion. I mean at that time Rediffusion right was subscribed for by your folks right. Your
parents. So don't you think that you're indirectly you have your parents are thankful for this. Well
just hey listening to that. And then Chris the Westpamalam. Yeah. And then don't forget the
T-Dancers. Uh huh. Every Sunday. Okay. You had T-Dancers. T-Dancers. Oh okay. This band.
That was influence. Yeah. So after that you did you tell yourself what did you tell yourself man.
We saw all these. You loved it. You enjoyed the music. You enjoyed the way they perform. You
enjoyed the way what these guys were doing. And then. They were influence anyway. And then you
tell yourself that I'm going to do this. Yes. Was that the time. I knew I was heading to this.
Okay. By watching this band from the 60s. I knew someday I'm going to do it. So I told the members
of the idols. I will go into this. Okay. So I went in. And the idols broke up because they didn't
want to go into music full time. Yeah. Because they have to go into university and stuff. Career
world and all this. So we have to go separate ways after our last performance at the Sea Dragon.
Okay. So you. Wait. So wait, wait, wait. There's a little gap there. So SGI. You guys from SGI
formed a band. Won the contest. The Sanyo contest. The Soul contest. And then you ended up
coming back to school. And then principal got to know about this. And you were discouraged from it.
And you really listened. And you didn't get, you know, play anymore. But somehow the idols had gigs.
Yep. On the quiet we were playing. Okay. So you didn't really listen. You guys were still playing.
The idols played. Okay. All right. And our parents would say, well, just go and play and get $5 each.
And then you got a second band at the same time. Yeah. The Peddlers. The Peddlers.
Were all my neighborhood boys. Right. So you were playing for two bands in different places.
Also gigging with the Peddlers, right? Peddlers were more for, we used to do a lot of
camp. The British camps. Ah, I see, I see. We also did tea dances. Right. We also did house parties.
Right. But the idols were more for club work. Just one or two. That's all. Kai, you can even
bring up the volume for Jerry, please. A little bit. Why? Because you're kind of far from the mic.
Yeah. Okay. Set the top already. Okay. Set the top. Okay. Right. Thanks, Kai. So Jerry,
I'm just going to go on. So you realized that the potential, you got two bands, you guys were gigging
and that was like, okay, 50 plus years back. Right. Now, did you think, what was the Jerry
Fernandez you wanted to mold yourself into? And did you, in your mind, succeeded at that?
As a performer, as an entertainer? Yes. I think. You had an idea? Yes. I knew at the very early age,
as I was going into this, of course, Chris, you know, this business is an up and down thing,
you know. Right. You can crumble and if you don't have the guts and you don't have the confidence,
you don't have the determination, you said, that's enough. But I went on, in spite of being arrested
in Bangkok. Oh, no, that's a sorry. Okay, okay. Please don't miss out on that one. I want to hear.
All right. We were arrested in Bangkok because we did not have the proper work permit. Okay.
We were sent home within 48 hours. Oh, deported. Yep. The whole band, the whole band. Which band
was this? New faces. Oh boy. Okay. There was one and then, you know, there was bitter, very bitter.
Then, as we were getting into club work, seriously, new faces are getting into club work. Right. The
closure of Ulta Nightclub in 1973, Chris. Okay. So you're saying crumple. This is what you mean.
Yeah, we crumple, man. I didn't notice it. Our manager at the time was Michael, the late Michael
Tan. Okay. And he was trying to sort it out. We were supposed to play in one of the clubs,
in the leading clubs. Right. All went bust. Because the clubs went bust.
Nor they didn't go bust because the government implemented no more discos. Where? Singapore.
Singapore. Yes. This is the time of the of the pink pussycat. I started in pink pussycat for one and
a half years. Okay. I went to Kuala Lumpur. From Kuala Lumpur, we came back not long. No, Kuala Lumpur,
Kuala Lumpur, Barbarella. Barbarella, yes. Barbarella is in Singapore. Singapore. Right.
Ming Kuo Hotel. Right. So, we played this in 1973. It was a, we all clubs are closed.
The only place that have got license to get on a band is clubs or pubs. I mean, restaurants. Yes.
As long as you're running a restaurant license, you can have a live band.
Mm hmm. And the live band stops at 12 midnight. Mm hmm. So, we were stuck. Wow.
And that's when. It was clamped down. No. And then we went, we went out to Karachi.
It was because of that. It was because Barbarella, pink pussycat were shut down.
Then you guys decided we gotta find a way to to to continue doing this. Yes, yes, yes. And you flew
to Karachi, Pakistan. Our manager, Michael Tan. Right. Ten story. He paved the way and he also
had a partner. I mean, not a working, working personnel. Mm hmm. So, we got a picture of you,
by the way. Of you standing in front. Of pink pussycat. Of pink pussycat. Oh yeah, that's it.
Yeah. That's you, huh? Yeah, Chris. Whoa. That's, that's, that's 1972, Chris. Oh, I was two years
old, man. You know, I, I had on the show, I had guys like Jason Shah, Ann Hussein, uh, Leonard
Rezzle. That, you know this, right? And these guys all mentioned the pink pussycat. And I'm like,
going nuts here. I'm like, going, what, where the hell was I, man? I'm not born yet, of course, but
you know, everybody wanted to play at the pink pussycat. Everybody wanted to play in Barbarella.
Yeah. And then sadly, both these clubs were shut down. Shut down. Sadly, man. Sadly. So, we left
Singapore. It sounded like such a hip joint, man. It was. Wow. Pink pussycat, wow. Yeah.
