FITZGERALD, Harvey George
Performing Arts in Singapore (Music),
Accession Number 003228
- Oral History Centre
Source
- 2
Total Reels
- Jason Lim (Dr)
Interviewer
- 01:15:48
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 2
Metadata
- 13 Sep 2007
Recording Date
- 00:54:27
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
*Early interest in music. Learnt to play the guitar at a young age. Performed music in school, bars and military clubs. Choice of “The Thunderbirds” as the name of the group. His first gig at age 12. Appeared in the “Early Bird Show”. Beginnings of the Thunderbirds. First performance of the Thunderbirds. House parties were common in the early 1960s. Played professionally from the mid-1960s as his father would book them in a club at a Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Singapore. Reception of the audience. Inclusion of Heather Fitzgerald into the group. His father arranged for Fanfare to interview members of the Thunderbirds and subsequently the group did recordings at Philips Records.
Commercial success of “My Lonely Heart”. Inspiration behind the composition of “My Lonely Heart”. Recordings of original songs with Philips. Inspiration behind the composition of “You Were Made for Me to Love”. Composed songs although he had never learnt music before. Only member of the group who composed songs. Choice of songs for ‘cover versions’, including “Love is Blue”. Contract with Philips ended by 1967 when the group played in Hotel Malaysia and the ‘Singapore Lady’, a floating restaurant. How they were approached by the ‘Singapore Lady’. Other performances in Hotel Malaysia. Told to play ‘controlled music’ in the floating restaurant. Impression that people believed foreign music groups were better than local ones.
Played in pubs in the Goodwood Hotel Group. Contracts prevented them from performing overseas. Other performances such as night shows and a garden party at the Istana. Turned down proposals to perform in Hong Kong and England. Behaviour of fans before and after becoming professional. Decision to leave the Thunderbirds in 1975 and the reaction of the other band members. Original line-up of the Thunderbirds in 1965 - Harvey Fitzgerald, Derek Fitzgerald, Ivan Fitzgerald, Tony Chong and Freddie Tan. Later changes as various members were replaced by William Wee, Alan Lyford, Richard Danker, Philip Monteiro, Freddie Kang and Alan Lim.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 2
Metadata
- 13 Sep 2007
Recording Date
- 00:21:21
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Open Access
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Impressions of the English popular music scene in Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s. Impression that British musicians were more popular in Singapore than Americans. Impact of British group “The Shadows”. Importance of image for musicians. Prejudices against Western music because of drugs and alcohol. Recalled an occasion in the early 1970s when the Singapore Government temporarily banned all nightclubs which led to the beginning of lounges in hotels. Enjoyed working with Susan Lim, former lead singer of the Crescendos, until her untimely death. Worked with Doug Lyford, the Rey Sisters and others. Enjoyed his working days in the Thunderbirds. Proud that “My Lonely Heart” has been sung by different singers. What he enjoyed most with the Thunderbirds.
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