Friday, December 27, 2024

FOCUS on * LES FENTONES! * Written by Pop Yeh Yeh Scholar, Ghaz (KL, Malaysia, Dec 12 2024)

 



The late A. Karim Jais (1946 – 1999) (second from left) accompanied by Les Fentones as special guest stars in the film “Playboy” (1967) directed by Noordin Ahmad (1932 – 1971).

Les Fentones was one of the Singaporean bands that were active during the pop yeh yeh era. The band consisted of Kamaruddin Ahmad (lead guitarist), Manaf Ahmad a.k.a. A. Manaf (bass guitarist), Aziz Ahmad (rhythm guitarist cum keyboardist) and M. Said (drummer). Kamaruddin Ahmad and his brother Manaf Ahmad composed most of the songs that the band recorded and wrote their lyrics too.

The band’s first involvement in music recording began in 1965 when it accompanied M. Osman (1940 – 2001), from which 2 EPs and an SP were made with Teo Kwang’ s Eagle Records.

 


M. Osman & Les Fentones – Desa Suchi (The Sacred Village)[1965]

DESA SUCI - M.OSMAN & LES FENTONES

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Gelombang Rindu (Waves of Longing) [1965]

M OSMAN GELOMBANG RINDU

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Dara (Maiden) [1965]

M Osman & Les Fentones – Dara

 

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Selamat Tinggal Puja’an (Goodbye, My Love) [1965]

M. Osman & Les Fentones - Selamat Tinggal Pujaan (K. Scorpio) - 1965

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Dendang Patah Hati (Song of A Broken Hearted) [1965]

m osman & les fentones dendang patah hati

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Dendang Membawa Diri (Song of Carrying Myself) [1965]

M. OSMAN/ LES FENTONES- DENDANG MEMBAWA DIRI

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Kaseh Berduka (Grieving Love) [1966]

M. OSMAN/ LES FENTONES- KASEH BERDUKA

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Mawar-Ku Pergi (My Rose Has Left) [1966]

M.osman & les fentones mawar ku pergi

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Jiwa Merana (A Languishing Soul) [1966]

M. OSMAN/ LES FENTONES- JIWA MERANA

 

M. Osman & Les Fentones – Bulan Bintang (The Moon and The Stars) [1966]

M. OSMAN/ LES FENTONES- BULAN BINTANG

 

After making 3 albums with M. Osman, Les Fentones became more active in 1966 and 1967 when the band was assigned to Suria Records. A. Karim Jais (mentioned as A. Karim then) and Fatimah H. S. were two singers that they accompanied the most in their respective records.



Songs from these EPs include the following:

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Kechewa Chinta (A Disappointed Love) [1966]

a karim jais & les fentones _ kechewa chinta (1966)

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Harapan Suchi (A Holy Hope) [1966]

a karim jais & les fentones _ harapan suchi (1966)

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Julaidah (Julaidah) [1966]

A. Karim & Les Fentones - Julaidah (Manaf Ahmad) - Jun 1966

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Bahgia Menjelma (Happiness Transformed) [1966]

a karim jais & les fentones _ bahagia menjelma (1966)

 

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Peristiwa Merachun Hati (Heart-Poisoning Events)[1966]

a karim jais & les fentones _ peristiwa merachun hati

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones -  Membisu Sa-Ribu Kata (Silent for A Thousand Words)[1966]

A KARIM JAIS & LES FENTONES Membisu Seribu Kata Ep SA 1003 , 1966

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Janji-Ku (My Promise)[1966]

A KARIM JAIS/ LES FENTONES- JANJI KU

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Merayu Kaseh (Flirting With Love) [1966]

(*To search for audio)

 

Fatimah H. S. & Les Fentones – Rindu Jangan Menangis Pun Jangan (Don’t Cry or Longing for Me) [1966]

fatimah h s & les fentones _ rindu jgn menangis pun jgn

 

Fatimah H. S. & Les Fentones -  Istana Chinta (The Palace of Love) [1966]

fatimah h s & les fentones _ istana chinta

 

Fatimah H. S. & Les Fentones – Senyuman-Mu (Your Smile) [1966]

Fatimah H S dan Les Fentones - Senyuman Mu 1966

 

Fatimah H. S. & Les Fentones – Paduan Kaseh (The Harmony of Love) [1966]

Fatimah H S & Les Fentones - Paduan Kasih


Song from this EP include:

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Suasana Jiwa (The Soul’s Atmosphere) (1966)

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Bahgia Berubah Derita (Happiness Turned into Suffering) (1966)

Fatimah H. S. & Les Fentones – Pengorbanan (Sacrifice) (1966)

Fatimah H. S. & Les Fentones – Ratapan Hati Luka (A Wounded Heart’s Lamentation) (1966)

LES FENTONES SA 1002 Full Ep

 



Songs from this EP include:

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Chinta Hampa (Empty Love) [1967]

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Si-Dara Jelita  [The Beautiful Maiden) [1967]

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Akibat Chinta (The Consequences of Love) [1967]

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones – Kau Di-Hatiku (You, in My Heart) [1967]

A KARIM JAIS & LES FENTONES FULL Ep SA 1007 1967

 

Owing to their remarkable success in song recording, A. Karim Jais and Les Fentones were invited as special guest stars in the Cathay Keris film “Playboy” in 1967.

 

A.    Karim Jais & Les Fentones performing 3 songs in the film “Playboy”.

Himpunan Video Muzikal Lagu-Lagu Petikan dari Soundtrack Filem "Playboy 1967"

 

Besides accompanying other singers, Les Fentones also recorded their own songs, this time with bass guitarist Manaf Ahmad as the lead vocalist.



Manaf Ahmad (second from left) became the lead vocalist of Les Fentones in this recording.

Les Fentones – Di-Sa’at Bahagia (In happy Times) [1967]

Les Fentones - Di Saat Bahagia.

 

Les Fentones – Chari Yang Lain (Find Another Lover Instead) [1967]

a manaf & les fentones _ chari yang lain

 

Les Fentones – Derita Batin (The Inner Suffering [1967]

a manaf & les fentones _ derita batin

 

Les Fentones – Harapan Menjelma (Hope Manifests) [1967] 

A manaf harapan menjelma

 

Before calling it quits in 1968, Les Fentones recorded another EP, this time with a pop yeh yeh singer named A. Azman.

 

 

A.    Azman & Les Fentones – Nada Rindu (A Tone of Missing You) [1968]

a azman & les fentones _ nada rindu (1968) - YouTube

 

A. Azman & Les Fentones – Chinta (Love) [1968]

a azman & les fentones _ cinta (1967)

 

A. Azman & Les Fentones – Irama Ria (The Rhytym of Happiness) [1968]

a azman & les fentone _ irama ria (1967)

 

A. Azman & Les Fentones – Oh… Bunda-Ku (Oh.. My Mother) [1968]

(*to search for audio)

 

Written by Ghaz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

Credits to:

 

1.          Teo Kwang’s Eagle Record, Singapore

2.          Suria Records, Singapore

3.          Cathay Keris Film Production, Singapore

4.          Wikipedia (in Malay)

5.          discog

6.          Yudhie, Sarawak

7.          Imran Ibrahim, Melaka

8.          Nostalgia Hassny

9.          Aziz Cruise Desa

10.       popOK classical

11.       Mohd Islam

12.       Nasri Mohd Kelan

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