Best Chris Toh Podcasts (2024)

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Ep104: Bellied Star 50:58

3d ago50:58

50:58

It's all about Star power! Bellied Star, that is. Young rockers Audrey, Ethan, Marco and Mitch have been making a splash on the scene in the last 18 months with their exuberant rock and energetic live performances. With their debut album, SPUT, just out, Bellied Star is keeping the Lion City rockin' with songs like 'Skinning', 'If You Mind' and 'Pe…

1
Ep103: Art Fazil (he's back!) 1:12:49

16d ago1:12:49

1:12:49

We're a few weeks late with this one, but hey, that's Life. Our guest is returning friend of the pod, Art Fazil, who's back to share more about what's been happening in his life, the Ramadan Moon album he recorded earlier this year, and what it takes for the Singapore scene to get off the ground. Again. *this episode was recorded mid-May ****** LIN…

1
Two Planets | Desire Deny Defy: Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit 1:18:46

1M ago1:18:46

1:18:46

Desire is both powerful and fundamental. In old Siam, the expression of desire in words and pictures was open, celebratory and humorous. Among non-elite women, sexuality was seen as a strength and was something that was not confined to the young. Royals were portrayed as passionate. However, modernity brought about change. Some sought to deny the p…

1
Ep102: Orchard Road Special ft. Li Lin Wee, Shaiful Risan & KK Liew 1:30:08

2M ago1:30:08

1:30:08

Orchard Road – Singapore's most famous road! – is more than just a shopping belt. Back in the 1960s, it was the home of tea dance venues like the famous Golden Venus. In the 1980s, shopping malls like Far East Plaza and Centrepoint were hubs for scores of teens. And for four years running, Orchard Road was the site of Singapore's biggest street par…

1
Ep101: Time of Rebirth (a review) 40:54

2M ago40:54

40:54

When The Observatory's debut album, Time Of Rebirth, was released in 2004, it was an eye-opening (ear-opening?) experience for listeners. Filled with rhythms and grooves, along with a smattering of the experimentation that the band would go on to do, it was lauded by critics. It was even picked as an album of the year by the media - well, one media…

1
Ep100: Shazza 58:12

3M ago58:12

58:12

Who's that girl who blew up the Internet singing with Crash Adams? Why, that's Shazza, our Lion City Rock guest today! The singer has been making waves in recent times, and she shares all about her music journey so far: dropping her debut album last year, appearing on the Times Square billboard, and getting more than 20mil views online for her coll…

1
Ep99: Steve Ferzacca 48:36

3M ago48:36

48:36

Anthropologist and author of Sonic City Steve Ferzacca joins us this week to talk about his book and why a Canadian academic (that's Steve, btw) ended up writing about the Singapore music scene. Along the way, he shares his memories of the late Jimmy Appudurai-Chua; gigging with a Straydog in Vietnam; and what money has to do with making music and …

1
I am an Artist (He Said): Live Readings & Discussion | Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Amanda Lee Koe, Heman Chong & Roger Nelson 51:23

3M ago51:23

51:23

“To be an artist is ... just like shit in a clogged toilet, stubborn shit that can’t decide whether it wants to be flushed or to stick around…” Composed as an irreverent dialogue between masculine and feminine narrators, this book of essays by Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook is an uncategorisable fusion of art criticism, feminist theory, art pedagogy, goss…

1
Ep98: Coming Up Roses 44:06

4M ago44:06

44:06

Everything is Coming Up Roses this week! The band have been busy over the past 12 months: they released a single, 'Utopia Reimagined: These Corners', saw personnel changes, did several gigs to hone their chops, and put together a new eponymous EP, which will drop on 5 April (or has dropped already, depending on when you hear this!). Singer and bass…

1
Ep97: What's Your Story (a review) 46:11

4M ago46:11

46:11

Back in 1994, Padres, a Singapore indie band - or you could call them a supergroup - released their debut EP, What's Your Story? It was a collection of thoughts about life and love and everything else the youth of Singapore were going through - but with electric guitars, bass and drums. But who were Padres? And what's their story? Only one way to f…