Yeah. I keep hearing the stories about these places, man. It was nice to be there at that point of
time. And we were very happy to just go there and do what we're supposed to do, you know? Yeah. Yeah.
Okay. So, now I know what Jerry did was to make sure that you and the band, New Faces, which I've
yet to discover how that happened, New Faces, that is, decided that, listen, no matter what happens,
there's got to find a, we got to find a way to just continue doing what we love with this, with
your manager, which is Michael Tan, uh, that came up with the idea. Let's go to Karachi. Let's play
there in Karachi, right? Now, let's talk about New Faces. The band has been around for how long?
52 years as well? Yes, right. So, hang on. Jerry has been around 52 years. Jerry started with the
Idols and then the, and the Peddlers. So, what, New Faces, when was that formed? All right, Chris.
That was formed way back in 1969 till, and. 1969. What happened was when Idols and Battlers were no
longer in existence. I still go and visit Michael Tan. Okay. Michael Tan in Slickie Road. Right. So,
his office is called 10 Story. 10 Story is a room like this, slightly bigger for jamming and all
this. Right. So, Michael said, Jerry, uh, I want to form a band, form a band for you. I said, Mike,
uh, yeah. In that process, there was a band called, uh, Milky Way Electric Guitar Band.
Wow. What a name. What a name. Sounds like an ice cream.
So, they were looking for a singer to complement English song. Right. But they, they, they were
playing, they were playing Chinese song. Yes. Ah, okay. So, no wonder Milky Way. Jerry, why not?
You joined this band, you know? Yeah. I said, Mike, you know, I don't mind, but you know,
see what they're playing. You just do your English stuff. Right. So, I went there and I rehearsed and
then I got into the job. The boys were nice. After today, I'm still in touch with them. Right.
And I told them a time came after Chinese Chamber of Commerce, we did a gig there. Wow. With this
band. And I said, Hey, I have to leave this band. Why? Because I want to form my own band. Okay. So,
Thomas wasn't too pleased with the, he's the leader of the band. Right. So, from that band,
I knew there's one potential guy that is a thing, or better known as Ricky. Okay. He's saying,
would you like to join me, you know? Because I may want to form another band. At that point in time,
we were playing at Shindig nightclub. Shindig? In Dublin. Memes are so amazing, right? Dublin,
Dublin road, you know? Yeah. And, uh, I think it was quite game to join. I went back to Michael
and said, Mike, I'm leaving. I told him I'm leaving and blah, blah, blah. Okay. So, we started on,
and then slowly we got one member of the, so it was a saying, Ricky then came friends as whole,
was coming to Singapore on the third of June. Oh, okay. You mean he may have emigrated.
Then comes Osman. Osman is already in Singapore. He's from Australia. He's here because we're
giving a bash. Right. On the fourth, we all are getting together. Right. So, this is the original
members of New Faces. Original. Yeah. Okay. Then there is Henry, the late Henry Tam of Master Way
of the Keyboarders. Elmi Thayer, the drummer. Yeah. We're all distant members. Right. How many pieces
is this? I failed to count just now. Okay. Myself, Francis, Ricky, Osman, Elmi. Five piece. And Henry.
Six piece. This is the band and then we called it New Faces. Right. Why New Faces with a U?
Because it started with a W, right? Yes. It's N-E-W. N-E-W first. At first. So, that's how we felt.
Okay. Because there was nothing, you know, every day we are changing members, auditioning, looking
for members. So, I decided, you know, we go as New Faces. New Faces. And then we hit the road,
the first professional job was in Pink Pussycat. We've been on that for one and a half years.
But, you know, why is it everyone that I've spoken with from your era,
tell me so much about this place that they want to play there. What's the reason for that? Dudley
Nones says because all the big bands were playing there, man. And to play at Pink Pussycat, it says,
Ziff, you've just been given an award. You know, that's how it feels like to me. Pink Pussycat had
some of the brilliant bands and musicians that were there. Yeah. So, my band, New Faces, we took
over from the band called Top Cats and they were really top. Top Cats. Okay. So, we took over from
there and then, yeah, there was no turning back. No, but the thing is, is that the reason, same
reasons Dudley has said that you guys also wanted to play at the Pink Pussycat? No, I have nothing.
What's wrong with that? I mean, what's so good about the place? What happened? It's happening,
like, Chris. The term is happening. It's crowded. It's back. You've got the white guys and local
guys and it's just going, you know, from nine till four in the morning. Wow. Every band. So,
I was actually, not that I wanted to go to Pink Pussycat. No, no, no. I went to Pink Pussycat
because I went there just to check it out. And the entertainment manager there was Alfonso Sousa.
Oh my goodness. Hey Alfonso, shut up to you again. Because every time I have someone from that era,
your name comes up. You started with Jason because Gingerbread, Alfonso took care of Gingerbread.
Right, right, right. Yeah. So, I was like, Alfonso, you've got a band, I said, God, because
Pink Pussycat looking for a band. Yeah. He was an entertainment manager in Pink Pussycat. He was
actually in charge of entertainment and also the sound and lights and whatever. Wow. Okay, okay.
Everything and anything has got to do with the entertainment. He's a graduate from all this kind
of studies and also he's my senior schoolmate. He was with Naomi and the boys, right? Yes, yes, yes.
So, we went for the audition. On the second, third song, I said, okay, it's done.
So, we started there. It's not that I wanted to go to Pink Pussycat, it's just by chance I went there.
