Anyone remember this?

[Dleodleo]

Some go Marina South jiak steamboat, some go Tanjong Rhu find chow ah gua.

 

Ya i remember that there's a cheap steamboat there.  I tot ah gua was at Changi Point?

Forgotten icons of the ah beng/ah lian culture of 80s/90s that I fondly recall:

1) Ah bengs with combs with long sharp pointed ends and must stick out prominently from the back jeans pocket

2) Jean Paul Gaultier(JPG) long wallet and is over sized which also have to stick out prominently from the back jeans pocket

3) Motorola pagers with the must have accessories of gold chain with clip and the color full bells-

4) Numeric codes sent to pagers during ah beng/ah lian courtship, e.g: 5211314(love you forever)

5) The reign of pagers lasted less then 5 years and was quickly over taken by the mobile phone where motorola startec clam-shell phone was   one of the few standard models that ah bengs would carry, as well as a few favorites from nokia. LED lighted antenna and LED stickers all   light up with incoming/outgoing call signals. soon the trend of modified phones caught on, with changing of the phone cover to transparent/gold/printed covers popular, as well as adding LED lights inside the phone to compliment the transparent cover.

6) Sparks, Fire Disco, Canto etc all did see their hay days as long Qs form for tea dance session as these did not have age restrictions

7) Once an anthem for any dance session was the song "Infinity" by Datura : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37iS3_EQm5A

More nostalgic dance session music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAqHfATmL9I&list=PLy2NAkYwzGF2_YGAmVzroE_VRH42K_BUR

8) Chanting of secret society slogans as taunts was common during those dance sessions and are the precursor to starting of fights. Aw-ah-aw!! Yo-ah-Yo!!

9) Early beng/lian fashion culture was very heavily skewed towards excessive brand associations where Valentino, Armani, Vesace, Boss, JPG were the uniforms that every self respecting beng/lian would have. Jeans will have loud prints in loud colors such as bright yellow/red. The girls trench-coat fed last for a while with its signature black trench-coat/dress with a contrasting shiny belt in either white, red or yellow tied tightly around the waist with the dress pulled snugly down to clearly define the chest.

10)The fashion culture soon changed in the 90s as the "grunge"  look caught on, with brands like stussy, criss cross, aliens, quicky silver fighting with the high end brands to be the default fashion code. 77th street was instrumental in the culture shift and they also successfully started the Doc Martins boots craze.

 

I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane...

 

Ya Ya.  I was a member at Fire and Sparks too.  I also frequent Europa and Zanadu.  Whahahahahahaha.  We are from same era.

[SuPerBoRed]

 

nostalgic rite?? once in a while still see this type in malaysia.. that aluminium foil type... 

 

sgp still have?

[Dleodleo]

ha ha ha ha... this thread is flushing out all the old forgies liow... 

now we know who the oldies and goldies are!

 

We are not shy about our age.  We age gracefully wahahahahah.  But we are not that old lah.

[SuPerBoRed]

ha ha ha ha... this thread is flushing out all the old forgies liow... 

now we know who the oldies and goldies are!

 

no hor.. the stuff here all apply to mid thirties to early forties...  

 

surely too ''hipster'' for some of the OLDER mods here... 

[Mason016]

Ya i remember that there's a cheap steamboat there.  I tot ah gua was at Changi Point?

 

Ya Ya.  I was a member at Fire and Sparks too.  I also frequent Europa and Zanadu.  Whahahahahahaha.  We are from same era.

The only Xanadu I know is this...

 

 

[Icebrush79]

Forgotten icons of the ah beng/ah lian culture of 80s/90s that I fondly recall:

1) Ah bengs with combs with long sharp pointed ends and must stick out prominently from the back jeans pocket

2) Jean Paul Gaultier(JPG) long wallet and is over sized which also have to stick out prominently from the back jeans pocket

3) Motorola pagers with the must have accessories of gold chain with clip and the color full bells-

4) Numeric codes sent to pagers during ah beng/ah lian courtship, e.g: 5211314(love you forever)

5) The reign of pagers lasted less then 5 years and was quickly over taken by the mobile phone where motorola startec clam-shell phone was   one of the few standard models that ah bengs would carry, as well as a few favorites from nokia. LED lighted antenna and LED stickers all   light up with incoming/outgoing call signals. soon the trend of modified phones caught on, with changing of the phone cover to transparent/gold/printed covers popular, as well as adding LED lights inside the phone to compliment the transparent cover.

