Father and son Vernon and Rodney Steele perform in a band together. In fact, on Sunday, they will be singing and playing guitar for the 1970s Malaysian band Strollers, at the Musicians For Musicians Benet Concert.

1. Families that make music together, stay
together
Wednesday, 11 Mar 2020
By ANN MARIE CHANDY
PEOPLE
1:00 PM MYT
Vernon and Rodney Steele have a riot performing together. The father-son team enjoy listening to the oldies. Photos: Art
Chen/ The Star
Musicians For Musicians is an association comprising professionals to assist local musicians in need,
and it is organising the upcoming Musicians For Musicians Bene t Concert. For more on the Musicians
For Musicians Bene t Concert this Sunday. For more information on the bene t concert, visit the
Musicians For Musicians Malaysia Facebook page. Tickets are still on sale and will be in aid of
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now

2. musicians in need.
About 100-odd musicians will be involved in the concert, and they are more than a close-knit
community... in fact, many of them are family. Here are the stories of some of these musical families.
Friends more than family
Father and son Vernon and Rodney Steele perform in a band together. In fact, on Sunday, they will be
singing and playing guitar for the 1970s Malaysian band Strollers, at the Musicians For Musicians
Bene t Concert.
You’d think that performing with a family member is challenging but Vernon and Rodney Steele say
that’s not the case at all.
“We have more of a friendship than father-son type relationship, ” Rodney, 39, says with a chuckle.
Dad Vernon, who’s 68, loves Rod Stewart music and sings, while his son plays the guitar.
Vernon says that Rodney guides him and will be the rst to play critic. “But we never hold any grudges or
ill feelings towards each other. We’ve just always been that way.”
There was always music at home, both the La Salle Brick elds boys attest.
Vernon says: “My mum and my uncles would listen to the radiogram, and I guess the music just rubbed
off on me rst, then on him.”
Vernon and Rodney aren’t the only performers at the bene t concert who are related to each other.
Like the Osmonds, the BeeGees and Pointer Sisters, the 100-odd musicians are more than a close-knit
community... many of them are family.
Through the generations
"My father used to take me to the Cellar, a popular club in
Petaling Jaya in the early 1970s, to listen to the bands play, ”
says Alleycats bassist Jimie Loh, 66. “Dad was a banker but
he loved to sing. So we’d often go for the tea dances on
Sunday afternoons and watch the bands together. The best
thing was that they allowed young musicians to go up and
jam, and I would always put up my hand, because I wanted to
play!
Today, Jimie has passed on that love for music to his son Ivan.
“It was just a natural progression, ” he says. “I always
practised a lot at home and I used to work hard. Ivan is my
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now

3. Father and son, Jimie and Ivan Loh, enjoy
playing music together.
only son, and he grew up among all of my friends, most of
whom were musicians. So it was very easy for him to pick up
the skills.”
Ivan shares: “Dad taught me how to play the guitar when I
was about 15,16. But I also took drum classes at Music Mart
and learnt formally from Gerard Singh.”
For the time being, Ivan is happy gaining experience
whenever he can as a session guitarist, but remembers a
highlight of getting to play with dad’s band Alleycats once.
“It was some time back, at a pub called Sparks in PJ. The
guitarist didn’t turn up and so I stood in. It was pretty
intense!”
Both father and son get along famously and are happy to be
able to share a passion for music, although Jimie concedes to
being his son’s biggest critic.
“I have to be the bad guy sometimes, that’s the only way to
learn. During my time, we never had any guides or teachers, ” Jimie says.
Partners on and off stage
“When I rst came to KL in the early 1990s to audition as a singer, my mother took a liking to Zack (a
guitarist looking for a singer) immediately, ” singer Lyia Meta shares.
“He spoke to my mum and assured her that he didn’t want me to dress sexily or aunt myself to the
audience when we performed, which was unlike the other bands at the time who were more interested
in hiring some eye candy to front their bands.
“I was still wet behind the ears at the time, so for my mum, that made her very happy. She said he looked
like a nice boy.”
After a year of performing together, Zack Meta and Lyia got hitched, and their union both onstage and
off has lasted close to three decades.
The couple have a son and a long history of music.
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now