Right, right. But to me, it's like if a band back then had played at the Pink Pussycat,
it was like a badge of honor somehow. If you play along the Autid Road strip, it's an honor.
It's an honor. Okay. Pink Pussycat, Barbarella, Tropicana. The pub, Tropicana. So, these are
the places that you, if you get in, hey, look, I'm someone. Okay. We are someone. Wow. So fun, man.
So darn fun. Oh damn good. Yeah. And then after that, they all shut down. Ouch. Okay. So, let's
get from there then. New faces, they ended up in Karachi. How was it like? It's a world of
difference because from Bangkok, we got arrested and sent home. Yeah. From there to Karachi was a
different thing. Karachi was, wow, and we've all dressed in suit, you know. Right. We were flying
on Pan American. Well, Pan Am. Wow. So, the minute we land in Karachi, I said, what the hell.
So, at the time, I was accompanied by Audil. Okay. I don't know who's that. He's the company.
He was the band leader of Silver Strings. Okay. Okay. Silver Strings band leader. All right.
So, I said, what the hell. So, when Michael told us, keep on with your suit, you got to impress.
This is a big hotel. Which hotel was this? Metropole Hotel. The Metropole. Okay. Okay.
If you look at Metropole, is you're looking at the same facade or maybe
as the old Raffles Hotel here in Singapore. Ah, it's a colonial looking style. Very colonial. Right.
So, we landed and everything was given good treatment and stuff like that.
And we started to play at the very prestigious supper club called Sama. In Karachi as well.
Metropole Hotel. In Metropole. Okay. So, Sama is a place where who and who has to be there.
Not anyone. So, it's a real grand kind of place. Oh, yeah. Sama is grand at that time
during the reign of the late President Ali Bhutto.
Oh, this was during President Ali Bhutto's time. Yeah. And then.
Benazir Bhutto's father. Benazir's father. I met her when she was a young girl. Yes.
Wow. And the one she got, she got married to Asif Zardari. We know Asif before he got married to
Benazir. Wow. He come and patronize the club. Yeah. But prior to us going there, there were other
local Singapore bands who made it there. Oh, yes. So, when the bars and clubs started shutting down
over me to shut down back in the day, Pink Pussycat, Barbarella, all gone. Singapore bands had problems
then. Of course. Not just you guys, of course. Across the board, right? Like, where do we play
now? Yeah. So, most of these guys took the opportunity to travel out to Singapore.
Some of them are lucky, not everybody. Okay. So, the lucky ones like you guys. We were lucky and
we went on and immediately after finishing our term. Yeah. We were booked to National Stadium
at the Tilted Anchor. Okay. Okay. And then from there was no turning back wrist. We went on and
on and on and then. So, how long were you in Karachi? Six and a half months. Okay. Six and
a half. There's not a bad stretch. Just quite a. Yeah. Yeah. And after Karachi, what do you guys
do? From Karachi, we came back to Singapore and we were performing at the National Stadium.
Wait a second. National Stadium. The old National Stadium. Yeah, the old one but.
Tuck in there. Okay. That was. Is the National Stadium restaurant. Oh, did we have one? Oh,
yes. Restaurant plus Tilted Anchor. Wait. Tilted Anchor had always been in the National Stadium,
you mean? Within the complex of the restaurant. Okay. So, Tilted Anchor was where you in your
early years were the idols. No, idols I did not. Wait, hang on. Where I lost you along the way.
Tilted Anchor, you guys had the contract at the Tilted Anchor, right? When you were younger. No,
did not. No, no. Okay, okay. When we were younger, not as new faces. Right, yeah. We as the idols.
Yes. We were only doing relief at the Sea Dragon. Oh, the Sea Dragon. Okay, I'm sorry. I got,
I got rached up. Okay. So, let me get back to the current story. Tilted Anchor is located within
the National Stadium. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, okay. And you guys got a gig there. Yes, we had our gig
there. How is it at that time, these places like the Tilted Anchor was never shut down?
Because it was running as an operation, restaurant operations. Right. So, they were not merely a pub
or a disco, you know, restaurant. Okay, so they were not stereotyped. No, they were restaurant and
then they could have a band. Yeah. The band has to play the Tilted Anchor and play at the restaurant.
Right. So, they can have the license but the lights are not supposed to be dim. Oh, really?
Yeah, yeah. That's a whole crap. You mean there were rules like that? The lights got to be a certain
percentage of lighting. Oh, man. And I, and back in the day, back in the time, Jerry, when, when I,
when I'm starting to feel like, oh wow, those are great years, man. But then again, when the people
really wanted to rock it out, then we have, then we have the rules that stopped you from rocking out.
And today, I want people to rock out. No one wants to rock out, man. You know, you know what I mean?
The long hair trend. Yeah, yeah. I wanted to ask you about that. The rules about long hair. Did you
have long hair then? Very. And did you get in trouble for that? Yeah, we did. Okay, what kind
of trouble, man? We were warned to cut our hair. Warned by the cops? By the authorities. Okay. Which
authority would this be? The cops, right? The cops. Yeah, yeah. Okay. So, they told you guys to cut
your hair. Everyone had long hair in a band and you guys didn't. We had long hair. Did you cut your
hair? I cut, I cut. You cut it? Sure. My goodness. So you guys listened and cut your hair? Because
you were in a contract. Yeah. You're told to do and we went on. Oh boy. There was a, there was a
picture I found of the band and you at the hands of a barber. This one. All right. Okay. What's the
story there, man? This is the second batch of boys. Okay, so New Faces had, had a few changes of 19.
