We Are The Bandits

Gotta do what you can

2008-05-13T13:51:00.000+08:00

"Running on Empty" is a song written and performed by introspective American rock music singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and poster boy of the 1970s Southern California confessional singer-songwriter movement, Jackson Browne. The title track to his 1977 live album Running on Empty, the song was recorded at a concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland on August 27, 1977 and was later ranked #492 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.

Recorded onstage, backstage, in three different hotel rooms, and on a Continental Silver Eagle tour bus during a cross-country tour in 1977, "Running on Empty" is a paean to life on the road. It describes the rigors of a musician's day-to-day life on the road and its effect on his life as a whole, the song connects with the themes of much of the album itself and was Browne's third-biggest hit single in his career (trailing only "Doctor My Eyes" and "Somebody's Baby"), reaching #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1978 and subsequently becoming his most-played song on classic rock radio formats.

The song famously appeared in the 1994 Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump, and particularly featured in the scene where Forrest was running across the United States. As a result, this song has become a popular addition to the iPod catalogues of many avid distance runners. Naturally.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop from 9.00 pm.

BRB

2008-04-15T22:21:00.001+08:00

No shows this week. The Quiet Set with Jon will be back at Tuck Shop next week on Wednesday, 23 April.

And you can really understand

2008-04-08T10:54:00.002+08:00

"Don't Let It Bring You Down" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter and the original American Idol, Neil Young, and is the seventh track on his 1970 album After the Gold Rush. The song also appears on the 1971 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young live album Four Way Street as well as Young's 2007 album Live at Massey Hall 1971, which was recorded in 1971.

While some have said that the song is about the cold hearted attitude of a city (New York) and the unwillingness of people to listen to someone who they see as inferior, others see it as a commentary on urban decay, the decline of a society, and of emotional isolation, with Neil seeing the end of the American empire on the horizon but urging the listener to stay hopeful regardless.

Whatever the critics say, it ultimately stands as a beautiful song where Young reminds the listener (as he does in many of his songs) of how things we which expect in life and hold true don't turn out as planned, but everything is OK and it is no reason to give up hope, etc:

Old man lying
By the side of the road
With the lorries rolling by,
Blue moon sinking
From the weight of the load
And the building scrape the sky,
Cold wind ripping
Down the allay at dawn
And the morning paper flies,
Dead man lying
By the side of the road
With the daylight in his eyes.

Blind man running
Through the light
Of the night
With an answer in his hand,
Come on down
To the river of sight
And you can really understand,
Red lights flashing
Through the window
In the rain,
Can you hear the sirens moan?
White cane lying
In a gutter in the lane,
If you're walking home alone.

Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning,
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around.

Not only was the song covered by Last Exit – better known as the early-70’s British jazz fusion band which gave us tantric bass-man Sting of The Police – as part of their 1974 Impulse Studio Demos, other notable recordings of the song include one by Academy Award-winning Scottish musician, vocalist, songwriter, lead singer of the musical duo Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, on her 1995 Medusa album and which also appears in the 1999 movie American Beauty, as well as a memorable performance by British soul singer Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel, or, as we know him, Mr Seal Heidi Klum.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday at 9.00 pm as The Bandits introduce Redneck Friends, an evening of 70s folk-country-rockabilly tunes on vinyl. No show on Thursday (10 April).

People talking without speaking

2008-04-01T10:26:00.002+08:00

“The Sound of Silence" is a song written and first recorded by 1960s American popular-folk music duo, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, or Simon & Garfunkel, as they are collectively known, on their 1966 album Sounds of Silence. Written by Simon in the aftermath of the JFK assassination, the song was primarily conceived as a way of capturing the emotional trauma felt by many Americans at the time.

The song was subsequently aptly used in The Graduate, the 1967 film directed by American multi-award-winning television, stage and film director, writer, and producer Mike Nichols, and which starred Academy Award-winning method actors Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft, with both the song and film capturing the generalized historical context and prominent themes of the 1960s.

The song propelled Simon & Garfunkel to stardom and help ensure the duo's fame eventually. In 1999, BMI named "The Sound of Silence" as the 18th-most performed song of the 20th century, and was ranked in 2004 as #156 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

...

See you at Tuck Shop this Wednesday from 9.00 pm for the Quiet Set with Jon. No show on Thursday 3 April 08.

Look back in Anchor

2008-03-25T17:56:00.000+08:00

'We Are The Bandits' celebrates its 1st anniversary this month. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for you support, well wishes and donations during the past year. Here's to more of the old stuff! Please enjoy.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday from 9.00 pm. The Quiet Set with Jon is on Thursday.

What it is ain't exactly clear

2008-03-18T17:42:00.001+08:00

"For What It's Worth" is a song written by Stephen Stills, American guitarist, singer-songwriter and member of the folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and first recorded by Buffalo Springfield – the short-lived but influential folk rock group that served as a springboard for the careers of Neil Young and Stills – and released as a single in January 1967, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2004, this song was voted #63 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

As the song's title appears nowhere in its lyrics, most casual listeners know it better by the first line of chorus: "Stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down."

While the song has come to symbolize worldwide turbulence and confrontational feelings arising from events during the 1960s, particularly the Vietnam War, Stills reportedly wrote the song in response to the escalating unrest in the Sunset Strip curfew riots, also known as the "hippie riots," which were a series of clashes that took place between police and young club-goers on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California, beginning in the mid-1960s and continuing through 1969.

"For What It's Worth" has been covered countless times, as well as sampled, referenced, and used in film and other media. One notable reference was in the1998 song "He Got Game" by Long Island, NY, hip hop music group Public Enemy which not only samples "For What It's Worth", but also features Stephen Stills re-performing the bridge especially for that track. Others contend that the most popular version was that which was performed on a 1978 episode of The Muppet Show, which re-writes the song with animals singing slightly altered anti-hunting lyrics and contains a musical interlude filled with hunters wildly shooting their guns while animals (from Emmett Otter’s Jug Band) hide and take-cover. Yeah, the symbolism is heavy, dig it.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop for the Quiet Set this Wednesday and Thursday from 9.00 pm.

Don't anyone wake me, if it's just a dream

2008-03-12T08:59:00.000+08:00

Known for his unique guitar-on-lap playing style and blues-oriented vocals, blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock guitarist and vocalist, Jeff Healey (25 March 1966 – 2 March 2008) began as a teenage musical prodigy – though known primarily as a guitarist, Healey also played trumpet and clarinet during live performances – but later rightly rose to stardom as the leader of the Jeff Healey Band, a rock-oriented trio that gained international acclaim and platinum record sales with the 1988 album "See the Light” which included the hit single "Angel Eyes."

