1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,560 It was very difficult because nobody made any disco equipment. We had to build everything ourselves. 2 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:14,000 You read my mind. Yeah, okay. So I knew that was coming because really, we had a hard time. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:20,000 I mean, you know, luckily we had the help of the Reef Efficient Engineers who said, 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,680 okay, we'll build you a mixer so that you can... Why these guys? These guys are magicians, man. 5 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:24,640 Yeah. They did that. 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:32,480 What? So Larry, you know something? I was just telling you just now on the ride here, right? 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:38,720 And you know, I mean, it's so exciting because you're one of my heroes. 8 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:44,880 And I'm actually having you here next to me in the studio. It's so exciting. Can you imagine 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:51,360 how excited I've been? I've been telling people, guess what? Larry Lai is coming on the show, man. 10 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,520 And I've been so excited just to have you here. Really, man? Yeah. 11 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,840 You are so kind. And I've been so excited. 12 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,520 And to hear your voice right here in my cans, wow. 13 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,360 An old man's voice. No, no, no, no. 14 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,400 Thank goodness that the voice hasn't quite aged as the rest of me. 15 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:19,680 No. I can tell you, man, it sounds so good right in my ears. 16 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:23,840 Mm-hmm. Yeah. It's the familiar Larry Lai's tone. 17 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:31,360 The familiar tone. And you're one of my heroes, you know? The people I've been so blessed because 18 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,800 ever since I started the show, this is a tribute show. And this is my tribute to you. 19 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,000 Oh, great. Thanks. 20 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:46,880 There have been others before you that I've paid tribute to, upon which some of those that I have 21 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:54,720 grown up listening to, watching, admiring, striving to be just like these guys. 22 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,000 Oh, wow. And I remember when I was a kid 23 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:06,240 in the late 70s and into the early 80s, sitting at home with my folks watching TV, 24 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:15,840 then I see this man, larger than life, on my TV set with those big glasses. 25 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:24,560 Yeah, right. And that suave, silky voice, you know? I mean, and I go, what the hell? Who is that? 26 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,680 And I said to myself, you know, you're one of those responsible for me, 27 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:37,680 without you knowing, a lot of people didn't. And you're one of those. Then I went and I said to myself, 28 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:47,520 I want to be that guy. I want to do shows like that. I want to dress up like that and do stuff 29 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:59,680 like that, you know? And you were part of this big influence on guys like me. And I was like, 30 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:07,600 what's the big influence on guys like me? You may not know this. And I'm pretty sure there are others 31 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:14,880 out there as well, guys of my generation, perhaps, who've gotten behind the microphone. And Larry Lai 32 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:20,800 was also partly responsible for that. Really? Yeah. Good to know. And that's the reason why 33 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:27,840 I invited you here. And I want to pay tribute to you to say thank you. Wow. And also on behalf 34 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:36,160 of all, you are the voice of that generation. So kind of you to say. 35 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:49,200 How did you get into this? Actually, quite accidentally. Really? Because in school, 36 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:55,920 well, just before leaving school, people ask me, what do you want to do when you leave school? And 37 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:04,160 I really wanted to be a journalist. Okay. You know, but at the time when I left school, it was 1958. 38 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:10,320 Okay. There were two English newspapers in Singapore at that time, the Tiger Standard. 39 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:16,480 Do you remember that? No, not at all. And the straight signs. The straight signs, we all know. 40 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:23,200 But the Tiger Standard is new to me, man. Tiger Standard closed in 1958. Okay. The year that I 41 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:30,560 left school. So I knew there wouldn't be any room for a cub reporter like me starting out. Which school 42 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:37,600 were you from? Utrim. Utrim Secondary? Yeah, Utrim Secondary. Okay. It was a first government 43 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:47,440 government school? Commercial school. Oh, okay. Yeah. Right. And I, my father forced me there 44 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:55,840 because he wanted me to start work, you know, right after school. So that was it. The school was 45 00:04:55,840 --> 00:05:02,720 already popular, especially with banks because of bookkeeping classes that we had. Right. And 46 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:09,440 the banks actually sought us out. They came, you know, went to the school, approached the school 47 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:15,360 and said, hey, send me your graduates. Wow. Okay. Right. But you didn't go to the bank instead? 48 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,920 No, I didn't. You wanted to be a journalist. Okay. And what happened after that? Tiger 49 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:26,800 Standard closed down. Yeah. So I decided, no, I wouldn't go that route. How about the straight 50 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:31,200 signs? Why didn't you go to the straight signs then? No, at that time, as I said, you know, 51 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:37,280 with the Tiger Standard closing, all the good reporters are absorbed by the times. Right. By 52 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:43,440 ST. Okay. So I said, ah, don't waste my time. You know, so I took the first job that was offered to 53 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:50,880 me. It was a friend of my father's and it was a trading company and they actually started a 54 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:58,400 whole department for me. But it was a one man show. Okay. At that time, if you remember, it was the 55 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:06,240 time of the exodus of the British families, all going home to England and lots of packing and 56 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:13,600 baggaging business to be done, packing all the household effects. Right. So for logistics move back home, 57 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:20,640 back to home. So that was a good move on my father's friends. He was quite smart. You know, he 58 00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:28,400 lept in, he was the first to go in there and we did a lot of packing and baggaging. Right. And I was 59 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:34,560 the only guy in the office. I took the calls. I made the appointments. I had a team of packers, 60 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:43,760 you know, that I sent out and that was it. And after a while, I think I worked at it for nearly a year. 61 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:51,840 And I got a little tired of it. Sorry to just stop you here for a bit, Larry. How old were you at 62 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:59,040 that time when you were working in a trading company? 20. 20. Yep. Okay. I left school at 19 63 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:06,640 and I started work at 20. Wow. Okay. So for a year you were there? Yep. For a year I was there. 64 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:13,680 Okay. And then somebody told me, hey, Rediffusion's looking for announcers. Wow. Would you like to 65 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:20,960 apply? I need to stop you there. For viewers and listeners, especially if you're not from Singapore 66 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:27,840 and especially if you're really young and you would not know this, Rediffusion was this little box 67 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:38,240 that a lot of households actually had back in the day. Yep. And it's cable radio. So it has only two 68 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:44,560 switches on the box. One that can switch to a Chinese channel and one that switches to the 69 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:50,560 English channel. That's gold and silver. And then after that you've got gold and silver. Correct. 