Fads in August 07

1. Elvis Presley’s 30th anniversary.

2. Previously, it was no brown T-shirt at MRT, now it’s no pink tees at the Botanical Gardens.

3. Van Halen are starting a reunion tour next month. The better news is that original singer, David Lee Roth is the frontman.

4. Roy Keane “alf-inge haarlanded” the WAG phenomenon.

5. Despite of previous sand and granite bans, a book titled “Gotong Royong” was launched to celebrate the friendship between Indonesia and Singapore.

6. Trans-atlantic Beckham played 3 matches in 6 days, in 2 different continents.

7. Read somewhere that the Chelsea team are naïve, pure and clean.

8. Barry Bonds hits No 756 home runs.

9. Marseille’s Samir Nasri is being touted as the “new” Zidane.

10. The Barca strikeforce of Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry are dubbed the “Fantastic Four”.

11. WOMAD celebrates its 10th anniversary.

12. McDonald’s famous Big Mac, the 3 layered burger, turns 40.

13. Rob Styles is the referee of the month.

14. Suree Sukha is the first Thai player set to play in the English Premiership.

Easy does it

My word. Another Arsenal blackout by the local cable TV operator. They can show the Liverpool vs Toulouse and skip the Arsenal match. Quite normal here, they shaft you what’s available. We got to take it… only one cable operator here.

After reading many match reports, I could conclude that it was an easy ride. Read from Sggooner’s post that Clichy, Hoyte, Dudu, Diaby and Walcott sparkled. Rosicky, Fab4 and Dudu were the scorers.

The 5-0 aggregate score is a Wow! What’s more… £25 m is on the way with this qualification to the Champions League group stage.

The group phase draw takes place tonite. I’m sure there will be tougher opponents than Sparta Prague. The season has just started, tougher tests lie ahead and I could see the young Gunners are up to the tasks.

On a sad note, Antonio Puerta, the Sevilla defender passed away on Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.

The zany drummer

Wild musicians start me up. Keith Moon is definitely one of them. He’s the drummer for the Who. Moon is the manic member, whose life is largely centred on excessive drinking and wild partying. Bad? Not sure. I thought he represented the youthful exuberance and zany side of rock & roll, of course, on the downside, it's self-destructive.

Keith Moon, though a drummer, was the heart and soul of The Who and the core of its sound. My, he sure bangs the drums with wild abandonment and such intensity. His lunacy, more than likely brought a strong personality to the members of The Who. It gave them that wild image and that razor cutting edge.

It can be said that The Who became tighter musically after Moon’s death, but then, things may not be that quite the same. Rock n roll isn’t quite the same when someone as zany as Keith Moon is gone. Like how John Bonham’s death in 1980 sort of derail the great Led Zeppelin.

Keith Moon in his prime, is one drummer with lust, wit and leer that was evident in his influence on The Who’s music, very much decked out between the songs themselves. He passed on in 7 September 1978. That’s 29 years ago. Time flies.

In memory of Wayne Seah and Corey Nonis, 2 young & promising local drummers who passed on this year.

Those old cheena and ang mo movies

I was an avid movie-goer. That was the past. Even my wife has stopped grumbling that we don’t visit the cinemas anymore. Must be the over-arching effects of looking after ah girl…..

The good ole cinema days.... dimming of lights, the never ending commercials, the “compulsory” in case of fire, how to run out of cinema ad, and so on, and on, and on…. then, the interval time, everyone goes for pee break.

Screening resumes, still, no movie. It goes like for eternity… longer than Ben Hur, Gone with the Wind and Godfather Part I, II and III combined. Until the last frame of the final tedious commercial, then the film bops out.

Love those days, my grandma, aunties, mother, cousins and siblings all in tow to watch the latest mushy movies acted by Zhen Zhen, Alan Tang, Qin Han, Lin Feng Jiao, Ku Ming Lun and many others. I remember the free seating, now defunct Kok Wah cinema at the old fifth mile, in the Serangoon area. I love the delicious yong tau foo push cart stall there and the hot tau suan.

