Oh, what a year it has been! As we say goodbye to 2024, we thought we'd reflect on the year with our top five fave moments on the pod. Unsurprisingly - or perhaps, surprisingly - Chris and Kevin had four same items out of the five on their list. But what was the different one?

PLUS! A special appearance by Shye!

PLUS PLUS! Our wishes for 2025!

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "The Sun Will Cry" performed by Shye; excerpts from "If You Mind" performed by Bellied Star; excerpt from "Shanty" performed by The Quests; excerpt from "Auld Lang Syne" performed by Chris Toh.

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LINKS

Follow Shye: Instagram / YouTube

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Email us: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Bellied Star review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Related episodes:

Rising Star: Shye

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

You know it's a fun day when Friend of the Pod Isaac Chiew returns to share more thoughts about the Lion City's music scene.

How have his experiences working with record labels and youth organisations shaped his mindset? Which Lion City Rockers rock his boat? And when will his band, Cactus Cactus, drop their new album?

The answers to all this and more are right here! In this episode! Really!

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Cloud City", "Hammer" & "Life Is Short, Be Kind To Yourself", performed by Cactus Cactus.

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LINKS

Follow Isaac: Instagram / Facebook

Follow Cactus Cactus: Instagram / YouTube

Get tickets for Big Duck's Grrrls! To The Front

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Drop us a line: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Bellied Star review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Related episodes:

Powering Passion with Isaac Chiew

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

We’re so happy to have friend of the pod Patrick Chng, back for another episode!

This time, the Oddfather of Singapore Indie Music spills the beans about his new journey into the world busking in the Lion City.

What does it take to be a busker in Singapore? Where are all the hot busking spots? And is it really true that all buskers MUST learn to play John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’?

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Unity Song" & "Two Trains", performed by The Oddfellows. "Senseless" performed by AWOL

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LINKS

Follow The Oddfellows: Instagram / YouTube

Get tickets for Sanny Veloo's show featuring The Oddfellows, and other guests

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Drop us a line: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Bellied Star review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Related episodes:

30 Years Of Teenage Head Part 1 | Part 2

The Long and Winding Chat with Pat Chng

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

It's punk rock like you've never heard it before! With fans from all over the region, power trio Iman's League have been rocking the stage with their high-energy performances and ballsy bangers.

Iman, Bat and Lal got on the pod to share their thoughts about the best and worst gigs, what peeves them most, and where Iman's League will be in 2025! (Europe, anyone?)

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Hati", "Lisa", "Forever In 7th" and "Hey Hey Hey" performed by Iman's League

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LINKS

Follow Iman's League: Instagram / Facebook

Listen to Iman's League: Bandcamp / Spotify

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Drop us a line: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Bellied Star review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Listen: Kevin Mathews' music

Check out our related episodes:

1960s Icon: Henry Chua of The Quests

OG Teen Idols of SG: The Crescendos

Remembering Naomi & The Boys

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

IT'S ANOTHER BUMPER EPISODE!

Lion City Rock legends Henry Chua and Wee Guan tell us the story of "Shanty", the song that changed the Singapore music landscape. Written by Henry and recorded by The Quests, it was released in Oct 1964 and became the first original composition by a Singapore band to reach No.1 – for 12 weeks! – knocking off The Beatles along the way.

Sixty years later, you can still find people covering the song.

So what do they really think of the song now? How did fame change the band? Why couldn't they go bowling anymore? What made Hong Kong audiences boo them at first? And why were the military police chasing them all over Malaysia?

All the answers to these questions and more in this episode!

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Shanty", "Gallopin'" and "Memories" performed by The Quests; excerpt from "Shake, Shake, Shake" performed by Rita Chao and The Quests

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LINKS

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Drop us a line: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Chris' Bellied Star review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Listen: Kevin Mathews' music

Check out our related episodes:

1960s Icon: Henry Chua of The Quests

OG Teen Idols of SG: The Crescendos

Remembering Naomi & The Boys

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

It's Part 2 of 60 years of maximum rock and roll!

In July, The Beatles caused a minor riot as 3,000 teens flock to the airport to see the Fab Four's... plane.