The boys? Band members. Were with me in 19. Take your time, take your time. The ones that have been with me from
1969. Have a drink of water, man, if you like. Finished, man. Oh, finished? Yeah. Okay. This is the second set, you know.
Hey, Kai. Could you just step over for a bit and just maybe just grab a quick water for him, please?
Yeah, thanks so much, man. Okay, okay. I know the camera is so sad on me. Yay! We're not taking a
break here because I think I got to get Jerry another, another, another glass of water. Or I really
need it. So Kai rules have gone out kindly to get him water. So let's, let's, let's continue talking though.
Though the camera is sad on me. So basically, long hair is an issue.
Lights cannot be dimmed. And then you guys, oh my goodness gracious me, when you have people,
there's so much love to entertain people. And you got stuck with all that, all those crazy rules.
I don't want to mention the D word on air because you know why? For the audience, you ought to know
this as well. Because some algorithm picks up the D word and then after which the show might not be
able to be aired for some strange reason. Okay. So let's just call it, if I ever use the term,
I'm going to use the term the D word. Yeah. You know what I mean? So it's because of the D word
that the authorities came down pretty hard on this, right? Because there was a kind of an epidemic
going around. A campaign. Long hair will be served last. Long hair is one thing, but long hair is also
associated with people involved in underworld activities. Right? Basically, they look at
musicians having long hair. Is it because of your musician or is it because there were issues with
that D word? You know what I mean? And of course, as well, any other underworld secret society
involvement. So that's the reason why these guys were just basically across the board, broad strokes,
and say, if you've got long hair, we will recognize you or suspect you to be one of these kind of people.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, but it's so sad, man. You know, when I think about this, I mean, that's the reason
why the Rolling Stones took so many years to come to Singapore. Rolling Stones and I believe-
Keith Richards didn't want to cut his hair. I believe Keetaro. Keetaro. He's coming anywhere now,
but he did come, but he had to lube off his hair. And Eric Clapton, when he was here, he was told
he can't play one particular song. You know what I mean? Yeah. Yeah. I just think, I mean, I don't
know. Okay. Granted, back in the day, Singapore is still a very young nation. It was. Yeah. I mean,
we're still young though now, but definitely back then we were very, very, very young. But let's go
back to that picture again, Kai. Can we put that picture up again? Now this would have been a great
way to say, see, we don't have long hair. No, this, this has a story to it. Yeah. What's the story?
Okay. This is the second batch of boys. Now the first batch, the first batch of boys-
In new faces. The new faces. We're heading to Kuala Lumpur to play at the Tomorrow Disco.
Right. That's a place everyone got to be there. Okay. Tomorrow. Yeah. Tomorrow. So we had a
contract. Of course it was, it was handled by Michael Tan, the late Michael Tan. Right. Your
manager. Yeah. And all the, you know, so we went there and before that we thought we have to create
an identity. Just mere music is not going to bring us any fallout or let's do something creative.
Mm hmm. So the, the thing came up. We got to go ball. Okay. Shape ball. Okay. From long hair to
ball. We did it. The first one to shave ball was the drummer Raymond Renee Francis. Okay.
Then followed by all of us. You guys all decided to do that hairstyle. Yeah, except there's one
reluctant, the late Henry. Okay. Your pianist. Yeah. I said, Henry, let's do it. So we did it.
When in Kuala Lumpur, it was a big, big hit, Chris. Okay. That hairstyle is like a, a genie, man.
It's like Aladdin, man. Because we have the pigtail. Yeah. Yeah. We had a pigtail and every day
before we start, we would put all that up. Didn't you guys get in trouble for that look? No.
At that time, Chris, when we went to Kuala Lumpur in a particular period of time,
there was a massive hunt for Bo Tat Chin, the gangster, the wanted one or something like that.
Okay. His name is Bo Tat Chin. They call him. And we were coinciding with the press report ball.
So it was like, wow, this is happening. Anyway, we were, we were doing well.
We were just, we just took over from the fly baits. Right. Wow. So we went on there and then
we kept this ball gimmick in the midst of the ball gimmick. Oh, we came back to Singapore.
Uh-huh. Uh, we were booked at the Oasis nightclub. Okay. Oasis nightclub. And I agreed that we will
play at the club. Yeah. But with that same hairstyle. But the same hairstyle, but different
deal. But I noticed in that picture, there's a girl in the band. That happened, Chris. I'm coming
to the story. Okay. We went down to Oasis and we did, we did our stand there. And then, uh,
there was a change of personalities in the band. That was 1977. Okay. So with the changes came
that picture, that picture that you just saw. Yeah. Yeah. And we had a girl singer there. Yeah.
Female lead, huh? Linda Chung. So we were getting into Imperial Hotel then. Okay. But this new badge.
Right. We want to create the same identity. And then we went for it. But this identity
of the Imperial, we went to Taiwan. Wow. And Japan. Wow. And we did our own, uh, in Hong Kong,
we did the TV show, a 30 minute special TV show. Wow. You guys managed to get to travel to these
countries to perform. You mean you had, you had contracts. Yeah. No, we had all the connections.
Okay. Uh, audio also played a very important role here. You know, it was trying, you know,
so we went to Hong Kong, the art TV station, the art TV. Yeah. They got us to do this TV show.
Wow. They were like, wow, just ball. So how many, okay. That was the second batch of band members
were new faces, second batch. So the band, the new faces have lasted all these years
because the band survived, but the members have always changed. We had a change of 23 members in
all. Oh boy. Oh wow. 23 members. My goodness. But still maintaining the band brand. Yeah. Yeah.