70 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:56,000 Gold was English, wasn't it? No, gold was Chinese. Silver was English. Right. And then the other knob 71 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:04,560 is the volume knob. Wow. Because it doesn't consume any electricity, you can leave it on all day. 72 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:11,280 Yep. And people think that there's people at home. And it was a stereo, wasn't it? No, it wasn't. It 73 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:22,000 was a mono. Yeah, and it was not hi-fi. It was more like low-fo. Low-fo. And so you went to 74 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:27,200 Rediffusion. How did that happen? How do you get into Rediffusion? Well, as I said, a friend told 75 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:35,040 me that they're looking for announcers and would like to try. So I said, why not? Okay, I'll give 76 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:44,960 it a shot. So I went in there and there was a whole series of auditions from vocal, you know, 77 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:54,560 verbal to written. Right. And there were 300 of us applying for the two posts. Okay. And the other 78 00:08:54,560 --> 00:09:04,080 guy who got in with me was Sui Leung. Tan Sui Leung. Wow. Yep. One of my best friends. And one of my 79 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:10,240 longest friends until he passed a few years ago. I know. At the old Saints Home. I know that one. 80 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:16,240 Let me just tell you a little story about that. Short, a little short story. I was asked, I was 81 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:26,000 approached to host the opening of the old Saints Home in Yishun years ago. And it was a charity show. 82 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:31,760 So I have, I make it a point. Every year I do at least one charity show for free. Good for you. 83 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:38,000 I know. I do that too. I've learned it from guys like you. Because a lot of guys from your 84 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:45,920 your generation and after all do the same. And I heard from the organizers, they were very clever. 85 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:53,120 They told me, do you know who's in our home? I said, who? Sui Leung. And they went, no. I said, 86 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:59,920 yes. Then, and I said, okay, I'll tell you what, I'll do it. I'll do the show. Now that I know that, 87 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:07,920 you know, Sui Leung is there under your care. Hold on. I visited him so often. Where was it? 88 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:15,760 In Yishun, wasn't it? The old Saints Home. The old Saints Home. Yeah. And I know also quite a number 89 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:20,400 of people actually visit him frequently. Guys like, and shout out to you too, Peter Baldwin. Yeah, 90 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:26,880 yeah. He goes there to visit as well, Sui Leung. And when I heard that, I said, no, I gotta do my 91 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:32,960 bit. At least I don't know him. I don't know, I'm too young. I don't know Sui Leung. Of course, 92 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:39,680 I know of him. Yeah. I've seen him. I've heard him. It's like you, you know. And I put my best foot 93 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:46,240 forward and okay. I did the show. And that's my story. Yeah. I promise to have kept it short. I 94 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:55,600 hope I kept it short. Okay. And interesting. Yeah. I was with Sui Leung until he passed. And 95 00:10:55,600 --> 00:11:05,200 that hit me quite badly. I'm sorry. Anyway, well, lost so many good friends over the years. 96 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:11,440 Sui Leung's one of them. Yep. Yep. And you're friends with Mike Ellery as well, right? 97 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:17,760 Oh yeah. We started off with him being my boss. Mike Ellery was your boss? Yes, he was. What a 98 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:25,680 voice man. And then he became my partner because I started the mobile disco business and I invited 99 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:34,640 him in and we were partners on Moby Dick. Moby Dick was yours? Yes. Oh, you didn't know? 100 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:45,680 No. I didn't know. I chose the name Moby Dick because one, my favorite book by Melville. Yeah. 101 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:54,480 And two, it's a natural short form for mobile disco. Right. I know Moby Dick. I know. I mean, 102 00:11:54,480 --> 00:12:02,240 I heard so much about Moby Dick. Wow. Wow. That's a revelation to me. I didn't know it was yours. 103 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:09,120 Well, at first, when we first started, nobody would talk to us. Nobody understood disco. Right. 104 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:14,960 Really, I don't know. Nobody would really. Yeah. You guys were like the pioneers. Yeah, we were. 105 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:23,680 We started the very first mobile disco. May I just ask? Sure. If Moby Dick was in the forefront 106 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:30,800 or the pioneer, one of the pioneers, right? How about Paul Cheung? No, Paul Cheung worked for us 107 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:40,240 at first. Oh. So did Brian Richmond and Bernard Silosa. They all started with Moby Dick and then 108 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:46,640 they saw that it was quite profitable so they branched out on their own. So Larry, Uncle Brian, 109 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:53,760 I have to call you Grandpa Larry now because I call Brian Richmond Uncle Brian. Yeah. So can I call 110 00:12:53,760 --> 00:13:00,240 you Grandpa Larry? Yeah, why not? Okay. I am a grandfather anyway. Of course you are. Yes. But you came 111 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:06,960 before Brian, Uncle Brian? Oh yeah. I'm seven years older than him. But you started on air 112 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:15,840 before Uncle Brian? Yes. I started at 20 and he came in. You are the grand daddy of all of us. 113 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:20,960 Not really. Hold on. Anybody else older than, no, I thought they were the most. 114 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:29,120 There were others before you? Oh yeah. Well, my hero was Mike Ellery. Okay. So Mike, 115 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:36,640 Mike, is he still with us? No, unfortunately. When did he pass? Quite a few years ago. I 116 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:44,640 didn't know that. Not in Singapore, right? No, he passed in London. In London. After he decided to 117 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:52,080 retire, I sort of bought him off his share of the business and he went back to England. 118 00:13:53,280 --> 00:14:00,080 And he got sick. He had some knee problems first. Okay. It was in a wheelchair. 119 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:08,240 And after that, he just got sicker and sicker, you know. Who was really close to him at that time, 120 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:18,400 at that phase in his life was Vernon Cornelius. Okay. Vernon used to call him and talk to him 121 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:24,080 very often. Vernon Cornelius is the guy that never answers my calls or answers my texts. Really? 122 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:30,480 Yes. Okay. I'm saying it. I thought it was Brian who doesn't answer. 123 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:38,960 Well, Brian, Uncle Brian was actually slaughtered to come on this season with me. But for some 124 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:46,800 reason, I think obviously he has his good reason for it. He can't make it. Yeah. I heard he's not 125 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:52,400 well. Okay. I've been trying to contact him but he never answers his phone. Oh dear. And he never 126 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:59,120 replies to WhatsApp. I hope he's, I hope he, I hope and that's not true. I hope he's okay. I hope 127 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:04,800 he's, I hope so too. I heard he's got some vision problem. Right. That's secondhand news though. 128 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:11,520 Okay. Secondhand news please. Not fact checking. But really Uncle Brian, I hope you're fine. I 129 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:16,880 would have loved having you here. And I'm so happy to have you again, you know, Larry. I mean, 130 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:22,080 grandpa Larry. Yeah. I really gotta call you that. I gotta call you that. Okay, let's go back to that. 131 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:31,120 Chronology again. So you went there, you best friends with the late Tan Sway Liang. Great 132 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:38,800 voice too. I mean, my goodness. Football was great having him around too. Yeah, right. And you guys 133 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:45,200 had it working. Your boss was also the late and what a voice, Mike Allery in Rediffusion. In 134 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:51,200 Rediffusion. Okay, how about Eric Lim? Eric Lim came a bit later. Ah, okay. There's another man of a 135 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:58,400 fantastic voice. Yeah. Yes. Okay. I think he's in Australia now. He's an ostrich farmer, isn't he? 136 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:07,520 He comes back every now and then. But he never says hello so I don't know what's up with him. 137 00:16:07,520 --> 00:16:14,720 What a hell of a voice, you know, he's got. Okay, so grandpa Larry is there in Rediffusion. Mike 138 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:23,600 Allery, the boss. But which means that it was never in your, never on the cards for you to really 139 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:33,040 be that a voice on air. No, it wasn't my first ambition in life, no. Then when you landed in 140 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:40,160 Rediffusion and you started doing it, how did you feel about it? Well, we had three months of so-called 141 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:48,080 training. It wasn't really formal training. It was just double banking. That's a term we use for 142 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:55,040 sitting down and watching the other senior announcers through their work. Right. We just sit through 143 00:16:55,920 --> 00:17:02,160 with them, keeping them company through the night shift. That sounds like me too. About a month ago, 144 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:10,080 I was in a media corp in Go 905 training to be part-time on air for them. I don't 145 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:16,320 know whether it's going to come true or not, but it was fun. I was great. I sat down with 146 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:23,760 Philip Chu just before he announced his retirement. And you know, I think I was the last guy he trained. 147 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:30,560 So I was in the studio and also the same like you, you know, watching how work is being done 148 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,640 and how they work this stuff. But back then when you were watching, what were these guys using? 