6) Sparks, Fire Disco, Canto etc all did see their hay days as long Qs form for tea dance session as these did not have age restrictions

7) Once an anthem for any dance session was the song "Infinity" by Datura : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37iS3_EQm5A

More nostalgic dance session music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAqHfATmL9I&list=PLy2NAkYwzGF2_YGAmVzroE_VRH42K_BUR

8) Chanting of secret society slogans as taunts was common during those dance sessions and are the precursor to starting of fights. Aw-ah-aw!! Yo-ah-Yo!!

9) Early beng/lian fashion culture was very heavily skewed towards excessive brand associations where Valentino, Armani, Vesace, Boss, JPG were the uniforms that every self respecting beng/lian would have. Jeans will have loud prints in loud colors such as bright yellow/red. The girls trench-coat fed last for a while with its signature black trench-coat/dress with a contrasting shiny belt in either white, red or yellow tied tightly around the waist with the dress pulled snugly down to clearly define the chest.

10)The fashion culture soon changed in the 90s as the "grunge"  look caught on, with brands like stussy, criss cross, aliens, quicky silver fighting with the high end brands to be the default fashion code. 77th street was instrumental in the culture shift and they also successfully started the Doc Martins boots craze.

 

I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane...

 

Just to add on to your list, here's what I recall of that golden era

 

Trends

1) Being jio-meng is almost a guaranteed thing if you venture to unfamiliar grounds, especially heartland malls, void decks and arcade centres.

2) The interesting trend of god brothers and god sisters; "kinship" offered to cushion the sour taste of romantic rejection

3) Tea dance was a hotbed for skirt chasing, but things will get complicated if your target happens to be of some rival gang - Kinda romeo and juliet, local style. 

4) If point 3 was successful, it will quickly lead to a relationship ranging from a ONS to a short stint relationship (normally less than a month)

5) The grandfather of selfies - Neo Print stickers.. Even guys take them. 

6) Tattoos - the older bengs will have raw looking ones like dragon/tiger/eagle and chinese deities - Think: Nee Soon Camp style. From 1995 onwards, the Japanese izumi styles started to become more popular. After this, tribal design overtook the scene with so called "ang mo"bengs spotting these tatts. The lians will have tramp stamps - tribal designs across their lower back.  As the beng eras died down, tattoo designs began to shift away towards polynesian, portraits, text, contemporary, etc

7) Many instances of the goody girl turned lian after secondary school - Why? because she starts to hang out with ah bengs as she enters poly / JC and suddenly, she wears thick make ups, wear black bras, pick up smoking and rebels. But hey! who could have imagined the guai gal suddenly looking so sexy and desirable right? 

8) How many of you rememeber the phase "torn night" - normally means staying till day break due to chalets/bbq/overnight clubbing/ etc

9) Unfortunately, the entrance of party drugs destroyed many lives - These came in fanciful names like blue sky, ang pow, merlion and K was known as chicken meat - dont ask me why, beats me

10) Nicknames - many of them. Some gangs are more nickname friendly. Cheesy nickname includes Versace Lawrence, Pink Panther, XiaoLongNui (and Duh, is a HE !! ), Baby Fann Wong, etc etc. The weirder the better as it cause instant "brand recall" 

 

 

Ah Beng anthems -  Some of my personal bests

1) During my time, the hottest song during tea dance was "Be my lover" by la bouche

2) Lemon tree -  silly song, but surprisingly well recieved

3) All time ancestor of beng anthem - Love is all around - We are not talking about wet wet wet. This song came with its own dance steps, way before para para sakura or Love in the first degree @ Zouk became popular

4) Exit Way - somehow, the tempo encourages gang profanities

 

Fashion - pretty much covered by many bros here, just to add on

1) Hunting world T shirt - every richer ah beng will have them

2) Cheesy slogans on colourful printed shirts - The most classic one I had was this printed shirt by Moschino that screamed "lost 4 love" - printed on the back

3) Who can forget the converse slippers

4) Poor ah bengs will wear imitation Versaces - The fake ones had a smiley Medusa face - compared to the authentic ones with a sombre face - Serious !  

