Lion City Rock
173 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago -How did Singapore's pop scene come about? Is there a difference between LionCityBoy and Lion City Kia?
If you don't know, then you need the Lion City Rock podcast - the best podcast that looks at Singapore's pop music scene: past, present and future.
Find out all about music made in Singapore as hosts Chris Toh and Kevin Mathews – and their special guests – plug into important Singapore music moments in this kopi tiam conversation.
New episodes go up (or drop) every week.
Don’t say bojio, ah!
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Episodes
Ep18: It's Sideshow Judy's main attraction: Pauline Chong!
January 25, 2022 16:00 - 56 minutes - 52.1 MBIn the days when guys were all jumping on the alternative rock bandwagon, Sideshow Judy, led by Pauline Chong, made a splash because they were one of only a few female-fronted rock bands in Singapore (no, really!) While the band's recording output was limited to compilations such as Left Of The Dial and Flush After Use, they garnered a fanbase that showed their utmost support at the gigs. Here, Pauline shares her musical journey and reveals... ...how Sideshow Judy really got its name ...w...
Ep17: Funky grooves with Stoned Revivals
January 18, 2022 16:00 - 1 hour - 76.5 MBNobody combined the funky smooth sounds with Lion City vibes better than The Stoned Revivals. Formed by friends who just wanted to play music, The Stoned Revivals had a uniquely different sound to what the rest of the indie scene was churning out. Their perky grooves, syncopated beats and stage flair meant these guys would always be the life of any party. Now, members Esam Salleh, Kamal Yacob and Syed Ahmad shed light on: ...whether their name either was inspired by drugs or a record stor...
Ep16: It's Lunarin's leading lady! It's Linda Ong!
January 11, 2022 10:29 - 1 hour - 63 MBOne of our favourite rockers, Linda Ong of Lunarin is our guest this week! Lunarin has been progressively rocking the Lion City ever since Linda, Eng Teck and Kah Wye first met in Dunman High. With influences ranging from Nirvana to Tool, critics have described Lunarin's brand of prog-rock as "snarling", "propulsive", "groovy metal bangers" and – our favourite – "celestial pop with the force of a battle-axe". But their musical journey wasn't always a smooth one. First forming as Fuzzbox...
Ep15: It's Surf Yeh Yeh! It's Force Vomit!
January 03, 2022 16:05 - 1 hour - 69.1 MBIt's a new year and a brand new episode for you Lion City Rockers. But what do Roald Dahl, Richard Linklater's Slackers and HG Wells have to do with Singapore music? A lot, if you're pop-punk/surf punk/garage rock/surf yeh yeh band, Force Vomit! Founding members Dino and Alvin join us in this super-fun chat to share what made Force Vomit such a force in the Singapore and Malaysia music scene. Find out ... ...why they bonded over "heavy metal" band Bon Jovi and hip-hop ...what it was like ...
EP14: Wait a minute, 2021 is nearly over?
December 27, 2021 16:00 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBAnd so this is Christmas ... and what have we done? Another year nearly over, a new one just about to begin. In this episode, Kevin and Chris take a look back at the year and recount their Lion City Rock journey. Well, kind of. Mostly, they end up talking about anything and everything under the sun. This is what happens when you give them drinks and record at night. But they do answer some intriguing questions about being on a podcast, local music and why the Internet is mightier than th...
Ep13: Powering passion with Isaac Chiew of Big Duck Music
December 20, 2021 16:30 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBThis podcast series isn't only about musos of the past – this week, we talk to young Isaac Chiew, a music lover and musician who's taking things into his own hands with his band Cactus Cactus and his company, Big Duck Music. How did he get started? What made him decide to stage his version of Baybeats – calling it Naybeats? And why did he risk getting charged by his army commander just so he could do a gig? Was it the exuberance of youth? The or perhaps, sometimes you just gotta do what y...
Ep12: 1960s icon Henry Chua of The Quests!
December 13, 2021 16:30 - 1 hour - 62.6 MBThe Quests have been labelled as Singapore's version of The Beatles. Not only did they knock The Beatles off the top spot with their song, Shanty; they couldn't go anywhere without being recognised, they were always on TV and radio or in the news, and yes, screaming fans would flock to their gigs. They were legends in their own right. So we were thrilled to speak to Henry Chua, The Quests' bass player and composer of Shanty, among other hits. During our chat, Henry shared how The Quests g...
