Who's the most important person when it comes to a live performance? No, not the singer. Not the band manager. Not even the guy who removes all the blue M&Ms. If you're in a band about to do a show, the sound engineer or sound tech is the person you want on your side. They can make you sound great on the night. (And vice versa if you're being a turd to them.) Like our guest, Mark Jason. Mark has helmed the soundboard at pubs of past and present, including Balaclava, Wala Wala, and Blackbird....
Sep 18, 2025•50 min•Ep. 137
What is it like being an experimental jazz singer-songwriter in the Lion City? How does one navigate a musical niche in a space like Singapore? How easy is it to explore out-of-the-box musical inspirations in a place where traditional forms seem to be favoured more? Namie Rasman , lead singer of Namie & The Waves and a jazz singer in her own right, takes the hot seat to answer these questions and share her jazz odyssey. (PS: Namie & The Waves' new EP, Tides , is expected to drop later th...
Sep 09, 2025•48 min
With nightlife and entertainment spots closing over the past few weeks – Projector, Vertigo26, and for one hot minute, even Wala Wala – Kevin and Chris ask the hard question: How can dis be allow? In this special extended episode, the TCSS returns – iykyk – as they also unpick the "now you can drink alcohol in pubs until 4am" scheme (but only in selected areas, T&Cs apply) and pick their choice gigs that you can spend your Culture Pass on. -- "Screen Scars" performed by K. Mat. "Postcards" p...
Sep 04, 2025•1 hr 4 min
What do echoes, money, dogs and time have in common? What's the dark side of tribute bands? And how much stroking is necessary before a podcast episode can actually begin? Laurence and Noel of Welcome To The Machine, a Pink Floyd tribute band from Singapore, answer those questions and more. Their new show, a complete performance of Pink Floyd's landmark album, The Wall , is a cross between a musical and a rock gig. But more importantly, it answers the age-old question: which one's Pink? -- "The ...
Aug 15, 2025•59 min•Ep. 134
Dominic Chin has been singing ever since he was in his teens. His first original song, "You First Believed" – a tribute to Singapore's founding father and first Prime Minister, went viral. Now, 11 years later, he's back with a new single, "Needy" and plans for a new album drop at the end of the year. In between, he's performed thousands of shows – on his own and with the MDC – as well as collabed with some of the coolest name in the scene, including Jean Seizure, lamin and Marian Carmel. Oh, and...
Aug 09, 2025•44 min
Can you believe that it was 60 years ago when Naomi and The Boys released their megahit, "Happy Happy Birthday Baby"? That same year, the Lion City decided to make its way in the world by itself! Coincidence? Maybe. But to mark SG60, we decided to do what all Singaporeans do best: go makan chicken rice – what else? Oh, and Kevin wrote a song for National Day too! Listen here -- "I Love Singapore" performed by The Fast Colors. ****** LINKS Follow Lion City Rock: Facebook / Instagram What would yo...
Aug 08, 2025•4 min
It's been a long time coming, but we finally did it! We have Leslie Low on the show! Sure, it took us the better part of three years – specifically three years, seven months and 3 days – but hey, who's counting? Leslie one of Singapore's finest songwriters, and if there ever is a Rock 'n' Roll Hall Of Fame for Singapore musicians, he should be in it! So we got him to answer all our crucial questions: How did he get started all those years ago? What did author Don Bosco and Lion City icon Chris H...
Aug 03, 2025•53 min
WE'RE BACK! Welcome to the new phase Lion City Rock, which is... pretty much like the old phase Lion City Rock, if we're being honest – but with more sprinkles! We've quite a few things in the pipeline, though, and we're going to do our best to make sure they all come to pass. Just what are they all about? Listen to find out, lah... "Nothing Is Real" and "Screen Scars" by K,Mat; "Finer Life (Cover)" by The Fast Colors. Episode image done by Olly Maguire. ****** LINKS Get tickets for Passing: Les...
Jul 27, 2025•51 min•Ep. 131
DID YOU KNOW that Leslie Low's music journey kinda sorta began at the same time as one of Singapore's influential arts companies, The Substation ? Well, we didn't – until we were asked to support this cool event on 10 Aug, 5pm at the Esplanade Recital Studio . Passing is a lyrical and sonic journey through Leslie's indie-pop and soft rock reflections as an artist growing up, living in, and experiencing Singapore. He has handpicked personal favourites from his solo repertoire, and will be backed ...
Jul 26, 2025•8 min
Was there a better way to spend a Sunday than having your eardrums blasted and your face melted by some of the biggest bands of the 1990s? Well, if you're not into that sorta thing, then yes, probably. But for us at the Lion City Rock pod, Day 2 of the BigO 4-0 show brought the house down as six bands took the stage at The Blackbird! Disko Biscuit, The Oddfellows, Rudra, Astreal, The Pinholes and Opposition Party brought the two-day celebration of BigO magazine's 40th anniversary to a close the ...
