Dated: 19 March 2003
Media Development Authority (MDA) takes viewers through different eras of Singapore music
The Media Development Authority (MDA) has commissioned a six-part series at $120,000 on the Singapore music scene from the 1960s to the present day.
Entitled Jammin', this documentary takes viewers through each generation's unique brand of music from the Quests, the Checkmates and the Thunderbirds in the 60s, to later singers like Tracy Huang, Dick Lee and Mark Chan right through to present day stars such as Stephanie Sun, Tanya Chua and Kit Chan. The story of what the music scene was like for each era will be told through the eyes of some music legends of that time as well as others like music critics, deejays and even ordinary music buffs. Each episode will be a colourful montage of stories of life during that particular time and the music that was cherished then.
The various episodes of Jammin' will feature the following:
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Boy Bands to Call Our Own - The music in the 60s and how it was part of a generation influenced by icons from the UK like Cliff Richard and The Beatles as well as growing up in Singapore in the 60s;
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Music unifies communities - Not only did English language bands like The Quests and The Trailers have a huge following in the 60s, Malay and Mandarin language bands like Siglap 5 and The Stylers also developed a parallel following. We see how music became a common language despite ethnic tensions of the period;
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Soloists of the 70s - How the 70s saw the start of the end for bands and the rise of soloists like Rahimah Rahim, Veronica Young, Huang Qingyan, and Fatimah Amin;
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Rising from the ashes - How the 80s was a difficult time for many bands and musicians as they faced numerous obstacles like competition from the karaoke craze and Filipino bands, and how local bands like Heritage and the Xinyao movement in Chinese music managed to survive;
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In search of the Singapore Identity - Musicians in the mid to late 80s such as Dick Lee and Mark Chan who began on a quest for the Singapore Identity through music;
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Underground and happening - How the 90s and beyond saw the rise of musicians like Stephanie Sun and Kit Chan who made it big in the regional circuit against the background of a thriving experimental scene.
Produced by local production house The Right Angle Media, the programme will debut on MediaCorp TV's Channel 5 on Friday, 21 March 2003 at 7.30pm.
Media Development Authority (MDA) was formed on 1 January 2003 from the merger of Singapore Broadcasting Authority, Films and Publications Department and Singapore Film Commission. As the promoter and regulator of the media industry, MDA will work towards developing a vibrant media industry in Singapore and nurturing a Creative Media and Connected Society
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