Celebrated local drummer Jerry Felix passed on last month, leaving a legacy of rhythm and inspiration. — Filepic
For drummer Arthur Kam, the memory of watching Jerry Felix perform for the first time in the early 2000s remains etched in his mind.
“It was a drum clinic with (Japanese jazz fusion drummer) Akira Jimbo,” recalls the 34-year-old. “Jerry, Lewis Pragasam and Zahid Ahmad opened the event and even jammed with Akira. I didn’t know Jerry personally then – I just saw him play – and it was mind-blowing.”
Years later, when Kam finally got to know Jerry better, he discovered that behind the thunderous drum solos was a gentle, humble man who could “talk about drums till the cows came home.”
“He really lived what it means to be a rocker – he had the energy, the aura, the body language,” Kam says. “He never held back. He played his heart out every single time.”
The two would occasionally jam together – at church events, and even once at a mobile phone launch at KL Plaza. But it was at Yamaha’s Beatspot at The Curve in Selangor, where Jerry worked, that their friendship deepened. “I used to go there to practise when my house was under renovation,” Kam reminisces. “But every time, I’d end up jamming with Jerry instead. Those turned into great memories. He’d share stories, life lessons and so much excitement about music. Remembering him often reminds me why I play drums.”
That unshakeable passion – for rhythm, performance, and the sheer joy of music – defined Gerald Lawrence “Jerry” Felix, affectionately known as “Chit” to generations of musicians and fans.
ALSO READ: Late Malaysian drummer Jerry Felix was 'every bit a rock drummer'
The 73-year-old drummer, whose sticks once blazed through stages from Saigon to Stuttgart, passed away on Oct 12 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Jerry leaves behind his wife Blossom, children Geraldine and Kevin, and an indelible legacy that spans nearly six decades of Malaysian music history.
Destined to keep time
Born into a musical household along Imbi Road, Kuala Lumpur, Jerry was destined to keep time. His mother, Marjorie, played guitar and sang, while his father, Patrick, a talented multi-instrumentalist and craftsman, could “make things with his hands.” Some of the guitars featured in early Falcons photos were Patrick’s handiwork.
Two of the guitars in this early Falcons photo were handmade by Jerry’s dad Patrick Felix. The band at the time was known as the KL Falcons and also featured Kathleen Felix. — Photos: The Falcons/Facebook
Jerry began drumming at 10, his father ensuring daily practice sessions.
After attending La Salle Peel Road, Jerry’s teenage years were soundtracked by Deep Purple, Jethro Tull and Cream – influences that would shape his power-packed yet precise drumming style.
“Chit had good feel, punch and kick,” recalls fellow Falcons multi-instrumentalist Jerry Ventura. “That you don’t learn – you either have it or you don’t.”
By the mid-1960s, The Falcons were already on record. The band’s first EP, Nightmare, released in 1964 under CBS, became a radio hit. The original Falcons comprised cousins Brian and Ronnie Felix, and Ventura (all schoolmates at the time).
“Brian was on lead, Frankie and I played rhythm guitar. We were 12 and 11. Victor Felix, Brian’s dad, got Jerry in to play the drums,” Ventura says. “In his era, Chit was the drummer. He would really listen to the songs, and follow all the styles of playing.”
In 1969, The Falcons made history by performing in Saigon during the Vietnam War, entertaining troops in a time of turbulence. In Malaysia, their club, The House, on Jalan Pekeliling, became a hub of 1970s live music – a place where many an aspiring rocker learned by watching the band in action. The Falcons gigged internationally including in Germany, Switzerland, Holland and Singapore. Jerry had the skill and the experience to set him apart from the rest.
In 1969, The Falcons made history by performing in Saigon during the Vietnam War, entertaining troops in a time of turbulence. In this photo, Jerry is standing second fr left.
“Nobody could touch him as a drummer,” remembers Edwin Nathaniel, drummer and vice president of Musicians For Musicians Malaysia. “He had groove and drive – and when he sat behind the drums, all the other drummers would come to watch. He shone.”
Jerry’s thunderous double-pedal work was legendary – Ventura cites Deep Purple’s Fireball as an example. Jerry once told this writer that he was, arguably, the first Malaysian drummer to use the double pedal technique. With The Falcons, he opened for international acts like The Hollies and The Dave Clark Five, and played alongside global stars including The Platters and Percy Sledge.
In 2008, after 45 years of professional drumming, Jerry’s name entered the Malaysian Book of Records as the nation’s longest- performing drummer – a feat reaffirmed in 2013, marking five decades behind the kit.
But beyond the spotlight, Jerry remained a gentle soul. “He was soft-spoken, a nice guy and a true musician,” says bassist Jimie Loh, who shared stages with him in the 1970s at Penang’s Rasa Sayang Hotel and later with The Falcons and Jjeds. “Even when he was already so good, he never stopped practising. He was truly a solid rock drummer – one of a kind.”
