It felt like I had gone to Nelson’s garden party. To reminisce with my old friends. To play our songs again. If Yoko had been there, she would have brought her walrus.

There was magic in the air on that hot Sunday afternoon in April 2023 as we waited for The Strollers to get on stage at Hangover, Petaling Jaya. The pub was packed to the brim. The crowd spilled over to the place next door. There must have been a few hundred people there, gathered for the reunion of a lifetime, of the legendary sixties Malaysian band.

I had never seen so many old people in one place at the same time before. Some of the faces were familiar. Some just didn’t look the same. But when our eyes met, we recognised a kinship in each other. Memory brushes the same years. We smiled knowingly.

There were a few young ones too, with curious shiny faces, probably wondering what their grandpa had been so excited about.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, really. Time has a way of chipping away at skills. Even the incomparable Whitney Houston, when she came to sing in Malaysia years back, was a pale shadow of her former self.

We were an audience idealised by nostalgia, hopeful for a performance that would somehow, punctuate the years. And The Strollers did not disappoint.

Sure, there were only two of them left playing in the band – Hussein Idris on drums and Billy Chang on the bass. But together with new band members, they rocked our afternoon. Michael Magness returned from Australia for a brief appearance. Although he jumbled through his song, memory made us believe in him still.

The backdrop to the stage stated “The Strollers. Just As We Were”. It was a wishful coda to where we all left off decades ago when they disbanded but of course, they were no longer the same. Still, the reunion performance was historic and immensely enjoyable. Renditions of their old songs such as “Silly Joke”, “Mid-day Sun” and “Do What You Gotta Do” evoked thunderous applause from the audience.

When the sun went down and the band stopped playing, we left the pub humming and satisfied. We would always remember us this way.

Fast forward three years, to a hot Sunday afternoon on May 24, 2026. This time, we came to say goodbye to The Strollers. At Backyard Pub & Grill in Taman Sri Hartamas, the faithful, old and young, gathered for a farewell performance by The Strollers, now made up of Billy and the “baby strollers” Rodney Steele, Soon King, Dave Singh and, pop-up drummer Justin Jeremiah who stood in for Hussein.

The pub was packed to the brim. The music was just as good but different. Compared to the reunion of 2023, this time, it seemed more polished and intense. There was more emotion. It was like a good wine that had smoothened its edges over the years. Although Hussein was not at the drums, his replacement was impressive, playing electronic drums. Although the songs did not have the thudding vivacity of Hussein’s drumming on normal drums, this young man helped glue the band together.

It was song after good song, exuberant, uplifting. These were interspersed by live auctions to fund-raise for Hussein. Somebody donated a rare autographed vinyl EP of the Strollers and another of their first commercial jingle “New Woman” for Nestle Milk. Both went for a steal at RM500.

Few things could quite match the mixed sensations of the evening. As our feet tapped happily to the music, our hearts beat heavily to the rhythm of sadness as we remembered the ill Hussein and realised that this night would be the final appearance for Billy.

Billy played the bass guitar well as he had always done, making us wonder why he was retiring. Age and energy, he said. We understand. You just do what you gotta do. We just want to thank you for the music.

At one time, in the middle of a song, I noticed Rodney holding back tears welling in his eyes as he plucked his guitar. In a corner, Billy’s wife was sobbing.

On the floor, people were dancing to rock and roll. Across the room, they sang along to the vibrant music. It seemed strange to be happy and sad at the same time. It didn’t feel like we were celebrating anything nor were we mourning anything. I suspect it was a sense of gratitude more than anything else. We were just thankful to be part of the stroll.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.