May 05, 2025•54 min
As crowds throng the spaces to listen to political candidates wax lyrical about how they plan to improve Singapore, the LCR team look back on two days in April when crowds thronged The Blackbird Singapore to listen to veteran indie rockers who came together to wax lyrical about the 40th anniversary of BigO magazine, the pre-eminent champion of local indie music back in the late '80s and throughout the 1990s. What made the grade? What were the big surprises? And who were the candidates - er, sorr...
Apr 24, 2025•39 min•Ep. 129
Where can you go to hear a live band play Steely Dan's "Reelin' In The Years" or the 11-minute opus that is the live version of "Sultans Of Swing", complete with sax solo? Well, The Blackbird at Gillman Barracks, that's where. The Blackbird's resident band, Reverie, plays songs that aren't always on your Spotify Top 10; instead, revelling in dishing out rarer tracks that you don't always hear on Singapore's live music circuit. But Reverie has a bigger stake in The Blackbird than you think: Singe...
Apr 11, 2025•42 min•Ep. 128
What a show we have for you! Yes, you and only you! Our featured guests on the podcast are none other than The Oddfellows ! They helped spearhead the Singapore indie scene in the late 1980s and have garnered much acclaim and accolades through the years. But what exactly are they doing now? Well, they're part of BigO 4-O: 40 Years Of Counter-Culture , the music fest on 12-13 April at The Blackbird to celebrate BigO Magazine's 40th anniversary. For those who don't know, BigO was the music magazine...
Apr 04, 2025•51 min•Ep. 127
We're continuing our Lion City Rock x BigO 4-O series for the 40 Years Of Counter-Culture music festival, which will be held on 12-13 April at The Blackbird to celebrate the 40th anniversary of BigO Magazine, one of the cornerstones of Singapore's indie music scene of the 1990s. The line-up features The Mother, Typewriter, Obstacle Upsurge, Force Vomit, Plainsunset, Opposition Party, Disko Biscuit, The Oddfellows, Rudra, The Pinholes, Astreal and our guests for this episode: The Great Spy Experi...
Mar 29, 2025•50 min
It's the first of our Lion City Rock x BigO 4-O episodes for the 40 Years Of Counter-Culture music festival. Happening on 12-13 April at The Blackbird, it's two days of music remembering and celebrating one of the cornerstones of Singapore's indie music scene of the 1990s: BigO Magazine. Bands performing include The Mother, Typewriter, Obstacle Upsurge, Force Vomit, Great Spy Experiment, Plainsunset, Opposition Party, The Oddfellows, Rudra, The Pinholes, Astreal and our guests for this episode: ...
Mar 23, 2025•37 min
IT'S FINALLY HERE: Our monumental mega-episode with ASTREAL ! As one of the key shoegaze bands here in the Lion City over the past three decades, Astreal has been going through thick and thin, releasing three albums and performing at every major gig you can think of. Ginette Chittick (bass/vocals) and Muhammad Alkhatib (guitars) share the ups and downs of Astreal's musical journey: What was it like for Ginette to join just before the launch of their debut album, which the band had already record...
Mar 15, 2025•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 124
Happy International Women's Day! To mark the occasion, we're looking back at an album that made a splash back in the day: No Excuse For Sexism . Released in 1998, it was the first album to feature an all-female line-up, with all-female or female-fronted bands: Clothes Peg, Flying Pills, Sideshow Judy, Psycho Sonique and Astreal. How does the album hold up after all these years? Was it an accurate example of what our female indie musicians had to offer? And where are Flying Pills and Clothes Peg ...
Mar 04, 2025•52 min
We're honoured to be part of No Finer Time To Be Alive , a music event on 15 March 2025, 6pm at Vertigo26 where The Substation will kickstart celebrations for its 35th anniversary. To share more about this lively do is the lively duo behind it all, DJ KiDG, aka Robin Chua and award-winning composer Joe Ng. The gig will feature iconic Singaporean music curated and mixed live by KiDG, and you get to journey through Singapore’s music history, with tracks from legends of yesteryear like Zircon Loung...
Mar 01, 2025•57 min•Ep. 122
We're honoured to be part of No Finer Time To Be Alive , a music event on 15 March 2025, 6pm at Vertigo26 where The Substation will kickstart celebrations for its 35th anniversary. Featuring iconic Singaporean music curated and mixed live by DJ KiDG (Robin Chua), the five-hour non-stop set will take you through Singapore’s music history, with tracks from legends like Zircon Lounge and The Quests to Astreal, Humpback Oak, Plainsunset, Sobs, Subsonic Eye and more. PLUS: You'll enjoy special cockta...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr
It's a tale of Taledrops this week! One of Singapore's freshest bands has been rocking the Lion City with their very own "Drama Rock". In this episode, the female fivesome—Shan, Jingmin, Kiara, Zee, and Pearly—spill the beans on their journey. They reveal what made them form a band, how the name Taledrops came about, who the worst timekeeper in the band is, and when their new EP will be released (like, for real). - - "Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts fro...
