Thanks so much to Bobsy for the interview! This one came out quick, just two weeks ago I wrote about Bobsy on the blog and almost immediately got back in touch with the Singapore bedroom pop maestro. Here is our conversation!
++ Hi Bobsy Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?
I’m good! Still play the guitar, a bit of ukulele, and the piano occasionally, but no new songs or recordings.
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?
Growing up, my Dad used to play lots of classical music, symphonies and operas. Probably my earliest music memories are of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Puccini, Chopin, playing in the living room in the evening when he got home from work or on weekend mornings. Not very indiepop I know, but definitely a great music education.
As a child I tried the flute and the piano but didn’t stick with it. Taught myself to play the guitar at 10 when my older brother started lessons. He showed me a few chords, and I took it from there.
++ Had you been in other bands before Bobsy? If so, how did all of these bands sounded like? Are there any recordings?
No other real bands other than Bobsy, just messing about in rehearsal studios with friends.
++ How was Singapore at the time of Bobsy? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?
The music scene in Singapore was kinda small back then. There were some good bands around though, my favourite was probably Humpback Oak. There was only one really good record store to speak of, called Da-Da. The rest were mostly mainstream top of the pops stuff.
We used to go to this place called the Substation, which would feature indie and alternative acts. Personally I just didn’t like going to gigs so I seldom did.
++ When and how did the project start? Were there more band members at any point? On Myspace for some reason it mentions you being based in Australia?
I think it must’ve been 1997. I actually lived in the UK from 1994-1998 when I attended university there, and most of the songs were composed and recorded during that period. So any mention of Australia is really way off the mark.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice? How was the infrastructure for Bobsy?
The truth is that Bobsy was just me, my guitar, and a cheap casio keyboard. It was the embodiment of “bedroom pop”. I would write the words, then set them to music.
Never been to a recording studio or used any professional equipment. Everything was recorded on a tape deck and a cheap karaoke machine in an upstairs bedroom in a rented house on a quiet street.
I didn’t have a mixer so I would record the songs part by part in a series of overdubs.
++ What’s the story behind the band’s name?
Bobsy is made up of my then-girlfriend’s (now my wife) name, and my initials…
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
At the time, I really liked Sarah Records, particularly Blueboy, The Sugargliders and The Field Mice, as well as East Village. But I don’t think I set out to sound like those bands. Bobsy sounds the way it does because all I had was an acoustic guitar, a cheap casio keyboard, and my voice.
++ As far as I know you only released one 7″. How come?! Why weren’t there more releases by the band? This 7″ that you released came out on Drive-In Records and Moonscreen Records in 1999. Wondering how did the relationship with these labels start?
I had only recorded 5 or 6 songs at the time, and the best 3 were The End Of April, Letting Go, and Find The Lost Years. I put the songs on about 7 or 8 demo tapes and mailed them to indiepop labels all over the world that I liked. A couple replied, but only Mike Babb at Drive-In agreed to release it, which was nice because I got to be on the same label as Buddha On The Moon and the Lucksmiths, which were two of my favourite bands.
++ Tell me about the 7″. Where was it recorded? Why did you include just two songs?
We couldn’t fit all 3 songs onto one 7″, so we chose the 2 that seemed to go together best.
++ And you being in Singapore and these labels in America, I wonder if you ever met them?
I never did meet Mike (or Eric of Moonscreen). But I am still in contact with Mike on Facebook. I think these days he works as a sound engineer.
++ The artwork for the 7″ has always been a mystery to me. What is the photo of? Your sweater?
The artwork is a photo of a scarf crocheted by my then-girlfriend. The drawings on the record labels were also done by her. The cover was originally in full colour, but that would’ve made it too expensive to print so it ended up just in one colour. (Full colour version attached).
++ You did appear on a few compilations, in Hong Kong, Italy and the Philippines. Later on you appeared on a digital compilation by the blog SEA Indie. It feels like between Asian indiepop fans there was interest in Singapore indiepop, is that right? Wondering what would be your favourite Asian indiepop bands all-time? What about for Singapore?
I think back then the Asian indiepop scene was just really starting to grow and there were not many indiepop bands who were known outside of their own countries. So I guess the fact that a band from Singapore had a single released on an American label was something special.
My all-time favourite Asian band would probably be Moscow Olympics from the Philippines. And still Humpback Oak for Singapore.
++ On Soundcloud there are a bunch of other songs that weren’t released. Were they intended for releases perhaps?
The cover of What We Had Hoped was supposed to be for Drive-In 50, a tribute to The Sugargliders, which sadly never did get released.
Strawberry Window likewise was meant for a proposed tribute to East Village that didn’t get past the idea stage.
Marine Parade and Find The Lost Years would probably have been on a 7″ single.
++ Included are covers of “Chelsea Guitar” and “Strawberry Window”. Why did you pick these two songs? Did you use to cover any other songs?
Chelsea Guitar is my favourite Blueboy song… As you can see I covered the bands I loved. Other covers – The Mayfields, Northern Picture Library, Anything Box (?!).
++ Are there still unreleased songs by the band? Or everything was released?
++ I think my favourite song of yours might as well be “The End of April” though I must say it is very hard to pick just one, wondering if you could tell me what inspired this song? What’s the story behind it?
It’s a song about being away from home and apart from someone you love, and looking forward to the day when you’re together again. True story.
++ If you were to choose your favorite Bobsy song, which one would that be and why?
The End Of April – because of the story behind it and because it probably encapsulates the entire story of Bobsy in one song.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
We never played a live gig, mainly because we never had the opportunity to. But to be honest, I don’t think I was prepared to play live even if there had been a chance to.
++ When and why did Bobsy stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards?
We never got to release more records because most of the other songs were still work in progress, and I never did get around to finishing them. I came back to Singapore in 1998, started work, got married, had a family…
++ Was there any interest from radio? TV?
I think The End Of April did get some airplay on US college radio… definitely not on TV
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
Maybe a couple of blog reviews, the Sofa fanzine, that’s about it!
++ What about from fanzines?
Vernon did a nice interview back in 2010 for a local Singaporean fanzine called Trigger, which I’ve attached for your reading pleasure.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
Just getting our songs released on a 7″ record was a dream come true… and knowing that there are people out there who heard our music and liked it too.
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
These days my main hobby is collecting, restoring and repairing watches.
++ Never been to Singapore, so would like to hear from some locals for some recommendations by a local, like sights one shouldn’t miss? Food and drinks one should try?
Must-see places in Singapore are Gardens by the Bay, Unesco-listed Botanic Gardens, and the Zoo. Singapore is a food lover’s paradise… there is a long list of local delights that are all not to be missed. We have what we call Hawker Centres where there are rows of stalls selling different food and drinks. You’d need to stay for at least a month to try everything!
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
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Listen
Bobsy – The End of April
