VS135
The Good Old Days
You will always go back to the old days hence the words "the good old days". It does not mean the present is bad, just the the old days were always better maybe simply because life was more simple and values, priorities, demands and lifestyle were different. That is why people collect antiques, remake old movies and redo old songs as retro or simply just listen to old songs in its original version. When you are young you look forward to be older but when you got old you wish to be younger. Ah, irony of life.
The good old days will never return but you can go back to the good old days. How? By visiting places, attending events and meeting people of that era. I have been doing exactly that for some time now visiting places of the past, attending some events and meeting people. Not just meeting people but also connecting them. Inevitably, some of the most memorable times had to be in school. I have written previous articles on that which you can find here.
I know some of you just walked or cycled to school. Many others had to go by bus to Victoria. Were we all there by chance? That we also met one another and shared many memories of the good times and the bad?
There were also often times where I have articulated on these nostalgic moments. Some of which were lamentations. Long lost friends from primary and secondary schools or college and other tertiary groups of friends or even from NS or your old home town. Some who you knew to be very nice may not be anymore and those who you judge with past impressions to be not so nice are extremely lovable now. Seasons change, people change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcWfpPgeAP4 (Seasons Change - Expose).
There is one event once in awhile where with one stone you can get many birdies, where everyone would gather and come together, some 1,500 people: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDtoZ8M3Q50 (Come Together - Aerosmith). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8LZGQ4MkvQ (Beatles).
Sure it took lots of sweat for the organisers and those who made commitment to get the tickets first and others who worked hard to put up a show and linked people. Above all, it is a charitable event. Welcome to VS135, our Season In The Sun:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd_Fdly3rX8 (Terry Jacks).
VS135
Walking onto the pitch where the tent was built was like walking out through the tunnel where the sign "This Is Anfield" was hung and you will have a sense of how Liverpool players feel.
The two levels were where we walked around often as boys where innocence, mischief, attraction and distraction were pulling you in different directions. Those were magic moments, those magic changes from then to now- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWoyD5gtlWs (Those Magic Changes - Sha Na Na)
The ex band boys that played for you the National Anthem and school song everyday without fail and in the band competitions and concerts. Remember our anthem Hawaii 5-0 which never failed to solicit encores? Well, not all of us have been to Hawaii but many of us has got to the big 5-0!! Or more!!
Programme brochure that said it all - 135 years, the "school that watch'd us grow." Sometimes when you write something, do something or start something you won't know how it will grow like in 1876, how Kampong Glam Malay School was born and later moved to Tyrwhitt to become Victoria School. Or the stanza of the school song "Victoria is something more", "school that watch'd us grow" and "Victoria, thy sons are we".
The man is black is Eng Chong, the man who often got us back together to do different things like playing soccer. This time he got the tables and gathered many. Daniel helped with the details and contacts too. EC even got an alumni band together practising hard on weekends to give you songs like KC & The Sunshine Band's "That's The Way I Like It" and Deep Purple's "Smoke On The Water". That was EC & The Bandz Bazookas!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd--tIkrVoA (KC & The Sunshine Band)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WX_4FNoto4 (Deep Purple). See Ian Gillan, Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Paice, Jon Lord and Roger Glover.
Nil Sine Labore - Nothing with Labour (work).
We came from everywhere and departed and came again. For me, there is a befitting song to it - Hotel California released in February 1977 to critical world acclaim by the Eagles. Hotel California is an interpretation of the high life in the music industry and Los Angeles, bright lights and big city, about the America dream. Don Felder started with an instrumental demo while Don Henley and Glenn Frey gave the lyrics. In the first stanza of the song, "warm smell of colitas" where colitas is a Spanish term for Cannabis. There was a time where drug abuse was so prevalent and destructive even in Singapore. So whether when we were still at school or now "some dance to remember, some dance to forget". Some may be to bury the ghosts of the past and get a closure. Others to get an update if they were to bump into women teachers they were infatuated with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piW9MHpfCu4 (Hotel California - Eagles)
DPM Teo Chee Hean was the Guest of Honour. He was eloquent with his speech.
We used to be like these youngsters in the current school band.
There were a great variety of people from all walks of life and captains of industries.
Besides the band boys, I met many other school and class mates. A few were amazingly from my primary school.
Nick is another guy I knew who initiated and made this possible for many to hook up again.
This is a group who used to train in the band together. The empty seat was for yours truly who was busy running around like a "getai" performer or night club hostess. The unenviable job? To connect people - long lost souls and brothers. Maybe the guy who borrowed 10 cents from another could get it back now.
A smiling Gerard was also instrumental in linking up people to be there that night.
Another group of brudders from the band. Why orange drinks? So I called up the Captain, "please bring me my wine" and he said "we haven't had that spirit here since 1969!"
An ex teacher Mr. Jelani was sitting down when Kumar and I met him. Kumar is a strapping 6ft 1in. and when Mr. Jalani stood up, he is still slightly taller than Kumar. I thought that he was tall then because we were small. This teacher used to sport dark sunglasses and walked like Clint Eastwood.
I met Mr. T P Naidu, our beloved school principal. Sat down with him and chatted awhile. He seemed glad that I acknowledged him and we spoke about aging and aching joints. He asked me what I am doing now. I nearly broke into a song: "Will you tell the folks back home, I nearly made it. Had offers but didn't know which one to take. Please don't tell them how you found me. Give me a break". But I held back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pyC7WnvLT4 (It Never Rains In Southern Califronia - Albert Hammond).
Mr. Aguilar (sic) my form teacher in lower secondary. He used to wear dark glasses too and I told him I remembered he drove a Ford Capri (that's Kumar with him). Ford Capri was very hip those days!
Mr. Chan, who taught mathematics and was my teacher-in-charge of badminton. On some occasions, I have to skip badminton training to be with the band and skip the band to be training for badminton tournaments. Nobody understood my predicament when I got buttered both sides for the love of school and nation.
Mrs. Toh, our then teacher in charge of the band. She looked the same as she was years back. What was her secret. Love of music?
The alumni band playing - sorry if I missed your name - Meng Keh and Kwok Meng on drums, Yew Hon and Subronto with their trumpets, Hadi who came all the way from KL was high on sax! Albert was playing bass?
Was Beng Wee blowing his horn? Boon Chai with bass guitar and Eng Chong on keyboards and guitar. Bravo! Bandz Bazookas!
VIP DPM Teo leaving and shaking hands. I was busy shooting when he turned to me and shook my hands. I was all shook up by now! Was a busy night.
Well oh well, to all who came and the others that could not, you can check out anytime you like but you can never leave! I have never really left. It holds special memories for me. I am sure with the contacts exchanged, there will be more meetings and interaction among the folks thereafter. VS produced three Presidents for Singapore. One of us could be a future one. Eng Chong and Nick for President!
For those who came, I hope the walk down memory lane was well worth it. I met the guy (our senior) who had a band that performed Hotel California during our graduation night at the Shangri-La. Keep her flag unfurled! I would also like you to take this song with you - an aged old favourite from an all time hero, Sam Hui - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkoBCtMLn0A. We can't differentiate from reality?
From all the above songs I have posted, you would have realised they just don't make songs like these anymore. Sigh.
From all the above songs I have posted, you would have realised they just don't make songs like these anymore. Sigh.
Comments
but i vehemently disagree with
"We used to be like these youngsters in the current school band."...
coz you all still are!!!
zan
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