149 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:44,160 Turntables? Yep, turntables. There's this great picture of you. Larry on Rediffusion, can we have 150 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:52,800 that picture up please? Not that one. This one. Yeah. There we go. That's studio two. That's our 151 00:17:52,800 --> 00:17:57,920 Conti studio. This is Credit 2 goes to Straits Times for this picture. So I got to say that. 152 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:02,480 Can we have that up again, please? Just keep it up there for a bit. I just love looking at that picture. 153 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:08,800 Okay, not that one, Kai. That one. Yeah. Okay. That, but just hold it there for a bit. So you 154 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:16,160 were working on turntables. Yep. And the telephone's there for call-ins? Yes. And call-outs, you know. 155 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:23,440 Okay. How many turntables? I see that. I count three. Three. Gosh. Two and a spare one. 156 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:30,160 So you're playing music, you're pulling out records, and you're putting it on, and you're playing. 157 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:36,320 You gotta be kidding me, man. No. And the thing is, sometimes we don't even get to hear the song 158 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:41,600 that is actually playing because we're monitoring the second one. Right. Yeah. Well, you know, 159 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:48,400 monitoring, choosing the tracks. So we're listening to the, to the alternate turntable. Yeah, the next 160 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,400 song is going to be coming up. That's right. But you don't mix it in, right? Like a club DJ does. 161 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:57,520 Oh, no, no. And not at that time. At that time, we didn't know how. Right. It was just end to end. 162 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:03,600 So just chopping it in? Yeah. Okay. And only, only records or are there other stuff that you guys use? 163 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:11,760 Well, we had tapes. Uh-huh. Not cassette tapes. No, just cartridges. Not cartridges. We, we didn't 164 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:19,520 use cartridges. Uh-huh. Because it's hard to queue up. Okay. Yeah. So we, we use open reels. Open 165 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,200 reels? Yep. I mean, isn't that a lot of work? I mean, you gotta put, 166 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:29,200 you gotta put, you gotta put a record. You gotta put record for songs. No. Uh, when, when we use 167 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:35,120 the tape, it was just probably one time because the tape will probably run for at least a quarter of 168 00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:42,320 an hour. Ah, and all the advertising's on that? Uh, no. No commercials and stuff? No, no. Commercials 169 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:50,800 are played on a homemade disc. Uh, Radio Fusion had a record maker. Uh, and they had a record 170 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:58,880 uh, Radio Fusion had a record maker, you know? Really? Yeah. It was huge. It was like 12 inch, 171 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:06,960 no bigger than 12 inch. It was larger than 12 inch. What is that thing? 18 inch. 18 inches? Yeah. What, 172 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:14,080 what is that thing? What's it called? Just a record player. But it's 18? Recorder, recorder, 173 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:21,040 and player. The disc was that big and very fragile actually. So that's where the commercials come 174 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:29,280 from. Yeah. So you've gotta play, you gotta play song. Song. Song. Reel. That 18 inch thing for 175 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:35,440 commercials. Yep. Is it anything else that you gotta do? No, there's time in between this. 176 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:41,040 But it's, that's quite comfortable. That's so much work. Yeah, but you're, you're pretty agile. 177 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:47,200 Yeah. Had to be. Back in the day when, when, when, when DJs on the airways are like 178 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:54,560 octopuses, man. Yeah, right. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Respect. Respect. Big respect. I mean, 179 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:59,760 these days with new technology and all, you don't need anything for a couple of fingers. 180 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:06,000 So grandpa Larry ends up in Reel-i-Fusion, becomes an octopus, so all these things. Gets 181 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,800 really good at it. Three months into training. How did you feel? Did you feel good? You feel happy? 182 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:15,360 You doing this? Did you like the sound of your tone? Did you ever think that your voice was so 183 00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:20,560 silky? No, we never even thought of that. Really? When you say we, you're representing the rest of 184 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:25,920 the guys? True. I mean, I don't think we ever consciously think of a, you know, how good our 185 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:30,800 voices sound or what, you know. Goodness, really? Really? Goodness. Because like I mentioned earlier, 186 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:38,000 the sound of the show, right? I mean, I mean, all guys like me is so, and I know some people I know 187 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:45,120 will sit down and just be in awe of the voices of the names, the voices and the names of the people 188 00:21:45,120 --> 00:21:53,200 we've just talked about. And we go, oh, you know, it's like magic. And you guys never thought of 189 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:59,760 that? No, not really. Even the late Bernard Silosa. Come on. No. That voice. Well, we never talked 190 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:06,800 about it, not openly anyway. Maybe they thought to themselves, I wouldn't know. But as I said, 191 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:13,040 we never discussed it. You know, my, you know, when, when, when my grandmother was alive, 192 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:19,760 my late grandmother, and we were watching, watching the shows you've, you hosted on TV, 193 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:30,720 and she would go, oh, Larry Lai, his voice. Oh, wow. Oh, a lot of ladies at home had a crush on 194 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:36,480 you, man. I can tell you. Yeah. I met some of them. They're old ladies now. 195 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:47,040 Doesn't matter if I'm back, way back when they were not. Way back when they were kind of young. 196 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:54,320 Yeah, true, true. But really, I mean, it was so captivating that your generation of DJs and 197 00:22:54,320 --> 00:23:02,080 presenters were so captivating. I will never forget. And everything's about those standards, 198 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:07,440 you know? You guys brought the standards into, and I say this so often on this show, 199 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:14,640 to so many people, names are dropped all the time. Even, even, I gotta say this, I gotta say this, 200 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:21,440 Peter Baldwin, great voice. Yep. Wonderful voice. I'm saying it, Peter. Give me a call. 201 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:28,160 Yeah, so yeah. And it's marvelous, really. Yeah, okay. So, Rediffusion, 202 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:36,240 didn't think about it that way. It was a job then. Yes, it was. And how long were you at Rediffusion? 203 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:45,760 I was there for a long time, more than 18 years. Wow. And I had to think about 204 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:52,000 leaving because if I didn't leave before I was 40, I might lose the courage. 205 00:23:53,760 --> 00:24:04,000 So you left at about what, 35, 36? 39. 39. About that, yeah. I left in 1978. I was eight years old. 206 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:14,560 Ah. And then, then started part-timing on radio and TV. Part-timing. Hang on. So you ended up in 207 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:22,240 you ended up in SBC or RTS? RTS, SBC, whatever the name was then. They've gone through so many 208 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:27,360 changes. Oh yeah, yeah. I know, man. I mean, RTS, radio, television, Singapore, then to Singapore 209 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:32,160 Broadcasting Corporation, then to Television Corporation Singapore, TCS, and then now Media 210 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:42,160 Corp. Yep. And okay, back then, if I recall, probably it was RTS. Possibly. Yeah. I can't 211 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:49,040 remember. Okay. So when you were, you were part-timing? Yeah, I was a freelancer. Oh, you were? 212 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:54,480 Yeah. Could have fooled us because we, I would have thought you were full-time. I know. Even the 213 00:24:54,480 --> 00:25:00,640 security guard thought we were full-time because we were there so often. This is Caldecott Hill, 214 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:06,800 right? Caldecott Hill. Right. Okay. And you, and you left Radio Fusion full-time because you wanted 215 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:12,320 to go further. You wanted to take it somewhere instead of being stuck in one spot, right? That's 216 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:18,640 true. And also to develop the business I started while at Radio Fusion. Ah, now we're getting 217 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:29,760 somewhere. Okay. When I started the mobile disco in 1969, would you believe, when nobody even heard 218 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:37,920 of the word disco? 1969? 