5) Lians will wear future state, all black assemble which also shows off their bra straps - those with light blue will be called "xiao lan"and those with white "xiao bai" - well you get the drift la

6) Coloured contact lens - well, which I quickly learnt that it becomes a huge liability during fights - ah well....  

Edited November 8, 2016 by Icebrush79

[Enye]

After that you never go out meh ?

 

tan jiak lah....

 

don't you realise all these people reminiscing these stuff don't need to worry about the next meal come from where at that time

 

peasant is hard life one...no play all work

 

 

[Dleodleo]

I remember that there's a fashion chain - Lee, Lea girl.

 

Also many people carrying a giordano sling bag with the words - Don't talk behind my bag

 

There's also Centrepoint kids, Parkway kids.  I remember Yaohan, Seiyu, Daimaru, printemps,

[BanCoe]

I remember that there's a fashion chain - Lee, Lea girl.

 

Also many people carrying a giordano sling bag with the words - Don't talk behind my bag

 

There's also Centrepoint kids, Parkway kids.  I remember Yaohan, Seiyu, Daimaru, printemps,

i can afford only Emporium only and pasar malam and so called Expositions ..... Going to Robinsons during X'mas in the 60'/70's when it was in Raffles Place just to see toys was like heaven. Can see see, can touch touch  but cannot buy one 

[Dleodleo]

i can afford only Emporium only and pasar malam and so called Expositions ..... Going to Robinsons during X'mas in the 60'/70's when it was in Raffles Place just to see toys was like heaven. Can see see, can touch touch  but cannot buy one 

 

Oh! I remember Emporium in AMK and Hougang during my school days.  I love going to emporium.  During my time, Orchard is the only place that have shopping malls.  The only suburban mall is Parkway Parade.

 

Wow! you go Robinson in the 60s.  So was there Orchard Road then?  Were the malls all in low rise buildings?  You must be considered one of the highly educated one in those days.

 

My friends and I hung in Orchard and Marina area during Christmas eve and New Year eve.  We only went home in the morning.  I think it was a norm for teenagers then.  I had to work part time for my extra pocket money.

 

Now kids are richer, they celebrate festive seasons in different way. Need extra $ just take from their parents.  Unlike us, want extra $ have to work part time.   Wonder how the teenagers spend their festive season eve now.  Must be very happening.

[BanCoe]

Oh! I remember Emporium in AMK and Hougang during my school days.  I love going to emporium.  During my time, Orchard is the only place that have shopping malls.  The only suburban mall is Parkway Parade.

 

Wow! you go Robinson in the 60s.  So was there Orchard Road then?  Were the malls all in low rise buildings?  You must be considered one of the highly educated one in those days.

 

My friends and I hung in Orchard and Marina area during Christmas eve and New Year eve.  We only went home in the morning.  I think it was a norm for teenagers then.  I had to work part time for my extra pocket money.

 

Now kids are richer, they celebrate festive seasons in different way. Need extra $ just take from their parents.  Unlike us, want extra $ have to work part time.   Wonder how the teenagers spend their festive season eve now.  Must be very happening.

Actually the only emporium we would like go for "makan angin" was Tay Buan Guan which was over a km walk from where i used to stay and there was an Ice Cream parlour on the ground floor which my father would treat us during certain occassions and buying bread from Katong Bakery or Red House as was it called  ; Pasar Malam would be the ones in Teluk Kurau and Changi main roads on Friday nights (I think so) and then Katong Shopping Centre was all the rage back then and then Parkway and Yaohan came along; 

 

Yes - CK Tang was about the only thing in Orchard where we used to go and Peoples Park was also popular and going to Robinsons  & John Little was like heaven of course back then and there was a Chinese Emporium there too; and my father used to work in that area and sometimes during school holidays he will bring me there as his work place was in Telok Ayer Street area; Even High Street was another shopping belt too.

