'No Finer Time To Be Alive'!

'Stroll'. I liked them!

Organized the awesome people behind KittyWu Records, 'No Finer Time To Be Alive' is a (photo) tribute to the Singapore bands of the 90s, bands that we or our friends were in (or perhaps still in) while growing up. A good stroll down memory lane, and exciting at all the new bands sprouting up now, and a full generation later, looking at how young people never stop chasing their dreams.

KittyWu worked with one of my favorite photographers Aloysius Lim to showcase his "retrospective take" on those Singapore bands then. He grabs shots of the old cds and cassette tapes of bands way back when. Do you remember what those bands are? I do! Now, when I flip through photos, I shudder at the bad hair, giant spectacles, and the OMG-flower-power clothes. Many are now immortalized in Aloysius' photos.

We popped by The Pigeonhole for this exhibition, of course. There was also a screening of 'Radio Station Forgot To Play My Favorite Song'. I've seen the video already. A couple of the friends haven't. It's a 22-minute 'rockumentary' thingy done as a final-year-uni-project back in 2001 or so. A decade on, has things changed? Perhaps. The cost of producing an album or a music video is significantly lowered. However, some things haven't- airplay on official radio stations, the lack of support from home audience who doesn't take to indie rock, indie pop or indie folk (hard to please!), the cost of venue rental for gigs...but there're more platforms to play now (think Baybeats, Lepa(r)k!, NOISE, IGNITE, etc), and more avenues to secure government grants. Importantly, the age of digital music has arrived, and the home audience has increased somewhat, and is slightly more willing to give Singapore bands a listen, and buy their music by the songs, not so much of by albums.

I believe that the sad state of the indie music scene in Singapore isn't that pathetic anymore. It's growing, slowly, but surely. While there's an influx of all hipster and indie gigs to Singapore of late, the Singapore music scene can only benefit from a heightened awareness that goes 'hey, we've got this sort of music too!' To all those who grew up in the 90s, and those who saw the death of rock in the 70s, and still hold a passion for Singapore music, it's admirable.

Thoughts from 'Concave Scream' about their albums.

KittyWu didn't just archive photos, they also collected memories. They hunted down the band members and asked for their particular memory of making that album, or how the band came to be. Have a read. Worth that extra couple of minutes. They're absolutely hilarious. LOLed at the cover of The Boredphucks' 'Revolution 69' that's totally Tyra Banks.

There ought to be more physical copies of albums and demos by the bands in the 90s. Aside from other personal collections, I understand the Arts House has held on to previous loans too. Wonder where those are. What you see on display are really bits and pieces of memories, some milestones...but by and large, not comprehensive. We need more! KittyWu would like more contributions (by way of lending items for a photoshoot or sending in photos and sharing your stories about Singapore music) to the an extension of the exhibition on posterous. They've got the same photos uploaded on the site too, except that it's really more tactile and nostalgic seeing them lovingly printed out and framed on the walls.

The exhibition continues on the walls of The Pigeonhole till 28 July, free admission to the public.

Cassette tapes! I haven't actually held and touched one for years!
Ermm, nope, these tapes aren't on display. Only their photos are!