1969. As I said, at that time, nobody would talk to us. Nobody understood 219 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:43,760 what a discotheque was. Well, I don't blame them. I don't think anyone would, yeah. What the heck was 220 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:50,000 disco? Yeah, right. Disco came to its head, especially in my mind, Saturday Night Fever. I know. 221 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:55,920 That's the starting point. Yeah. When it really took off. Yeah. Abba, Boni M, you know, at that time. 222 00:25:55,920 --> 00:26:03,040 Mm. But 1969, it was still like the Beatles just, you know, went to Hare Krishna or something. 223 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:13,440 Yellow Submarine, you know, and it wasn't disco yet. No. It was hippie. No, it was already disco. 224 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:19,280 I mean, we made sure people knew the word. But as I said, you know, nobody would talk to us because 225 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:25,440 they didn't know that dancing to records was what's going to be a thing. So this idea of mobile, 226 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:31,520 the mobile disco, how did you get that idea? I didn't get it. I copied it from the Americans. 227 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:38,640 So the Americans had that concept. Well, they had the record hops, the school dances. Yeah. You know. 228 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:44,080 Like the German hops in the universities. Yeah. Right. So that's how it started. So can I ask you, 229 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:54,160 Grandpa Larry, when you started the mobile disco thing, it had got to be, how should I put this 230 00:26:54,160 --> 00:27:01,120 across? It was very difficult because nobody made any disco equipment. We had to build everything 231 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:08,880 ourselves. You read my mind. Yeah. Okay. So I knew that was coming because really we had a hard time. 232 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:15,760 I mean, you know, luckily we had the help of the Reef Fusion engineers who said, okay, we'll build 233 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:19,840 you a mixer so that you can. What are these guys? These guys are magicians, man. They did that? 234 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:27,600 You can just spin one record on turntable A and then cross over to turntable B with a mixer. 235 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,240 And they built that. And they built that from scratch. 236 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:42,080 And lights, don't talk about lights. The only disco lights available at that time 237 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:50,960 were the ultraviolet and strobe lights. I mean the ultraviolet, the neon lights, the signs. 238 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:58,400 No. What they call the black light then. Okay. It's ultraviolet and you know, you send under it. 239 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:07,600 And you start looking pink and stuff. Yeah. Right. And if you have any false teeth, that will show. 240 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:13,760 And white hair. If you dye your hair, it will show too. Yeah. 241 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:28,160 Can you attest a hundred percent, Grandpa Larry, that Mubi Jake in Singapore's history 242 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:40,560 is indeed the first mobile disco in the land. Yes, definitely. Oh, whoa. But as I said, it was 243 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:45,920 not an original idea. I got the idea from the American. It doesn't matter. You were the original 244 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:52,720 here. Let me tell you. I mean, my late dad, yeah. I'm so happy to hear this because these things 245 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:59,840 excite me. My late dad was quite a figure in the police force back in the day. People know him as 246 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:05,920 Inspector Ensign. Okay. When he left the force, he was from the straight settlement police, 247 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:12,000 colonial police. When he left the force, a couple of years after he left the force, he started 248 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:20,560 Singapore's first security and private investigation business. In the end, he started, he founded 249 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:28,800 it as a chairman of the association. And today, in the last couple of years, they began this. 250 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:33,920 The highest award to a security and private investigation company is called the Alexander 251 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:41,520 Hansen Award. So my dad started the first in that business, that sector, security and private 252 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:49,600 investigation. And now I'm sitting next to a man who started something that is in my blood, 253 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:54,480 because I've been doing that for coming 40 years. I mean, 40 years, not coming 40 years. Really? Yes. 254 00:29:55,760 --> 00:30:02,720 In the events business, or as an entertainer, as an emcee, as a singer. Heck, I do a lot of things. 255 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:12,720 And you were the granddaddy of it all. Yes. In fact, when I asked Mike to be my partner on 256 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:19,760 Moby Dick, that was only because he was my boss at Rediffusion. And we were using Rediffusion records. 257 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:26,000 Well, you were being so politically right there, man. He was the right politics to play. Yep. 258 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:34,000 I'm sure Mike knew that. I'm sure he did too. But in the end, you know, he agreed and we used to take 259 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:41,280 the mobile disco out every weekend. And we would take turns. He'll take it up one weekend, I will 260 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:46,160 do the next. So you were the guys that were not just helming the business, but you were also 261 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:54,160 operating the shows. Yes. I tell you, the disco equipment would fit into the back of my car. 262 00:30:54,800 --> 00:31:02,240 I had to get a Ford Falcon, you know, with a large boot and a big back seat. 263 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:10,320 And that's it. We would carry all the records, all the lights, everything into the car. And we'd go 264 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:17,840 there to the venue at about maybe three or four in the afternoon and set it all up. That was hard 265 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:26,480 work. Oh yeah, I know. I know all about that. And then actually do the show from like 7 p.m. until 266 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:31,120 midnight or whatever. Then tear down everything on the stove and put it back in the car. 267 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:42,160 Yeah, you're going to end up in Adam Road for too long. Yeah right. Oh I know all about that. 268 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:49,440 But it's amazing. Amazing that you guys were really the grand daddies of it all, man. Thank you. 269 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:57,120 Thank you, Larry. You are welcome. Thank you very much. Oh, I forgot. At the back seat, everything 270 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:02,160 goes in there. All the records, all the lightings, everything. And in the front seat, we had a bench 271 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:11,280 seat in front. Two go-go girls. I mean, how much better can life get? Well, we had to, you know, 272 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:18,480 just for 50 bucks. And they end up dancing near the console. They dance on table tops. Oh man. 273 00:32:18,480 --> 00:32:29,840 And we thought we were funky now, man. You guys were funkier. Wow. Oh wow. And they had, they wore 274 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:38,720 bikinis and we had day glow paint all over them. Hey, Singapore, you know what you guys are missing? 275 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:49,040 Seriously? You don't know what you've missed, man. And this was way back in 69, 70. Oh man. Now at 85, 276 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:56,160 coming 85. Don't mind me, I'm mentioning your age. Sure. I don't keep it a secret. Yes sir. Thank you 277 00:32:56,160 --> 00:33:05,200 for that. Being 30 years my senior and looking at things today, and you must have read the articles 278 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:11,840 in the last maybe week or so, or last two weeks. You know, Stephen Francis and Rob Collins, they 279 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:16,320 were on the show last week. We talked about this. I think I'll be speaking about this too to the 280 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:23,360 guests coming on this series for the tribute show to SG Music Icons, people like Jeremy 281 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:28,560 Montero and all that. I will ask the same question I'm going to be asking you now and then ask of the 282 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:41,200 rest before. Nightlife in Singapore, is it dying or dead? It's different. It has evolved. Back in 283 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:50,720 the day when disco was going, it was in the mid 70s. Right. Because when we started the mobile 284 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:57,760 disco, we were mobile, really. Every week we just took our equipment out, set them up and played at 285 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:03,840 different venues. And the only people who would talk to us were the expatriate clubs, the American 286 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:08,480 club, the British club, you know, people like that. Right. None of the locals would have anything to 287 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:14,800 do with us because they haven't even heard of the word disco. You know, so that really that was a 288 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:21,920 hard time. It was a hard time starting up. Wow. But we enjoyed it. Wow. So your challenge back then 289 00:34:21,920 --> 00:34:28,480 for the mobile disco business is that the locals didn't understand it. Yes. And only the Masalas 290 00:34:28,480 --> 00:34:37,920 and the Angmohs understood that. But the challenge we have today is that we know it exists, but people 291 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:45,120 either want to lowball us. I don't know if you understand the term lowball. Yes, of course. And at the same time, 292 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:54,640 or for clubs and bars and clubs and bars and even hotels, just like I said to Stephen and Rob, 293 00:34:55,360 --> 00:35:02,400 to me it's unforgivable. It's budget. Right. Because of rents. Yeah. So it's tough today. 