In my younger days, there was also the black and white Cantonese Tornado Palm re-runs on telly. This set of 50’s film series, chronicles the adventures of an overweight swordsman called Long Gim Fei. It had those goofy “cling cling clang clang” swordsplay, actors in gorilla suits, and those 50ish state of the art effects – animated flying poison darts painted to the film footages. The cast includes the evil Shek Kin, Chan Poh Chu and Siu Fong Fong.

Education opens me up…new horizons. No lah, I only got more exposed to ang mo-ish culture. After some six years in primary school, I am quite tuned to or I say, become suitably westernised. I started to listen to Casey Kasem’s America Top 40. I begin to like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and Al Pacino in Godfather. I discovered Alfred Hitchcock, in turn I got scared stupid seeing Norman Bates in Psycho. I love the fuss that John Travolta did in Saturday Night Fever. I also love Kevin Bacon’s dancing in Footloose.

I’ve had got out of this twilight zone now. It’s hard to find a fellow old-time English movie buff with whom I can strike a meaningful conversation. Life gets lonesome when one keeps watching video re-runs of those each and every Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Liz Taylor, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly classics.

My wife is no old time English movie buff. Ha ha… I wonder how we could end up together. She’s more to the Chinese movie type. Tell her about classics like Giant, Roman Holiday, Indiscreet or Singing in the Rain would draw a blank face from her. It’s okay. I love her dearly. We can still catch up and watch ChungKing Express or The Millionaire’s Express. I love those Chinese movies too and can be more in-sync with her.

Bursting Sven's bubble

A match of firsts….first team to beat Man City, first to break Kasper Schmeichel’s 3-match old clean sheet record. The Gunners sure outplayed Man City for long spells during the match.

Thank God….Fab4’s rocket shot flew in 10 minutes from time. The young Schmeichel had earlier saved Van Persie’s penalty kick.

Fairly, there was enough chances for both teams to kill off the game. I thought the Gunners were once again, doing that continuous passing game and yet again or sometimes, hesitating to shoot. Hey, it’s not that it was bad. It was pretty to watch. Finally, it was thru Hleb on the right that fed Fabregas for that emphatic thunderbolt shot.

Richard Dunne and Micah Richards were stretched, yet they were excellent in Man City’s backline. Blondie Almunia had to make several saves during the match, luckily, it was routine enough for him.

A win that comes with defensive costs. Senderos and Sagna are injured. Not forgetting Gallas. Nonetheless, another 3 points in the bag for the Gunners.

The FT Squeeze

Two days back, in my office. A Foreign Talent (FT) colleague was complaining to me on our Government’s fervent efforts to attract more FTs. He was rambling about how other FTs can outmuscle and take over their jobs.

WTF, I am a local here, I don’t even breathe a word or had ever detested the influx of FTs, yet, here comes some shitty FT complaining about other FTs.

It’s probably normal for locals to complain about FTs taking over our jobs. A FT complaining about other FTs taking over theirs is an absolute KNN world first.

Will they be forgotten? Never

Will there come a time where people would forget Elvis Presley, The Beatles or The Rolling Stones? Yes, you heard me right. Forgotten?

They are the epitome and are representative of the most adulated and most abused decade of modern pop history, the Sixties. The 60s is like a password of an era where Bob Dylan is more than just a folk singer, he was a cultural force that shaped an entire generation’s way of thinking.

As a child of the 70s, I am oft, intrigued by all this all-conquering, consuming celebration of the 60s. There are friends I knew who were wearing diapers when the Beatles broke up. This year marks the 27th and 30th anniversaries of Lennon and Elvis respectively.

I was born a bit too late when Elvis was crooning to “Blue Hawaii”, when John, Paul, Ringo and George screamed “Love Me Do” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was the most astounding guitar opening riff ever. In school or at home, I do know that rolling stone gather no moss, not a band.

The 60s have never left us. The music, the mini-skirts never did go away. Seriously, would anyone think it can be so endearing? Sir Mick and his rock n roll mates were part of one the most famous generations in rock history ever, they still continue to play the part to perfection.