Refusing to be hampered by his blindness, a young Healey taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap, and subsequently shared the stage regularly with guitar greats such as the late George Harrison and Stevie Ray Vaughan – who discovered him in the late 1980s –, as well as legendary bluesmen Mark Knopfler and B.B. King.

See you at The Quiet Set at Tuck Shop on Wednesday and Thursday from 9.00 pm.

It’s always been the same, same old story

2008-03-04T00:01:00.000+08:00

"Father and Son" is a popular song written and originally performed by English musician, singer-songwriter, educator, philanthropist and prominent convert to Islam, Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam) on his 1970 album Tea for the Tillerman.

The soft, understated song with a lilting dynamicism, frames an exchange between a father not understanding a son's desire to break away and shape a new life, and the son who cannot really explain himself but knows what he must do. To aptly echo this, Stevens sings in a deeper register for the ‘father’ parts, whilst using a higher, more emotive one for the ‘son’ parts.

Although not initially released as a single, "Father and Son" received substantial airplay on progressive rock and album-oriented rock radio formats, and played a key role in establishing Stevens as a new voice worthy of attention.

In 2003, Tea for the Tillerman was ranked number 206 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, and in 2007, it was also included in the list of "The Definitive 200 Albums of All Time", released by The National Association of Recording Merchandisers and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Look at us, we are old. But we are happy. See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday from 9.00 pm. The Quiet Set with Jon is on Thursday from 9.00 pm.

Come down from your fences, open the gate

2008-02-26T13:39:00.000+08:00

"Desperado" is a song written by Glenn Frey and Don Henley and first recorded by their best-selling American group of all time, rock-country band The Eagles of Laurel Canyon, North Hollywood, CA 91605. The song first appeared on the 1973 album Desperado, and has later appeared on numerous compilation albums by the band.

On this beautiful song, lead vocalist Don Henley, accompanied by Glenn Frey on piano, begs the subject of the song, a "desperado", to return home, and tells him (probably from his/their own experience) that the things he enjoys doing will hurt him eventually.

While this is one of the Eagles' signature songs, it was never released as a single. Nevertheless, "Desperado" was voted #494 in the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and has since been recorded and performed by a variety of musicians including popular vocalist, entertainer and multiple Grammy Award-winner, The Eagles’ former employer, Linda Ronstadt, on her 1973 album Don't Cry Now, vocal and instrumental brother-sister duo The Carpenters on their 1975 album Horizon, as well as American pop country music singer-songwriter and American Idol #4, Carrie Underwood, at the 2007 Grammy Awards.

We ain’t gettin’ any younger. See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday from 9.00 pm. The Quiet Set with Jon is on Thursday from 9.00 pm.

Singin' and jinglin' a jangle

2008-02-18T21:34:00.003+08:00

"Muskrat Love" is a 1972 song by Texan singer/songwriter and Americana and Texas country cult legend, Willis Alan Ramsey. It originally appeared on his album Willis Alan Ramsey under the title "Muskrat Candlelight." It was covered by English-American folk rock band

America

in 1973 and then by fellow 70s pop music recording artistes Captain & Tennille in 1976 where it reached #4 in the charts.

Contrary to common wisdom, muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are only called "rats" in a general sense because that they are medium-sized rodents with an adaptable lifestyle and an omnivorous diet (as do rats). They are not, however, so-called "true rats", that is members of the genus Rattus.

In any case, the 1976 recording by "Captain" Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille notably features sound effects created with a synthesizer to evoke the imagined sound of muskrats courting. The versatile synthesizer: so much like a piano, yet not quite.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday from 9.00 pm. *UPDATE: The Quiet Set with Jon is on this week, Thursday (21 Feb) from 9.00 pm.

And I'm getting old

2008-02-12T11:33:00.000+08:00

"Heart of Gold" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter and the original American Idol, Neil Young, on his bestselling 1972 album Harvest, and is the only number one hit single in his long, astounding musical career.

The song is one of a series of soft, acoustic pieces – including the retrospective "Old Man" – which were written partly as a result of a back injury . Unable to stand for long periods of time, he could not play his electric guitar and so returned to his acoustic guitar, which he could play sitting or lying down, or both.

Notably, it features the back-up vocals of singer-songwriter and guitarist James Taylor and popular vocalist, entertainer and multiple Grammy Award-winner, Linda Ronstadt, former employer of the best-selling American group of all time, The Eagles of Laurel Canyon, North Hollywood, CA 91605.

As it happens, the song was taped during the initial sessions for Harvest in early 1971 at Quadrafonic Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, while Ronstadt and Taylor were in town for an appearance on Johnny Cash's television program. Originally, this song was meant to segue with the song "A Man Needs a Maid", and was therefore played on piano. However, Young, with considerable foresight, soon abandoned this approach during his 1971 tour and began to play it on guitar as it is now known.

The song has been by an interesting variety of recording artistes including the beloved and notorious Country music icon Willie Nelson, legendary Country singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, 1970s bubble-gum pop and disco group Boney M as well as 1980s Swedish pop-rock-music double act Roxette. Look sharp. Cross the ocean with us backstage at Tuck Shop on Wednesday from 9.00 pm. The Quiet (Valentine’s) Set with Jon on Thursday from 8.30 pm.

Happy New Year

2008-02-04T22:33:00.000+08:00

No show this Wednesday (6 Feb) at Tuck Shop as The Bandits will be on reunion dinner duty.

We will return next week with The Hold Up on 13 Feb (Wed) and a Quiet Valentine's with Jon on 14 Feb (Thur).

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

She's so...

2008-01-29T14:56:00.000+08:00

"Somebody's Baby" is a 1982 song written and performed by introspective American rock music singer, songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and poster boy of the 1970s Southern California confessional singer-songwriter movement, Jackson Browne. It was Browne's last Top Ten song, and his highest-charting as well, reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in 1982. Strangely, “Somebody's Baby" was not released on any of Browne's albums proper, but on the soundtrack to the 1982 American coming-of-age teen-comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High – adapted from a book written by Cameron Crowe – and featured the song at several key moments, mostly concerning Jennifer Jason Leigh character's romantic misadventures.