294 00:35:03,520 --> 00:35:11,840 It was as tough for you guys when Singaporeans didn't understand disco or the concept of mobile 295 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:22,640 disco. But in a way, it was lucky for us because at that time, good bands were hard to find. Right. 296 00:35:22,640 --> 00:35:30,880 They were either very expensive or they were no damn good. You know, so nightclubs had to import 297 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:38,480 talent from Indonesia, Philippines, groups. Oh, wait, wait, wait. Sorry, I've got to stop you there, 298 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:45,280 Grandpa Larry, because back in the 60s and 70s, you were talking about, weren't there great bands? 299 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:52,400 I mean, like there were great bands, but they were very expensive. For example, I was actually 300 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:59,440 staying and working at the Hyatt for two years. That was when my house was being torn down and 301 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:08,560 being rebuilt. So I had no place to work or live. So actually they tore the house down, all of it, 302 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:16,560 except for one room. And in that one room were my wife, my two kids, my mother-in-law and the 303 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:26,080 Ama. Oh, wow. Five of them in one room. And this lasted for, wow, close to a year. Okay. And 304 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:32,320 I had to have somewhere to work. So I called Hyatt and I said, Hey, I need a place to work. 305 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:38,320 And they said, okay, come back to Pete's place. That's where we were playing records before. 306 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:45,600 Okay. That's how I met Peter Botwin. And when I, after I met him and I heard him, I said, Hey, 307 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:51,440 don't waste your time here. Go on radio, go on TV. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I then introduced him to 308 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:59,440 some people in the radio and TV and that's how it got started. So it was from Pete's place. 309 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:08,560 Peter Botwin was spinning there? Yes. Okay. Yep. Okay. Well, that's news. Okay. Let's get back to 310 00:37:08,560 --> 00:37:13,120 you then. Yeah, sure. So you're saying it's different today, right? Okay. We understand the 311 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:19,280 reasons why and how difficult it was for you way back when, when you first started Moby Dick. When 312 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:23,280 you were in Radio Fusion, when you were there, you started the business while you were there. 313 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:27,840 Yeah. Radio Fusion did great for you because they helped you set it up. Yep. So to speak. 314 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:35,120 Yes. In fact, I offered them, you know, the business. I said, I'm thinking of starting a 315 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:43,120 business of doing a disco business, bringing out records to places and playing them for people to 316 00:37:43,120 --> 00:37:53,280 dance to. And I said, would you like to come in? And they said, no, good luck. So I went my way. 317 00:37:53,280 --> 00:38:01,120 Right. So anyways, after which you left Radio Fusion, after 18 years, you were continuing with 318 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:06,000 the Moby Dick mobile disco business and you were part-timing the freelancers. Except we weren't 319 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:13,600 mobile then. We were then housed in hotels. People started hiring us in a permanent basis. 320 00:38:13,600 --> 00:38:22,800 So you became like the entertainment for outlets. Just like what TMF did later on in years, 321 00:38:22,800 --> 00:38:28,720 the music force. Yes. So you guys started that concept. Yes. We started the boiler room 322 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:39,600 at the Mandarin. Mandarin. When the Mandarin hotel opened, they had two full pages of advertisement. 323 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:49,600 Right. Every outlet was mentioned except for the boiler room. We were not given any publicity at 324 00:38:49,600 --> 00:38:56,480 all. Right. So we had to just play to whomever walked in accidentally and kept them there, 325 00:38:56,480 --> 00:39:03,120 you know. So lots of kids came in and took over, especially from Jackie's Bowl next door. 326 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:09,840 Jackie's Bowl was next door to the Mandarin? Yes. I thought Jackie's Bowl was in Kato. Oh, 327 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:14,880 there are two Jackie's Bowls. Right. The one that I'm familiar with, the one next to my old school, 328 00:39:14,880 --> 00:39:22,320 which is in Patrick's. No, that's another one right there next to the Mandarin. Right. And what else? 329 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:31,040 Oh yeah. Okay. So you started going into managing the entertainment for different outlets then, 330 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:36,800 right? And the Mandarin is so strange because I had quite a relationship with the Mandarin 331 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:43,280 and the Mandarin group for a number of years. Yes. When I was really in my head and we had a 332 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:49,840 microphone on stage. I used to do a lot of shows for the Mandarin. Okay. So you did that and then 333 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:58,720 you were freelancing on TV and were you on radio as well? Yes. Radio One? Yeah, Radio One, I think. 334 00:39:59,600 --> 00:40:04,320 Can't remember now. How different was that working on Radio One versus Radio Fusion? 335 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:11,680 Not much difference, you know. We just played the records. Same thing, same concept. Yeah, same 336 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:17,680 thing. Same concept. Okay. Okay. When I left Radio Fusion, I said, hey, what am I going to do for work? 337 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:27,680 So I approached four companies to sponsor a one-hour program a week. So I had four programs a week 338 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:35,200 for which they paid me a thousand dollars a month. So I had four. So that was good enough. At that 339 00:40:35,200 --> 00:40:45,200 time, this was 1978. Right. You know. So you were doing radio and then how did this happen 340 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:52,800 when the rest of the Singaporean household back then got their eyeballs glued to the TV sets 341 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:59,280 for this particular show? Can we please play that one? The video. 342 00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:15,760 The video. Go ahead. POSB. 343 00:41:18,800 --> 00:41:24,800 Good evening and a heartiest welcome, ladies and gentlemen. It is truly my pleasure to share with 344 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:32,640 you an evening of songs and dance together with guest artists Adeline Adnan, Bill Haley's Comets, 345 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:39,440 the St. Cecilia's Choir, and of course the fabulous Singapore Swing. Anyway, we're going to have an 346 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:45,600 exciting hour of fun and entertainment and not forgetting the loads of prizes to be won. But 347 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:55,120 first let's meet my co-host who'll be handling the draw. Ladies and gentlemen, Larry Lye. 348 00:41:55,120 --> 00:42:01,520 Thank you, Anita. Good evening, everybody. How are you, Larry? I'm quite fine. Thank you very much. 349 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:06,480 And how is yourself? I'm fine, thank you. How do you feel to be part of this show? How does it feel? 350 00:42:06,480 --> 00:42:16,960 Now let me think. It feels like a feeling you like. So have you got any money in the bank? 351 00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:21,520 Yes, a little bit. A little bit. What about you? Well, maybe less than that. 352 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:27,440 Anyway, we hope our numbers will come up tonight, right? Well, I'm sure the audience must be feeling 353 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:37,280 the same way. Oh wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I mean, look at you, man. I mean, how could a young guy, young boy like me, 354 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:43,360 sit down there in front of the screen and go and not be, who is that guy, man? So I have a question 355 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:53,600 I've always been, I've been dying to know the answer to. The glasses. Oh, I wore glasses 356 00:42:53,600 --> 00:43:03,120 since I was 12. Okay. Because I used to read a lot and when I read books, I just read right into the 357 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:09,520 twilight and forgetting about the lighting and all. So my vision kind of decayed. So it wasn't, it wasn't 358 00:43:09,520 --> 00:43:16,800 just, okay, fine. I know that is probably naturally for vision purposes, but it became kind of a brand 359 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:24,000 for you. Well, was it? I wasn't aware of that. I mean, people around me used to talk about, oh no, 360 00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:30,400 the guy in the glasses, the guy in the glasses. I know Mike Ellery wore glasses, right, on set. Yes. 361 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:35,840 But everyone seemed to be more thrilled by yours. You're like the Elton John or something. Like, why 362 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:42,400 is the glasses so big? The big square ones. So I thought maybe it was deliberately done for branding 363 00:43:42,400 --> 00:43:51,440 purposes. No, it wasn't. I can't remember my optician so long ago, but I remember all my clothes 364 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:58,400 were all made by Danny Taylor. Okay. In East Coast Road. And he made a lot of money off me. In fact, 365 00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:06,000 most of my, the pay packet that I used to get from the shows went to him for the clothes I wore. 366 