We still, I still, I am responsible for this. The beautiful thing is all these members who came,
they lasted for a long time, Chris. Okay. The current band, the current lineup of boys
is longer still. Right. The longest was my drummer, Mokdara-san, who's not well now,
he's on wheelchair. He's been with me for 35 long years. Wow. So most of the band members from the
very get go from the beginning and through the years left mostly generally because, okay, I'm
moving on. I've done enough. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. I'm moving on in life. Yes. Okay. And then of
course you replaced these guys and continued the legacy of the band. Yeah. Wow. I continued
everything. I told them, the time will come when you have to go and you go. And when you go,
I feel sad, but I will always keep you always in my relationship. I'll never discard you all the
way. So I served the boys well, Chris. I tell you, not one single member have I left them down.
I was there in time of their needs. Yeah. I mean, they are grateful to that and I'm very grateful.
It was proven in my 45th anniversary of the band. Right. When we played it, that X-planet
and the recital, the boys came down where they flew. Ah, the former members. They flew.
The older members from before. The older members, they came. They came. Did they jam with you guys?
Only one Francis jammed with us. On Johnny Be Good, he played instead of guitar solo,
he played the saxophone solo. Wow. I said, Francis, go for it. I know I just want,
the rest of the members were not prepared. They said, you know, we are all here for you. Just go.
So I was very touched about that. And also this 4th of June, I'm very, it's going to be emotional
because you're going to see all the boys back. What's happening on the 4th of June? 4th of June,
we are meeting because Francis wants to come to Singapore and meet all of us. Right. So I told
Osman from Australia, Osman flew here. Elmi is already in Indonesia, he's coming in and
are saying all of us will meet for a lunch. It's not so much of the lunch, Chris. It's so much about
being together. But the particular moment then, that little magic of emotion will gripe me.
I'm pretty sure it will. It's not easy. I ran the band, put a lot of feeling.
I can feel the pulses of all the members at the band. Yeah, they're much, they've grown older than
me, but I still treat them well. Yeah, because there's so many cherished memories, man. It goes
way, way back. And you guys, the current New Faces, Jerry and the New Faces had this performance
for Pick Kill. Oh yeah. I've been in the Pick Kill Theater, the Moment Theater. I've been with them
since December 13th, 2013. 13 December 2013 till today. Okay. And what do you do there?
I'm a producer for the shows. I'm a compare. And we are the main act. Well, shall I say we are the act.
Right. Then I got all of our fellow musicians, whoever I can help, whoever is suitable, come on board.
Come on board. Okay. So in every show, there'll be ourselves and two others. Right. Right. So it's
wow. So that is really what you've been doing now for the last 11 years. Yeah. You wrote a book,
To Be a Rock and Not to Roll. Oh yeah. That is like Led Zeppelin, Stay Away to Heaven, man.
No. To Be a Rock and Not to Roll. There you go. Actually, there was, before we settled on this
particular title, we had The Impossible Dream. Okay. The Impossible Dream and many, we had three
changes in the book cover and the title. Okay. So finally we went for To Be a Rock but Not to Roll.
And that was written, the first 23 pages was written by me. Okay. So my publisher, who I know
very well, my senior school boy, schoolmate, Mr. Gomez, Douglas Gomez said, Jerry, look,
we must get professional writers. You got to sing, you got to write, no, you will, you know. Yeah.
So he spread words around and we got Robert Consencio. Right. So Robert came on board and
he was so happy because he had never written a book on a musician. So neither. So this is your
biography. Of course. Yeah. It is. Right. It's a story of you. Exactly. And in there is also
reflections of my past life, the reflection to the bands that I grew with, those who inspired me,
those who say this and that. And my entire thing from my career, Singapore, Europe, Hong Kong,
everything. Oh, wow. Wow. Wow. Wait, wait. You said just now Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, you guys
traveled to Europe as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Geez. You guys were like the experiments, man,
because I know that the experiments played in Europe too, right? They went earlier. Ah,
oh, those guys were hot band back then. They went there earlier. I mean, of course,
the earliest Singapore band as a band was the all girl band called the Teepees.
Well, I never heard of them, the Teepees. The Teepees were the first band to pave the way for
local Singapore ex. Where? In Europe. Whoa. Were they? Yeah. The Teepees. They were different
more than 10 years. Oh, wow. And then came experiments, the adapters. Adapters. Okay.
Bandidos. Danny Koh. Ah, Danny Koh, yes. Then I think it's ourselves. Oh. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Okay. How about Roses and Sor Solito? They were just a duo. Yeah. Moses and Chris. Moses and
Chris. Yeah. They never, never been there. I see. Okay. Only via, they really wanted that
work on the grounds of the European continents that they're covering. Austria, Finland, Switzerland.
Oh boy. Southern Italy and. Oh boy. Scandinavia. Holy shit. Man, I'm killed to do that, man.
So you guys really had a lot of fun, huh? We had a lot of fun. We had a lot of experiences. We're
facing a lot of challenges because, you know, every place that we go, the repertoire change,
the people, the different tastes, different tastes. And we got to work hard on that. We got
to keep pounding. And yeah, those are the things that were, it's a challenge, but that brought the
bands so much closer. Yep. Yep. Yep. Cause you guys had to work together. So, so you're not going
to get tight as a band. Very. Be able to recognize your demographics of people you need to perform
for. Yes. Yeah. My goodness. So we were lucky, Chris. We're lucky and we had a chance to play
to be with the Blattis. I had Jennifer Rush. Jennifer Rush. That was in the eighties. Yes.