The film follows a school year in the lives of a group of college freshmen who believe themselves wise in the ways of romance and counsel their younger counterparts, and includes early appearances by several actors who would later become stars, including Sean Penn, Eric Stoltz, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nicolas Cage, Anthony Edwards, Forest Whitaker, and Judge Reinhold.

Notably, Cage, Penn, and Whitaker would each win an Academy Award for Best Actor later on in their careers – Cage in 1996 for Leaving Last Vegas, Penn in 2003 for Mystic River and Whitaker in 2006 for The Last King of Scotland – and Crowe himself would soon become a celebrated Hollywood director and screenwriter, eventually winning the 2000 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his movie Almost Famous, which was based on his experiences touring with rock bands The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, and Lynyrd Skynyrd in the 1970s. They kept their fingers crossed a long time.

Join us as we celebrate the 30th birthday of the free-wheelin’ decade, at Tuck Shop on Wednesday from 8.30 pm. The Quiet Set with Jon on Thursday from 8.30 pm.

There's room enough for two

2008-01-20T21:15:00.000+08:00

"Up on the Roof" is a song written by lyricist Gerry Goffin and his first wife, singer, songwriter, and pianist, Carole King. First recorded in 1962 by American doo wop/R&B vocal group The Drifters, the song became a big hit, reaching number 5 on the US pop singles chart and number 4 on the US R&B singles chart.

The 1980 Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock & Roll described "Up on the Roof" as "in every way a remarkable pop song for 1962," and in particular said of the above lyric, "From the internal rhyme of 'stairs' and 'cares' to the image of ascending from the street to the stars by way on an apartment staircase, it's first-rate, sophisticated writing."

Fittingly, the song was listed in 2004 as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Of the many versions of the song, the best known is, without doubt, the 1979 recording by James Taylor on his album, Flag, which was released as a single before charting modestly into the Top 30 of the US pop singles chart in 1979. Rearranged around Taylor's trademark acoustic guitar playing and vocal accents and interjections, it became a concert staple of his, often with a star-lit urban dreamscape presented behind the stage halfway through the number as his band played unison ascending notes to echo the song's theme.

When this old world starts a getting me down,
and people are just too much for me to face.
I'll climb way up to the top of the stairs
and all my cares just drift right into space.
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
and there the world below don't bother me.

So when I come home feeling tired and beat,
I'll go up where the air is fresh and sweet.
I'll get far away from the hustling crowd
and all the rat race noise down in the street.
On the roof, that's the only place I know.
Where you just have to wish to make it so, let's go up on the roof.

And at night the stars, they put on a show for free.
And, darling, you can share it all with me.
That right smack dab in the middle of town, I found a paradise that's trouble-proof.
And if this old world starts a getting you down, there's room enough for two up on the roof.

Race you there. Tuck Shop on Wednesday from 8.30 pm.

Now here you go again

2008-01-15T22:58:00.000+08:00

"Dreams" is a song written by American singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks, for the influential and commercially successful rock band Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album, Rumours, which is 13^th on the list of best-selling albums of all time. The song was the only

number one hit for the group, and remains one of their best known songs. In the lyrics, a woman warns a man that he can be driven mad by loneliness in the wake of a broken love affair.

In 1997, Irish Celtic folk pop rock sister-brother group The Corrs covered the song on their album Talk on Corners, and in 2005, Nicks contributed new vocals to a remake of the song by the ever-imaginative American DJ and house music producers Deep Dish. The money was too good.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop tomorrow from 8.30 pm. It’ll be a Quiet one.

Yellow moon on the rise

2008-01-07T23:15:00.000+08:00

"Helpless" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter and the original American Idol, Neil Young, and most famously recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 1970 album Déjà Vu.

The song was simple, at its core effectively the repetition of one melody over a descending D-A-G chord progression, with Young in the foreground singing the verses and the chorus, Crosby, Stills and Nash providing the "helpless" refrain, and instrumentation coming in the form of acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar (played by American musician and songwriter best known for being the lead guitarist and vocalist of the psychedelic rock band the Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia), and piano.

It later became one of the most revered songs from the Déjà Vu album, and has remained a live favourite of Young's for over thirty years. Grammy Award-winning Canadian singer and songwriter K D Lang recorded a version with a lush string section for her 2004 album Hymns of the 49th Parallel. Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional actor Nick Cave also recorded a slightly nasal rendition of this song for the 1989 Neil Young tribute Album, "The Bridge". Hmm.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop from 8.30 pm for a Quiet start to the new year.

The Evolution of Man

2007-12-16T20:06:00.000+08:00

1954 – Hoochie Koochie Man: Muddy Waters, from the album Chess

1965 – Mr Tambourine Man: Bob Dylan, from the album Bringing It All Back Home

1970 – Southern Man: Neil Young, from the album After the Gold Rush

1971 – I’m a Man: Chicago, from the album Questions 67 and 68

1972 – The Guitar Man: Bread, from the album Guitar Man,

1972 – Old Man: Neil Young, from the album Harvest

1972 – Pusherman: Curtis Mayfield, from the album Superfly

1973 – Ramblin’ Man: The Allman Brothers Band, from the album Brothers and Sisters

1973 – Piano Man: Billy Joel, from the album Piano Man

1990 – Preacher Man: Bananarama, from the album Pop Life

1997 – Man! I Feel Like a Woman!: Shania Twain, from the album Come on Over

It’s so easy to get carried away. We’ll show you how.

See us backstage at Tuck Shop this Friday from

8.30 pm and celebrate XXXmas with our friends from DIVVVE and Soulfood.

And if you’re wondering what this song is leading to

2007-12-10T20:57:00.000+08:00

"Make It With You" is a song written by David Gates and originally recorded by Bread, the 1970s Soft Rock band from Los Angeles, California, that Gates was a member of. The song first appeared on Bread's 1970 album "On the Waters", and would become the group's first top ten and only #1 single on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, spending the week of August 22, 1970 at the top spot. The single also reached #5 on the UK Singles Chart, and was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of over one million copies. Among the many varied musicians who first recorded cover versions of the song were American singer, songwriter, pianist and "The Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin, 1970s Funk and Disco old boys Earth, Wind & Fire, and the popular 1960s British singer Dusty Springfield.