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:17,200 Oh, damn Taylor's man. I know. Tell me about that. Yeah. So really, I wasn't aware of anything else. 367 00:44:18,640 --> 00:44:25,120 Really? It's so funny because people have, you know, perceptions, right? People would draw 368 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:30,960 certain things out, you know, and we would go, oh, I think there we lie, the guy in the glasses, 369 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:36,320 you know, the big glasses, he's always wearing the big glasses. And the POSB show, being a part-time 370 00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:43,520 presenter, how did you land up doing the POSB show? They invited me to, you know, to be the MC, 371 00:44:43,520 --> 00:44:50,320 and I accepted. And you thought nothing of that? Like, this is a big deal? Really? No, I started 372 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:58,400 off with the Rado show. Yeah, I know. Put up the picture, please, Kai. How can anyone forget about 373 00:44:58,400 --> 00:45:05,520 the Rado show? Yeah, that was a live show, so it was really baptism by fire. You did great. Look, 374 00:45:05,520 --> 00:45:12,480 I remember, if memory serves me well, you know, people around Singapore, most people were wearing 375 00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:20,320 Rados. Were they? Yeah. Like, this thing was so hyped up, the Rado show, there you go, 376 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:27,520 right? It was so hyped up. There's so many people wearing Rado watches. Yeah. Yeah, it's amazing, 377 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:35,360 don't you think? So, both the Rado show and the POSB show, you landed up doing it. And so did Mike, 378 00:45:35,360 --> 00:45:43,760 didn't he? I don't remember exactly, no. Mike did some shows, but I'm not really aware of them. 379 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:49,280 Who was with you? I know Anita was with you. There was Anita Sarawat earlier. Yeah, right. Anita Sarawat, 380 00:45:49,280 --> 00:45:58,640 one of my other co-hosts was Jenny Teo. Jenny! Yeah, okay. And a few others, you know, they all 381 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:06,240 fade from memory now. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Jenny, Jenny, nice girl. Yes. I can't say girl. Nice lady. 382 00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:12,640 She was on my last podcast show. Yeah, that's my guest. How is she? I haven't seen her for years. 383 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:18,400 Well, to be fair, I've not seen her. Maybe the last, first and last time I met her was for that 384 00:46:18,400 --> 00:46:25,840 show. And that was, she was my guest and that was about five years ago. She was okay then, you know, 385 00:46:25,840 --> 00:46:36,880 I hope she's still fine today. Yeah. And it took me a while to realize that she was the Jenny Teo. 386 00:46:38,240 --> 00:46:46,720 Yeah, she was, I think my co-host on Talent Time. Talent Time 82, I think. So you hosted Talent 387 00:46:46,720 --> 00:46:54,720 Times as well. Yeah. Just one or two years? No, I did two series, 1980, 1982. Okay. Who were the 388 00:46:54,720 --> 00:47:00,480 winners for those two years you recall? Oh my goodness. Was it Othman Hamza and all? Othman 389 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:09,520 Hamza, the name rings a bell, but no, it doesn't strike me. Okay. Talent Time was also a very big 390 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:16,080 deal in the Singapore homes, you know. Talent Time, Rado Show, POSB Show. I mean, I mean, I mean, 391 00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:21,760 the hype was so good. Not just that, but there was nothing else, you know, in the tournament field. 392 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:27,680 You know something? If only Media Corp brings it back now. Mel Ferdinand was saying the same thing. 393 00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:35,600 Bring it back. Talent Time. We really recognize our local musels, you know. They come in to compete. 394 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:42,640 Look at the people that came in and out of Talent Time. Dick Lee, Jacinta, Clement Chow, Mel, Dixie, 395 00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:49,360 Joe, Ferdinand, the Ferdinand brothers. And so many that came and went, right? Yeah. Even 396 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:55,360 Sean DeMello was now back as a musician playing for his band GMT at Mel's place. And you know, 397 00:47:56,400 --> 00:48:04,960 so many people were founded from that show. Yep. So I think, you know, if you do Singapore music, 398 00:48:04,960 --> 00:48:13,280 at least the music seemed good by bringing this back. And to have a bank like POSB, you know, 399 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:19,200 come up, drum up their own show. And Rado come up with their own show together with, in partnership, 400 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:23,680 of course, with a broadcaster. I think it's amazing. It was an amazing thing. That's why guys like, 401 00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:31,280 we didn't forget. So today, we still haven't forgotten. So, you know, I think it's really, 402 00:48:31,280 --> 00:48:37,520 really brilliant, you know, what Media Club or back then, RTS and SBC were doing at the time. 403 00:48:38,720 --> 00:48:47,440 Do you think you can actually attribute what you've done back then to a mentor or anyone that inspired 404 00:48:47,440 --> 00:48:59,120 you? Not consciously, no. Okay. Although I did have my idols on radio, I used to listen to 405 00:48:59,120 --> 00:49:07,280 Martin Block. Do you remember the name? No. The American Top 20. No. Not even the 40. That was 406 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:14,160 Casey Kasem. Casey Kasem, yeah. Yeah. Mike's dad, yeah. So Martin Block was really the grandfather 407 00:49:14,160 --> 00:49:21,360 of the top tunes. You know, I've never heard of the dude. Martin Block. I gotta go. I gotta go look 408 00:49:21,360 --> 00:49:27,680 that up. Look that up. Martin Block. And what about Martin Block? Well, he hosted the American Top 409 00:49:27,680 --> 00:49:36,400 20 two nights a week. The first broadcast is on a Saturday night and a repeat on a Wednesday 410 00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:41,760 afternoon. I used to follow the, you know, the series the whole time, very, very closely. 411 00:49:43,760 --> 00:49:52,800 What else? Locally, I would say Mike Ellery and there was another guy, another European. 412 00:49:52,800 --> 00:49:59,920 And gee, the name escapes me now. Okay. It'll come back to me. Okay. When it does, just feel 413 00:49:59,920 --> 00:50:08,640 free to just pop it, slide it right in. Yeah. Moby Dick continued for and thrived for how long? 414 00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:17,920 I sort of gave it up when I retired. And how many years has the business been in operations 415 00:50:17,920 --> 00:50:28,800 until that time? From 1969 to 2000. What? Yeah. You mean it was just 2000 that you? I retired. 416 00:50:30,000 --> 00:50:36,320 I was really burnt out at that time. If I didn't retire, I think I would have croaked. 417 00:50:36,320 --> 00:50:38,880 So Moby Dick ran to 2000. 418 00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:49,040 I can see your eyes twirling around. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Because when I was active, it was 419 00:50:49,920 --> 00:50:56,000 in the nineties, more so the nineties, part of the 2000s. Yes, I've heard of Moby Dick, but I 420 00:50:56,000 --> 00:51:03,360 didn't really realize that it was still gunning away the business. But we had permanent homes by 421 00:51:03,360 --> 00:51:12,240 then, you know, no longer a mobile disco. Right. Although we still did the mobile business for 422 00:51:12,240 --> 00:51:20,720 events like official openings, factory openings, you know, stuff like that. And so when at that 423 00:51:20,720 --> 00:51:28,480 time, you just said that if you didn't retire, you would have croaked. Yeah. What do you mean? 424 00:51:28,480 --> 00:51:36,080 I was burnt out. I was working mornings on radio, nighttime at discos, hardly had time to sleep. 425 00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:43,920 You know, and when I... In 2000, you were still doing that? Yes. I was, as I said, I was burnt out. 426 00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:52,640 Okay. I was really burnt out. I had to retire for my health. Looking back, 427 00:51:52,640 --> 00:51:59,280 what are you most proud of having achieved in your career? Is there a particular moment 428 00:51:59,280 --> 00:52:06,480 that stands out somehow? I haven't really thought about it, you know. Really. Now is the time. 429 00:52:07,600 --> 00:52:16,480 No better time than now. I suppose my debut on TV possibly would be quite memorable. 430 00:52:16,480 --> 00:52:23,600 But aside from that, no, not really. Do you think you've accumulated a fan base over 431 00:52:23,600 --> 00:52:30,480 the years you've been doing this? So they tell me, but I'm not really physically aware of it. 432 00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:37,920 Okay. So no one has like approached you or any fan, you know, came and tell you a story or... 433 00:52:37,920 --> 00:52:41,120 Besides myself, that is. I mean, I'm not really aware of it. 434 00:52:41,120 --> 00:52:46,800 They have done that. Yeah. I had people come up to me and tell me story of their lives 435 00:52:47,920 --> 00:52:54,000 and how they got into the business because of me. So I'm not the only one, right? No. There you go. 436 00:52:54,000 --> 00:53:04,400 Yeah. Anyone notable, if you don't mind me asking? Let me see. Gee, I'm such so bad at, you know, 437 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:11,280 names. Really, I forget names. Okay. Don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. 438 00:53:12,800 --> 00:53:17,760 What are you most grateful for, Larry, in your life and in your career? 439 00:53:17,760 --> 00:53:23,360 I think I'm most grateful for my wife. Okay. Yeah. I met her. 440 00:53:23,360 --> 00:53:25,360 I know her name. Selena. 441 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:30,160 Selena. Okay. Yeah. I met her when I was in college. I was in college. 442 00:53:30,160 --> 00:53:36,640 I know her name. Selena. Selena. Okay. Yeah. I met her in 1961 443 00:53:37,760 --> 00:53:45,040 and we got married in 1965 and she is truly a remarkable woman. She's really a good woman. 444 00:53:46,240 --> 00:53:50,720 And I, if I had to do it all over again, I would still marry her. 445 00:53:54,240 --> 00:53:56,640 Yeah. And she's always been your rock. 446 00:53:56,640 --> 00:54:04,800 Yep. She has. She's honest. She's really, you know, intelligent. And she's everything I've 447 00:54:04,800 --> 00:54:10,720 always admired in a person. So, yeah. Okay. Kudos. Kudos. 