Jap Chong of Singapore's 60s band The Quests dies

Chong of The Quests

SINGAPORE: One of Singapore's pioneer musicians, Jap Chong of The Quests, died Sunday afternoon from a heart attack.

Fellow band member Vernon Cornelius said Chong, 71, had been suffering from heart disease and kidney failure for many years. He was admitted to Singapore General Hospital on Saturday.

Chong was the founder of wildly popular 1960s band The Quests, which once toppled The Beatles from Singapore and Malaysia's Hit Parade Charts with its original song, Shanty.

Cornelius, who declined to give his age, likened Chong's death to The Beatles losing John Lennon. "He was charming, handsome and had a powerful personality on stage.

"I'm pretty shocked. Losing a friend is always devastating and it's going to take a while for us to come to terms with his death."

Ever the showman, an ailing Chong last took to the stage at a reunion concert with his band at My Queenstown's 60th anniversary celebrations last September.

In 1961, Chong formed the group with singer-guitarist Raymond Leong for a talent contest in Queenstown Secondary Technical School. Henry Chua and Lim Wee Guan joined them. Later line-ups included guitarist Reggie Verghese, bassist Sam Toh, keyboardist Jimmy Chan and Cornelius, a singer.

Chong's wake is at Singapore Casket's Ruby Room and his funeral will take place tomorrow. He leaves behind a daughter and a two-year-old grandson. - The Straits Times/ANN