Bandmate Frankie Samuel, who played with Jerry both in Malaysia and abroad, calls him a powerhouse performer. “I had the pleasure of working with two of the tightest rhythm sections while I was in The Falcons. The first was the Jerry Felix–Jerry Ventura configuration. These two guys on stage together were a powerhouse. Later, with Andy Peterson, the groove was unshakable. And when it came time for drum solos, people loved it – because that was when the ‘animal’ was let loose.”
Born into a musical household along Imbi Road, Kuala Lumpur, Jerry was destined to keep time.
‘Not flashy, just solid’
Even offstage, Jerry’s playing inspired others to pick up their instruments. Music archivist Paul Augustin remembers first seeing The Falcons as a teenager at Han Chiang High School in Penang.
“They started their set with Stormbringer by Deep Purple – that opening drum line hit me. I was in my teens then and it was a real ‘wow’ moment to see them play.
“Later, watching them at Gipsy Caravan, I realised this was a band that could hold their own.”
“When I was young I was just wowed by the performances. But as I grew older, I realised why Chit was so good,” he adds. “He had steady tempo, he didn’t run, he worked with the band – that’s a great drummer. Not flashy, just solid.”
In the 1990s, Jerry mentored a young Jaclyn Victor, then just out of school. “It was Jerry who introduced me to the live music scene,” she recalls. “I had no experience then. He auditioned me, guided me, taught me everything I needed to know.”
Jaclyn, who sang with Jjeds – a band that included Jerry, Nazaruddin Abdullah, Jimie Loh and others – credits him for shaping her early live singing career. “I was 18 or 19, about eight years before Malaysian Idol. I grew more confident about my singing with them. He could be funny and cheeky, but when it came to music, he was very strict,” she says.
Jaclyn once shared a stage with drumming legend Jerry and credits him for giving her confidence in her early career. — JACLYN VICTOR“I called him ‘Daddy’ because he was three years older than my own dad. Jimie was the Papa, and Jerry was Daddy,” she laughs. “He was a rock enthusiast. I was very into rock as well – Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple – whether it suited me or not, I’d quickly learn. I wanted to make him happy, I didn’t want to be defiant.”
The band often rehearsed at Jerry’s home. “In conversation, we learnt so much from him,” Jaclyn says. “He never boasted – he’d just share stories, and we’d all be in awe. He said I reminded him of his mum.”
Watching him perform, she says, was unforgettable. “He was already such a huge name, but to actually watch him in action – spotlight on him, breaking into a crazy solo, standing up as the sticks went flying – he was the ultimate showman. By nature, Jerry was a shy, introverted person. But on stage, you’d never say that.”
After decades of gigging – from Tomorrow Disco and Pink Pussycat to Tin Mine and Old Skool – Jerry turned to teaching, running drum lessons in Shah Alam and Subang Jaya, guiding younger musicians. His 2003 solo album, Jerry Felix... At Last, offered fans a personal glimpse of the man behind the sticks.
His 2003 solo album, Jerry Felix... At Last, offered fans a personal glimpse of the man behind the sticks.
At home, Jerry was a simple man with simple joys. “He loved watching TV when he wasn’t teaching, practising or performing,” recall his children Geraldine and Kevin.
Geraldine says: “He was a big Manchester United fan, loved the History Channel, National Geographic and crime series like CSI and Criminal Minds. He was a homebody when he wasn’t performing – but music was his absolute passion.”
They remember his quiet humour and tender love for family pets. “He loved going on walks with our dog, Angel, who has also passed, and he adored our toy poodle, Koko.”
Growing up in a musical home was magical, says Geraldine. “It was ‘glamorous’ at that time,” she laughs. “Their rehearsal room was soundproof, but once they were done, I’d always chat with the band. When Dad came home from work, he’d buy us supper – seeing our smiles made him so happy.”
For Kevin, the memories are deeply formative. “To me he was my first music hero. I heard my first rock record from him by Grand Funk Railroad. He bought me my first guitar at 15, and I still keep it to this day.”
He adds, “I used to put my ear against the studio door to listen when the band practised after school. Those were the fondest memories.”
All in the family: Jerry, Geraldine, Koko, Kevin, Blossom and Jerry’s daughter-in-law, Maz. — GERALDINE FELIX
Beyond music, his lessons were lasting. “He taught us to always put family first, especially our mum,” says Geraldine. “He loved wholeheartedly and never held back.”
Kevin adds, “He was competitive when we played badminton or football, but I see now that was his way of shaping me to be stronger. What stands out most is how much people respected him – as a musician, a person, a friend. To us, he was our dad, our hero. A legend to others, but a legendary father to us, and a forever love to our mother.”
Jerry was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer a few years ago and received treatment at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
“He remained positive throughout,” says his family. “But he deteriorated right after his birthday this year on Sept 20 and passed away on Oct 12.”
For a man who began drumming at age 10 and never really stopped, Jerry’s beat will live on – in the memories of his peers, the recordings that captured his fire, and the countless young musicians who still learn to keep time the way he did: with heart, humility and an unshakeable groove.