448 00:54:10,720 --> 00:54:14,960 I'd like you to meet her one day. Well, I would. It would be my pleasure to meet her, 449 00:54:14,960 --> 00:54:19,120 really, really. And Mikasa Sukasa, you're welcome here anytime. 450 00:54:19,120 --> 00:54:24,800 Yeah. She's two years younger than me. So she'll be 82 now. 451 00:54:24,800 --> 00:54:31,760 Yeah. You're both welcome anytime. What are you passionate about these days? What are you up to? 452 00:54:32,560 --> 00:54:38,320 What keeps you busy? Well, a lot of people ask me that question. What do you do after you've retired? 453 00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:48,320 And my pet answer is the three M's. Movies, Music, and Mates. 454 00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:51,920 Okay. Yes. M-A-T-E-S. 455 00:54:51,920 --> 00:54:54,560 Yes. I realize. 456 00:54:54,560 --> 00:54:58,080 Yes. Don't worry. Nothing else is crossing my mind. 457 00:54:58,080 --> 00:55:03,920 Okay. Good. Not true with a lot of people. They say what? Filipino or Thai? 458 00:55:05,520 --> 00:55:11,120 I would have gone Macan, you know. It's amazing. Music, movies, and Macan. 459 00:55:13,760 --> 00:55:18,560 True. I do enjoy food. Although I don't have the figure to show for it. 460 00:55:18,560 --> 00:55:22,480 You were talking about the poetry you were hunting high and low for. 461 00:55:23,520 --> 00:55:26,880 That was my wife's favorite, actually. More so than mine. 462 00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:34,320 So, you're not doing anything creative these days? Are you behind the microphone again? 463 00:55:35,120 --> 00:55:37,600 Yes. Do you listen to vintage radio? 464 00:55:37,600 --> 00:55:39,680 The app, Vintage Radio. Okay. 465 00:55:39,680 --> 00:55:42,320 Well, on Monday to Fridays. 466 00:55:42,320 --> 00:55:43,280 So you're on every day? 467 00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:45,920 Yep. From 8 a.m. to 12 noon. 468 00:55:45,920 --> 00:55:48,720 So you're still behind the microphone? 469 00:55:48,720 --> 00:55:51,040 Yes. I think I'm the oldest DJ. 470 00:55:51,040 --> 00:55:57,920 Oh, Lois's time. You're quite clever, are you? Okay. So, Aloy got you back into the fold. 471 00:55:57,920 --> 00:55:58,560 Yes. 472 00:55:58,560 --> 00:56:03,200 Right. Okay. And you're on Vintage Radio and you're doing a morning slot? 473 00:56:03,200 --> 00:56:03,840 Yep. 474 00:56:03,840 --> 00:56:05,840 And wasn't that Uncle Brian's slot? 475 00:56:05,840 --> 00:56:10,960 Yes, it was. And then he gave it up. For what reason? I don't know. I've been trying to call. 476 00:56:10,960 --> 00:56:12,880 He gave it up and you took over. 477 00:56:12,880 --> 00:56:16,720 Well, sort of. I'm not very clear about that. 478 00:56:16,720 --> 00:56:18,400 He's being such a busybody. Okay. 479 00:56:18,400 --> 00:56:25,040 Yeah, because I tried calling him. I tried what's apping him, but I received no answer. 480 00:56:27,840 --> 00:56:28,400 I don't know. 481 00:56:29,120 --> 00:56:29,440 Okay. 482 00:56:29,440 --> 00:56:35,120 I really would like to talk to him about it, because I don't feel comfortable being in his 483 00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:36,640 place without his knowledge. 484 00:56:37,440 --> 00:56:38,320 Without his knowledge? 485 00:56:38,320 --> 00:56:41,120 Well, we haven't talked about it. 486 00:56:41,760 --> 00:56:42,320 Okay. 487 00:56:42,320 --> 00:56:43,520 Yeah, I'm sure he knows it. 488 00:56:44,160 --> 00:56:45,360 Yeah, I'm pretty sure he does. 489 00:56:45,360 --> 00:56:46,160 Yes. 490 00:56:46,160 --> 00:56:55,040 But anyway, well, not that you're on back behind the mic. Great Larry Lye is somehow, 491 00:56:55,040 --> 00:57:01,040 not Airways, but even better, something digital, right? And yeah, it's great, man. It's great to 492 00:57:01,040 --> 00:57:01,760 hear that. 493 00:57:01,760 --> 00:57:04,320 In fact, it's better than radio because it's on the internet. 494 00:57:04,320 --> 00:57:04,720 Yeah. 495 00:57:04,720 --> 00:57:08,160 And you can get the program anywhere in the world. 496 00:57:08,160 --> 00:57:11,760 Correct. And it's there forever. That's the reason why I do what I do here. 497 00:57:11,760 --> 00:57:12,320 Yeah. 498 00:57:12,320 --> 00:57:18,240 It's online forever. It's forever and ever going to be there. The show is always going to be there. 499 00:57:18,240 --> 00:57:23,440 The channel is always going to be there. And yeah, it's wonderful. How different do you feel it is 500 00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:27,120 besides that? You come on, you're still music being played and stuff, right? 501 00:57:27,840 --> 00:57:32,960 Yes. Well, it's also different now. We'll use the spin records physically. 502 00:57:32,960 --> 00:57:33,360 Yeah. 503 00:57:33,360 --> 00:57:38,880 But now everything's on a panel, on a template. 504 00:57:38,880 --> 00:57:39,360 Right. 505 00:57:39,360 --> 00:57:46,080 And all you need to do is to just go to the empty voice slot and say something there. 506 00:57:46,640 --> 00:57:51,120 And that's it. And you press a button and boom, you go to the next one. 507 00:57:51,120 --> 00:57:56,320 I mean, if someone who's a senior gentleman like yourself can still manage that, he's ace, man. 508 00:57:59,120 --> 00:58:08,400 Well, I was nurtured on the internet from pretty early days, you know, in the late 1970s. 509 00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:10,480 So you're still a voracious learner. 510 00:58:11,040 --> 00:58:11,680 Yes, I am. 511 00:58:11,680 --> 00:58:12,320 Never stopped, huh? 512 00:58:12,320 --> 00:58:14,240 I never stopped. I never stopped. 513 00:58:15,280 --> 00:58:16,720 When I grow up, I'm going to be like you. 514 00:58:20,080 --> 00:58:28,240 I started out on the internet with a friend of mine who was pretty good on the net. And we used to 515 00:58:29,120 --> 00:58:33,600 conjure up games, you know, like catchphrases. 516 00:58:33,600 --> 00:58:34,000 Oh, right. 517 00:58:34,000 --> 00:58:38,720 He's an artist, so he's able to draw some caricatures. 518 00:58:39,360 --> 00:58:43,360 And, you know, we make people guess, you know, what's that word? What's that phrase? 519 00:58:43,360 --> 00:58:49,680 Right. That's really like I said, when I grew up, I really was going to be like you, man. 520 00:58:49,680 --> 00:58:52,400 Keeps me going. Look at you. You're so sharp. 521 00:58:52,400 --> 00:58:55,440 You know, the questions I ask you, the answers you give you, so sharp. 522 00:58:56,000 --> 00:59:00,320 Oh, man. What do you think are the most important qualities, Grandpa Larry, 523 00:59:00,320 --> 00:59:05,280 for someone starting out in broadcasting today? What advice would you give someone like me? 524 00:59:06,000 --> 00:59:07,920 You, you're a veteran already. 525 00:59:07,920 --> 00:59:11,920 No, I wouldn't say that. I mean, Media Corp have said, 526 00:59:11,920 --> 00:59:14,880 oh, Chris, you're new. You have never been on radio before. And that's true. 527 00:59:14,880 --> 00:59:19,680 I've never been on radio. It's not wrong for them to say that. Though I've been around, 528 00:59:19,680 --> 00:59:23,440 I've been around the block. Not on radio. Been around the block for a long time. 529 00:59:23,440 --> 00:59:30,080 So someone like me, newbie, what kind of qualities do you think someone like me would know? 530 00:59:30,080 --> 00:59:37,200 What qualities would you need? I don't know. The things I live by would be, 531 00:59:37,200 --> 00:59:43,040 you have to be loyal. You have to be honest. And you must not be obscene. 532 00:59:43,040 --> 00:59:49,520 Oh, oh, oh. That's it. So taste is very important. 533 00:59:49,520 --> 00:59:59,360 Yeah. Not that you touch a raw nerve. When you said the word obscene, I don't think I'm obscene. 534 00:59:59,360 --> 01:00:05,520 I'm a straight shooting guy. And I am, and I put my, lay my cards all on the table and I'll call a 535 01:00:05,520 --> 01:00:12,320 spade a spade. Just that I need to tell you though, grandpa Larry, with a lot of reverence, 536 01:00:14,000 --> 01:00:22,640 I am typically on almost nine and a half out of 10 of my episodes and my shows that we shoot here, 537 01:00:22,640 --> 01:00:27,440 being a podcast, right? I am very free with my potty mouth linguistics. 538 01:00:27,440 --> 01:00:32,480 You're just being naughty. That's all. Yeah. Yeah. I've never directed at anyone. 539 01:00:33,440 --> 01:00:43,520 But as forms of expression, but today, if you notice, not a single F-bomb have I dropped. 540 01:00:43,520 --> 01:00:53,200 No. Because I am in awe of you and it is out of complete 100% respect, sir. And it's reverence. 541 01:00:53,200 --> 01:01:00,960 Okay. So, so good that you know, though, but naturally it also shows that I have the self-discipline 542 01:01:00,960 --> 01:01:10,480 to hold back on the profanity. Yes. Good. That's a must. Watch it. So, so I can, I can hold it back 543 01:01:11,040 --> 01:01:17,440 and I do know when I can let it go. Yeah. So, but today, not today, not with grand Polly, I rely. 544 01:01:17,440 --> 01:01:24,080 No way. Not gonna happen, man. Not gonna happen. I mean, it's just, to me, it's just, no, man, 545 01:01:24,080 --> 01:01:29,280 no, can't happen. I just, it's like having a, it's like having my granddad sitting next to me. 546 01:01:31,520 --> 01:01:37,760 Yeah. I'm old enough to be your granddad. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Certainly. And that's why I, 547 01:01:38,800 --> 01:01:46,880 no, I can't. No. Much if I, even if I try, I can't. You've achieved a lot, you know. I mean, 548 01:01:46,880 --> 01:01:53,840 really, I mean, the stories you just mentioned to me, movie dick especially, and, and the stuff 549 01:01:53,840 --> 01:01:59,680 that I've never even heard of. And it's quite, that's quite something because I, I thought I 550 01:01:59,680 --> 01:02:07,840 heard it all. You've achieved so much. What are the things, are there still things you still hope 551 01:02:07,840 --> 01:02:18,800 to do or experience? I'll take life as it comes, really. No ambitions in, in any way. Okay. Well, 552 01:02:18,800 --> 01:02:24,080 and you're having fun doing what you're doing now every morning, right? Yes. On vintage radio? Yes. 553 01:02:24,080 --> 01:02:39,280 Okay. Well, I don't do it in the morning. Quiet. I do it at home at my own time. That's a little 554 01:02:39,280 --> 01:02:47,680 bit of magic I'm giving away. Okay. That is you being naughty. Here I am trying to tell, here I am 555 01:02:47,680 --> 01:02:56,000 telling you that I've been really, I've been really good today, you know. I've been taking deep breaths, 556 01:02:56,000 --> 01:03:02,720 man, Chris, stop it. No funny linguistics. No, the thing is I record the program at home. 557 01:03:05,440 --> 01:03:11,120 Housing estate, as you know, you're wide open to all the noises from outside. You really record 558 01:03:11,120 --> 01:03:20,880 it at home? Yes, in my bedroom. No way. I do. I shut the doors, shut the windows and pull down 559 01:03:20,880 --> 01:03:26,480 the curtains. I've got heavy curtains just to keep out the sound, but you still have noisy 560 01:03:26,480 --> 01:03:31,680 neighbors. Definitely, definitely, definitely. Yeah. Upstairs will be moving furniture at odd 561 01:03:31,680 --> 01:03:37,760 hours of the day. Yeah, yeah. And there's somebody playing piano. Yeah, taking piano lessons. 