My goodness. Running up that hill. Oh no, at that time her song was Ring of Fire. Okay. And then
there comes another prominent performer. The New Faces of England, UK. That's why it became N-E-U.
Oh, so you guys were recognized in the UK. Is it? And then. No, we were recognized in Europe and
we wanted to change it because we are appearing with the New Faces and Charles McKay, the leader,
saying, oh, we got new faces. So when we had those changes, we printed t-shirts and all this.
Quickly, we went into recording and we were offered to record in Malay with Polygram,
which we did. We emphasize it's N-E-U. Okay. So you guys did an album or a few? Mukhabaru 1.
1. We supposed to do the second one. Mukhabaru New Faces. So we were supposed to do the second
album, but I did tell the authorities at Polygram that, you know, I have to travel, you know,
if I do that, can I just take it off from here? Because, and they bought all the songs anyway.
They bought all the songs. Right. So that was the Malay album. And then,
yeah. And then I did my, latest was the two songs to Queen's Seventh and the 50th anniversary.
Right. And it was written by me. Right. The two originals. Yeah. Originals. Okay.
How did the original came by? Because I wrote it during the COVID. But the other one, the 4U,
was written for me by a good friend of ours, the original member of Gingerbread, Gary Cui.
Gary Cui is now a preacher in Taiwan. Hey, Jason Shahoo. Why didn't you tell me about this guy?
No, he doesn't know probably. He doesn't know. Maybe slipped the mind. Oh, this was during
Gabriel's time. Yeah. But the name Gingerbread only occurred after Jason got in and then Alfonso
gave the name. Okay. Prior to that, they were, it's an offshoot of the band called Cold Sweat.
Yes, Cold Sweat. Then say, ah, here we go again. For the third time, I'm hearing this name,
Cold Sweat. Oh boy. When Jason, I say this all the time. Every time someone mentions that band's
name, Jason told me about that name. I laughed and nearly fell off my chair. Then Dudley mentioned
it. I laughed again and nearly fell off my chair. I am not going to fall off my chair this time.
I'm kind of numb now when I hear that crazy name, Cold Sweat. Who the hell names a band, Cold Sweat?
I mean, there were so many cool names you mentioned earlier on, right? What the Milky Bar?
Milky Way Electric Guitar Band. I mean, I mean, even that's a bit quirky, but it's kind of cool.
In between all this, Chris, I had a band called Foreign Policy before my national service. Oh,
that's cool, man. Foreign Policy is cool. Yeah, that was nice. Then you cannot want Cold Sweat.
Foreign Policy was a very, you know, we didn't last long, you know. We didn't last long. We had
good members in the band. We had national service obligations, study of obligations.
Yeah, disruption. But we recorded pirate records, you know. Really? Under the King's label.
Holy shit. All cover songs. I mean, it was like, okay, a little bit of a cowboy town we were,
right? But it was fun too. It was. I mean, you guys do a little bit of, you know, just bend the
law a little bit. We do pirate records. We did. Because we didn't know what we were hitting for.
We were excited about recording. And here's Mr. Leung from King's, Sundari Ambahar or whatever.
Only you all to record. It's a one night affair, you know, at an online studio in Jurong.
Uh huh. Oh man. We did it for him. And he was a nice man. We would get it paid.
But not so much of all that, of course. We just wanted to do it and enjoy ourselves.
No man, yeah. It's about the music, man. It's always about the music, man. It's the beat,
the music, the feel of it, man. I mean, if today you were not really under the weather,
I would have loved to sing Long Train Running with you. I took a couple of hours to remaster
the remastered backing track and stuff, you know, and I was so looking forward, but it's cool. No
pressure, man. I mean, I know. I understand. I understand. I hear you. I hear you cough. I know.
It's cool. This was exactly where the whole band was floating. And I, yeah, the ball
ball covered a few places in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Well, Bangkok ball.
And why I grew our hair back. Yeah. Okay. When we came back from Japan, we were in Osaka,
or Kyoto. We were playing the Royal Dominus. Came back. So my mom and dad were saying,
you're going in, going out and your girlfriend or something. I said, then how, dad? Mom said,
it's time that you get married. And this gimmick, what does all this have to go?
And I said, this, I got to talk to my manager. So I told my girls in my listen,
mom and dad says, I got to get married. If you get married, go to Hong Kong,
good Hong Kong, you know, I said, but I got to get married. Man. My mom and dad is telling me,
sit the man took the Marianne Marianne Olivero is my wife. Yes. So told Marianne,
Marianne, no, I got to talk to my parents. And I've been, you know, sorry, he hasn't proposed
to be yet. You know, it's just that my mom, my dad's idea, you get Cyril and Ivy to come here.
Who? My in-laws. Right. Right. Okay. So when they say, dad, mom, my parents want to see you.
And they say, so they've been going along for how many years? Do you know how many years?
Yes. Yeah. They got to get married. They have got to get married. Okay. They're going to get
engagement done this May 26th. Engagement. Those days engagement, engagement. And one year from
there, he'll get married. 1979. He will get married. That will give him enough time to grow his hair.
Yeah. Then my wife's grandfather, a grandfather and a grandma, my grandmother, okay. But her
grandfather and mom, can you walk down the granddaughter wall with all this gimmick, you know?
It's okay. Grew my hair. I grew my hair. Then what happened to the Hong Kong gig?
We went to Hong Kong with her.
Her mic was like, hey, talk to me. And I said, hey.
