Featuring... the FABIAN'S BOYS!

  

Another Singaporean Boyanese pop yeh yeh band that had made an impact to the Malay entertainment scene in the 1960s was The Fabian Boys. The band’s name Fabian came from a Boyanese word phebian, which is the name that the community was referred to, before the term Boyanese was widely used by the Dutch colonials in Indonesia and the British in both Singapore and Malaysia.

The Fabian Boys consisted of Alistini Badjury (this time his surname was re-spelt Badjuree) as the lead guitarist, M. Masnawi (1946-2020) as the rhythm guitarist, Sani as the bassist, Endeng as the drummer and Sofyan as the tambourine player.

The band secured recording contracts offered by Globe Records and TNA Records throughout their career in 1967 and 1968. They were disbanded after appearing briefly in the Cathay Keris film Pop Muda (The Young Pop Stars) in 1968.

Among the singers accompanied by The Fabian’s Boys were as follows:

 M. Wari, M. Masnawi,  Alistini Badjury, Oslan Hussein & S. Alwi

   

After his career with The Cliffters ended, M. Wari continued his singing activities with The Fabian Boys. He recorded his songs under both Globe Records and TNA Records. The collaboration between Wari and the band became stronger, due to the fact that Masnawi, the rhythm guitarist of The Fabian Boys, is his younger brother. Meanwhile, after the disbandment of The Cliffters, Alistini Badjury joined The Fabian Boys to stay relevant to the entertainment scene. In 1968, The Fabian Boys accompanied two comedian singers from Indonesia – Oslan Hussein (1931-1972) and S. Alwi for their EP under TNA Records. This was indeed a golden opportunity as the band, which was by this time, appeared more frequently on radio and television in the republic, was given trust by TNA Records to accompany international artists. 

 

M. Wari & The Fabian Boys – Riwayat Sangkuriang (The Tale of Sangkuriang)

m wari & the fabian's boys _ riwayat sangkuriang (1967)

M. Wari & The Fabian Boys – Mengapa (Why)

THE FABIAN BOYS - 03. Mengapa (M. Wari)

M. Wari & The Fabian Boys – Tinggal-lah Bonda (Goodbye, My Mother)

[To search for audio]

M. Wari & The Fabian Boys – Malam Perpisahan (The Farewell Night)

M Wari The Fabian's Boy Malam Perpisahan MEP 403 , 1967

M. Wari & The Fabian Boys – Si-Dia (The Lady) M Wari The Fabian's Boy Si Dia MEP 403 , 1967

M. Wari & The Fabian Boys – Tiada Ku-Tahu (I Don’t Know)

M Wari & The Fabian Boys - Tiada Ku Tahu

M. Masnawi & The Fabian Boys – Nasib Diri-ku (My Own Fate)

masnawi & the fabian's boys _ nasib diriku (1967)

M. Masnawi & The Fabian Boys – Juwita-ku Sayang (Juwita, My Love)

masnawi & the fabian's boys _ juwitaku sayang (1967)

Alistini Badjury & The Fabian Boys – Istana Kesuma Dewi (The Palace of Kesuma Dewi)

THE FABIAN BOYS - Istana Kesuma Dewi (Alistini Badjuree)

Alistini Badjury & The Fabian Boys – Terona Tao-A (a Boyanese song)

Alistini Bajuree & The Fabian Boys - Terona Taoa

Oslan Hussein & S. Alwi with The Fabian Boys – Papa, Saya Ta’ Mau Kahwin (Papa, I Don’t Want To Get Married) (328) oslan hussein & s alwi & the fabian boys _ papa saya tak mau kawin (1968) - YouTube

Oslan Hussein & S. Alwi with The Fabian Boys – Awas Hati-hati (Be Careful)

OSLAN HUSEIN & S ALWI - Awas Hati-Hati (1968)

Oslan Hussein & S. Alwi with The Fabian Boys – Rantak Kudo (The Horse’s Steps)

Oslan Husein & S. Alwi ~ Rantak Kudo

Oslan Hussein & The fabian Boys – Jangan Kau Menangis (Don’t You Cry)

Oslan Husein ~ Jangan Kau Menangis

Halipah, Norfizah & Lili Maria

Nothing much was known about singers Halipah, Norfizah and Lili Maria – three female singers recorded with The Fabian Boys. Under Globe Records, Halipah and Norfizah sang not ony their individual songs but in duet too. On the other hand, Lili Maria recorded a full EP with The Fabian Boys under TNA Records.