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Ep96: Lim Yu Beng 1:11:57

5M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

Best known as an actor and theatre practitioner, Lim Yu Beng embarking on a new journey as a singer He chats about his debut album, Notes To Self and why he's made the leap into the world of music. Along the way, he also talks about... Why having good friends who support you is important Appearing in Zack Synder's Rebel Moon How not to get caught w…

1
Ep95: Must we always mention "original music"? 49:45

5M ago49:45

49:45

It's a new year and a new series! Kevin and Chris are back with more about what makes the Lion City rock. Recently, there were several entries in the All Things New concert series that emphasised musicians playing original music. But why does it matter? What kind of music do audiences expect? And why is it only seen for music gigs and not others, s…

1
Darkened Rooms | Charmaine Toh, Janice Loo, Mintio & Sean Lee 1:22:58

5M ago1:22:58

1:22:58

Photography has been seen on the walls of the art museum since the 1930s. However, since then, questions have continued to be raised as to what sort of photography and whose photography should be collected and displayed? The role of photography within an art museum is often complicated by its varied, multiple roles in daily life – its non-art funct…

1
Ep94: The Year End Episode 45:26

7M ago45:26

45:26

Goodbye '23, Hello '24! It's the end of the year as we know it, and we feel... well, this is the episode where we tell you what we thought of 2023. Thanks for making this year such a memorable one! ****** LINKS Follow Lion City Rock Facebook and Instagram Listen to 4Christmas and Kevin Mathews' music Listen to KayMac Music Listen to Rondo Vitale **…

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Ep93: RINES 45:43

7M ago45:43

45:43

It's Christmas, baby! And guess who we have as our Lion City Rock holiday guest? It's RINES, baby! This singer started spreading her wings in recent times with releases like 'Little Bird', 'When You Fall' and 'Clown', but the relative newcomer is an ol' sweet soul when it comes to music. She was bitten by the music bug years and years ago, running …

1
Ep92: Inch Chua 40:57

7M ago40:57

40:57

From her early days as the lead singer of Allura to a fruitful solo career, Inch Chua hasn't been afraid to shake things up - whether as a musician, an actor, or even a chef (who else would name a dish Sting Tang Tong?). She shares her thoughts about her journey as a creative, what it means to be part of a scene going through its peaks and troughs,…

1
Ep91: Jean Seizure 39:42

7M ago39:42

39:42

Jean Seizure has been in the public eye as a child actor, but since has since become one of Singapore's notable singer-songwriters! 2023 has been quite the year for Jean - she recently capped of the year with an award for being one in the Top 5 "Rising 65" chart on Spotify (for the track 'Tell Me'), and she has been creating content for platforms l…

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An Uncommon History of the Common Fence: A Prologue | Jason Wee 31:58

8M ago31:58

31:58

"An Uncommon History of the Common Fence" is a research project that suggests that the common fence—often used as a protective safety urban device or as a boundary marker demarcating permissible and non-permissible movement—has had an uncommon history within the biography of Singapore. The fence is so commonplace within the urban environment that i…

1
Ep90: ABANGSAPAU 40:18

8M ago40:18

40:18

When it comes to the Lion City's hip-hop scene, someone who's making a wave in recent years is ABANGSAPAU. He's one of the new breed of rappers that have inspired the young(er) generation of music fans in Singapore. In this special chat, he talks about his love for rap, and how one fateful gig changed his life forever. Kevin's and Chris' rant and r…

1
Ep89: The Axean review (feat. Bas Linders) 57:04

8M ago57:04

57:04

The Axean Festival last month featured 50 music artistes taking the opportunity to strut their stuff for the audiences at the Goodman Arts Centre, but did it achieve its goals? We don't know, we didn't organise it. But we can tell you what we liked and didn't like. Especially since we have our favourite gig guy Bas Linders in this episode to share …

1
Ep88: J.M3 (feat. Lennat!) 56:05

8M ago56:05

56:05

THIS WEEK: It's the incredible tale of J.M3! Recorded in early October, we sat down with the Singapore hip-hop artiste who has been making waves not just in the Lion City but in the region and beyond. Her hit 'Hot Sauce' has been featured in the US TV series, Kung Fu; 'Tap Out' was in the movie, Joy Ride (starring Everything Everywhere All At Once …