Ep11: Hard to the core with Francis Frightful
December 06, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBIn the late 1980s, few bands rocked harder than Opposition Party, the pioneering punk band that paved the way for other punk rockers, even as they blazed a trail into hardcore. With their hard-as-nails look – spiky hair, chains, leathers and jeans – the band raised eyebrows at every gig, pelting the audience with their ferocious and face-melting sound as they thundered through songs like Impending Death, Brain F**ked and Hack 'n' Slash. But how did Opposition Party get their start? What ...
Ep10: Making waves with The Analog Girl
November 29, 2021 16:30 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBIt's our 10TH EPISODE! And we have none other than Mei Wong, a.k.a. The Analog Girl. To our minds, she the embodiment of the D.I.Y. spirit, ever since she put up a concert for her dad at home when she was a young girl so that he would agree to let her pursue a music career. Throughout her journey, she has shown that it's sometimes best to seize the day and make things happen for yourself instead of waiting for the world to change. Whether it's headlining a show at the famous Knitting Fact...
Ep9: Rock steady with Ray Aziz
November 22, 2021 16:05 - 53 minutes - 49 MBMusic educator Ray Aziz spends his days teaching children how to appreciate rhythms, melodies and the stories behind the songs they learn. But Ray's story behind his musical journey is worth noting: beginning with drumming for rockers Swirling Madness and later, joining Singapore's first full-on punk rock band, Opposition Party. His next stop was the US, where he honed his musical knowledge before returning to our shores, where he has kept the beat for various musical units including The O...
Ep8: Sonic capers with Saiful Idris
November 15, 2021 16:25 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBIn 2015, Saiful Idris and his band The Great Spy Experiment finally called it a day after 10 years of rocking the nation with their infectiously catchy brand of dance-punk-rock. But that wasn't the end of the road for Saiful, who has carved a new niche for himself putting out pumping dance/electronic music that seems a far cry from what The Great Spy Experiment was about, but really, it was the next logical step in his evolution as a music fan. In between being an educator, he created Surr...
Ep7: Sheena - we mean, Ginette - was a punk rocker
November 08, 2021 16:25 - 1 hour - 56.2 MBAs the bassist of Psycho Sonique, one of Singapore's first all-girl punk bands in the 1990s, Ginette Chittick made young hormonal teens drool as they played their spitfire songs on stages in Singapore and Malaysia. They recorded several songs - along with an EP, We Can Do It - that showcased a "just do it" attitude better than any shoe with a swoosh. She later joined Astreal, a band whose ethereal music is a far cry from the frenzied sounds of Psycho Sonique. The punk ethos and can-do atti...
Ep6: 25 years of Electrico
November 04, 2021 02:35 - 1 hour - 59.8 MBWith No1 singles and hit albums, Electrico were the band of the 2000s in Singapore. Formed as a quartet, they eventually settled on their classic line-up of Amanda, Dave, Daniel, Desmond & William in 2003, which led to one wild rollercoaster ride as they drove on to become the Lion City band to beat. But as the 2010s rolled around, the band - now reduced to the core trio of Dave, Desmond and William - took a back seat. But this year, they've returned with a renewed vigour and new music. Da...
Bonus: Commemorating Chris Ho
October 27, 2021 21:00 - 48 minutes - 44.4 MBOn 27 Sept, 2021, Chris Ho passed away, joining the great gig in the sky. He was "forever 27", so in a way, he's also a member of the 27 Club. As the singer of Zircon Lounge, Chris Ho helped push New Wave onto our shores. As the columnist who wrote Pop Life and radio deejay, he introduced local artists to the mainstream audience here. As the author of Skew Me, You Rebel Meh? he bared his self and his thoughts to the public. A storyteller through and through, Chris Ho shared his thoughts so...
Ep5: The goal is soul with Dru Chen
October 25, 2021 16:30 - 52 minutes - 48 MBFor most of his life, Dru Chen has turned to music for soulful expression. After graduating from university, he carved out a career as one of the bright young stars in Singapore. He's certainly one of the most hardworking: he has put out several EPs and singles since 2013, as well as a full-length album, Mirror Work (2019). By the time you hear this, his new album, Slow Life, would be ready to go. So how did a young boy from Melbourne plant roots in Singapore and make the Lion City his mus...
