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Silver Spotlight: Sweet Charity Still Rocking After 5 Decades

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Silver Spotlight: Sweet Charity Still Rocking After 5 Decades

Growing old together is not usually part of a rock band’s formula for success.

But Sweet Charity, despite long periods of inactivity, continues to push hard in delivering music that feeds a multi-generational fan base.
These local rockers and leaders of a generation that helped build Malay rock music, are not known to follow a prescribed path.

Rising up from the early years of Singapore’s independence, Sweet Charity built a huge following in the region with music that borrowed copiously from the popular Western genre flavoured with Malay melodies and lyrics that offered deeper messages when explored further.

In this Silver Spotlight episode, SilverStreak speaks with co-founders – lead singer, Ramli Sarip and drummer Rahman Sarbani — and longstanding members, guitarist Rosli Mohalim and keyboardist Ahmad Jaffar.
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They talk about how the band was formed, the lengths the members would go to be part of the band, the reasons for the popularity of their songs like Kamelia, Ribut 10:59 Pagi, Teratai, Musibah and many others.

Sweet Charity: Ribut The Concert
When: 14 October 2023
What time: 8pm
Where: The Star Performing Arts Centre
Tickets : Available at SISTIC

Sweet Charity…Still Rocking After 5 Decades
Sweet Charity has remained in the music business for more than five decades, a major feat given the chop-and-change world of the ever-trending and ever-changing music industry.
Sweet Charity’s reputation was established as rock music began to make its influence felt globally. As the purveyors of Malay hard rock, the band was venturing into new territory, building up a big fan base in Singapore and Malaysia.

Their music was tight and progressive and was a relatively new phenomenon then.

Inspired by the rock music of Western bands like Bad Company, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and the likes, Sweet Charity worked hard, practiced conscientiously and built a massive fan base.

Every time they performed at weddings, there would be huge groups of uninvited guests who would ring the festivities when the band took to the stage.

Influenced by the Woodstock era and kept well-informed by the sailors from ships docked at the nearby naval base who frequented the bar in Sembawang where the band performed, Sweet Charity kept up to date with music trends. Their reputation led to a recording contract which motivated the band even further.

Sweet Charity: The Early Years
For Rosli Mohalim and Ahmad Jaffar, being invited into Sweet Charity was an unforgettable experience.

They were invited by co-founders, singer Ramli Sarip and drummer Rahman Sarbani to join Sweet Charity, a band they had long idolised. So momentous was the prospect of joining the group, Rosli, who was building his reputation as a lead guitarist, was willing to learn how to play the bass guitar in five days for an upcoming concert at the National Theatre.

The image of the western-oriented rock band had its fans but also its detractors. But steering clear of the negative elements that were associated with the industry — smoking, drinking and drugs — won the band many fans and probably contributed to its longevity.

Sweet Charity: The Beach Parties
Sweet Charity was known for playing at various venues.
From the big stage of National Theatre to bars and weddings, their presence would see large crowds thronging to watch them perform.
Beach parties, which ran through the day on a weekend were popular as fans were bussed in from all over to enjoy the music in a relaxed Woodstock-like ambience.
The band’s schedule was so packed, they played every weekend and rehearsed three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It was like a job, but the band members enjoyed it too much to think of it as such.

Now, older, wiser and experienced, the band wants the fans to sit and listen to what Sweet Charity has to play…and to have fun!

Sweet Charity: Staying In Shape

The Sweet Charity concerts are known to run close to 3 hours. The fans comprise the silver generation who grew up with their music and their children who are discovering the source of inspiration for many of today’s bands.

How do the band members of Sweet Charity, who are pushing into their silver years, stay in shape? Each has his own routine, ranging from keeping mobile to drinking olive oil.

Rahman Sarbani is a porter at a hospital and Ahmad Jaffar is a valet, jobs that keep them mobile and on the move.

Rosli Mohalim suffered a stroke and is on the mend, and exercises regularly.
Ramli Sarip has been taking honey and olive oil for over 30 years to keep his gravelly voice in shape.
Sweet Charity: Music Today And Possibly Tomorrow…

Lead Singer Ramli Sarip says the spirit and drive of the band are  unflagging. He adds that the Ribut Concert will offer some surprises even for fans of the band.

There could be an album in future, if there are enough new songs, and it could be recorded in Abbey Road Studios, made famous by the Beatles.

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Kannan Chandran

Kannan Chandran has enjoyed a journey that has taken him from print to digital, and words to visuals. Every rock tells a story and under every rock is a deeper narrative.

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