Norfizah & The Fabian Boys – Rayuan Anak-mu (Your Daughter’s Appeal)

norfizah & the fabian's boys _ rayuan anakmu

Norfizah & The Fabian Boys – Janji Chelaka (A Wretched Promise)

THE FABIAN BOYS - 04. Janji Chelaka (Norfizah)

Norfizah & The Fabian Boys – Perpisahan (A Separation)

norfizah & the fabian's boys _ perpisahan

Norfizah & The Fabian Boys – Hujan Di-Malam Hari (The Rain at Night)

norfizah & the fabian's boys _ hujan di malam hari (1967)

Norfizah & Halipah with The Fabian Boys – Tu Bulan Tu Bintang (There Are the Moon and the Stars) norfizah & halipah _ tu bulan tu bintang

Norfizah & Halipah with The Fabian Boys – Bersiar-siar (Wandering Around)

Norfizah & Halifah dgn The Fabian's Boys - Bersiar-siar (Alistini Bajuree) - 1967

Lili Maria & The Fabian Boys – Di-Landa Kenangan (Trapped by Memoirs)

lili maria & the fabian's boy _ dilanda kenangan

Lili Maria & The Fabian Boys – Di-Punchak Gunong Ku-Daki (I Climbed to The Tip of a Mountain)

lili maria & the fabian's boy _ di puncak gunung ku daki (1967)

Lili Maria & The Fabian Boys – Senja Membawa Bahagia (An Evening That Brings Happiness)

[To search for audio]

Lili Maria & The Fabian Boys – Sumbangseh-ku (My Contribution)

lili maria & the fabian's boy _ sumbangsihku (1967)

Unfortunately, like many other pop yeh yeh bands, the career of The Fabian Boys was also short-lived. Alistini, Halipah and Norfizah were nowhere to be found in the entertainment scene. However, M. Wari was very fortunate when he was offered an opportunity to act in a film titled Ibu-lah Shorga (1968), produced by Gabongan Artist Film Company (GAFICO), the only one by it prior to its own closure in the same year. Beginning 1971, Wari led a band called Kugiran Dian, which accompanied some comedians like Momo Latif and Alias Congo, and his own brother M. Masnawi who had become a singer of his own name, whereby he recorded a series of EPs and an LP between 1975 and 1977. Wari also continued to act in dramas on the Radio & Television of Singapore (RTS), besides being a volunteer for the Singapore Boyanese Association (PBS). 

Sincerely yours,

Ghaz, KL

(Note: Currently, I’m writing live from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Please pray for my speedy recovery to enable me to continuously share with all of you the remarkable success and achievement of our talented heroes and heroines of Pop Yeh Yeh music, which had shaped the 1960s in my country Malaysia and its neighboring countries. Thank you for your prayers and support for my humble noble cause in honoring our local talents. Sincerely, with lots of love from me and my family from both sides of the Causeway.)

Credits to:

1.         Cathay Keris Film Production, Singapore

2.         Globe Records, Singapore

3.         TNA Records

4.         Carl M. Hamm

5.         Nostalgia Hassny

6.         Yudhie

7.         popOk classical

8.         classic musioc

9.         dewi purnama

10.   KFH Lovegood

11.   Doubleh

12.   Sweet Memories

SPOTLIGHT on THE CLIFFTERS: SINGAPORE’S ROLLING STONES (UPDATED) by Ghaz

  

Personally, I have always admired the famous siblings Brian Wilson, Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson of the American band The Beach Boys in their performances of songs throughout the 1960s. My similar admiration goes to Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb and Robin Gibb of the British singing trio The Bee Gees for the same reasons. Their involvement in the entertainment industry in their respective countries has shown that siblings could be the best team when it comes to music or even business, provided that they share the same level of responsibilities and remain on the same wavelength in their thoughts and understanding in everything they do.

Back in Singapore in the same decade, there are many pop yeh yeh bands whose members were siblings. However, in this article, I wish to focus on one band of this kind. Uniquely, the members were not only skilful in music and songwriting but could also sing well too. Another positive thing about the band is that it had opened opportunities for singers, mostly from their community (the Boyanese), to carve their respective singing career. The band that I refer to is The Cliffters.

 

 

The Cliffters consisted of brothers Alistini Badjury (lead guitarist/vocalist), Rickieno Badjury (bassist/vocalist), Marstino Badjury (drummer) and Kalimuda Lubis (rhythm guitarist). The band was the champion of Singapore’s Rolling Stones Competition held in the republic in 1965. 

 

The Cliffters with the trophy that they won from said contest.

 

Following their success, the Ngee Fat Gramophone House, a leading local recording company, offered The Cliffters an opportunity to record under its labels – Playboy Records, Ngee Fat Records and Chap Piring – between 1966 and 1967.