Ep 4: Progressively rockin' with Daniel Sassoon
October 18, 2021 16:30 - 1 hour - 62 MBGuitarist extraordinaire and furkid dad Daniel Sassoon jumps on the Lion City Rock bandwagon with us! Daniel Sassoon is not, as far as we know, related to Vidal, but he's no less talented. The legal eagle is one of the coolest guitarists we know. He lived through the '90s with rock outfit Livonia; he was rockin' out with 2000s pop-rock faves Electrico; and he later became the head honcho of rock instrumental group In Each Hand A Cutlass, whose two albums, A Universe Made of Strings and The...
Ep4: Progressively rockin' with Daniel Sassoon
October 18, 2021 16:30 - 1 hour - 62 MBGuitarist extraordinaire and furkid dad Daniel Sassoon jumps on the Lion City Rock bandwagon with us! Daniel Sassoon is not, as far as we know, related to Vidal, but he's no less talented. The legal eagle is one of the coolest guitarists we know. He lived through the '90s with rock outfit Livonia; he was rockin' out with 2000s pop-rock faves Electrico; and he later became the head honcho of rock instrumental group In Each Hand A Cutlass, whose two albums, A Universe Made of Strings and The...
Ep3: What is SG Indie?
October 11, 2021 16:30 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBIn the 1990s, the Singapore music scene experienced a resurgence, with many indie bands dropping new singles and albums every year. After the dearth of material in the 1970s and 1980s, it was sometimes called the "second wave" of local music or "the indie years". Artists who topped the charts during this era included The Oddfellows, Watchmen, Kick, Livonia, Humpback Oak, Art Fazil and Daze, among others. But how did this indie explosion come about? Chris and Kevin take a look back at what ...
Ep 3: What is SG Indie?
October 11, 2021 16:30 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBIn the 1990s, the Singapore music scene experienced a resurgence, with many indie bands dropping new singles and albums every year. After the dearth of material in the 1970s and 1980s, it was sometimes called the "second wave" of local music or "the indie years". Artists who topped the charts during this era included The Oddfellows, Watchmen, Kick, Livonia, Humpback Oak, Art Fazil and Daze, among others. But how did this indie explosion come about? Chris and Kevin take a look back at what ...
Ep2: 30 Years of Teenage Head with Patrick Chng (Part 2)
October 04, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBIt's Part 2! We continue our deep dive into the 30th anniversary of The Oddfellows' Teenage Head album, one of the seminal releases during Singapore's "indie years". This episode, head Oddfellow himself, Patrick Chng, ponders... about whether Song About Caroline could still be relevant today if it kept its original title why guitarist Kelvin got a lot of hate after joining the band how model/singer Jessica Soo rejected a song that would be a smash hit for The Oddfellows and what's next f...
Ep 2: 30 Years of Teenage Head with Patrick Chng (Part 2)
October 04, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBIt's Part 2! We continue our deep dive into the 30th anniversary of The Oddfellows' Teenage Head album, one of the seminal releases during Singapore's "indie years". This episode, head Oddfellow himself, Patrick Chng, ponders... about whether Song About Caroline could still be relevant today if it kept its original title why guitarist Kelvin got a lot of hate after joining the band how model/singer Jessica Soo rejected a song that would be a smash hit for The Oddfellows and what's next ...
Ep1: 30 years of Teenage Head with Patrick Chng (Part 1)
September 27, 2021 16:00 - 1 hour - 56.4 MBIt's our very first episode! We're celebrating the start of Lion City Rock by marking the 30th anniversary of the seminal indie album, Teenage Head by The Oddfellows, with a very special guest - the chief Oddfellow himself, Patrick Chng! Singapore's indie scene owes a debt to The Oddfellows, a band that formed in 1988 and helped to shape the music scene in the 1990s. With influences from Husker Du, The Replacements and REM, The Oddfellows were the benchmark for young musicians back then. T...
Lion City Rock trailer
September 14, 2021 04:00 - 50 seconds - 791 KBJoin Chris Toh and Kevin Mathews in Lion City Rock, a brand new podcast about Singapore's pop music scene. Each week, we plug into important Singapore music moments in the Lion City, with special guests and much, much more! It's everything about Singa-pop that you never knew you needed to know. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/lion-city-rock/donations