Banned In Da Singapura

Reviews

“The greatest middle finger ever stuck to the man by a Singaporean band!” X’Ho (R.I.P.)

Achievements

• Straits Times Album of the Year
• Straits Times Song of the Year
• 8 Days Magazine Album of the Year
• 8 Days Magazine Song of the Year
• Number 2 on Greatest Singapore Songs Ever Written list by BigO Magazine
• First Singapore album ever to be Banned
• First Singapore album to be pirated with bootleg copies being sold at shops
• Number 1 album in Singapore, outselling the Backstreet Boys & George Micheal.
• 3 Radio Hit Singles – Baby When You’re Gone, Ballad of Tabitha, Rock With You

Behind the Music

This album was the first album I ever released. It was the perfect soundtrack for our lives at the time. Every song on this album, including the filler tracks and hidden tracks, is based on true life experiences by the band or people close to us. We were three rockers having the time of our lives, making music, writing songs, being so carefree, not giving a fuck about impressing anyone, and partying very hard. We won over legions of fans along the way, selling out shows everywhere, and causing riots at record stores and live concerts. I am not blowing smoke out of my ass when I say this album is now regarded by many as a Singapore rock classic album.

We recorded with the legendary producer Leonard Soosay at Snakeweed Studios, and he somehow managed to help rally and make sense of all the musical madness for us. He allowed us to do our thing while not getting in the way and still brought out the best in us. It all came together in just three months. We had these bunch of songs about 70% written and finished it all in the studio and improvised so many bits. I think that’s why it sounds so fun. So much of this was unrehearsed. There are so many magical moments in the album that make up some of my fondest memories, and it makes me miss being in a recording studio with your buddies! I know this sounds crazy, but for an album so punk rock and at times so vulgar, it was so honest and made with so much love. And that even extends to the instrumentals, skits and the TWO legendary hidden tracks you had to forward your CD player to get to!

This album has some tunes that some people in Singapore consider classics like “Kita Nak Seks“, “Baby When You’re Gone“, “Ballad of Tabitha“, “St Pats Classroom“, and the 2nd greatest song ever written in Singapore – “Ai Sio Kan Mai?“. Till this day, people still come up to me in Singapore to tell me how much they loved Boredphucks.

Banned in da Singapura was one of my life’s greatest gifts, and receiving it with my two best friends, Wayne and Justin, was an incredible blessing. Even though it got us banned soon after its release, looking back, the ban pushed me to go overseas to begin a more fulfilling rock music career in Australia.

Musicians

Justin Roy – Bass, Backing Vocals
Wayne Thunder – Drums, Backing Vocals
Sanny Veloo – Lead Vocals, Guitars
Leonard Soosay – Jamaican Drum & String arrangements
Joan Chew – Violin
DJ Unknown – Decks
Backing Vocals – Mellisa, Ben, Alan Z, Zad, + many others!

Credits:

All songs were written by Justin Roy, Wayne Thunder & Sanny Veloo
Produced by Leonard Soosay & Boredphucks
Recorded & mixed by Leonard Soosay at Snakeweed Studios
Artwork by Little