For a start, the band accompanied Jasni (1918-1987), a veteran singer, who had been active in studio recording since 1938, with four songs. In addition, a split EP was also recorded by him with the band with two more songs. It was an attempt by Jasni to make a comeback, after a halt in 1959. Jasni had been recording songs for both studio and film soundtrack recording alongside P. Ramlee, R. Azmi and other big names throughout the 1940s and the 1950s, apart from acting in the first Cathay Keris film titled Buloh Perindu in 1953. However, by 1966, he had turned into 40s, an age considered as veteran for the entertainment industry at that time, and it would be very hard for him to compete against other pop yeh yeh singers, who were as young as his daughter, actress Roseyatimah (1943-1987). Perhaps due to this factor, Jasni had decided to call it a day. 

 

   

Jasni & The Cliffters  - Apa-kah Dosa-ku (What Sins I’ve Ever Committed) [1966]*

*to search for audio

Jasni & The Cliffters – Aku Tertawan (I’m Attracted to Someone) [1966]

Jasni & The Cliffters - Aku Tertawan - 1966

Jasni & The Cliffters – Sayang Dek Sayang (My Love…Oh My Love) [1966]

JASNI/ THE CLIFFTERS- SAYANG DEK SAYANG

Jasni & The Cliffters – Gadis Seberang (The Girl from the Other Side of the Border) [1966]

JASNI - Gadis Seberang , Lagu2 Melayu

Jasni & The Cliffters – Amat Salah Sangkot (Amat is Attracted to a Wrong Lady) [1966]

"AMAT SALAH SANGKUT" Jasni dan The Cliffters 1966

Jasni & The Cliffters – Bunga Kesuma (The Kesuma Flower) [1966]

JASNI/ THE CLIFFTERS- BUNGA KESUMA

 

On the other hand, another budding singer was discovered and partnered with The Cliffters in their next recording work. He was M. Wari. Born Maswari Marwan in Singapore in 1941, Wari began acting in theatres after leaving school in his late teens. Thanks to his acting talent, his handsome looks and his well-built body, he was recruited by Cathay Keris film director M. Amin to act in under the latter’s film direction titled Ayer Mata Duyong (A Mermaid’s Tears) [1964], Panglima Besi (The Steel Warrior) [1964] and Mata Dan Hati (Thee Eyes and The Heart) [1965].  While waiting for more acting offers from the film company, Wari tried his luck in singing. He was deemed fortunate that Ngee Fat offered him a recording contract, with The Cliffters as the accompanying band.

 

      

M. Wari & The Cliffters – Ingin Berjumpa (I Want to Meet You) [1966]

m wari & the cliffters _ ingin berjumpa

M. Wari & The Cliffters – Oh Puja’an (Oh My Idol) [1966]

M Wari & The Cliffters Oh Pujaan NFEP 5003 , 1966

M. Wari & The Cliffters – Pada Angin Ku-Pesan (I Sent My Message Through the Wind [1966]

M Wari & The Cliffters - Pada Angin Ku Pesan , NFEP 5011 , 1966

M. Wari & The Cliffters – Hanya Dinda (Only You) [1966]

m wari & the cliffters _ hanya dinda (1966)

M. Wari & The Cliffters – Kechewa (Disappointed) [1966] *

*to search for audio

M. Wari & The Cliffters – Renongan-ku (My Observation) [1966]

M Wari & The Cliffters Renungan Ku NFEP 5011 1966

 

The recordings by M. Wari were indeed a success. One of the factors was the strategy by Ngee Fat to promote his record by including photos from the film Panglima Besi that he acted in.

Another singer that The Cliffters had accompanied was June Abdullah. Prior to singing, she acted as an extra in some of Malay films produced throughout the decade. The most notable one was in the Shaw Brothers’ Malay Film Production release titled Dahaga (Thirst for Love) [1966], where she became a dancing model in a scene, in which Aziz Jaafar (1935-2005) performed a song called Senyum-mu (Your Smile). With The Cliffters, June Abdullah recorded a split EP in 1966 and a full EP in 1967. Her songs Pengembara (A Traveller) and Oh! Di Mana-kah Bahagia (Oh! Where is the Happiness) in the said split EP had hit the top charts in both Singapore and Malaysia. Besides the original composition, June also recorded the cover versions of current English hits – Sandy Shaw’s Long Live Love and The Coys’ A Lovers’ Concerto – in Malay, both contained in her second EP.  