Feb 15, 2025•1 hr 1 min
We travel back to 1998 to see, or rather, hear, what happened on 15 December of that year at the Green Room, a studio run by veteran Lion City Rocker Tony Goh. The result was an album recorded live and distributed by BigO magazine, featuring music by four young bands: Electric Co. (later to evolve into Electrico), Shereene's Closet, Steel Blue Skies (started by Lilac Saint's guitarist Bhaskar), and Satellite Blue (a trio with a lead violin!). Along the way, Kevin and Chris also ponder crowdkille...
Feb 08, 2025•53 min•Ep. 120
Friend Of The Pod Sanny Velloo is back to share more of his continuing journey as a solo musician. Fresh from launching his latest single, "A Brighter Tomorrow", Sanny shares what it has been like going solo, what his new album is about, and the chances of becoming the world's only Rock 'n' Roll Guru! *This episode was recorded in Dec 2024 Feel free to contact Lion City Rock, give us a shout on our social media, or even email us using the links below. - - "Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevi...
Jan 28, 2025•47 min•Ep. 119
It's our AAR episode! And then some! In 2024, we had over 2,000 downloads from more than 40 countries! That's not something we thought we'd ever achieve and we don't take it lightly! Thank you listeners for making it all worthwhile! But we aren't just patting ourselves on the back for a job well done in 2024. We're also on the lookout for new ideas, topics, and music to feature in 2025 on the only podcast about Singapore's pop music scene you'll ever need. Feel free to contact us, give us a shou...
Jan 19, 2025•36 min•Ep. 118
Oh, what a year it has been! As we say goodbye to 2024, we thought we'd reflect on the year with our top five fave moments on the pod. Unsurprisingly - or perhaps, surprisingly - Chris and Kevin had four same items out of the five on their list. But what was the different one? PLUS! A special appearance by Shye! PLUS PLUS! Our wishes for 2025! - - "Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "The Sun Will Cry" performed by Shye; excerpts from "If You Mind" perfo...
Dec 30, 2024•55 min•Ep. 116
You know it's a fun day when Friend of the Pod Isaac Chiew returns to share more thoughts about the Lion City's music scene. How have his experiences working with record labels and youth organisations shaped his mindset? Which Lion City Rockers rock his boat? And when will his band, Cactus Cactus, drop their new album? The answers to all this and more are right here! In this episode! Really! - - "Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Cloud City", "Hammer"...
Dec 22, 2024•58 min•Ep. 116
We’re so happy to have friend of the pod Patrick Chng, back for another episode! This time, the Oddfather of Singapore Indie Music spills the beans about his new journey into the world busking in the Lion City. What does it take to be a busker in Singapore? Where are all the hot busking spots? And is it really true that all buskers MUST learn to play John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’? - - "Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Unity Song" & ...
Dec 13, 2024•50 min•Season 2024Ep. 115
It's punk rock like you've never heard it before! With fans from all over the region, power trio Iman's League have been rocking the stage with their high-energy performances and ballsy bangers. Iman, Bat and Lal got on the pod to share their thoughts about the best and worst gigs, what peeves them most, and where Iman's League will be in 2025! (Europe, anyone?) - - "Lion City Rock theme" performed by Kevin Mathews & Chris Toh; excerpts of "Hati", "Lisa", "Forever In 7th" and "Hey Hey Hey" p...
Dec 06, 2024•59 min•Ep. 114
IT'S ANOTHER BUMPER EPISODE! Lion City Rock legends Henry Chua and Wee Guan tell us the story of "Shanty" , the song that changed the Singapore music landscape. Written by Henry and recorded by The Quests , it was released in Oct 1964 and became the first original composition by a Singapore band to reach No.1 – for 12 weeks! – knocking off The Beatles along the way. Sixty years later, you can still find people covering the song. So what do they really think of the song now? How did fame change t...
Nov 30, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 113
It's Part 2 of 60 years of maximum rock and roll! In July, The Beatles caused a minor riot as 3,000 teens flock to the airport to see the Fab Four's... plane. In Oct 1964, The Quests reached #1 with "Shanty", knocking The Beatles off the top spot! That same month, local and international bands took part in a charity concert, called the 8.30 Special, for the benefit of the victims and their families of the race riots that occurred in July and Sept that year. As the year comes to a close, the futu...
Nov 18, 2024•50 min•Ep. 112
Can you imagine when Singapore wasn't Singapore, but Malaysia? We can't – but luckily, we read history books. In 1964, the Lion City hadn't achieved independence. The geo-political and socio-economic landscapes were still on shaky ground. But the pop scene was already making inroads. The Crescendos were consolidating their position as the top vocal group in the region, while The Quests were only months away from unleashing their magnum opus, "Shanty". Meanwhile, the clubs and tea dances were fil...
Nov 09, 2024•47 min•Ep. 111
