Blast(ed) from the PAST!!


A recent gathering of ol' (not too old lah....) mates brought back fond memories of our childhood. With much pleasure I said 'fond memories' coz that was the only thing I could remember. At times, I felt dumbfounded, flabbergasted and mostly yakety...... there were too much to catch up, too much to tell, too much to say, too much to show. Unfortunately, time wasn't in our favour.


Nevertheless, it was worth the wait, worth the time. As expected, there were changes in all forms imaginable to the human anatomy, but, the kid-self in all of us was still there. I'm glad that it stayed like that. Still, I wish I had more time to stay and catch up. However, with the technology we have now, there is no reason why we can't keep ourselves updated.

So, there you go. To all the Mats and Minahs from MacRitchie Primary (Yr of 1983)..... cheers to all of us, to those who went before us, Al-Fatehah kami kirimkan, to those who refuse to acknowledge our existence, 'gasak korang ah!!'........ to those who are still missing....."Where the FARK are you guys??!!'....... and, is Norazhar really gay? did he turn to a transvestite? (nah...... I'm joking, just speculating on this one. Please don't quote me!!) hahahahahah!!!

Here's one for all the 'hot-Mamas'.....(jangan perasan ah!!)



"*due to restricted limitations and legal rights, some pix have been ordered to be taken down to minimize any intended discriminiations."

I just put the phone down after a 35-minute conversation with a bar owner in Boat Quay. He called to ask me for help in getting him proper DJ equipments. As far as I know, he just bought new equipments like less than 6 months ago. When I asked him what happened, he answered, that his DJ always 'chao-beat' during sets, player stops abruptly and the sound level goes uncontrollably haywire. When he asked his DJ what happen, the DJ told him that the equipments sucks and is not of 'industry standard'. FYI, the equipments was not Pioneer, Denon, Vestax or Numark. It was from another reliable brand but from the mid-range product.

The owner also said that his DJ had asked for Pioneer CDJ2000, which he claims to be the 'industry standard' for DJs. However, the bar owner is not willing to splurge $7000 for the Pioneer stuffs. He also asked if I have similar products that cost lower.

After much thought, I decided not to take advantage of his 'misfortune' by selling him stuffs. Instead, I told him to try changing his DJ before replacing his existing DJ set. Some of the reasons I told him was........

1. Those equipments are non-living things, the operator is. Maybe the operator has insufficient knowledge to handle such equipments.

2. The present equipments he has is also seen being use in bigger clubs, and there are some good reviews. It is also quite a known brand.

3. Why need such an extensive set-up for a small place??

4. There is no such thing as 'industry standard'........ we called it 'preferred choice'.

But then again, that's how the scene here in Singapore. There are some really good DJs who can play with anything but don't get a chance, whereas, there's also mediocre DJs who doesn't have basics but has the 'voice of a lion'. There are some bar owners who do care about their DJs, unfortunately, they don't justify their concern.

In simple words, CAN means CAN...... got proper basics can play anything. Its a matter of whether you like it or not. Don't like, don't play lor........

WHERE IS THE LOVE..........??

Here I am again trying to glorify the past.......

Glorifying my past, no?

For many of us (people like me), we got into DJ-ing because of the love of music and the passion of sharing our love to other people. Nothing beats the feeling of having people tell you that they enjoyed your music or they had fun during ur sets, or even, the next day these people called you and thank you for a great night that hey can't even remember. The main reason for all these are our love and passion for the music and what we do. From that on, DJs worked hard to search for quality sounds, remixes or even making their own music.

Nowadays, it seems that not many DJs can do that. Not because they don't want to, but, these DJs are very much occupied with other stuffs...... most of it is non-DJ-related nor it is music-related. These days, instead of concentrating on their music or sets, DJs had to think about how they are gonna get their payment from promoters/organizers, some had to think about ways of making themselves commercially viable for the business (it doesn't matter what is the standard of DJ-ing). On other levels, instead of concentrating on music, DJs had to double-up as technicians, general artisans or even scapegoats. Some even have to babysit managements, especially the ignorant ones. If this is already too much work, how about after all that, some DJs still need time to bitch or brag about each other's prowess. Damn, it is really tough being a DJ nowadays. With all the 'extra' work, who has time for the love-of-music??

where got time for music...?? busy, busy!!

