On April 2, Magness, 80, will rejoin fellow original members, drummer Hussein Idris, 73, and bass player Billy Chang, 75, in a reunion many thought they’d never see happen.
The one-off performance will go down in local music history as one of the least expected, and one that defies the laws of age and time.
Entrance to the three-hour event, “Just As We Were”, is free and is restricted to 120 people because of limited seating at Hangover PJ, 3 Two Square, in Petaling Jaya.
The show has been put together by a group of Strollers fans in collaboration with FMT to honour the tireless torchbearers of Malaysian pop bands.
AirAsia has sponsored the flight ticket for Magness from Sydney while the venue, sound and lights are provided at no cost by Hangover PJ.
The unlikely return of Magness, decades later, to the oldest pop group in Malaysia is seen as a nostalgic celebration of a vintage act that had added a high gloss to the music scene of the 1960s and early 70s.
“Getting back together with the Strollers is another magical moment for me,” Magness told FMT by phone from his home in Hervey Bay in Brisbane.
Magness quit the band in 1973 to pursue the more lucrative business of advertisement jingles, and later migrated to Australia.
Asked whether he was confident of performing with the others as a band, Magness said: “I’m very excited, but a bit worried at the same time.”
“I dreamt of this reunion for a long time. I’m longing to do the Strollers hits, and fans can be assured it will be a fantastic show.”
He said he was happy the band had over the years maintained the joyous fusion of creativity and friendship that had kept it as a part of the country’s cultural fabric since its formation in 1965.
Hussein and Chang have survived changing trends, and proven that they’ve got what it takes to keep a loyal fanbase coming back for more, decade after decade, even as the band went through a few incarnations.
The veteran musicians made sure the songs by the Strollers never died, remaining remarkably durable, and providing their fans with unalloyed joy.
They were the first and only Malaysian band to sign with an international recording label to release English songs. The group released 33 songs, of which 17 were original compositions.
The band’s giant single, “Do What You Gotta Do”, topped the Malaysian charts for eight weeks, while “Mid-day Sun” “Just As I Am” and “Silly Joke” were among the other smash hits.
What was equally amazing was that none of the members of the Strollers then had any formal music training, and every one worked out their own chords and drumbeats, and played each number from memory.
Hussein said the band was grateful to the fans for their support over the years and hoped they will enjoy the concert.
Asked if he gets bored playing the same Strollers songs, he said: “I love playing them. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be still playing.”
Chang, who wrote the 1971 classic “Just As I Am”, said: “Isn’t it great that the three of us are soon going to be just as we were?
He said the concert will also pay tribute to Australia-based Jimmy D’Oliverio, who is unable to make the reunion due to poor health, and to the Strollers who had passed away.
Those who have passed on are multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Nand Kumar (1991), guitar sensation Terry Thaddeus (2003), guitarist Amrin Majid (2010), drummer Ramli Yaakob (2019) and lead guitarist Hassan Idris (2021).
The band’s first manager, Jap Tan, whom many regarded as the “fifth Stroller”, died in 2021, leaving fond memories as a non-musician who tuned the guitar and balanced the sound by ear. That meant the band just needed to go on the stage, plug and play.
Khatijah Marianne Abdullah said she was thrilled that her father was making a comeback after 50 years. “We are so proud of him.”
“My family and I are grateful, and in awe of the devoted fans who have kept the Strollers ‘alive’,” she said.
The gig will also feature the current members of Strollers, Soon King (guitar/vocals), Rodney Steele (guitar/vocals) and Dave Singh (keyboard/vocals).
Guest artistes, pop diva Ice, and singers A Radha Krishnan, Vernon Steele, Jason Noah and Colin Jansen will also take centre stage.
The Strollers “Just As We Were” Reunion Concert:
Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023
Venue: Hangover PJ, Dataran 3 Two, 2, Jalan 19/1, Petaling Jaya
Time: 4pm-7pm
Entrance: Free. First come, first served.
Contact: 019-261 4948