Musician’s last wish

New Straits Times, Malaysia

Musician's last wish
By : ERROL DE CRUZ
2009/02/26

The late Grenville Pereira dreamt of building a music studio for the St. Nicholas home in Penang.
His friends are joining forces to ensure that his wish comes true. ERROL DE CRUZ writes.

FRIENDS, soulmates and fellow musicians of Grenville Pereira, who passed away on Dec 5, are getting
together on March 8 for a music marathon to raise at least RM45,000 for a cause he had been talking
about for months before his death.

The show will be held at Hotel Armada's Wharf in Petaling Jaya from 2pm to 1am.

Organiser Shyam Nair said that the current lineup for the music marathon includes the Falcons,
Alleycats (both of whom Pereira had been a member of), Heavy Machine, Antonio (of Sweet September),
Alphonse Jerome (La Viva), Fredo (Flintstones), SWV, Vijay David, NRG, Havoc, Extract 7, Hydra and
Cash Band.

What's the common factor with such great names performing at the same event?
"Well, except for NRG, all of them have, in one way or another, worked with or for Gren over the
last 20 years," said Shyam.

In the two decades before his death, Pereira had been a band manager and entertainment agent,
providing bands to hotels and lounges in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia.

All proceeds from the show will go towards the construction of a music studio at St. Nicholas Home
for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Penang where Pereira had learnt to play music.

Later, as a teenager in Kuala Lumpur, he was noticed by the Falcons who roped him in to play
keyboards with them in Thailand, Vietnam, Japan and Singapore.

"He played with small bands and the Memories before being spotted by the Falcons," said Shyam.

"Before his big break, he used to travel about on a three-wheeler with whatever equipment he used on
board, performing at gigs for RM10 a night."

He performed for more than six years in Hong Kong and also recorded with the Alleycats, spearheaded
by brothers David, Loga and Shan Arumugam.

After his stint with the Alleycats, Pereira returned to KL and began his career as a music promoter,
first for local outfits and then Filipino ones.

"The last several months before he died, Gren constantly spoke of wanting to give something back to
the St Nicholas home where he learnt to play the guitar," Shyam said.

"We (Gren, Shyam and Ashok Pattu) were together on the night before he suffered a stroke and we had
decided on the name for his new company (GrenVille Promotions) and how we were going to organise the
fundraiser," he added.

At 7am the next day Pereira suffered a stroke and never recovered. He was 57.

The "studio" that the home in Penang will soon have is currently a storeroom.

The fundraising gang will need to have it refurbished before buying musical instruments and
recording equipment.

The studio will also double up as a music tuition centre for the residents who presently travel to
various locations for classes.

"No one will be making any profit from this show," he emphasised, referring to the presenters,
sponsors, organisers and musicians.

"Everyone's doing it for free and all proceeds will go to the St. Nicholas home."

A cheque presentation ceremony will be held on March 19.

A unique acoustic band from the home will perform at the event. No guitars, no keyboards, no horns
or wind instruments; just some residents performing on pots and pans and other assorted vessels
filled with water at different levels.

"You have to hear them to believe it," Shyam said.

The organisers are still looking for sponsors and donations of musical instruments or equipment for
the planned studio.

Cash donations will be entitled to tax exemption.

Cheques should be made payable to St. Nicholas Home for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Penang.

Food and drinks will be sold via coupons at RM10 per serving.

Shyam, a food and beverage man by profession, will be baking his famous bread and butter pudding for
the occasion while Pereira's family will contribute fruit cakes and other delicacies.

Proceeds from the sale of these will also go to the cause.

The show is sponsored by Hotel Armada, Tiger Beer and Guinness.

Call Hotel Armada at 03-7954-6888, Shyam at 012-257-5595 or Pius Benizi at 017-884-2414 for details.
You can also email shyam@grenville.com.my .

SOURCE
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Features/20090226181306/Article/indexF_html