 

    June Abdullah, the only female singer accompanied by The Cliffters

June Abdullah & The Cliffters – Pengembara (A Traveller) [1966]

Jun Abdullah & The Cliffters ~ Pengembara ~

June Abdullah & The Cliffters – Oh! Di Mana-kah Bahagia (Oh! Where is the Happiness) [1966]

Oh Dimanakah Bahagia - Jun Abdulah & The Cliffters

June Abdullah & The Cliffters – Pesta Yang Lalu (The Last Fiesta) [1967]

(223) JUNE ABDULLAH-PESTA YANG LALU - YouTube

June Abdullah & The Cliffters – Aku Rindu (I Miss You) [1967]

June Abdullah & The Cliffters - Aku Rindu - 1967

June Abdullah & The Cliffters – Bisekan Kalbu (Whispers of the Heart) [1967]

June Abdullah & The Cliffters - Bisikan Kalbu - Mac 1967

June Abdullah & The Cliffters – Anis (Anis) [1967]

June Abdullah & The Cliffters - Anis (senikata/susunan: Sharifah Rogayah) - Mac 1967

 

   

Besides playing music, brothers Rickieno Badjury and Alistini Badjury were also talented singers. According to Radio Singapura DJ, the late Mohamed Ismail Abdullah a.k.a. M.I.A. (1945-2021), Rickieno, who was a former boxer at his school Methodist Boys’ School, left the sport after being attracted to the guitar performance by a Western band called Les Paul & Mary Ford. Rickieno’s own composition Pengembara, sung by June Abdullah, was a successful hit; so were Renongan-ku, Pada Angin Ku-Pesan and Kechewa that he wrote for M. Wari. Rickieno sang his own composition of Harapan Hampa (A Disappointed Hope), Chium-ku Lagi (Kiss Me Again) and Bisekan Cliffters (The Cliffters’ Whisper), all of which were also top hits at that time. On the other hand, Alistini was more inclined to sing in Boyanese. 

 

   

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Harapan Hampa (A Disappointed Hope) [1966]

rickieno badjuri & the cliffters _ hampa (1966)

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Chium-ku Lagi (Kiss Me Again) [1966]

rickieno badjury & the cliffters _ chium ku lagi (1966)

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Bisekan Cliffters (The Cliffters’ Whisper) [1966]

Rickieno Badjury - Bisekan Cliffters

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Penjaga Lembu (The Cows’ Caretaker) [1967] *

*to search for audio

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Luka-ku (My Wound) [1967] *

*to search for audio

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Merantau (Travelling) [1967] *

*to search for audio

Rickieno Badjury & The Cliffters – Kechewa (Disappointed) [1967] *

*to search for audio

Alistini Badjury & The Cliffters – Oh Alek (Oh My Girl [1966]

Alistini Badjuri & The Cliffters - Oh Alek - Julai 1966

Alistini Badjury & The Cliffters – Sapa Nyama Na (What is Her Name) [1966]

The Cliffters 04 Alistini Badjury - Sapa Nyama Na

 

A full EP by Rickieno (with his surname re-spelt as Badjuri) and The Cliffters under the Orchard label in 1967 marked the end of the musical career of the band. Rickieno then cut an EP under Life Record with The Fantastics Indonesia in 1969, before joining Orkes Zindegi as a bassist until 1974. He then pursued his studies in electrical work at an institute in Bandung, Indonesia.

M. Wari then continued his recording work with another band called The Fabian’s Boys, in which his younger brother M. Masnawi (1946-2020) was a drummer cum vocalist. Wari then recorded a few kronchong songs for a compilation LP called Kronchong by Muntiara issued by TNA Records in 1967.

To our surprise, Alistini Badjury (this time he changed his surname’s spelling as Badjuree) also played with The Fabian’s Boys as a guitarist cum vocalist too.

After a short break, June Abdullah recorded songs with Kombo Ahmad Wan Yet for a Radio Malaysia program called Dendang Tebrau (Songs from Tebrau).

Long Live Pop Yeh Yeh!

 

Warmest regards,

Ghaz, KL

Credits to:

1.      Cathay Keris Fim Production, Singapore

2.      Shaw Brothers’ Malay Film Production, Singapore

3.      Ngee Fat Gramophone House, Singapore

4.      The late Mohamed Ismail Abdullah a.k.a. M.I.A. (1945-2021)

5.      Radio & Television of Malaysia (RTM)

6.      Radio & Television of Singapore (RTS)

7.      Rickieno Badjury’s Facebook

8.      Yudhie (Sarawak)

9.      Nostalgia Hassny

10.Imran Ibrahim (Malacca)

11.Nasri Mohd Kelan

12.Feiruz Shah (Singapore)

13.Ababil123

14.popOk classical

15.Discog