Gates eventually became well-known as an industrious songwriter, producer, arranger, music copyist and studio musician, and many of his other hit songs were later also recorded by artistes including British new romantic singer-songwriter and club DJ, Boy George, who took Bread's chart single "Everything I Own," to #1 on the UK charts in 1987 (a feat which Bread themselves failed to achieve in the 70s). You know what they said about a rolling stone gathers no…

See you backstage at Tuck Shop on Wednesday from 9.00 pm.

School's out

2007-12-04T18:17:00.000+08:00

Jon: Hey bro, how do you say “Bandit” in Chinese ah?

Don: 王八蛋?

- May 2007, Suntec City, Singapore

Welcome back, Don.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday from 8.30 pm.

As each moment has unfurled

2007-11-26T21:27:00.000+08:00

"Doctor My Eyes" is a 1972 song written and performed by Jackson Browne and included on his debut album Jackson Browne. Featuring a combination of an upbeat piano riff — accidentally found courtesy of an instrument with a broken action that Browne was writing songs on — together with Browne's trademark big poetic vision, it was a surprise hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in spring 1972. "Doctor My Eyes" became a concert mainstay for Browne, and was included on both his later compilation albums. However, Browne would incidentally not see the Top 10 again until 1982's soundtrack hit "Somebody's Baby", another favourite of The Bandits.

Other musicians who have covered the song include The Jackson 5, who recorded "Doctor My Eyes" on their 1972 Lookin' Through the Windows album, and also released the song as a single in Europe, where it became a Top 10 hit for them.

In 2004, twenty two years after Browne’s version was first released, Wilson Phillips, the American singing group consisting of Carnie and Wendy Wilson and Chynna Phillips – Carnie and Wendy are the daughters of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, while Chynna's parents are fellow Laurel Canyon residents John Phillips and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas – recorded a cover of Doctor My Eyes on their comeback album, California, which subsequently reached #35 in the US charts. Oh, to be back in the Canyon.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop on Wednesday, from 8.30 pm, for the last instalment of the month long Quiet Set.

*Ps. The full band returns next Wednesday, 5 Dec.

Say that you'll be true

2007-11-19T20:41:00.000+08:00

"Susie Q" is a song originally written and performed by Louisiana-born pioneer American Rock singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist and the architect of the swamp rock boogie, Dale Hawkins, and reached #27 in the US Pop charts in 1957.

Although the Rolling Stones covered it on their albums, 12 X 5, released in 1964 in the US, and The Rolling Stones No. 2, released in 1965 in the U.K, the most immensely well-known version of the song is by Creedence Clearwater Revival on their 1968 debut album. This song was one of their first big hits, and was the band's only Top 40 hit that was not written by John Fogerty. The riff that John plays during the second solo is from Howlin' Wolf's 1956 blues classic "Smokestack Lightning".

Dale’s cousin was fellow rockabilly pioneer Ronnie Hawkins (also known as "Rompin' Ronnie" Hawkins or "The Hawk"), the equally legendary rock and roll musician who was a key player in the 1960s rock scene in Toronto, Canada, together with his back-up band “The Hawks”, which was later to become the band simply known as, The Band. Beautiful.

See you backstage tomorrow night at Tuck Shop from 8.30 pm.

Mellow down in to my soul

2007-11-13T00:50:00.000+08:00

"Crazy Love" is a timeless ballad written by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison and included on his 1970 album, Moondance. Released as a single in May 1970 with "Come Running" as the A side, the cover of the single shows Morrison with his then-wife, Janet "Planet" Rigsbee. The photograph was taken by Elliot Landy, the official photographer of the 1969 Woodstock festival. Ooh.

Van Morrison and Bob Dylan performed a duet of "Crazy Love" on the BBC film, One Irish Rover in 1991, with Morrison on guitar and Dylan on the harmonica. Ooh.

Much later on, Ray Charles introduced Van Morrison by starting the first verse before Van's appearance when he was inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame in 2003; Morrison and Charles then finished with a duet of "Crazy Love". Ooh.

"Crazy Love" was listed as No. 198 on the All Time 885 Greatest Songs compiled in 2004 by WXPN from listener's votes, and has been covered by numerous recording artistes to date, including Scottish rock singer Rod Stewart, English reggae singer and songwriter Maxi Priest as well as Bryan Ferry, singer, musician, songwriter and occasional actor famed for his suave visual and vocal style who came to public prominence in the 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with English art rock group, Roxy Music. Oh.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop from 8.30 pm till late.

Remembering our elders

2007-11-11T21:28:00.000+08:00

We only learn from the best... Sonny Boy Williamson II (harmonica, vocals), Houston Stackhouse (guitar, vocals) and Peck Curtis (drummer, soon-to-be-heard-vocals). Every Wed/Thur at you know where.

Don't forget what your good book said

2007-11-06T14:28:00.000+08:00

"Southern Man" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist, film director and the original American Idol, Neil Young, from his album After the Gold Rush which was released in 1970.

The lyrics of "Southern Man" are very blunt, describing the racism towards blacks in the American South as perceived from the viewpoint of a Northerner. In the song, Young tells the story of a Southern man (symbolically USA’s entire South) and how he mistreated his slaves (African Americans). Young pleadingly asks when will the South "pay them back" for years of abuse and racism.

Where the initial inspiration for the song came from is very much debated, but is commonly believed to have stemmed from an incident in a roadhouse in Alabama which Young visited in 1969. As he was having a drink, two local men came up to him, took him outside, and beat him up because he had long hair.

It is a popular belief that the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song "Sweet Home Alabama" as an attack on Neil Young for the opinions expressed in "Southern Man". In actuality, Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote their song as a response, showing the good things about the South. Young was even friends with the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, saying that he is a fan of both "Sweet Home Alabama" and Ronnie Van Zant, the lead vocalist for Lynyrd Skynyrd. "They play like they mean it," Young said in 1976, "I'm proud to have my name in a song like theirs". Young has also been known to play "Sweet Home Alabama" in concert occasionally. To demonstrate this camaraderie, Van Zant frequently wore a Neil Young Tonight's the Night t-shirt while performing "Sweet Home Alabama". Crazy Horse bassist Billy Talbot can often be seen reciprocating by wearing a Jack Daniels styled Lynyrd Skynyrd t-shirt.

In fact, Lynyrd Skynyrd tried to arrange to have Neil Young come onstage during a performance of "Sweet Home Alabama", where he would have sung "a southern man don't need me around anyhow", but the performers were never able to arrange this performance due to busy touring schedules. We know the feeling. Douglas, if you’re reading this, we’re still waiting.

