The sound that thundered the Singapore people with hit songs “My Lonely Heart and You were Made For Me To Love” was sung by the popular Singapore band which was formed in 1963, by a tie up with a guitarist Derrick Fitzerald. This band waved the Singapore stage for nearly two decades. The Thunderbirds won the competition, which was held between Beatles versus Rolling Stones. This is the competition for the band to prove themselves and to turn as professional musicians. Later on they wrote and composed many songs and performed on various stages on the Singapore island for a decade. Finally The local Singapore band settled in the year 1980 at the Stately York Hotel. The two hit songs with which the band popularized were released in the year 1966 and 1967 respectively. The Thunderbirds band with some internal changes continued until 2007 in York Hotel and their career came to an end with the drop out of Fitzgerald (who had attacked a stroke) and with the decline in the business in the bar.
Team mates:
As days pass on, there are some additional singers added to the band and some internal changes within the band. In place of Derrick, his brother Harvey was replaced to play guitar, and Fitzgerald's brother Ivan a vocalist, newly added to the band. At the end of 1960, an Organist, a bass instrument player and drums player were also added to the band. The most remarkable change occurred in the year 1975, that is, by the marriage and migration of Fitzgerald and Heather Batchen.
Career record:
Philips company was the first to release the band's first EP under its label in 1965. The slide guitarist, Derrick Fitzerald, who produced a distinctive sound just by using a comb composed a hit song My Lonely Heart… which thundered the Singapore and Malaysia. This song reached the heights of the Singapore music scenario and inspired the youth of island people . The band in the year 1967 released its second recording which was composed and presented by Harvey Fitzgerald. The second composition (“You Were Made…….) is an exceptional hit by Thunderbirds for the decade.
Stage Entries:
Usually the band troops move frequently, but , this local band stayed constantly from the beginning of their introduction. They stayed for a long time in the York Hotel until 2007, with internal changes between the singers. The band gave many stage entries starting at the British military camps in Seletar and at night club on Orchard Road. The band gave regular performances at The Pub, American Club and Sheraton Hotel and at last they settled at the York Hotel. In this hotel they nearly played for many years. In 2004 the band along with 11 other members raised the funds and supported the bar authority not to close the bar.
Looking back the Singapore's music in 60's was still alive and inspiring the youth of today. What a notable change made in pop music with the local singers and made that decade as a “Golden” Era of Singapore for pop music. London is known as the best country for its pop music in 1960's, but the local band of Singapore, beat the record of London and remarked as the best music time for the youth in nation. The band stayed permanently in Singapore, and the local band made popular and got fame internationally.
Popular Compositions:
In the year 1965, Some of the popular compositions of The Thunder Bird's band are Little Lady and I'm Sad As I Can Be, My Lonely Heart and Hey Girl in the year 1966, and in the year 1967 My Hula Girl and You were Made For Me To Love respectively.