4. Zack and Lyia have been partners on and off stage for two decades now and have a blast making sweet
music together. Photo: Azlina Abdullah/The Star
Zack, who’s been in the live music business since the 1970s, admits that it hasn’t always been a walk in
the park.
“It’s very tough to keep a marriage together in the music line ‑ some may say, almost impossible.
“But I had a lot of experience and could navigate the curveballs that came our way, ” he says, alluding to
how audience members often hit on the frontwoman.
When asked what makes their marriage work, Lyia is quick to offer: “There is only one captain to this
ship. Of course we argue, and I am quite a vocal person, I always say what I feel.
“Zack is very patient. He lets me say all I want to, but at the end of the day, he sets the bottom line.”
Zack adds: “Most days, we’re just too busy getting through the day, our lives are lled with music... you
don’t really think about what makes the marriage work!”
Like father, like daughter
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now

5. Rusli Musif aka Olie from the band Heavy Machine says it’s a joy that he gets to perform with his
youngest daughter, Kenanga Juwita.
The 66-year-old bandleader who takes turns on vocals, the sax and percussion, has been with Heavy
Machine since the band started in 1995. At the time, it was just a four-piece that specialised in hard rock,
performing covers from Deep Purple and Grand Funk Railroad.
“But later we added a three-piece horn section, ” Olie shares, “nobody else had that in the pub circuit at
the time.”
Rusli and Kenanga love performing together.
Kenanga, who is just 15, also plays the sax and can sing as well as play the piano.
“I remember watching my dad play and thinking to myself how nice it would be if I could play along with
him, ” Kenanga said, adding that one day she just decided to pick up the sax. “Dad would teach me very
patiently. He has always been very caring.”
“I guess it’s in her blood, ” says Olie, adding that education comes rst.
“I am very clear about that. Kenanga can play with us and learn music, it may come in handy as a side
income or she may teach someday, but school must always come rst.”
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now

6. Nonetheless he is proud to have her with the band, and considers it a unique feature. “Maybe someday
she will take over with a new generation of Heavy Machine!”
Brothers in arms
When he was just a little boy of eight, Edwin Nathaniel would watch his big brother Charles play in a
band called The Poor Boys in the late 1960s, and would pretend to play on the drums. When the
drummer didn’t turn up for practice, one day, he lled in.
“At that time, his feet couldn’t even reach the bass drum pedal, and you’d have trouble seeing who the
drummer was because he was so small, ” Charles, now retired and 70-something, reminisces fondly.
“There was once, we were playing at a club, BB Park, where they had cabaret shows and striptease
dancers, and we had to close his eyes because he was underaged!”
Charles said that he inadvertently became Edwin’s mentor, as the younger sibling would follow him
everywhere, and was always very happy whenever he got the chance to play.
Edwin, nine years younger than Charles, has been playing music for over four decades and today owns a
music school, Music Mart in Petaling Jaya. He has dedicated a big portion of his time working with
special needs children.
Edwin remembers: “Our father was very supportive and he used his savings to buy a full set of
instruments for my brother and allowed him to have band practices at home. My father wanted us to be
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now

7. Copyright © 1995-2020 Star Media Group Berhad (10894D)
Best viewed on Chrome browsers.
at home, rather than outside mixing with all the bad hats. And my mother was happy to cook for
everyone. There were always a bunch of musicians in our house.”
Edwin adds: “I owe my involvement in the music industry to my brother. And now the greatest thing is
that the both of us play in church and can thank God for giving us these talents.
Related stories:
Malaysian rock band Lefthanded to celebrate 40th anniversary in Singapore
Malaysian artistes release song to show support for China's Covid-19 efforts
The Voice UK contestant grew up in Sarawak; inspired by local music
The Malaysian musicians who found love through music
TAGS / KEYWORDS:
Family , Musicians , People
It is insightful Not in my interest
What do you think of this article?
100% readers found this article useful
Life Inspired has a chic new look
2020 is all about change,
and Life Inspired did just
that with a fresh makeover!
This month, we speak to 3
female icons about
empowerment and more -
read it for FREE this week.
Download now