See you backstage at Tuck Shop tomorrow from 8.00 pm*.

*Earlier start; Deepavali-countdown after. No show on Thursday, 8 Nov.

You can rely on the old man’s money

2007-10-29T21:43:00.000+08:00

"Rich Girl" is a song by popular music duo Hall & Oates, made up of Daryl Hall and John Oates, who specialized in a fusion of rock and roll and rhythm and blues styles which they dubbed "Rock and Soul”, and whom achieved their greatest fame in the late 1970s and early-to-mid 1980s. On March 26th, 1977, Rich Girl became their first (of six) number one singles on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The single originally appeared on the 1976 album Bigger Than Both of Us.

The song's lyrics are about a spoiled woman who can rely on her parents' money to do whatever she wants. The song was rumoured to be about the then-scandalous newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. In fact, the title character in the song is based on a spoiled heir to a fast-food chain who was an ex-boyfriend of Daryl Hall's girlfriend, Sara Allen. "But you can't write, 'You're a rich boy' in a song, so I changed it to a girl," Hall told Rolling Stone.

Rich Girl was also covered by Nina Simone on her 1978 LP Baltimore. Naturally.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop from 8.30 pm.

Happy 40th Birthday, Keith!

2007-10-26T22:27:00.000+08:00

For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow...

Have a great one, Keith old boy!

She's trying to make a devil out of me

2007-10-23T11:23:00.000+08:00

"Black Magic Woman" is a song written by British blues-rock guitarist and founding member of the band Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green, and first appeared as a Fleetwood Mac single in various countries in 1968 and subsequently on the 1969 Fleetwood Mac compilation albums English Rose (US) and The Pious Bird Of Good Omen (UK). It became a classic hit by Grammy Award-winning Mexican-born American Latin rock musician and guitarist Carlos Santana in 1970, reaching #4 in the U.S. charts, after appearing on their Abraxas album, and has since become more closely associated with Santana than Fleetwood Mac.

Although not nearly as popular as Santana's arrangement two years later, "Black Magic Woman" nevertheless became a fairly popular blues-rock hit for Fleetwood Mac, peaking at #37 in the UK Singles Chart.

Santana’s version of the song, whose full title is "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen," was adapted from Gabor Szabo's 1967 "Gypsy Queen," a mix of jazz, Hungarian folk and Latin rhythms, and Fleetwood Mac's own "Black Magic Woman," and recorded in 1970. The song became one of Carlos Santana's staples and arguably his most popular song, along with "Oye Como Va." Abraxas reached #1 on the charts and hit quadruple platinum in 1986, partially thanks to "Black Magic Woman."

A highly regarded figure in the British blues movement, Peter Green inspired B. B. King to say, "He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats." Green's playing was marked with a distinctive keen vibrato and economy of style, as well as a unique out of phase sound from his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard.

He gives us the cold sweats too. Brrr…

See you backstage at Tuck Shop this Wednesday, from 8.30 pm, and Saturday, Halloween party, from 10.00 pm.

Somewhere deep inside

2007-10-16T10:25:00.000+08:00

"Better Be Home Soon" is a 1988 song by Australian rock group Crowded House. Written by the band’s New Zealander musician and singer-songwriter Neil Finn, the song was released as a single in July 1988 by Capitol Records. The song appeared on the album Temple of Low Men, which was also released in July 1988.

"Better Be Home Soon" was performed by Crowded House in their 1996 charity performance Farewell to the World. As a song commonly performed by the band, this was to be expected, however the end of this version featured a country or polka style double-time feeling at the end, possibly in joking retort to some criticisms of the song when initially released that it was a bit "country-ish".

What’s wrong with “country-ish” anyway?

Tell us tomorrow night at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

Something from our annals

2007-10-08T20:52:00.000+08:00

(From left) The Don, Double D(ragon) Deyna, ‘Little’ Jon

Here’s an old photo we found in the back of Deyna’s couch during his recent house-moving. My, what a difference a year makes. Where has the time gone…

Give ‘em old memories a good stir this Wednesday at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

No kid, man

2007-10-05T09:06:00.000+08:00

Keith is back!

Urban update

2007-10-03T09:39:00.000+08:00

Keith crashed his new harley. Nicole's fine.

Don't you?

2007-10-01T22:05:00.000+08:00

"You're So Vain" is a song written and performed in 1972 by Academy Award, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy Award winning 1970s American songwriter and singer Carly Simon.

The song is a sarcastic profile of a self-absorbed lover, and was a number-one hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in early 1973, and also spending two weeks at the top of the Adult Contemporary chart, her first #1 song on either chart. It also spawned what many fans consider to be the biggest musical mystery of the era, there still being much debate over who exactly the song is about. Popular guesses on the subject include Mick Jagger (who sang uncredited backing vocals on the song), Cat Stevens, Warren Beatty, Kris Kristofferson (with whom Carly had s brief relationship), unfaithful fiancé William Donaldson, and Simon's ex-husband, James Taylor, and, and, and...

Back to our regular no-holds-barred programming this Wednesday at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

It’s good to be home.

Crazy 'bout Elvis

2007-09-24T22:58:00.000+08:00

"Free Fallin" is the opening track from Tom Petty's 1989 solo album, Full Moon Fever. The song was written by Petty and his writing partner for the album, Jeff Lynne. The song was released as a single, and was a top 10 U.S. hit in January, 1990.

Considered to be one of the more introspective songs in Petty's body of work, "Free Fallin'" uses a simple acoustic riff coupled with offbeat lyrics. The song has an easy, mid-tempo acoustic rock structure, and features Petty's signature vocal style, and has become one of his most popular solo songs to date.

Original Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose once asked Tom how he came up with the line about vampires to which Tom replied, "When I'm driving, sometimes I see these shadowy-looking people just off the sidewalks, around the post office. I always thought of them as vampires for some reason."

The song has been covered and sampled by many other mainstream artists in concert, including De La Soul, the Grammy-award winning hip hop group from Long Island, New York, who sampled the track for "Fallin" in 1994. A song by American R&B-pop singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and model Mya, also called "Free Fallin'", contains an altered version of the original chorus: "She's been free...free fallin'". It is sung basically the same way as in the original song. With reckless abandon.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm, and Friday at the Prince of Wales pub, from 9.30 pm.