At 64 this year, Mick Jagger is essentially doing the same thing on stage as he has been doing for the past 30 odd years. Prancing, jumping in those no-ballroom tight pants. To me, the Rolling Stones can do no wrong. The scowl, attitude and raw energy that started out as an act of rebellion to the squeaky clean Beatles, has now become a ritual. The rubber lips and that lolling tongue, used to be too sexual, is now a corporate logo for Stones Incorporated.

I guess the 50s was an era when rock n roll was born, the 60s was about how rock n roll sought to move the world. How about the 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond?

The 70s was post-Beatles, each going their own ways. Olivia Newton John, Barry Manilow and some others became 70s icons. Wait a minute, we also got Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, the Eagles, Rod Stewart and Elton John.

The 80s was the rise of synthesizer music and the invasion of British pop. I swear then, people felt that music coming out from a digital synthesizer has no less soul than an electric guitar and fiddle. Duran Duran, Culture Club, Kajagoogoo, Nik Kershaw, Howard Jones, Madness and company churned out pretty good stuff.

90s music might have brought better music than anyone can expect. It had some genuine innovation and surprising seriousness. Bands like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails were awesome. It had that visceral kick and panache. Things were shook up, evasions got blast away and there was the direct expression of the moment.

Our parents, uncles, the elders are likely to convince us that music from the 60s are only worth listening to. I’m sure they wouldn’t quite relate to Boy George, Pete Burns and Blackie Lawless. For them, only the 60s matter. On the contrary, the Rolling Stones is one band that has been rocking from the 60s till today.

Forget them? No way.

Of butter fingers and simmering boiling point

Just when I thought that the points might be safe against a resurgent Blackburn. Out came another howler by our German custodian.

From the outset, it seems that the home team’s game plan was to unsettle the young Gunners with a rough and musclar approach. Arsenal took the lead in the first half through a close range Van Persie strike. The ball fell invitingly to Van Persie’s path after Rovers’ Brad Friedel had earlier blocked Dudu and Fab4’s shots in a defensive mix-up.

Though leading 1-0, Arsenal were under pressure for long periods in the second half. The equalizer came when David Dunn fired a shot from distance, Lehmann grasped the ball. However, it slipped and bobbled in…

It was a simple shot that should have been a routine catch. What a way to gift a draw in such a bruising encounter. In the other big matches, Man Utd lost away to Thaksin’s Manchester City. Liverpool and Chelsea drew 1-1. The penalty that led to Chelsea’s equalizer sure looked soft.

I was glad to see the new found toughness among the young Gunners. It seems that when Savage and the rest were attempting footbrawl, Fabregas, Van Persie and Flamini were likely to be there to give them an equally good whack back. They played the enfant terrible roles superbly and I like it.

Home, dry & one foot in

Sigh. No live telecast of this match on telly. Anyway, was glad to learn that Arsenal are almost through to the group phase of the Champions League competition.

Goals by Fab4, Arsenal’s dynamic playmaker and Hleb sealed the win. No howler from Lehmann this time round. It was great, their goals should put the 2nd leg beyond Sparta’s reach. Better still, the midfielders are grabbing the goals.

Now, my attention turn towards a possibly bruising encounter with Blackburn Rovers. Ha…got to add this…Spurs lost two in a row. I really feel sorry for their long suffering supporters.

Those supergroups of the past

It seems that the music industry don’t make such music anymore. What music? My kinda…back then. Those AOR (Adult Oriented Radio) ballads. I am referring to those supergroups of the past. To name them, Chicago, Toto, Journey and Foreigner.

Listening to Foreigner is like going through a crash course in 70s rock. They are the ones with those sweeping, anthemic ballads of adult-orientated rock. Their slow songs are spectacular and commercial. Singer Lou Gramm is the distinctive voice that has anchored so many of their hits. From the melodrama of ballads such as Waiting For A Girl Like You, or the 1985 monster hit, I Want To Know What Love Is, to the out-and-out rock of Jukebox Hero and Urgent. Gramm’s voice is tirelessly elastic, leaping into falsettos and beyond with much ease.

