Being in multi-cultural Singapore, we have the opportunity to record in other languages. Our first attempt was to record a Malay EP of western songs but translated into the Malaya language and the this was an amazing success for a non-Malay group to have a hit of at least 2 songs or 4 songs was quite a remarkable achievement and not just in Singapore, the record was also extremely popular in radio Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, also in Radio Malaysia Sarawak and Radio Malaysia Sabah. They were different independent stations. And in modern time, when some of the famous Malay singers er they wanted to record these songs, they actually did the version which we recorded so they must have heard our versions before as the lyrics were done by Cikgu Yusno F. That was another exciting thing and we also recorded for the Chinese record market. We introduced Rita Chow and Sakura with our music, and they went to, they became extremely popular in Asia too. Something about my days as a DJ in Rediffusion. After I left the band, the Quest in early 1969, the first job I had was in Rediffusion and the this time I was promoting music and the as the DJ when we were playing music promoting our songs , I felt that it was very important that we in turn give back what others gave to us. So I would try and promote local groups of the 1970s, names too many to mention but my period in Rediffusion was very very exciting and I think that I began this new way of speaking on radio everybody used to say this is Rediffusion, the time is 7pm, here is the news and or they would say this is radio Singapore, the time now is 9pm, here is the news. But when I when I joined Rediffusion, I changed all that and I think that influence has carried down through the years. Firstly through Chris Ho, I said hello everybody it’s now 6 o’clock and here is the news so I was rather different in that respect and when I started broadcasting in Rediffusion , the music was beginning to change. When the Beatles stopped playing in 1970, 71 or 72, the trend of music turned to a lot more American stuff, like things like Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago, the music changed was being totally different. So and I was helping to promote these new music. As a young DJ, I was doing programs call the young beat which ran for about 2 years, and the as a DJ, I was probably the first radio personality to go to England, to London and to other places to interview some of these famous groups like Led Zepplin, Steppenwolf, very very many names to share with you but the those are just my brief recollections of early broadcasting er from 1969 till 1975. Oh yes, another thing too I used to do the EMI record program which not only went on Rediffusion Singapore, Radio Singapore, the program also went into Radio Malaysia, Radio Thailand and also Radio Hong Kong and this was like another groundbreaking achievement by a Singapore personality so I am pleased to have been able to do quite a few firsts and perhaps sharing this for the first time with you. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you.
(memory collected from iremember Goes to Yuhua)