Just about a year ago

2007-09-17T17:43:00.001+08:00

“Lodi" is the title of a track from Creedence Clearwater Revival's 1969 album Green River. Although songwriter John Fogerty wrote the song about being trapped in Lodi, California, about 75 miles from his hometown of El Cerrito, Contra Costa County, California, he has admitted in interviews that he had never actually been there, and picked its name for the song's title based on a small town in Ohio that he had visited in his youth. In fact, an early demo of the song recorded by Fogerty reveals the original lyric, "Just about a year ago/I set out on the road/Seeking my fame and fortune/driving through Ohio."

“Lodi” is also the alter ego of Brad(ley) Cain, an American professional wrestler, who competed for World Championship Wrestling from 1997 to 2000. Cain's in-ring debut was on WCW Monday Nitro on December 8, 1997, against a certain Chris Benoit, to whom he eventually lost. Yes.

Roll in with us backstage this Wednesday, at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

Meet you in the middle

2007-09-12T08:37:00.000+08:00

“Sister Golden Hair" is a popular song first recorded by the British-schooled band America for their fifth album Hearts in 1975. It was their second single to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, remaining in the top position for just one week.

The song is about a man trying to get up the courage to take his girlfriend to the altar to marry, however he is plagued by self-doubts. He pleads for her understanding and re-affirms his love and affection for her, but he says he is not yet ready for the altar. She is only identified as "Sister Golden Hair". He asks her to meet him half-way, which is taken to be a proposal that they live together.

As the second number one single from the group America, this song cemented their popularity and the song continues to turn up on oldies program, and is a popular request. It has timely appeal signifying a rite of passage for young men who find themselves committing to a woman.

There were no reports of this song being banned or formally objected to, which happened to the first song from the first album, "A Horse with No Name.", which was really about drugs (we are told "horse" is a common slang term for heroin, amongst other things), and not about a holiday in the desert looking at plants and birds and rocks and sand and hills and rings. Obviously.

See you backstage tonight at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

Pa, send me money now

2007-08-27T19:54:00.000+08:00

"Cinnamon Girl" is a song by Neil Young, and debuted on his 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, which was also Neil's first album with backing band Crazy Horse. The single later reached #55 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1970, and is particularly well known for its opening distorted-guitar riff, which continues through the song.

In the opening riff, one can hear clearly where many of the heavier grunge bands of the early 1990's got their inspiration. A good example of the riff's influence is found on Seattle rock band Soundgarden's 1991 breakthrough album Badmotorfinger, where many of the riffs display a chugging sound similar to that in "Cinnamon Girl".

"Cinnamon Girl" has since been covered by several artists, including Brooklyn goth/doom metal band Type O Negative, on their album October Rust, as well as fellow American rockers The Smashing Pumpkins who played the song at live shows sporadically during the 1990s.

Same riff, same stylist.

See us chasing the moonlight this week, Wednesday and Thursday, at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

*No shows next week (5 & 6 Sep). We’re back on 12 & 13 Sep.

Wish you were here

2007-08-22T08:42:00.000+08:00

We are pleased to hear that our fan-base has indeed grown since we began this journey to bring you "the old stuff".

Here’s an email we received today from Nigeria:

“My Beloved,

Greetings: I am sorry to intrude into your private and peaceful life, all the same my name is Mr John Luke. I work as an accountant in a bank in Nigeria, I contacted you to work together with me in claiming my late client's estate. Unfortunately he died without a registered next of kin and as such the funds now have an open beneficiary status. You could be made the beneficiary since you share the same last name with him.

This has officially transferred the right to you, as no other person from his family knows anything about this fund with our bank. If you are interested in working with me, please get back to me as quickly as possible, so that I can give you the details of what we are to do. I wait for your prompt response so that I can give you more briefing of what you need to do and how to do it.

I have enclosed a photograph of myself to help you recognise me when we do meet eventually, I’m sure. Perhaps in Lagos, where my in-laws have a beautiful house by the well.

Thanks for your anticipated co-operation,
Mr John Luke
mcmayor9@yahoo.com”

Ok. We lie. We added in that bit about the photo. And the house. The photo isn’t real either. As is John, we’re quite sure.

In any case, get your dose of the real stuff tonight at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm. Quiet Set tomorrow.

A little music from the house next door

2007-08-20T21:40:00.000+08:00

"Summer Breeze" is a US Pop Chart #6 single first recorded and released by American soft rock duo Seals & Crofts on their 1972 breakthrough album of the same name which peaked at #7 on the Billboard album charts.

The song was later covered in a harder rock/soulful style by The Isley Brothers as a single in 1974 and also by the Three Tenors during their 1996 farewell performance at the Coach and Horses Tavern in Windsor, Ontario.

Jimmy Seals and Dash Crofts had decided to start playing as a duo in 1971 – with Seals on guitar, saxophone and violin, and Crofts on guitar and mandolin – after they had both left a little band that was first formed in 1962 together with Jerry Cole and a certain Glen Campbell, known as "Glen Campbell and the GCs". You can take the boys out of the Country...

See you in the evening when the day is through, this Wednesday, Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

It’s our anniversary week.

I know a place where we can go

2007-08-13T23:33:00.000+08:00

"The End of the Innocence" is the lead single and title song off of Don Henley's third solo, studio album, The End of the Innocence in 1989, and was also later a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by both Don Henley and Bruce Hornsby, and both continue to perform the song live in their respective concerts.

The music video for the song was directed by future film director, David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club) and earned Henley an MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video in 1990, rightly putting Henley prospectively in the privileged company of equally trend-setting music and style icons including Eminem (2002, "Without Me"), Justin Timberlake (2003, "Cry Me a River"), Usher (2004, “Yeah!”), Kanye West (2005, “Jesus Walks”) and, most recently, James Blunt (2006, “You're Beautiful"). Damn right.

See you backstage this Wednesday, at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

The Last Waltz

2007-08-07T21:05:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the year again. No, it is not the end. See you all on Wed night.

August 9

2007-08-02T17:49:00.000+08:00

Academy Award-nominated American film actress Melanie Griffith aka Mrs Antonio Banderas was born on August 9, 1957, in New York City.

Griffith’s first major role was in Arthur Penn's Night Moves (1975), which got her attention and typecast her as a sexy nymphet. Substance abuse problems derailed her career for nearly a decade. Her comeback started with Brian De Palma's Body Double (1984), which led to her starring role in Jonathan Demme's Something Wild (1986), which also led to her playing the title role in Mike Nichols' Working Girl (1988) which became a hit, earning an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress and winning the Golden Globe award as Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Her most notable work since was lip augmentation surgery in 2002.