1
Ep87: Aeriqah 54:13

8M ago54:13

54:13

Meet Aeriqah, a musician whose introspective tunes have captured the hearts of fans both in Singapore and overseas. How else can you explain her picking up the Best Duet (Viewers Choice) prize at this year's California Music Video Awards for her song 'Maybe', a duet featuring Umar Sirhan? From forming a circle of like-minded friends in the music sc…

1
Ep86: Lim Kiang 45:06

9M ago45:06

45:06

Ti-i-i-ime seems to be on Lim Kiang's side. As a founding member of Straydogs, he was responsible for helping to shape the sound of Singapore's Sixties, thanks to songs like 'Freedom', 'Mum's Too Pampering', 'Cold Morning' and 'Repent'. The band captured the harder rhythms that earlier bands like The Quests and The Crescendos lacked. Now, nearly 60…

1
Ep85: Joe Ng (Pt. 2) 44:13

9M ago44:13

44:13

It may not seem like it, but our guest Joe Ng has probably worked on more movies than, er, Fann Wong, Chin Han and Tan Kheng Hua combined! (*We could be wrong - maths is not our strength.) But let's tick off those that we know: Confinement, The Maid, Gone Shopping, One Leg Kicking, Eating Air, Rule #1, Zombiepura, Unlucky Plaza, Bait, Battle Of The…

1
Ep84: Joe Ng (Pt. 1) 44:13

9M ago44:13

44:13

"Hey Joe, where you gonna go..." well, if it's Joe Ng, then he went from fronting synth-pop duo Corporate Toil to promoting bands as a record executive to becoming an award-winning music composer for film. But just how did he do it? Find out what he really thinks of... working with Richard Claydermann being the co-star of Mee Pok Man having a band …

1
Ep83: Shye 44:25

9M ago44:25

44:25

You'd have to be living under a rock not to know about Shye. She's one of the hottest names in the Lion City these days and no wonder: In the past five years, Shye has released 4 EPs, 1 album, received a slew of awards, gigged around the world, and played support acts for some big names in music-dom (most recently for Grammy winner Daniel Caesar). …

1
Ep82: Axean Festival 2023 59:01

9M ago59:01

59:01

Wanna know what the sound of 50 bands from the region (and then some!) is like? Then head to the Axean Festival 2023 on 28-29 Oct, 2-10.30pm. This multi-genre showcase will feature rising music stars from countries like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, The Philippines, Indonesia and more! To tell us more about it is Piyapong "Py" Mu…

1
Rewind Episode - Saiful Idris 1:03:51

10M ago1:03:51

1:03:51

After a years-long absence, one of our favourite live bands, Great Spy Experiment, returns to the stage this weekend at the 2023 Baybeats festival! So to help you prep for the gig, why not check out this previous chat with the GSE's lead singer, Saiful Idris, as he shares how the band became one of Singapore's most exciting live bands of the 2000s.…

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The Neglected Dimension | Arahmaiani, Anissa Rahadiningtyas, Noorashikin Binte Zulkifli & Syaheedah Iskandar 1:37:39

10M ago1:37:39

1:37:39

To dwell on the questions concerning Islam and Islamic religiosity/spirituality is to acknowledge its position in mainstream art historical narratives and museological practices. Islam is rarely discussed in this largely secular field and the circles of modern and contemporary art. There are only a few scholarships on art in Southeast Asia that add…

1
Ep81: Zircon Lounge's Regal Vigor 1:04:16

10M ago1:04:16

1:04:16

It's been two years since Chris Ho left this world to join the great gig in the sky, but his legacy still remains, in the form of his music. Kevin and Chris hit the rewind button on his debut offering, Regal Vigor, recorded with his band, Zircon Lounge. Does it actually live up to its reputation as THE alternative album that started it all? Tell us…

