By Aref Omar
THE cats with the big hair are back and David Arumugam talks to AREF OMAR about his late brother and his big screen debut.
Though his beard and moustache are streaked with slivers of white experience, the spirit of legendary soul band Alleycats lives on in the eyes of David Arumugam, which shines bright with enthusiasm.
Still dressed like it’s the 70s, and with his trademark shaggy afro, the 58-year-old cool cat cuts to the chase by saying, “life goes on, man”.
It’s been a year since David’s younger brother and trusted bandmate, Loganathan, succumbed to lung cancer.
But with the agility of the band’s namesake, the Alleycats are back on its feet with replacement Gerard Abisheganaden, a veteran singer with 30 years of experience, and ready to rock in a charity concert to commemorate the passing of a beloved core member.
“The longevity of the Alleycats stems from a lot of hard work and undying devotion. It’s what Loga would have wanted, to continue,” says David about the band, which will also be celebrating 40 years of consistent gigging and recording of albums soon.
“It’s also an honour to be part of this charity event that can help people suffering from lung diseases,” he says.
The Alleycats had its humble beginnings in 1969, when a friend was interested in starting a band, leaving David, who roped in Loganathan, to organise the formation.
Growing up in Georgetown, the two brothers were heavily influenced by their mother, a classical Indian singer.
“I used to follow my mother to her shows and watch her sing. We didn’t have any babysitter at the time,” he recalls with a laugh.
“So from a very young age I knew singing was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. My brother was the same,” he says.
“There wasn’t any sibling rivalry. Of course we’ve been together for close to 40 years, so we’ve experienced both the good and bad sides of each other but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t handle,” says David, followed by a long pause.
“Loga was a kind and friendly man, never hard-pressed for jokes. I miss him.”
When asked whether the upcoming show at Istana Budaya would be an emotionally charged affair, David quickly replies with, “Surprise, surprise. Expect lots of surprises.”
“We’ll be playing mostly with the National Symphony Orchestra but there’ll be a segment with just the band onstage.
“We need to make some noise at Istana Budaya once in a while, don’t you think?”
On what’s next for the iconic band, David promises more gigs, concerts and recordings.
Fans will also be able to see the veteran singer for the first time on the big screen early next year in Mamat Khalid’s feature film Estet.
Touted as the first Tamil film produced locally in Bahasa Malaysia, this dramedy combines the talents of both Malay and local Tamil cinema, and tells the story of various communities living together in harmony in a rubber estate.
“I’ve been offered acting roles before but I’ve always turned them down.
“My friend Mamat managed to coax me into doing this cameo. It’s a pretty good story,” he says of the film, which began shooting last month.
“I play a towkay of a kedai runcit in an estate, who gives words of wisdom to the estate children that frequent my kedai.
“I took the leap and so far am enjoying myself,” he says.
SWEET CHARITY
THE upcoming Konsert Amal Senandung Semalam Alleycats concert is the brainchild of Dr Zainudin Md Zin, chairman of the Lung Foundation of Malaysia.
“The Alleycats is a legend in its own right and still a popular group with a large following today.
“The unfortunate fact that its singer Loganathan died of lung cancer last year makes the band ideal for this charity event, which will also be in honour of his passing,” says Dr Zainudin Md Zin during an interview at Damansara Specialist Hospital, where he is consultant physician for internal and respiratory medicine.
This performance by the Alleycats will be its first major concert since Loga’s death in June last year.
The 51-year-old doctor is admittedly a fan of the band with the songs Senandung Semalam and Sekuntum Mawar Merah topping his list of favourites.
“When the opportunity arises, I like to sing some Alleycats tunes,” he says with a smile.
Proceeds from the ticket sales of this LFM-organised event will provide monetary relief to underprivileged patients suffering from lung diseases to get the appropriate care and treatment.
“Lung cancer is a preventable disease but many do not think to seek treatment due to a lack of awareness about the illness.
“We at LFM aim to promote awareness and public education through workshops, seminars and events, as well as treatment guidelines on pamphlets and flyers for the public,” says Dr Zainudin.
“Life support devices like oxygen concentrators and ventilators are expensive. So we provide financial assistance to patients in need of such devices.”
The LFM also promotes scientific research by providing research grants and awards for best scientific research in the areas relating to lung disease. Some of the foundation’s activities include the recent World Asthma Day Jogathon.
The two-hour charity concert will also feature special guest artistes Hattan, Jaclyn Victor, Liza Hanim and Adibah Noor.
* Catch the Alleycats from June 27-29 (8.30pm) at Istana Budaya, KL. Tickets: RM50-RM250. Call 03-41498600 or visit www.ticket2u.biz.
(c) 2008 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.
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