In Oct 1964, The Quests reached #1 with "Shanty", knocking The Beatles off the top spot!

That same month, local and international bands took part in a charity concert, called the 8.30 Special, for the benefit of the victims and their families of the race riots that occurred in July and Sept that year.

As the year comes to a close, the future looks bright for the local music scene, with bands and singers like The Checkmates, Shirley Nair, The Silver Strings, The Cyclones, Andy Young, The Trailers, The Thunderbirds, Veronica Young, Naomi and The Boys, Vernon Cornelius making headway.

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "The Boy Next Door" performed by The Crescendos; "Shanty" , "Gallopin'" and "A World Of Tomorrows" excerpts performed by The Quests

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LINKS

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Drop us a line: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Check out our related episodes:

1965 - The Year That Rocked: Part 1 / Part 2

OG Teen Idols of SG: The Crescendos

1960s Icon: Henry Chua of The Quests

Remembering Naomi & The Boys

Selling The Dream: Richard Khan of October Cherries

Last Dog Standing: Lim Kiang of Straydogs

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Chris' Substack review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Listen: Kevin Mathews' music

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

Can you imagine when Singapore wasn't Singapore, but Malaysia? We can't – but luckily, we read history books.

In 1964, the Lion City hadn't achieved independence. The geo-political and socio-economic landscapes were still on shaky ground.

But the pop scene was already making inroads. The Crescendos were consolidating their position as the top vocal group in the region, while The Quests were only months away from unleashing their magnum opus, "Shanty".

Meanwhile, the clubs and tea dances were filled with teens wanting to hear musicians like Wilson David, The Checkmates, Julie Sudiro, The Cyclones, The Silver Strings, Shirley Nair, Veronica Young, The Trailers, The Boys and more belt out the latest hits.

Find out more as we revisit 1964 to celebrate 60 years of maximum rock and roll!

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Waktu Fajar", "Bengawan Solo" and "In The Good Old Summertime" performed by The Crescendos; "Shanty (1966 version)" excerpt performed by The Quests; "The Dew" performed by The Fast Colors

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LINKS

Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram

Drop us a line: lioncityrocksg@gmail.com

Check out our episode on 1965: Part 1 / Part 2

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Chris' Substack review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Listen: Kevin Mathews' music

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!

"It's a new dawn comin' round..." And she's right here on our podcast!

Our guests are Dawn Parry, host and presenter on newdawn.fm, and Joe Eades, the A&R Coordinator of Jukebox Judgement, a show where some of the top producers in the world give their reviews about new music from around the world.

Back in February, Singapore was the first Southeast Asian country they featured on Jukebox Judgement and they're all set for the next batch of Lion City rockers (episode drops 1 Nov, 3pm SG time).

They both share what they like about the sweet sounds of Singapore, among other things, like...

... how Dawn's mum was a bonafide pop star here in SG back in the 1960s

... who The Killers' producer Craig Leon's fave Lion City rockers are

... and what makes a pop song pop? (clue: it's all in the first 30 seconds)

*recorded 09 Oct '24

The second Jukebox Judgement featuring Singapore on 1 Nov, 3pm (SGT)

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"Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; "Someday" and "Silent Voices" performed by AWOL; "The First" performed by Ultra Mega Cat Attack; "Blood On The Disco Floor" performed by Intermission; "If You Mind" performed by Bellied Star; "Camera" performed by Chippunks

Recording from Molly Malone's courtesy of Tommy Dean

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LINKS

Follow newdawn.fm: Facebook, website

Jukebox Judgement SG episode 2 on newdawn.fm

Follow Lion City Rock Facebook / Instagram

Listen: The Lion City Rock Playlist

Read: Full Sput Ahead! (Chris' Substack review)

Read: Power of Pop Substack

Listen: Kevin Mathews' music

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Like, share and subscribe to Lion City Rock on RedCircle, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Give us a 5-star rating and review – it really helps others search for some good ol' Lion City Rock!

Let us know what you like (or don't like!) so we can improve it. Also, we can do much more if you drop a donation in the link provided. Every little bit helps. Thank you very much for all your support! We appreciate you!