1
Ep80: Lion City Rock turns two! 42:54

10M ago42:54

42:54

Can you believe this podcast is Two Years Old? We certainly can't. That's because our memories aren't what they used to be. Nevertheless, we decided to recall the highlights of Year Two in the life of Lion City Rock and ask ourselves these questions: What were the biggest learnings we had? (OK, we had more questions but we could only get to this on…

1
Ep79: Bumper episode with Krysta Joy 1:24:42

10M ago1:24:42

1:24:42

It's a fantastic bumper episode featuring musician and Saylah Studios founder Krysta Joy! When it comes to music, she's a real trooper in every sense of the word: whether it's making sure she can spend time to write one song a day, or helping others achieve their goals (musical or otherwise). Her tale is an inspiring one, and it's right here on Lio…

1
Ep78: Gone, but not forgotten - Jimmy Appudurai-Chua & Peter Thomas 35:58

11M ago35:58

35:58

Here's our humble tribute of sorts as we look at the music journeys of two pioneer musicians who recently left this realm to join the great gig in the sky: Jimmy Appudurai-Chua (Meltones, Straydogs) and Peter Thomas (Naomi & The Boys). Both were instrumental in shaping the Singapore music scene of the Sixties and though they're gone, the legacy wil…

1
Ep77: New School Rock III (Part 2) 44:04

11M ago44:04

44:04

We continue our re-listening party with the bands featured in New School Rock III (pronounced "three" ... or "ai ai ai"), the compilation album that was given free with BigO magazine. This time round Kevin and Chris share their thoughts about Pillars of Faith, Swirling Madness, Rocket Scientists and Watchmen - with a bonus tacked at the end too! **…

1
Ep76: New School Rock III (Pt 1) 41:33

11M ago41:33

41:33

In 1993, BigO magazine released New School Rock III, the third volume in their music compilation series. Comprising 17 songs (including one hidden track) from bands like ESP, Band of Slaves, Silent Sorrow and more, this album was a microcosm of the music scene at the time. Or was it? Thirty years after its release, Chris and Kevin hit the playback …

1
Rewind Episode - Pain-Stained Morning 57:54

11M ago57:54

57:54

Singer-songwriter Leslie Low (Humpback Oak, The Observatory) has come a long way since he started making music as a teen with Twang Bar Kings. He'll be doing live performances of his music journey at The Esplanade Concourse on 17 and 18 Aug (see link below). This rewind episode sees Kevin and Chris review one of the key offerings in the Lion City's…

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Ep75: Big Bumper Episode with Sanny Veloo! 1:23:24

12M ago1:23:24

1:23:24

We’re back with a SPECIAL EPISODE featuring the one and only Sanny Veloo (Boredphucks, The Suns, EMPRA). He's been making music not only in the Lion City but also Down Under, with fans from all over the world. The vocalist and guitarist takes a walk down memory lane and recounts how Boredphucks got banned in da Singapura, how they rose again as The…

1
Singapore Art from the 1950s – 1970s | Jeffrey Say 1:47:28

12M ago1:47:28

1:47:28

In this episode, art historian Jeffrey Say explores one of the most important phases in the development of Singapore’s modern art history—the 1950s to the 1970s. This period saw the emergence of distinctive movements like the Nanyang Style, visual imagery that drew from the lives and struggles of the common people, and the first sculpture show in S…

1
Rewind Episode - Force Vomit 1:15:31

12M ago1:15:31

1:15:31

2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Force Vomit, the band that gave the world songs like "Siti" and "Spaceman Over Malaysia". With new reissues of their hit album, Give It Up For The Trust Fund Rockers, there's no better time to get into the punk-power-pop-surf these guys produced. But just how did friends from school who liked music become returnin…

1
Rewind Episode - The Analog Girl 1:03:12

12M ago1:03:12

1:03:12

If you were at Guan Chuan Street @ Tiong Bahru last night (21 July 2023), you would have been awash with the sounds of The Analog Girl, who reworked her tracks for the Your Neighbourhood Artist Exhibition 3. It's not the first time she has let her music set the scene for various art forms. Her latest projects include remixing Roberto Montoya's "Pol…