Chicago is one supergroup that contains so much more than Peter Cetera and their squishy ballads. While their love songs will always elicit the most applause by virtue of their mainstream appeal, the heart of Chicago lies in its breezy blend of a black-influenced rhythm section, filled with jazzy horns and conventional rock. I always remember Chicago as the band with the continuous stream of saccharine love tunes. Many could probably recall all their tunes, Hard Habit To Break (1984), Make Me Smile (1970), If You Leave Me Now (1976), Look Away (1988), Hard To Say I’m Sorry (1982), You’re The Inspiration (1985) and Baby, What A Big Surprise (1977). Fantastic, look at the years gone by, it’s almost like an unfolding of musical legacy.

Another favourite group of mine known for their adult-oriented radio (AOR) tunes is Toto. Everyone then was likely to be hooked up to the drum beats of Africa. People could gather around on the strength of the mellow Rosanna as well. Their other better numbers include Pamela, Hold The Line or the ever-pleasing I Won’t Hold You Back.

I reckon Open Arms is one track which any pub in anywhere in the world is likely to play this song over and over. If so, one would get to the experience the music of Journey. Singer Steve Perry can clobber power ballads with complete ease. Man, this guy can sure sing. I simply love Faithfully, Don’t Stop Believin, Only The Young, Open Arms and Who’s Crying Now. Those were perfect cheese-pop rock hymn. This is one supergroup that dish out polished sounds, fronted by Steve Perry’s superb and distinctive vocals.

Ha… I’ve got them. This are the four supergroups that were staple radio presence from the 70s right through to the 90s. I love my mushy ballads.

Season 07/08: Breathe Again

After the final whistle, I thought there was much relief all round. I was much elated, jumping on my sofa and kissing my daughter. Arsenal had capped another comeback win. I billed it as the first competitive match since Henry had left the building. It was important and the Gunners just had to win.

Well within that first minute, Lehmann gave us a self-inflicted horror. His attempted reverse pass fell straight to Fulham’s David Healy, who tap in easily from close range.

After 52 seconds, Arsenal was left searching for the equalizer. All their efforts were saved by Fulham’s stand-in keeper, Tony Warner. That guy was excellent, he kept everything out.

I reckon everything was lost… till Bocanegra blocked Toure’s charge. Robin Van Persie slammed the penalty home confidently. Six minutes left, scoreline reads 1-1. Into the final seconds of normal time, the Cesc worked his way through and pass to Hleb in the penalty area. Hleb found space from Chris Baird and strike home for the winner.

Nicklas Bendtner was pretty cool... he came on and rattled Fulham a fair bit. This bloke is quite similar to the John Carew role back in his Valencia days. I thought it was workmanlike and effective. I also love this... Spurs lost to newly promoted Sunderland at the death.

Year 1 and counting...

Oh my... it's been one year since I started blogging. Was surprised that I could continue on this something that I started for fun. Time flies...

On the Arsenal front, I was a bit surprised that William Gallas was chosen as captain ahead of Gilberto. Centre-back as the best person to lead on the pitch? Maybe.

My football memories...

It was all largely down to my late dad’s influence that I am the football-mad fan of today. He nurture this liking back in the late 70s… bringing me to the National Stadium… those Malaysia Cup days. Through football, we forge a strong father-son bond.

Lookin back at the swinging 70s, I was too young to appreciate Johan Cruyff and the Dutch Total Football. However, I could recall World Cup 78, the one which Mario Kempes shone like a star. The long locks of hair and legs. Also, the chain smoking Argentine coach, Cesar Menotti. He did make smoking look cool then.

In 1978, my love for the English game grew. Got to give credits to Spurs. I got hooked on football then, it was entirely due to the Argentine duo, Ossie Ardiles and Ricardo Villa. They were awesome in their FA Cup runs then. During that period, players like Kevin Keegan, Bob Latchford, Steve Archibald, Trevor Francis and Andy Gray were household names. The top managers were Bob Paisley and Brian Clough. Liverpool and Nottingham Forest were probably the finest English sides then.

1980. Arsenal were in the European Cup Winners Cup final against Valencia. The Gunners lost. The only two names that I still can recall were Graham Rix and Liam Brady.