I was quite fortunate to keep this passion privately nowadays. No more DJ-ing for me for the public. Ever since I was told that I was not good enuff for Singapore DJ scene, that was it for me. Time to let the 'intelligent' ones grow and take centre stage. Ever since I saw a DJ from UK 'specially' flown in for an event, and watched him struggle to operate a CDJ and a turntable, I knew the end was near. (If not mistaken it was at a Chivas event at Gallery Hotel 2yrs ago)

With the passion for the art of DJ-ing and music still burning high, I thought I can still contribute something to the scene. Maybe not as a DJ, and that is why I started my own showroom that deals with music-related or DJ-related stuffs. This way, I don't have to bother who 'rocked' the best party last night, whose crowd scream the loudest, who has the best remixes or who has the loudest applause. As long as you enjoyed your sets, ur music and went home happy, that I think is a bless. Sometimes it gets pretty monotonous that same people rocked same place every night....... same crew got screwed every night........ same remix got mixed every night and same heart got broken every night.

When I was living in Bangkok and traveling to parts of Asia, I notice how the locals protect their own talents. It took lots of pacifying, patience and humbleness before we get noticed and respected by the local jocks. Somehow, I can't say the same here. I'm still hoping that it would change soon (wishful thinking). We have many good local DJs and many more haters. But that's how things are.

On a final note, with the existence of my showroom and my interest of making proper DJ tools affordable, I hope to meet more local talents/DJs, and share the experience. Enough of the bickering in the forums by those 15yr-old twarts. We need to protect our kind, back in the 80s, the laymen call us ........ 'one-of-a-kind'.

Seriously, what's the deal with Mediacorp and food programmes?? Once, they were so desperate at putting on a food show, that even a crappy-badly-dubbed programme got a slot during primetime TV on CH5. After the short-lived JadeSeah-Good-Deal food show sometime ago, here again they came out with a 'newly-improved, ground-breaking' food programme.

So..... what's with having 'babes' in cocktail dresses stuffing food while trying..... I mean TRYING to look hot.... (in every sense of the word). We all know Singaporeans like to eat, but do they think all of us are clueless about where's the good food is? How about affordable, good food!

I wonder if the producers were trying to do this as part of 'personal gains'? Due to their love of food and eating out, help promote some establishments. And of coz....... "a lil' help can go a long way........" If that's the way how thing is going..... we should be expecting more crappy food programmes in the near future. Just like some other establishmenst, who are run by clueless individuals, where they rule with personal perception without even looking out the window.

But then again, that's how our society works nowadays.

Start spinnin' now!!!!

Singapore has been known for it's success (or not) with the various national campaigns. We use to have the Courtesy campaign, Speak Mandarin campaign, Garden City campaign, Road Safety campaign, Romancing Singapore campaign and loads of others that actually made it to the World's Weirdest Campaigns.

If I may suggest...... (being a law-abiding, grump-full, brainwashed, and secluded minority citizen).... how about a campaign encouraging the inhabitants and 'habitants' of this tiny island...... to pucker-up, clean themselves up and try (if possible) to smell good. Yup..... SMELL GOOD, if not, at least tolerable to other living things around you. I've been a victim to BBO, not just Body Odour, but BAD BODY ODOUR!! It has physically and mentally affected me that some parts of my life has changed. Nowadays, I get this thing called Autodysomophobia. No, it's not a joke.

Recently, I had the opportunity to use the public transport to commute between home and work. Most times, going to work is a breeze. However, coming back, in the public transport.... that's where the symptoms start kicking in. I'm sorry I can't explain what it's all about, but I'm sure you people would understand where I'm coming from.

Just a thought...... sometimes, I see those people at MRT stations with the SECURITY vests, standing at their counter. Isn't it part of their job to secure the subways of all threats, domestic or foreign....... ALL threats!! Be it physical or mental...... I think 'body odour' comes under mental AND physical threat. Sometimes, I see those MRT staff in the trains.... those in red uniforms and white gloves. What are they there for?? To usher people to their seats? How about consolidating those with BO into a different carriage?

On a different note, are the roll-ons or cologne or parfumes getting too expensive that people are excusing themselves from smelling good. Maybe, all these scented products doesn't work in our humidity? Maybe someone should invent a cologne or parfume for people in humid countries? Or maybe, there are too many types or brands of such products that people get confuse, and end up not buying any??

Once, I was at Mustafa Ctr at 2am with the Mrs. While she was browsing for DVDs, I was watching a group of Ah Neh (visitors) trying to choose from a range of body sprays. There were signs that says......"Body Spray - 3 for $5!" As I can see from where I was standing, there was only 3 different types seperated by colour, blue, red and green. Those Ah Nehs (5 of them) were in an intense conversation and at times, it looks like they were arguing...... as to which 3 they are gonna pick. This fracas when on for nearly 15mins, which end up with them walking away without buying the body sprays. I wonder if it was the price (3 for $5) that was bugging them, or was it because they couldn't find a scent with the colour brown....?! God knows..??

I should have recorded the session.