Ep24: OG Teen Idols of SG: The Crescendos!

Before there were Singapore Idols like Taufik Batisah, Sezairi Sezali or even Stef Sun, JJ Lin or Kit Chan, there were The Crescendos – Singapore's OG teen idols!

They were discovered when they were taking part in the 1962 Talentime competition, and even though they didn't win, they achieved several firsts:

They were the first local artists to be signed to an international record label, Philips. They became the first local pop stars when their debut single, a cover of Connie Francis' Mr Twister b/w Frankie, blew up sold 12,000 copies, outselling the original in Singapore, and became the first Singapore group to break the Top 10 hit on Philips' international charts.

In this episode, founding members of The Crescendos John Chee & Raymond Ho recall...

...when their performance on live TV in Malaysia caused hundreds of people to run amok (but it's not what you think)

...how they sparked off the "Golden Age of Singapore pop" and achieved fame, but not necessarily fortune

...what lead singer Susan Lim was like, and what happened on that tragic day in 1970 when she went missing

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Listen to The Crescendos' versions of Mr Twister & Frankie, Silver Threads and Golden Needles, Everybody Loves A Lover, The Boy Next Door.

Check out this tribute to Susan Lim.

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Get tickets for Blast From The Past, featuring John & Raymond, The Meltones, Mel & Joe Ferdinands and Peter Diaz (of The October Cherries)

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