Okay. Okay. We've been talking for a while now. So just a few more things before we say goodbye.
Looking at the music scene today and to the young musos today, what advice would you give
to them? Those who dream of a career longevity. Nowadays, I don't know whether young people think
about having career longevity, but assuming that there are still some of those out there,
what would you say? From my experience, Chris, is sheer determination. Okay. That's one word.
Stay focused. You may fall along the way. Definitely you'll fall, but pick it up. Continue. You must
have the passion and the feel for what. And this music or singing or whatever instrument you play,
it's a gift from the Lord Almighty. You can get back to maths and practice. You can practice
any other writing in English essays and whatever. You can do that, but don't come and tell me music
can be done in the same manner. No way. It is a gift. It's a spiritual gift. At the time of your
birth, the Lord had just destined what you will be like. Then if you be, you'd be one. Like you,
you and the late Rolling Stones drummer, right? He's a lawyer, but he's playing drums.
Amen. The Stones, man. Sticky fingers, dude. I tell you, I always feel very
elevated when I read about people's background and the determination they had. And then they
went into music. Actually music is a calling, Chris. And they have to, whoever, whoever,
at any period of your journey, you want to do music, go and do it. But sure, determination,
willpower. Don't quit. Don't quit. Don't quit. Continue, man. Okay. And to end off, this interview.
Oh, Chris, you forgot about something. Yeah, I forgot about it. What did I forget?
There's something very, very, very important that happened in my life.
Okay. Did I miss something? You missed. Please remind me. I was, I was thinking you would have
come to that point, but you- What did I miss? Okay. About the divine
blessing that I had. I didn't know about this. If you had a copy of my book. No, I don't. I don't
have a copy of your book. That's a chapter called the divine intervention. Okay. Tell me about this.
That is when in 1997. Okay. When I came back from Dubai. Okay. No, 1997, just before going to Dubai
to perform. All right. October 15th. It was a Friday. Right. My contract with BMB,
six months and I'm performing. I went there 15th of October afternoon soundcheck.
The whole thing belonged to the Japanese. Okay. I was okay. It's only okay. Okay, guys,
tomorrow we are starting 11th soundcheck before we- Not a word, Chris.
What do you mean? I can't. You lost your voice. Yes, totally.
How? I don't know. I was in tears. There's nothing could come out.
Oh wow. And? Not even one syllable. Oh dear.
And I stopped at that point and I told my guys, my guys were looking. I went to the
general manager, the boss, I got this problem. I said, go and see a doctor now.
I went to see my closest family doctor who was treating me, Dr. Sural Kishore.
Cause he's a violinist and a pianist. You see, violinist and a pianist.
Yeah. He was a doctor. Yeah. Yeah. So I went there. He said, hey, what happened? Come sit down.
Hey, Batman, Jerry. I said, then what should I do? He said, go to Jalan Baza, take the Liang Te.
Yeah. I went to see the Liang Te, the Chinese physician. Yeah. Hey,
and they gave me something and said, you rest for two hours, three hours. You'll be all right.
Right. Two hours went by. I was so excited. No voice. I went back to Sural again. His clinic
is called Goodwill. Catholic. Okay. I'm going to give you a letter. You go to Glan Eagle and see
the Ralph Stanley specialist. He and his specialist went there. He was there. No. Yeah.
He was attending to a Japanese client. Then his assistant called me in.
Sit down. Sit down. What's happened? Say no voice. I'm writing. I went in my mouth. I pulled my tongue.
Oh Jerry, this is bad. What's this is bad? See what happened to me. Okay. He said, you are having
chronic laryngitis. Oh wow. And this needs surgery. Oh no. I broke down man. I said,
create surgery. He said, no. Drink some water. You'll be all right. Don't worry. I'm going to show you
before I do the surgery. Arrested. He called me back. He put in his tubes in there. There's a
screen there. He said, this is what you are suffering. You're bleeding from the
channel. You're breathing and you're in this bleeding. It's going to be even worse.
And you need a surgery. I said, can you do it now? I said, I can, but you're not going to sing
for the next six months. I said, I got my two boys in school. And they said, I might have to do.
Say, I'm willing to do the surgery. Go get dressed and come back. I'll lie down there. He put
everything out. He said, you want me to put you to sleep? I said, no, I want to see what you're doing.
It's going to be painful. So he ran and doing it. I'm both, you know, how long was it?
The procedure was about close to 50 minutes. I can see everything. Finished. A bit knocked out.
They prescribed everything and then the coach and everything. And then all the medication.
Said, you're not going to sing. I'm going to give you a testimonial. And this x-ray,
I went straight to the Japanese boss and said, no, I can't sing for six months. I said, never mind.
You take care. We'll get the substitute to sing in. So that's what happened. So that was,
that was a scenario. There was Thursday, Friday and Saturday. And normally I and my wife and my
two boys will attend the novena. But they are all to serve as there too. They went and came back.
They said, dad, there's a healing priest. I said, where? St. Michael church? Oh, we should go there.
Andrew, what went to St. Michael church? Chris, what, look at the people that there. So many,
you know, when you are wanting and you feel so rejected, I said, both of you go and check it out.
They went. Dad, a lot of people that, why not you come back tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?
There's a special prayer session dealing for those children taking the exams. I said, okay. What time?
Four o'clock. I came alone, Chris. I drove. I went there at 2.45. Okay. 2.45 Chris. I parked
the church inside the church compound and I woke up because St. Michael church, the sacristy is on
top of it. Okay. And I saw this figure. This must be the priest. I called him. He came. I said,
father, I can't sing. And I need to sing. Come. And he started to pray over you. Okay. Well, Chris,
he prayed when he spoke to me, Chris, the tone is different. His tone of voice is different. Okay.