August 9 is also Singapore's National Day, which we are celebrating next Wednesday, at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

*No show tonight (2 August). Next show on 8 August.

The pompitous of love

2007-07-31T18:05:00.000+08:00

"The Joker" is a song by the Steve Miller Band from their 1973 album The Joker, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974.

The song is sometimes misidentified by the title "Space Cowboy" because of the first line of the lyrics, which actually refer to an earlier song by that title from Miller's Brave New World album. The following lines refer to two other earlier songs, "Gangster of Love" from Sailor, and "Enter Maurice" from Recall the Beginning...A Journey from Eden.

Jamaican reggae deejay Shaggy aka “Mr Boombastic”, who is especially notable for his distinctive sub-baritone voice, later built his 2001 worldwide number-one hit single "Angel" around a sample of “The Joker”. Shaggy’s album Hot Shot, from which the cut came, would also hit number one on the Billboard 200, just like The Joker did in 1974, when Shaggy would have been just 6 years old.

Catch the Bandits in space tomorrow night at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

They say every distance is not near

2007-07-23T22:08:00.000+08:00

“I Shall Be Released" is a song written in 1967 and first recorded by Bob Dylan.

Canadian-American rock group The Band played it on their 1968 debut album, Music from Big Pink, to wide acclaim, and the song has since been covered many times by many different artistes, including singer, songwriter, pianist Nina Simone on her 1969 album, To Love Somebody.

See the light come shining backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm.

Hustle’s the name of the game

2007-07-17T22:43:00.000+08:00

Nothing in common?“Rhinestone Cowboy" is a song written by Larry Weiss and first recorded and released on his 1974 album Black and Blue Suite on which a certain James Hendrix had earlier played dobro and acoustic guitars.

Subsequently, Glen Campbell recorded a version on his own 1974 album, Houston (I'm Coming To See You), that topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in September 1975, later becoming Campbell's signature song and winning numerous awards.

"I heard 'Rhinestone Cowboy' on the radio," Campbell said. "It was a track off Larry Weiss' album, and I immediately got a cassette of it. I actually learned the song while we were on a tour of Australia in November of '74. When I got back to the States, I went into Al Coury's office at Capitol and he said, 'I've got a great song,' and he played 'Rhinestone Cowboy' for me. Well, I was familiar with the song by that time. I could've whistled it backwards. But I related to the lyrics immediately. In the first verse he says, 'There's been a load of compromising on the road to my horizon.' Then later he says, 'There'll be a load of compromising on the road to my horizon." And the truth in that struck me; I think that's what sold me on the song, much more than even the hook itself, the 'rhinestone cowboy' stuff."

We’ll be on the road to our horizon tomorrow night, Wednesday, at Tuck Shop, from 8.00 pm. Our regular programme resumes.

Easy riding

2007-07-10T08:47:00.000+08:00

It's all in the details.

See you backstage tomorrow night at Tuck Shop, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road, from 8.00 pm.

Playing on our new stools

2007-07-05T16:05:00.000+08:00

The Quiet Set*aka songs played at a lower volume
Thursdays, from 8.30 pm, Tuck Shop, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road

Join us tonight for a peaceful easy evening of suitably restrained music making. On our new stools.

Don't be fooled by the rocks...

2007-07-03T21:42:00.000+08:00

If you're searching for a Heart Of Gold, see you backstage tomorrow, Wednesday at Tuck Shop, from 8.30 pm till late.

Wax on, wax off

2007-06-29T15:07:00.000+08:00

The Bandits play (records) tonight at Tuck Shop, 9.00 pm.

Bring your dancing shoes. Non-marking sole, please.

Cash terms only

2007-06-28T16:13:00.000+08:00

Known for his deep, low and distinctive baritone voice, as well as his dark clothing, and demeanor, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black”, Country singer-songwriter Johnny Cash (1932 - 2003) remains one of the most important musicians in the history of American music. Significantly, much of Cash's music echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption.

Tonight, in paying tribute to Johnny, all songs will be sung in a lower octave. Or spoken.

Ta, matey

2007-06-26T07:02:00.000+08:00

As part of our continuing education programme, we bring you this quarter's instalment of Speak Well And Be Understood By The Bandits.

bo tah bo lam pah

Meaning:
An invitation to bottoms up* a beverage or drink.

*to finish drinking a beverage-filled glass/container in one gulp or breath.

Country of origin: Fujian, China
Country of usage: Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, United Kingdom also.

See als kampai

May also be used as a challenge or to instigate** another person.

Please click here for a more detailed discussion.

Try it out today!

Nb. use on the Bandits at your own risk.

Our lines are open

2007-06-25T21:12:00.000+08:00

Only the original American Idol. From the great state of Canada.

See you backstage this Wednesday at Tuck Shop, 8.30 pm till late.

We need stools

2007-06-22T17:28:00.000+08:00

We require 2 bar stools (c.f. above image) for use during The Quiet Set, and are now inviting contributions. Donate generously, and help a Bandit take it easy.

Lab Test #46

2007-06-21T11:38:00.000+08:00

Last night's test results are out.

Ginger: Long a popular hangover cure in Asia, Ginger does indeed do the trick, very much. To soothe one's stomach, take 500 mg of ginger capsules every few hours, or make a ginger tea. Alternatively, for a fast-acting dose if one is in a hurry, suck on raw ginger root. Chewing is optional. Nb. we will be handing out free samples at tonight's show.

Accept no substitute

2007-06-18T22:58:00.001+08:00

Nothing but the real old stuff.

See you backstage every Wednesday at Tuck Shop, 8.30 pm till late.

Chin up stations

2007-06-18T15:21:00.000+08:00

Good : personal bar at bedroom door

Better : monkey bar at park

Best : bamboo scaffold at sidewalk

1, 2, 3, 4...

2007-06-16T21:02:00.000+08:00

Elbow Tendonitis is the number one injury encountered in chin-up training. When one does experience said condition, it is advisable to rest.
Of course, if one is showing off, then continue until said pain is overcome by numbness and/or unconsciousness.

Shh...Bandits at work

2007-06-14T16:47:00.000+08:00

The Quiet Set*aka songs played at a lower volume

Thursdays, from 8.00 pm, Tuck Shop, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road

Join us every Thursday for a peaceful easy evening of suitably restrained music making.