562 01:03:37,760 --> 01:03:43,920 Airplanes, that's the worst. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they last a long time. Yeah. 563 01:03:45,440 --> 01:03:51,840 As it flies over your block, you know. And sometimes it happens right in the middle of what you're 564 01:03:51,840 --> 01:03:58,320 doing. Yeah, I know, I know. So you have to stop and wait until it flies over. Yeah, I trust me. 565 01:03:58,320 --> 01:04:03,440 I know you're sitting in my studio right now. Yeah, yeah. No matter how you see all the paddings, 566 01:04:03,440 --> 01:04:09,360 you see all the soundproofing, believe me, sometimes it's not perfect, you know. Yeah, 567 01:04:09,360 --> 01:04:16,800 I get it. I get it. So you, but do you enjoy that? Yes, I do it in my own time. I usually start 568 01:04:16,800 --> 01:04:21,440 recording at night after 10 o'clock when everything's quiet and people are sleeping. 569 01:04:21,440 --> 01:04:28,320 That's the best time, yeah. Yes. And because of what I do, I'd like to do some research 570 01:04:28,320 --> 01:04:34,080 on the artists, all the songs. So discography, yeah. Yeah, because otherwise, you know, we just 571 01:04:34,080 --> 01:04:40,320 announce the titles, it's no fun. Yeah, absolutely. Yes, yes. So I go on the internet, I do some 572 01:04:40,320 --> 01:04:46,080 research and find out some little bits of info that I can share with the listeners. And that 573 01:04:46,080 --> 01:04:53,360 is what takes the time. Actually, recording is a breeze, you know. I can do it in an hour, 574 01:04:53,360 --> 01:05:02,000 if I didn't have to do any research. But because I do that, I work until maybe three, four 575 01:05:02,000 --> 01:05:08,400 o'clock in the morning. Show prep, this for the show prep. Right. So Grandpa Larry, you said 576 01:05:08,400 --> 01:05:14,240 something that was very interesting on the ride here in the car. And you said, 577 01:05:14,240 --> 01:05:24,960 that aging is agony. Well, aging is always agony. Okay. Yeah, unless you're in your 20s. Okay, 578 01:05:25,680 --> 01:05:30,800 that's a good way to age. You've got a 25-year-old guy telling us that, you know, I'm going to smack 579 01:05:30,800 --> 01:05:34,720 him across the head, you know. I mean, I'm 25 years old, and you're telling me aging is agony? 580 01:05:34,720 --> 01:05:39,120 I'm going to pop, that's it. I'm going to smack the guy across the head. But when you said that, 581 01:05:39,120 --> 01:05:46,880 I'm, would you care to expound a little bit more on that? Well, when you age, you tend to have little 582 01:05:46,880 --> 01:05:55,440 aches and pains. Yeah. And I was hit by sciatica nerves on my leg, which is why I use a walker. 583 01:05:55,440 --> 01:06:04,000 Right, sir. But other than that, you know, my health for my age is still okay. Yeah. Okay. 584 01:06:04,000 --> 01:06:09,920 But so it's not agony then? There is still some aches and pains that you can't help. 585 01:06:10,640 --> 01:06:17,920 You know. Sure. But Uncle Larry, come on. You're in great shape, man. Let me tell you, it's not 586 01:06:17,920 --> 01:06:26,000 agony. Okay. I mean, I really, when I grow up, I really must be like you. You're lucid, you're sharp, 587 01:06:26,000 --> 01:06:33,680 you're still active as heck. You're still learning. Come on. Hey, active SG, this guy you got to talk 588 01:06:33,680 --> 01:06:39,920 to, man. This is the man you got to talk to. So have you perspective, how has your perspective, 589 01:06:41,040 --> 01:06:47,280 whether it's, whether it really is happening or not, or happened, how has your perspective on life 590 01:06:47,280 --> 01:06:55,440 changed? Or has it changed over the years? I don't think it really has, you know, I sort of 591 01:06:55,440 --> 01:07:05,120 flow with the goal and nothing really affects me badly. Okay. Yeah. I keep up with the news. 592 01:07:06,000 --> 01:07:15,120 Of course, most of the news are bad. So, but it's okay. That's life, you know. I let it go by. 593 01:07:15,920 --> 01:07:22,400 What brings you the most joy these days? My standard answer, three M's. Oh, they're still back 594 01:07:22,400 --> 01:07:30,320 to that. Okay. But make it four, makan. Yeah. Okay. I'll grant you that. I do enjoy food. 595 01:07:31,040 --> 01:07:37,520 What do you hope your legacy will be? Did I think of it? Even think of a legacy. Yeah, I know. 596 01:07:38,240 --> 01:07:45,120 Yeah. It's really kind of refreshing to, first of all, you said that you guys, you, 597 01:07:45,120 --> 01:07:50,400 Sweet Young, Mike Ellery, never thought about your voices. No. You know, and then now you're saying 598 01:07:50,400 --> 01:07:57,280 that I never thought about legacy either. I mean, it's, it's, it's so refreshing to me. We just live 599 01:07:57,280 --> 01:08:04,800 life the way we want. And as long as our conscience is clear, right, then it's okay by us. If you could 600 01:08:04,800 --> 01:08:11,760 have a conversation with any person alive or dead, who would it be and why? Oh, dear. Wow. That's a 601 01:08:11,760 --> 01:08:23,520 loaded question. Oh yeah, I know. Who would I like to talk to? Hmm. Probably Elvis Presley. Oh, me too. 602 01:08:24,240 --> 01:08:30,800 Oh, he's right there. Right here. You see, you see, he's right here. I didn't notice him. 603 01:08:32,080 --> 01:08:38,560 I didn't notice him really. This is Elvis. Yeah. There you go. Let me just give you a closer look. 604 01:08:38,560 --> 01:08:45,360 There you go. Elvis Presley. Yes. Now I see him. The 68 Comeback Special, yeah? Yeah. Right. 605 01:08:46,480 --> 01:08:50,800 What do we do without Elvis, man? There you see, he's all over my studio too. 606 01:08:52,160 --> 01:08:56,000 Yeah, true. Now I see it. Heartbreak Hotel. There you go. 607 01:08:59,040 --> 01:09:04,480 Elvis Presley, why? Why? Why do you want to talk to the King? Well, he's got an interesting life. 608 01:09:04,480 --> 01:09:14,080 He's got a life. And I don't know. He's just, you know. Someone that you really idolize? 609 01:09:14,080 --> 01:09:20,320 From my school days. When I was in school and he had his first record out, Heartbreak Hotel, 610 01:09:20,320 --> 01:09:28,160 wasn't it? That was it. Yeah. He and Pat Boone. Oh my goodness. Two complete opposites. Yes, 611 01:09:28,160 --> 01:09:39,360 complete opposites. One that goes, one that goes, let me see. I know what you mean. Oh, Bernardine. 612 01:09:40,560 --> 01:09:48,160 And another one goes, since my baby left me. Yeah, I know. But those were my two idols growing up. 613 01:09:49,120 --> 01:09:53,520 Okay. Okay. So you'd rather speak to Elvis and Pat Boone then? 614 01:09:53,520 --> 01:10:02,240 Yes, I actually met Pat Boone and he did a show in Singapore at the 615 01:10:03,600 --> 01:10:11,040 Harbor Pavilion. Uh-huh. Somewhere near there. Right. And he's ordinary. He doesn't know all 616 01:10:11,040 --> 01:10:17,600 that interesting. Okay. And this is not just now when we played the video for the POA's B show. 617 01:10:18,240 --> 01:10:22,400 Anita Sarawa was mentioning that the artists that were coming on the show, 618 01:10:22,400 --> 01:10:28,800 and she mentioned Bill Haley in the Comets. Did she? Yeah, she did. I didn't hear that. She said 619 01:10:28,800 --> 01:10:34,160 Bill Haley in the Comets and I was going, really? On the POA's B show? This is what she said just 620 01:10:34,160 --> 01:10:40,080 now. Really? Yeah. I didn't catch that. When I was cutting that film, right, I noticed that from the 621 01:10:40,080 --> 01:10:45,680 onset. And she did say that, which means Bill Haley in the Comets did appear on the show. 622 01:10:45,680 --> 01:10:52,720 Oh. And I wanted to ask you, how were they like? Because you probably met them. No, I didn't. 623 01:10:52,720 --> 01:10:58,960 Who else did you meet in your career? Notable artists, superstars. Notable artists. I've met 624 01:10:58,960 --> 01:11:07,760 quite a few actually. Harry Belafonte. Oh. John Mills and the daughter Haley. Right. Yeah. 625 01:11:08,960 --> 01:11:14,240 Haley Mills, John Mills, yeah. I interviewed them on stage at the Odeon. Oh, the old Odeon? 626 01:11:14,240 --> 01:11:21,840 The old Odeon. Theater. Yeah, theater. Okay. Yeah. I spent a lot of time there. Who else? 627 01:11:25,680 --> 01:11:31,920 Oh dear, as I said, I'm very bad with names. It's okay. We're going to come to the end of the show. 628 01:11:32,960 --> 01:11:38,960 But right now, Larry, I'm going to ask you to do us all a favor. We've got 629 01:11:38,960 --> 01:11:48,240 Mahani Muhammad. Mahani Muhammad. Okay, she's a singer. She was on your show, on the POSB show. 630 01:11:48,240 --> 01:11:58,320 She sang the song by Shirley Bassey, Never Never Never. And do you think Mahani Muhammad is a name? 631 01:11:58,800 --> 01:12:06,000 Can I just have Grandpa Larry Lai announce for her to end the show? 632 01:12:06,000 --> 01:12:12,400 Mahani Muhammad singing Never Never Never by Shirley Bassey. Okay. Can we do this? Okay, sure. 633 01:12:12,400 --> 01:12:15,840 Okay, then we can end the show. You've been watching the Chris Hansen Conversation. 634 01:12:15,840 --> 01:12:22,480 I'll see you again real soon. Bye-bye. Here's Mahani Muhammad to sing Shirley Bassey's Never 635 01:12:22,480 --> 01:12:29,440 Never Never to end the show for us. Thank you very much for being with us. And ladies and gentlemen, 636 01:12:29,440 --> 01:12:36,000 you have just heard Mr. Larry Lai and I'm going to tell you something. That voice was the voice 637 01:12:36,000 --> 01:13:04,560 of a generation in Singapore. I'd like to run away from you, but if you never found me, 638 01:13:04,560 --> 01:13:22,480 I would die. I'd like to break the chains you've been around me, but I know I'd never wait. 639 01:13:22,480 --> 01:13:36,320 You stayed away and all I do is wonder why the hell I wait for you. But when did common sense prevail 640 01:13:36,320 --> 01:13:50,560 for lovers where a new way never way. Impossible to live with you but I know I could never live 641 01:13:50,560 --> 01:14:07,360 without you. Oh, whatever you do, I never ever ever want to be in love with anyone but you. 642 01:14:07,360 --> 01:14:19,760 Never treat me like you should, so what's good in loving as I do? 643 01:14:24,480 --> 01:14:31,360 Although you always love and love, but nothing else would be good enough for you. 644 01:14:31,360 --> 01:14:42,720 It's impossible to live with you but I know I could never live without you. 645 01:14:42,720 --> 01:14:59,200 Oh, whatever you do, I never ever ever want to be in love with anyone but you. 646 01:14:59,200 --> 01:15:10,800 You made me laugh, you made me cry, you made me live, you made me die for you. 647 01:15:15,440 --> 01:15:21,840 You made me sing, you made me sad, made me glad, you made me mad for you. 648 01:15:21,840 --> 01:15:33,680 I love you, hate you, love you, hate you, but I want it so this wall stops turning. 649 01:15:33,680 --> 01:15:50,320 Oh, whatever you do, I never ever ever want to be in love with anyone but you. 650 01:15:50,320 --> 01:16:02,960 I love you, hate you, love you, hate you, but I want it so this wall stops turning. 651 01:16:02,960 --> 01:16:28,560 Oh, whatever you do, I never ever ever want to be in love with anyone but you.