 

Those were the days, even though there was a 3 weeks period between my A levels and army call up .... I still worked till the last day part time peddling goods door to door.....making about $8-10 a day in the late 70's. Army recruit pay only $89 per month . Today my son will say .... Dad I want to go for holidays and this the last break I have ..... I .....   ...........  ...... but give in still.......they will say .....grow up... times have changed

[Dleodleo]

Actually the only emporium we would like go for "makan angin" was Tay Buan Guan which was over a km walk from where i used to stay and there was an Ice Cream parlour on the ground floor which my father would treat us during certain occassions and buying bread from Katong Bakery or Red House as was it called  ; Pasar Malam would be the ones in Teluk Kurau and Changi main roads on Friday nights (I think so) and then Katong Shopping Centre was all the rage back then and then Parkway and Yaohan came along; 

 

Yes - CK Tang was about the only thing in Orchard where we used to go and Peoples Park was also popular and going to Robinsons  & John Little was like heaven of course back then and there was a Chinese Emporium there too; and my father used to work in that area and sometimes during school holidays he will bring me there as his work place was in Telok Ayer Street area; Even High Street was another shopping belt too.

 

Those were the days, even though there was a 3 weeks period between my A levels and army call up .... I still worked till the last day part time peddling goods door to door.....making about $8-10 a day in the late 70's. Army recruit pay only $89 per month . Today my son will say .... Dad I want to go for holidays and this the last break I have ..... I .....   ...........  ...... but give in still.......they will say .....grow up... times have changed

 

Wow!  I learnt so much things from the past.

 

Ya lor. Times have changed.

 

[Adrianli]

Actually the only emporium we would like go for "makan angin" was Tay Buan Guan which was over a km walk from where i used to stay and there was an Ice Cream parlour on the ground floor which my father would treat us during certain occassions and buying bread from Katong Bakery or Red House as was it called  ; Pasar Malam would be the ones in Teluk Kurau and Changi main roads on Friday nights (I think so) and then Katong Shopping Centre was all the rage back then and then Parkway and Yaohan came along; 

 

Yes - CK Tang was about the only thing in Orchard where we used to go and Peoples Park was also popular and going to Robinsons  & John Little was like heaven of course back then and there was a Chinese Emporium there too; and my father used to work in that area and sometimes during school holidays he will bring me there as his work place was in Telok Ayer Street area; Even High Street was another shopping belt too.

 

Those were the days, even though there was a 3 weeks period between my A levels and army call up .... I still worked till the last day part time peddling goods door to door.....making about $8-10 a day in the late 70's. Army recruit pay only $89 per month . Today my son will say .... Dad I want to go for holidays and this the last break I have ..... I .....   ...........  ...... but give in still.......they will say .....grow up... times have changed

 

 

U should make him work for it. Example :

 

- make him clean the house

- make him prepare meals

- make him give u massage

 

Let him "earn" it.

[Evillusion]

i can afford only Emporium only and pasar malam and so called Expositions ..... Going to Robinsons during X'mas in the 60'/70's when it was in Raffles Place just to see toys was like heaven. Can see see, can touch touch but cannot buy one

Emporium AMK.......brings back my teenage yrs memory! Go Sembawang Bookstore for our soccer equipments and next door for the latest cassette tapes release...

[BanCoe]

U should make him work for it. Example :

 

- make him clean the house

- make him prepare meals

- make him give u massage

 

Let him "earn" it.

He will say busy busy and busy and will say - Dad you do it better than me , it suits you well ... Aaarrh!! the kids now a days... super keng  strawberry's 

Emporium AMK.......brings back my teenage yrs memory! Go Sembawang Bookstore for our soccer equipments and next door for the latest cassette tapes release...

[Evillusion]

He will say busy busy and busy and will say - Dad you do it better than me , it suits you well ... Aaarrh!! the kids now a days... super keng strawberry's

 

In those days going to Sembawang was like the "other side of the mountain" It was like only shipyards in that area and was considered the "ulu" part of singapore in the 60's/70's

Sembawang Bookstore was located in AMK central a few doors away from the A&W outlet.....the name doesnt implies its location....

[BanCoe]

Sembawang Bookstore was located in AMK central a few doors away from the A&W outlet.....the name doesnt implies its location....

[Mason016]

Actually now that you mention A&W .... i remember I used to go to the 1st one in East Coast Road opposite Roxy Theatre or was it Palace Theatre.... the Root Beer in frosted glass was real treat and classy back then in the 70's and the fries too; Back then MacDonalds was just heard but never seen yet on our shores

Palace theater. It was opposite the old Marine Parade library.