Q: How many G&Ts support the Bandits?

2007-06-07T08:43:00.000+08:00

A: The entire team. 27 and counting..

Thanks for stopping by folks...

We weren't kidding... See you backstage

2007-06-05T10:06:00.000+08:00

Familiar? Wednesday 8.30 till late at Tuck Shop

2007-06-04T17:38:00.001+08:00

Recognise any of your old classmates? We might have bought a round of Fanta oranges for the class during recess... before moral ed class... ? Stop by this Wed and find out how your cute little friends have grown! Yes, we were white once.

Monaco Weekend

2007-05-28T08:13:00.000+08:00

Alas, we were not in Monte Carlo. The wild-card byes given to us for the 2007 Punggol Vista All-Comers Classic (having emerged joint 4th runners-up in last year's tournament) were simply too hard to resist.

Oh MY Eddie

2007-05-16T17:49:00.000+08:00

Bsc, MBBS, PhD, Manhunt Champion 1999...and they will know him by the trail of frilly knickers.

The man they call Oh MY Eddie.

Jia Jia Goodness

2007-05-13T12:46:00.000+08:00

Ever wondered why JJLT tasted so darn delicious?
It's the mother of all ingredients, to wit, Luo Han Guo (Fructus Momordicae).

In OG We Trust

2007-05-10T20:06:00.000+08:00

http://www.visitsingapore.com/publish/stbportal/en/home/what_to_do/shopping/where_to_shop/shopping_in_orchard.html

For all you Southeast Asia-bound tourists looking to add another notch to your ultimate shopping experience conquests, "OG is a household name in Singapore. OG is our one-stop family store, for the young and forever young. OG has grown so hip. Whether you are looking for fashion, jewellery, cosmetics, watches, toys, good food, something for the home or anything else, you’re bound to get excellent value at OG."

OG has 'grown' so hip? Believe us, she's always been.

We know style.

The Bandits Mobile Phone Wallpaper

2007-05-07T14:45:00.000+08:00

No more sticking hand-written "The Bandits" post-its on your mobile phone. Download and save the wallpaper image above onto your phone today. Now you too can be the envy of all your friends.

Pah-rum-pum-pum-pum

2007-04-30T16:48:00.000+08:00

This is Deyna, our percussionist. Yes, the family resemblance (side parted hair) is indeed striking. Now show him some love.

PS. we won

2007-04-30T10:33:00.000+08:00

You are not able to access parts of this website because it contains "active content" which we have removed.

This is a security measure by IDA and MOF to guard against potentially malicious content from the internet.

In a vulgar display of power, no prisoners were taken.

Wind Beneath My Feet

2007-04-25T16:02:00.000+08:00

Street luge was born in Southern California as downhill skateboarders found they could reach faster speeds by lying down on their skateboards.

The Bandits prefer the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifier - best known for its road-holding, comfort and stability - when attempting the moderate hairpins on the Mount Faber (Telok Blangah Rise exit) run.

Wellness Updato.. Hai.

2007-04-22T07:44:00.000+08:00

Salut.. the Profe.. Minoru Shirota.. man behind wellness.. man behind bacterium.. man behind Lactobacillus casei strain shirota.. man behind yours and mine favorite childhood drinke.. Salut.. Yakult! YATA!

Que bolá, asere?

2007-04-21T13:41:00.000+08:00

The humble banana daquiri. Smooth, fragrant, unassuming. So curiously tasty. Please try.

Eat Me (eom)

2007-04-18T20:43:00.000+08:00

Filling up the tank.

Feed The Bandits

2007-04-17T14:59:00.000+08:00

Take note: we will be having a meal tomorrow at Carousel - The Buffet Palace @ Royal Plaza on Scotts (25 Scotts Road, Singapore), 12.30 pm. Tupperware not provided.

Don vs Beermat(s)

2007-04-15T18:04:00.000+08:00

Friday's crawl went smoothly. Once again, here's Don's commendable display of hand-eye coordination. Hoorah!

Lest we forget..

2007-04-15T02:54:00.000+08:00

To err is human,

to slur is divine

Pub Crawl Tomorrow

2007-04-12T18:42:00.000+08:00

Enough sitting around. Let's get it on.

ConcertWatch Update

2007-04-10T23:53:00.000+08:00

Richard Clayderman, one of the world's most successful instrumental recording artistes credited with pioneering the piano recordings of many a Hollywood soundtrack (Chariots of Fire) and pop music artiste (ABBA), not to mention the patron saint of piped-in elevator and airport lavatory music, will play 14 nights in Japan next month, including 22 May 07 at the Kanagawa Kenmin Hall in Yokohama, Japan. An orderly queue, please. Domo arigato.

Free Wheelin'

2007-04-10T09:06:00.000+08:00

Sepang weekend was good. Never got to see the race because of the 3 1/2 hour traffic jam on the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway. Still, we managed to busy ourselves with a race of our own at our pit-stop at the Micasa All Suite Hotel. The Nasi Goreng Istemewa set (RM11.99) was very tasty. Please try.

das kollektiv

2007-04-04T21:46:00.000+08:00

In linguistics, a word used to define a group of objects, where "objects" can be people, animals, inanimate things, concepts etc, is known as a collective noun.

Most collective nouns encountered in everyday speech (such as "group") are mundane and are not specific to one kind of constituent object (for example, the uses "group of people", "group of dogs", are all correct uses).

However, good grammar necessitates the use of collective nouns specific to one kind of constituent object. For example, a "pride" of lions, or... a "case" of beer :

Simply Irresistible

2007-04-04T12:22:00.000+08:00

How can it be permissible
She compromise my principle, yeah yeah
That kind of love is mythical
She's anything but typical

One Nite In Beijing

2007-04-03T14:12:00.000+08:00

Last night's showcase gig at Dragonfly was well-received. What a relief.

Dance Of Joy

2007-03-31T13:14:00.000+08:00

We have received your enquiries. What exactly is the unique visual feast we have been known to perform nightly? This is the Dance of Joy. Do join in next time.

The Squat

2007-03-31T10:53:00.000+08:00

Remember. While in the squat, don't attempt to pull yourself up. Be patient. Bon.

Something From Our Organic Range

2007-03-30T10:36:00.000+08:00

Greetings, Bandits fans. We have caved in to your requests for unlimited access to our tour schedule and all things Bandits. We are weaklings.

Good Evening

2007-03-30T09:13:00.001+08:00