Seasoned musicians Amir Yussof and Ravie Varmaan, who helped shape the local live circuit in the 1990s, have never met each other.
They now live more than 3,000 km apart; Amir having migrated to North Island, New Zealand in 2016 and Ravie to Adelaide, Australia in 2003.
Recently, Ravie – whose band, Havoc – won the Asia Bagus band contest in 1994, reached out to the once-popular pub singer and recording artiste Amir, to propose a collaboration.
Ravie messaged Amir via Facebook to seek his approval to do a cover of the singer-composer’s 30-year-old infectious song ‘Island’ for his new 11-track solo album, ‘Never Too Late’.
Amir’s reggae-influenced tune about feeling free and living on an island and in the jungle, was one of the hits in a Malaysian compilation album, ‘Ikhlas’.
Batu Caves-born Ravie, 51, hoped that the 53-year-old Amir would do a duet with him on the new ‘Island’.
Amir instead did a voiceover track for the intro and outro that breathes new life into a song that he said was “perhaps, subconsciously inspired while teaching windsurfing, sailing, water skiing and snorkelling in the Maldives.”
To differentiate it from the original song, Ravie enlisted Malaysian bassist Daniel Soliano Guerzo, Leigh Malin from the UK on keyboards and saxophone, and Italians Alberto Gatti on the guitar and Giovanni Chierici on the drums.
The new tune strikes a fine balance between Amir’s spoken words, Ravie’s reggae vocals and a charming dance-floor beat.
While giving the song respect, Ravie made the re-do his own, prompting Amir to rave over the effort.
“I am honoured to be covered by a talented, committed and professional artiste. He has added his own spirit, updated the arrangement, used some good musicians, arranged and produced it well.
“Perhaps now, a new generation can enjoy the song,” Amir said in an e-mail interview with FMT.
In the first of a two-part interview, FMT looks at the lives of the two artistes who many would have thought have fallen under the music radar after leaving Malaysia.
Below are excerpts of the interview with Ravie who holds a regular job with the department of human services in Adelaide and is a musician every chance he gets.
How vital was Amir or ‘Island’ to your new album?
I wanted to reconnect with my musical roots, the music I played in my youth, and reach out to a Malaysian audience.
To achieve that, I contacted Amir in the hope that he would allow me to cover ‘Island’ which has always been on my playlist.
When I started the production, the only thing I had in mind was not to sound like the original.
The benefit of doing a cover of a song by an artiste who is known and loved in Malaysia is immense.
As a budding singer, what was Amir’s influence on you?
His music had a profound effect on me, and I have always admired him.
Amir’s performance at the Ikhlas concert on Christmas Day in 1992 was overwhelming amid a stellar cast of artistes like Zainal Abidin, Zubir Ali, Sheila Majid, Afdlin Shauki and Azman Warren.
I used to also see him regularly singing at his bar, Xtacy Live Music Bar in Damansara, but we never met in person.
How long has ‘Never Too Late’ been in the making?
In 2017, I started working on five songs with three songwriters from America and the UK to record an EP. I finished recording it and filmed a few video clips but never released it.
When I lost my gigs in Adelaide during the Covid-19 lockdown, I began working on an additional six songs, one a month, with different songwriters from America.
The concept of the album is pop/rock/reggae and will be available at all online stores by end of November The videos that have been completed can be viewed at www.raviemusic.com.
How do you plan to popularise your album in Malaysia?
Hopefully, the songs will get noticed and get some radio airplay in Malaysia. I miss performing in Malaysia and look forward to coming back.
How did your music career begin in Malaysia?
My first band in high school, TerraZone, hit it big at Yamaha Band Explosion in 1989 and was popular at college functions and private parties.
In 1994, we re-named the band Havoc and became the Asia Bagus band champion at Fire Discotheque in Kuala Lumpur with our rendition of Lenny Kravitz’s ‘Are You Gonna Go My Way’.
I joined Steel Band as the lead singer before forming Roadhouse that won the MTV Band Alert contest in 1998 with a song, ‘Love is Blind’ written by Jerry Retnam.
In 2001, I joined the Soulout band before I reformed Roadhouse with new members. Two years later, I migrated to Australia.
Was it tough breaking into the circuit in Australia?
At first, it was a duo called Karma with Nigel Jones and we played at pubs and hotels in Adelaide and Brisbane and a casino in Darwin.
On my return to Adelaide, I formed One Planet, a three-piece reggae band that filled a gap in the market laden with rock and pop bands.
Reggae music gave us an identity and we were successful with work coming in fast.