This father of two – the director of HS Roof and Repair Solutions – once rubbed shoulders with personalities such as Malaysian Chinese singer Eric Moo, Hong Kong Cantopop band Grasshopper, and Beijing rock singer Tian Zhen.
Despite having trained as a classical guitarist, Ng played the bass for the now-defunct band Rhythm Mix. Together, they would grace the stages of some of Kuala Lumpur’s hottest nightclubs in the early 2000s.
“When we played for them, we weren’t famous. People didn’t know who we were. So we did all we could to perform well and make every show the best,” Ng told FMT Lifestyle.
They were even the in-house band for the now-closed De-Lux NiteClub on Jalan Ampang. “We were the first Chinese band to break into the Bukit Bintang market,” he said. “You needed to have a certain quality to get in, and we did it!”
He recalled initial challenges, from entertaining drunk patrons to having to perform at Chinese funerals for a meagre fee. Still, Ng and his band persevered: “We wanted people to know we existed so that they’d book us. We didn’t have social media or WhatsApp like now.”
Of course, occasionally performing with well-known singers made the job more exciting, he added.
Dispelling stereotypes
The youngest of three first picked up the guitar when he was 15. A year later he began to teach the instrument, and eventually obtained a diploma in classical guitar, followed by a performance certificate from Trinity College London.
Looking back on his early days, he recalled an incident when his schoolteachers discovered more than RM2,000 in cash and cheques in his bag.
“My mother was called in to see the headmaster. He asked her whether I was selling drugs and cigarettes, as I had a bad reputation in school.
“She set him straight and told him the money was from my earnings as a guitar teacher. The teachers couldn’t believe that this naughty boy was a teacher himself!” Ng laughed.
After secondary school, Ng and his friends decided to form Rhythm Mix. Part of their goal was to dispel stereotypes about musicians.
“When you learn piano or violin, people praise you. But when you learn drums, guitar, or bass, they think it is only for gangsters,” he noted.
Fuelled by a desire to prove naysayers wrong, Ng honed his bass skills, drawing inspiration from his idol Billy Sheehan, bassist of ’80s American rock band Mr Big.
Still, there was some apprehension from his family until Ng performed at a live recording of a TV3 Chinese New Year programme one year.
“As it turned out, my mum saw the show I played in, and my family was proud that I performed on TV3. Since then, they backed my music career.”
Sadly, as the landscape of the music industry shifted, Ng and his bandmates found themselves at a crossroads.
“Around 2004 or 2005, pubs started preferring keyboardists over live bands. It was more cost effective. So I had to look for other opportunities,” he said, explaining that offering guitar lessons wasn’t an option as it wasn’t stable enough.
Thus, Ng’s journey took a turn as he transitioned from riffing to roofing. Learning the ropes on his own, he initially worked for others before starting his own business.
“One unique thing about the roof-repair industry is, during the rainy season, there is too much work,” he shared. “Then suddenly, there are zero jobs for the next few weeks.” He uses this free time to work on sales and follow-up calls.
Asked if he misses his younger days as a performer, Ng replied with a simple no. Yet, his love for music endures: “I still enjoy playing the guitar. It is my voice.”
Learn more about HS Roof and Repair solutions via its website and on Facebook.
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