When he started to put his hand on my head and he said, you will sing like the choirs of angels.
And his hands were trembling, man. And I'm crying. I'm crying. He helped me say, you came in faith.
I said, thank you. No, you don't thank me. You thank the one above. I came so far. I thought Chris
had muscle. I attend a healing service. I managed to get the fourth pew from the friend. One.
And then sat down. I was in prayers like Chris, you know, come what may, I just praying, praying.
I was crying also because one of my sons, all fees and whatever, responsibilities. Yeah. Then the
service started. There was father with his all everything. And father Vincent Lim was there.
Okay. Offertree. At the offer tree, Chris, I sang. Oh, wow. Chris, just so for everyone to know,
this is a Catholic service or Catholic mass. Okay. And there are different segments of the mass.
And this is what Jerry's referring to. Yes. In case of those who are not Catholic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
So at that point of the year, offertree and I was singing, Chris, I stood up while the rest are
kneeling down. I didn't, I didn't realize what I was doing. Okay. I just knew I want to be with the
Lord up there and tell me where I go wrong. Stand up and I sang. Okay. And the voice
from there came one prison warden before. Yeah. Jerry, the Holy Spirit's within you.
And so was the rest of them. And I just sang. Then you got your voice back. At that point.
So it was quite miraculous. It is. Bless are you Lord God of all creation. Thanks to your goodness.
I can imagine. I didn't want to deny that of Jesus. Yeah. I know he's up there. He has given me the
lease of life. But this is what I love most. And you went back to singing after that. You went back
to the Japanese guys. I went back home, Chris, opened the door, my sister said, you're talking.
Okay. And my wife said, and my mom said, hey. Then I told myself, I go tonight to the club.
The boys were saying, Jerry, don't stretch. You go back home. You take your rest first. We need you.
17th of January, the opening of the new NTC club called the celebration. So I said, all right. So
who was helping me? Dixie Ferdinand. You know, Mel's brother. Yeah. Gypsy. The band Gypsy.
So this was one miraculous thing. So Robert Consencio, my writer and my publisher, Douglas said,
Jerry, this has to be done. Put in the book. They call it the divine intervention. I said, all right.
This is Jerry. This will be good. And to me it was good because the believers are non-believers. You
better read it and try and understand. I'm not here to evangelize anyone, but telling you the
experience, the journey that I went through when all, can you imagine my doctors had given me
medication. I wouldn't want to go and tell them, look, I'm cured. But well, you know, your sons
did you a favor. They told you about that. Oh yes, Robin and Jeremy did me a favor. And you went for
the healing mass. You were prayed over and all that. I mean, I'm Catholic, you know, and I can
completely relate to what you're saying. Okay, everyone. Yeah, this is Jerry. This is a secular
show, but it's his story and his story to tell. And I'm happy for you, man, that there was this
divine intervention and you managed to get back to singing after that, right? Yeah. And life went on
as goofy as it possibly could. Exactly. You know, this interview is a tribute to your incredible
career. And on behalf of the Singaporeans that really care about our music, thank you so much,
Jerry. And thank you also, please extend our thanks to the new faces, the boys in the new faces.
From 52 years ago till today, we thank you guys, all of you who are part and parcel of the new faces.
Yeah. These are guys. Yeah. Except Chris, you know, that, okay, the guy in the brown jacket,
yeah, he's on wheelchair. Oh dear. Okay. And the guy standing right at the back, Joe has passed away.
Okay. Elephantitis. The remaining three of us, the white is Amero, myself, and the yellow jacket is
Junie. Okay. And the other latest inclusion is Amri and Salim. Okay. So we thank you and we thank
the band and new faces for all those who are part and parcel of the new faces for the last 52 years.
And this is to end the show, I'm going to ask you to maybe look into your camera right over there
and say anything you'd like to say to your fans for the unwavering support over the past 52 years.
Yes, Chris, thank you so much for giving this particular moment to say it. I'd like to thank
all of you who are watching and listening to the show. I must tell you, without your people's
support, I wouldn't have come this far. And well above that would be the love of the family. The
family have been supporting me a lot, even at this age and this time, they're behind me. And I thank
God. Thank you, Chris. My pleasure, sir. Thank you for being on the show. We're going to end this
program, this particular episode, this our tribute to Jerry Fernandez, with a song, with a video
that of the performance recently in Pick Kill of this. Wow. I love this particular number,
by the way. That's why I picked the song vehicle. Enjoy this one until next time.
We'll see you guys again soon. OK, bye bye.
Wait, baby.
Wait, I don't know.
No, I love you.
If you want to be a movie star, I take you to the Hollywood.
You want to be just like you are. I think you really should.
You know, I think you want to go. But now I'm sure you know that I love you. I need you. I want you.
I have you, child. We got another, you know, I love you. You know, I do. I want guitar, brother.
Oh
Hey, hey, I'm a friendly stranger on the black sedan.
Up inside the car
Got beaches scanned, I'm a love of a man
Can't get you then you're a star
I'm a vagabond baby
I'll take you anywhere you wanna go
I'm a vagabond
By now I'm sure you know
That I love ya, I need ya
Want ya, to have you child
Great God, I never did know I loved you
Hey, you know I do
That I love ya, I need ya
Want ya, to have you child
Great God in heaven you know I love you
Thanks for watching!