Shin Joong Hyun 신중현

October 19, 2011

Shin Joong Hyun is a guitarist-singer-songwriter, affectionately named the Godfather of K-pop. He started by listening to the rockabilly sound played on AFKN (American Forces Korea Network) with a crude hand-made radio. He formed his band “Add 4” and recorded the endearing 빗속의 여인 (The Woman In The Rain) in 1964. From rockabilly and Merseybeat, he adapted and again led the charge into psychedelic rock as the culture emerged in the mid 1960s. During the regime of (South Korea) President Park Chung Hee, he was imprisoned and his songs were banned. It is estimated that he composed a staggering 50% of all Korean classic hit songs for artists like The Pearl Sisters 펄 시스터즈 and Lee Jeong Hwa 이정화. He was honored by Fender Musical Instruments Corp. by becoming the first Asian musician and the sixth in the world to be the recipient of the Fender Custom Shop Tribute Series guitar (joining five of other such rock legends as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Stevie Ray Vaughn).

The members of The Add 4: Shin Joong Hyun (lead guitar), Han Young Hyun (bass guitar), Seo Jung Gil (rhythm guitar) and Kwon Soon Keun (drums).

The Add 4

The Add 4 with the Pearl Sisters (Korea)

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The Checkmates (from Singapore)

October 17, 2011

The Checkmates, featuring Benny Chan (lead guitar), Hann Hussein (rhythm guitar), Lawrence Lee (bass guitar) and Amir Samsudin (drums). They recorded only once as a band, an EP consisting of four original instrumental compositions – 45 R.P.M. (Lawrence Lee) and Galaxy (Benny Chan/Lawrence Lee) are featured here. Philips Records had earlier signed them as an answer to the Quests and EMI.

The alumni of The Checkmates were like the Who’s Who in the Singapore music scene. The initial lineup consisted of Reggie Verghese who was replaced on lead guitar by the original bassist, Benny Chan, when he left to join The Quests. When they decided to add a vocalist, Shirley Nair was brought in. After she left to join The Silver Strings, Robert Song (of The Flamingos) was recruited but he was replaced by Vernon Cornelius (of The Trailers) when the band started to lean toward R&B. Vernon would again leave to join The Quests after Keith Locke returned to UK. The Checkmates’ new singer was a British serviceman, Bryan Neale of The Easybeats. When Brian Neale left to return to UK in 1967, The Checkmates continued to play as the resident band at Golden Venus until 1968. The Checkmates also recorded with The Cyclones and Bryan Neale.

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