Wednesday June 6, 2007
Man with a smile
By JASON CHEAH
The Alleycats’ late co-vocalist Loga will forever remain one of Malaysia’s best-loved musicians.
There was no shortage of tributes to Loganathan Arumugam, or simply Loga to adoring fans of the Alleycats, who passed away on Monday. He succumbed to lung cancer and left us at the age of 54 – perhaps, a little too soon for someone who had many more good years to offer in the music scene. Even on his hospital bed, Loga’s talent and desire to make music never faded as seen by the resilient Penang-born musician’s ambition to record an orchestral album and a Tamil release with the Alleycats.
From blogs to websites and everyday conversations, Loga’s illness and death was the topic for many fans. The tributes won’t be stopping any time soon – a testimony to the Alleycats influence on nearly 40 years of music-making.
 |
Backstage hospitality: Loga always had time for fans, as seen during this gig in Ipoh in 1997. |
Alongside brother David, Loga was the central force of the Alleycats – often supplying the killer harmonies and deft musicianship that made the band an accomplished and inspired outlet for Malay pop.
What Loga achieved with the Alleycats wasn’t merely pop success – he was part of a pop movement that retained showbiz, professionalism and popularity without losing grassroots support. Whether on the big stage or a club gig, you could always have a conversation with Loga and he was never short of a handshake or a smile for anyone ...
Here’s what some industry insiders have to say:
Freddie Fernandez
(Maestro Talent & Management CEO)
The Alleycats left a mark, and not just in the club/ pub scene. I remember them playing at the Carmen’s Inn in the then-Merlin Hotel in Penang (in the 1970s). When they moved into the recording scene (in 1978), they made their mark there, too.
While David was the lead vocalist, Loga had his place, too (one of their classic tracks Suara Kekasih had Loga on lead vocals. It was their visual impact – with the Afro phenomenon – that caught the eye of fans, and their showmanship.
They were exciting to watch, although age caught up with them, they remained true to their art form. I only managed five years (Fernandez was with the band The Revolvers in the mid-1970s) and first performed alongside the Alleycats at the Tin Mine Disco (at the then KL Hilton). I was 21 and back then, bands were the thing. We had lots of good fun. He had a smile for everyone.
Eric Yeo
(former PolyGram managing director)
The Alleycats were the hottest live act around in the 1970s and as PolyGram’s A&R manager then, I was convinced that they had a recording career future. In 1978, I got them signed to PolyGram after tracking them down in Singapore, where they were on a club stint.
Those were exciting times as David and Loga were in the same age group as me. We got along well and they picked me to produce all their albums until 1988. It’s true that David is the voice of the Alleycats – but Loga’s contributions were equally important. Loga had a beautiful voice, and his harmonies were very unique. He was also a disciplined musician.
As a person, Loga was like a brother to me ... we just clicked from the start despite him being the more reserved of the brothers. Besides having a sharp compositional mind, he was always with a book, a very intellectual guy.
Like a true 1960s child, he liked his music and movies. When we used to hang out, he would be sharing all this information. As for music, Loga knew a great deal about the great bands of the time, but he was always a Beatles fan. He also valued music with a message, often picking up conversation with topics like John Lennon and (Bob) Dylan whenever we met.
They don’t make maverick characters like Loga any longer, and he will be deeply missed.
Paul Augustin
(Capricorn Connections director)
We used to watch them play (as teenagers) in Penang.
They were the band, and they set the standard, we put them on a pedestal.
Their whole concept was not only the music. They had a package – and they appealed to all races, and were practically a household name. They recorded almost exclusively in Malay. (The band had one English album release that apparently flopped.)
For fans, the passing of Loga is like when the Bee Gees lost Maurice Gibb, and I feel a chapter has been closed. What other band has that kind of command (in this country)?”
R.S. Murthi
(writer, musician)
I remember my first encounter with the Alleycats in the 1970s. The year: 1973. The place: Bukit Mertajam High School’s ramshackle hall. The event: School’s annual talentime final. (High School Idol!)
I can’t remember whether they came on before or after the results were announced, but the moment the Alleycats took the stage, they blew away every nerdy kid in the hall, including this naive 14-year-old, who got booed and booted out in one of the early rounds of the contest.
Even before they became a national pop sensation in the late 1970s, the Alleycats were already Penang’s hottest live rock act. The mention of their name alone got some kids juiced!
They played a 30-minute set after two other bands, including a heavy metal outfit whose guitarist was a local legend (his bare-backed Mat Salleh girlfriend sat in the front row, much to our endless enchantment). And they made quite an impression with their professionalism, especially David (his gf was also in tow) who also played drums, and Loga, who was upfront singing and handling percussion duties.
It was obvious even then – they did a memorable version of Three Dog Night’s Pieces of April, among other hits of the era – that the brothers’ tight collaborative spirit was the key to their dynamism on stage.
It’s hard to think what the group would be like without that symbiotic musical partnership now that Loga is gone.
RSS
