Recently, I had the opportunity of meeting up with some members of "The Quests" to catch up over the good old 60s days. Its been quite sometime since I last met the boys but they were as friendly, cheerful and humble as ever. Everyone looked good and cracked jokes over each other, led by the ever playful Sam Toh. According to the boys, Sam has not changed since the day he joined the group and recorded his first SP as a Quests, Da Doo Ron Ron w/z I'll Be Looking Out For You in 1967.
The fun and laughter days of recording at the EMI studios at McDonald House in Orchard Road with other popular 60s artistes like Rita Chao, Sakura, the late Suyin, among others, were fondly remembered. Sakura was the live-wire while Rita was the calm and charming effect in the studios.
When the conversation moved from Singapore to their Hong Kong days, everyone livened up with their individual favourite tales from the Pearl of The Orient. Those were fun but tired days as the boys worked almost 7-days a week without any rest. They remembered Sam Hui and several members of some of Hong Kong's most popular groups like The Mystics, the lady who serves one of the most delicious porridge by the side lane in Kowloon, the local media that publishes any news about them to increase circulation, an event as mundane as a hair-cut among themselves, or when Jimmy Chan had a simple flu, made front page entertainment news. Even the local taxi drivers recognised them on the roads and there was a Quests Fan Club, headed by a very resourceful young lady, Margie Jon.
At some stage of the lively conversation, there were differing thoughts over the fate of certain musical instruments used by the group at the famed Mocambo Nightclub during those good old days. Eventually, the only point of consensus among the boys was that "It was fun while it lasted...no worries where those instruments are now......haha".
It was indeed a very well spent Sunday afternoon among good buddies and friends. Looking at the latest photo of the boys, one can easily understand the secret behind the success of this great local group from the 60s, they were like a family, looking after each other through the years. And fans like us were their extended family members ! Thanks for the good music and fond memories, guys. Cheers to Life !
(Featured photo from L to R : Front - Reggie Verghese, Sam Toh, Jimmy Chan, Back - Vernon Cornelius, Jap Chong)
