Highs and lows in my musical journey

There are ups and downs in my musical journey of over half a century. The ups come when the tempo, key, and tune are just right, and the performance receives thunderous applause from the audience, whereas the downs occur when the opposite is the order of the day.

It was in 1968 that I started getting involved in music at 14 while studying in Form One at SMK Saratok, Batu 4, Saratok. Four of us, all Form One boys aged between 13 and 17. We were led by the eldest, Daniel, who owned an acoustic guitar and played the lead.

John Timbang, who sang Cliff Richard songs almost perfectly at 16, was the rhythm guitarist and vocals. Kenneth Sang Tuah, our youngest member, played the bass, leaving me to play the drums.

I had not touched a stringed instrument and had zero knowledge of guitar play. We performed at least three times on stage that year during weekend social gatherings.

Named the Playboys, we were the only Form One band in the school. By the end of the year, I was okay with guitar playing after practising with Daniel’s instrument. Most of our performances were positive experiences.

In 1973 and 1974, I studied Form Six at the Methodist Secondary School in Sibu and played guitar to accompany singers at functions in the school. That was when Lobo became a household name, and I sang most of his songs apart from crooning my idol Elvis Presley’s songs.

In 1975, while attending my first year at USM, Penang, I had the opportunity to see Lobo live at Penang’s Basketball Stadium after paying a fee of RM6.

In the varsity, I played an active role in the music scene by being the secretary of the USM Music Society and had free access to all the musical instruments.

In 1977, after the demise of Elvis Aaron Presley on August 16, I joined a few East Malaysians to form a band titled the ‘Revival of Elvis Presley Band,’ with me playing the lead guitar.

We performed twice in the varsity during functions and had a good show at the Penang Youth Club held at the Penang Youth Park in 1978, with our new lead guitarist, Aldram (later Mohd Adaham), playing Deep Purple’s ‘Highway Star’ to near perfection. We won third place. These were also positive experiences.

From 1979 to 1997, during my postings in various colleges and schools, I had the opportunity to share my knowledge about guitar playing and songs with colleagues and students.

In Rajang Teachers College (now IPG Rajang), I led our band, The Rejang Sound, comprising a few lecturers who were all musically inclined. It lasted for the five years I was there.

I continued with my passion in schools from Kanowit to Bau. This passion was also shared by teachers and students in the schools of Kanowit, Saratok, Serian, Julau, and Bau, where I served, mostly enjoying positive experiences.

My stint in Brunei between 1997 and 2002 was the most active period of musical engagement within the five decades. These musical engagements included performing in pubs and karaoke lounges in Kuala Belait, Seria, Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB), and Temburong.

There were also appearances in clubs such as the Royal Brunei Yacht Club (RBYC) and the Royal Brunei Recreation Club (RBRC), along with jamming sessions with my friends from the Philippines held in various joints in BSB. Additionally, there were a few shows in two exclusive residences of Brunei royalty.

From 1999 to 2001, the Crowne Princess Hotel in BSB gave me a Saturday night appearance weekly at its restaurant and main stage, thanks to a Brunei Press Night held at the venue to welcome the new millennium in a November 1999 evening. During this special evening the B&B manager of the hotel, Raimee Mohd Noor, took an instant liking to my ‘Elvis Presley’ impersonation.

This stint exposed me to a mixture of Brunei nationals, including royals and aristocrats. One of them, Pehin Dato Abbas bin Datu Harun, was a keen keyboardist. It was our common interest in music that bonded us.

He even brought me to his palatial home for coffee, allowing me to sample his new keyboard, the latest in the market and ordered from the UK, besides introducing me to his daughter, who was still single at 35.

It was at the Crowne Princess Hotel that I met Princess Rokiyah, the Sultan’s younger sister, in late 1999. A year later, I was privileged to perform at her Palace De Chateau in BSB, starting at 11 pm for her birthday in a show that ended at 4 am the next day.

The five-hour show featured Indonesian diva Dewi and me, backed by her prolific countryman keyboardist Zulfikar. One of the richest performances in my life ended with me receiving an envelope containing cash more than my one-month salary from The Brunei Press, with the note ‘dengan ikhlas dari Puteri’ (sincerely from the Princess). The princess used to address me as ‘Elvis’.

I visited the Sultan’s Nurul Iman Palace for an Aidilfitri visit in 1999, where I was disappointed not to shake the hands of the Raja Isteri, as the men were greeted by the Sultan himself, while the women visitors were welcomed by the princesses led by the Raja Isteri.

I also performed at Balai Kayangan, the palace of Perdana Wazir Prince Mohamed, the younger brother of Sultan Bolkiah, who was the sultanate’s Foreign Minister.

Throughout my stint at Crowne Princess, I met other music enthusiasts, including Haji Sardon, a Shell Brunei retiree who owned ‘Baik Purih’ Food Centre at Kianggeh in BSB, where I had numerous shows on Friday evenings between 1999 and 2001.

Another musician and fan of Elvis arranged two high-profile shows for me, one at the residence of the Minister of Development Pengiran Dato Ismail Pengiran Damit in conjunction with his daughter’s wedding, where I performed ‘Angin Malam’, sponsored by the newlyweds and their friends. In February 2000, I was invited to perform at Radio Television Brunei (RTB), alongside Indonesian Tito Somarsona and other local artistes.

I was content to be known as Elvis from Malaysia, not Elvis of Malaysia, a title I respectfully declined. Another memorable performance was with Indonesian diva Ernie Djohan, in July 2000, for the Sultan’s 54th birthday.

A highlight was my performance with Ernie, after finishing my editing work, for the Sultan’s 54th birthday, where I had to rush from the Brunei Press premises in Beribi to BSB just in time for my slot at around 9.30 pm. The Borneo Bulletin later ran a story entitled ‘Elvis hits it with Ernie’, edited by my Filipino flatmate Antonio Alabastro from Manila.

Among the downs, one incident stands out when I performed in front of a large crowd in KL, and my belt nearly dropped.

The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.