The early 80s was all about Aston Villa and Ipswich Town. Players like John Wark, Eric Gates, Peter Withe, Gary Shaw, Tony Morley, Alan Brazil, Mick Mills, Arnold Muhren, Gordon Cowans, I can keep rattling about them all night. Oh, I must not forget to mention that great Liverpool side of the 80s.

Come Spain 82, I would say it was the most memorable World Cup for me. I watch quite a number of matches on telly with my dad. It was his last World Cup. He passed away the following year in December 1983. I swear that the Brazilian team led by Socrates was the best national team not to have won the World Cup. I remember my dad ranted so much how Toni Schumacher knocked Frenchman, Patrick Battison with an evil challenge. On the same note, my admiration for Michel Platini and Alain Giresse grew.

In the early 80s or right through that decade, Ian Rush of Liverpool makes goal scoring look so damn simple. Oh, and Gary Lineker too.

World Cup 86 at Mexico, the one where Diego Maradona won the World Cup single handedly. I thought he was absolutely the best. I feel so blessed to witness the skills of Maradona in his hey days. Pele and Kaiser were like passé to me when Maradona was around.

In Euro 88, Holland defeated the Soviet Union 2-0 defeat in the final. It laid to rest the ghosts of Dutch football. It was sheer delight to see Van Basten slamming home that well-executed volley past Dassayev.

1989, Arsenal’s Michael Thomas settled the title with the very last kick of the game. We took the title from Anfield at the death. It was a remarkable moment. It was THE MOMENT.

In World Cup 90, Gazza became a cult figure, an icon, for crying. His performances against Holland and Belgium were superb.

Before Asian players like Kazu Miura and Hidetoshi Nakata came by, there was Cha Bum-Kun, the Korean star. He ply his trade in Germany during the 80s. I thought he wasn’t that bad.

The early 90s…I felt very blessed to witness such a great team in AC Milan. They were and looked like they could go on unbeaten forever. The Dutch trio of Gullit, Rijkaard and Van Basten was simply masterclass. They were unbeaten in 58 matches that stretched from May 91 to March 93.

1994 was that dream final between Barcelona vs AC Milan. I saw Milan gave Barca a 4-0 demolition job. It was a feast of fantasy football. Dejan Savicevic ran the Barca defence ragged. The same year, the Gunners won the Cup Winners Cup at Copenhagen. Alan Smith with the lone strike. In World Cup 94, I saw a great Gheorghe Hagi goal when he lobbed from 40 yards against Colombia.

The 90s was interesting… , the great Eric Cantona was at his mercurial best. There was also the goalscoring exploits of Alan Shearer.

Euro 96 was football coming home. I remember that Gazza goal against Scotland. 1996 was also the year Arsene Wenger came by….Many asked… Arsene who? The rest is history.

The new millennium also saw David Beckham became the most recognizable face in world football. Of late, the global football phenomenon are probably, Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo, in which their dazzling array of flicks and feints seem destined to bewitch football fans in equal measure. I guess, they are the Beautiful Game’s latest icons.

Who is the Greatest? Pele, Maradona, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Platini, Cruyff, Figo, Van Basten, Henry, Kaka, Beckham, Gullit, Hagi, Stoichkov, Baggio...... For me, Dennis Bergkamp is the best.

The greatest moment that etched firmly in my memories….the Unbeaten 49 by the Invincibles. The run that started on May 2003 and ending October 2004. To witness the Ian Wright (1991 – 1998), Dennis Bergkamp (1995 – 2006) and Thierry Henry (1999 – 2007) years was equally awesome. I’m done with my ranting…I can’t wait for the EPL season 07/08 to start.

Ba Dong Curry Fish Head

Another stall serving yummy food. This place, located at Blk 95, Toa Payoh Lorong 4 serves delectable mixed rice and power fish head curry.

Really awesome dishes… it may come across as the common mixed rice stall one finds in Singapore. The big difference is that Ba Dong dishes out yummy fish head curry and other delightful local mixed rice dishes.

Just sharing the one of many yummy food places in Singapore…