1
Rewind Episode - Vijesh of Wormrot 56:25

1y ago56:25

56:25

Wormrot's Singapore gig in September - as part of the Burning Desire Asia Tour - is as highly anticipated by their fans as Tay-Tay's is by her fans or Coldplay's by their fans, but Wormrot has the distinction of being the one who was featured on Lion City Rock! We spoke to drummer Vijesh back when the band was putting the final touches to their lat…

1
Rewind Episode - Dru Chen 52:23

1y ago52:23

52:23

Not many people know this, but though Dru Chen's latest release, Slower Life, may only be a few weeks old, the idea for it was birthed when he first appeared on Lion City Rock ("that's not true" - ed. "That's our story and we're sticking to it!" - Chris) Find out what Dru said about the album in this rewind episode, and hear about his music journey…

1
How Easily Modernism Could be Disturbed | Session 2: You Will Never Understand 1:00:12

1y ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Founder and editor of the Indonesian magazine Tempo, Goenawan Mohamad recalls one of Indonesia’s most cherished poets, Chairil Anwar, and offers perspectives on possible genealogies that have constituted modern Southeast Asian literary production since the 1950s. This session was held in December 2018 as part of the symposium How Easily Modernism C…

1
Ep74: The long and winding chat with Patrick Chng 59:40

1y ago59:40

59:40

Our very first guest returns for a chat! Patrick Chng (The Oddfellows, Typewriter) is back to answer questions about how the Lion City is rockin' these days: ... we've had the Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age of local music – is it time for the Ironic Age? ... the underground live scene today recalls the live scene from 30 years ago, with pockets…

1
Rewind Episode - Ginette Chittick 1:01:27

1y ago1:01:27

1:01:27

This rewind episode features one of our earliest guests: Ginette Chittick, whom we think is an artist in every sense of the word. She joined the all-girl punk band Psycho Sonique without really how to play bass. But isn't what punk is all about? Psycho Sonique was a key band of Singapore's then-fledgling indie scene in the 1990s, and they made youn…

1
Ep73: Looking back at Red Hot & Skin (disc 2) 43:55

1y ago43:55

43:55

Kevin and Chris conclude their journey through Red Hot & Skin, the double-album that was released to create more awareness about Aids. While the premise for the album is a good one, does the "rojak-ness" of the tracks (yes, that's the technical term) put a spanner in the works? Along the way, they ponder Singapore's alternative music scene (Chris: …

1
Ep72: Looking back at Red Hot & Skin (Pt 1) 1:01:07

1y ago1:01:07

1:01:07

In 1993, one album tried to encapsulate the wide world of music from the Lion City: Red Hot & Skin, the double-CD various artistes compilation album by Pony Canyon. Comprising 30 songs by 22 artistes, it was a genre-bending collection of songs that went from outrageous to meh. Kevin and Chris hit rewind on this album and along the way, they ask all…

1
How Easily Modernism Could be Disturbed | Session 1: The Play of Light 1:00:22

1y ago1:00:22

1:00:22

Writer and literary translator Pauline Fan traces the literary frontiers in Latiff Mohidin’s travel writings and poetry from the 1960s in this conversation with Gallery Director of ILHAM Gallery Rahel Joseph. This session was held in December 2018 as part of the symposium How Easily Modernism Could be Disturbed in conjunction with the exhibition La…

1
Ep71: Got gig? (with Bas Linders) 1:10:55

1y ago1:10:55

1:10:55

If you love going to gigs, you've probably seen our guest, Bas Linders, who has been checking every single concert on our shores (so it seems) ever since he landed on our shores all those years ago. He shares why he is a fan of local music, even as Kevin and Chris grill him about why he's always the tallest guy in the room. ****** Links Check out t…

1
Ep70: Looking back at Flower Show Riots 54:54

1y ago54:54

54:54

This week, Kevin and Chris go back in time as they react to Flower Show Riots, the debut album by Great Spy Experiment. It received rave reviews when it was first released, but what do they think of it now? Along the way, they also discuss hard-hitting issues like: What if Siti in Siti In The City was related somehow to Siti in the Force Vomit song…

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