THAT FAMILIAR GRAVELLY voice is still there. And the seemingly effortless guitaring. Bala is living proof that a pub singer can defy all musical whims and trends and still continue to be in demand.

This Taiping-born, Kampar-bred musician has been in the business for over 25 years. Along the way he cut a three-song CD and peddled it in Asia and Europe, sold off his partnerships in places like Street Connection and Online, and returned to what he loves best - getting on stage and just performing.

Bala's pearly white teeth and rapid-fire speech suggests there is a bit more of showman personae now in him. On stage, he'll stop in mid-song to chide someone headed to the loo or break out in an African chant or string a medley of numbers sliding from one song to the another with sheer ease.

A four-year stint in Maldives seems to have done him good. He speaks of the islands with fondness -- the sea, the diving, the people, the seafood and endless catches of the day both on sea and land.

"The reception in the Maldives was just great. You get Europeans who have never seen a musician like me performing solo and making all these sounds. I played a lot of reggae, Caribbean and beach party kind of music," he said.

Bala believes he's in a new phase in his life - what he calls "the eclipse of his younger days."

He says he's more comfortable on stage now than he ever was and plays sets that he enjoys. "It's like a love affair, once you let her go it's over and you move on. Some people still ask for the old stuff -- of course Sorang-geh-ne," he says as he rolls his eyes skyward and sighs.

Bala says he tries to be more fluid on stage. "Every audience is like doing some cooking on stage. I have to add here and there for the right ingredients. And then - who knows - something happens," he said.

Bala still sticks to the basics, an Ibanez and a basic drum machine, and doesn't go for all the digital instrumentation these days. "You can have all the equipment in the world but what it comes down to is presentation. The mood and feelings you convey. The equipment is just tools to express yourself."

Bala says when he's away from the lights, he's just an ordinary guy. "The time you see me on stage is just me compressed in three hours. There are two sides of me. Just like there are two sides to most musicians. I think all musicians are schizophrenics anyway," he said. So what would a day in the Other Bala's life be like? "I read the classics like Emily Bronte. I enjoy science fiction: Asimov and Star Trek. I am also a Hallmark guy - I prefer watching human dramas."

On the loss of Jairus Anthony, Bala says he liked Jairus' sense of humour and ready smile. "He made me laugh. He was always supportive of me and me of him as fellow musicians would be. Music brought us together," he said. And indeed it's the music that's bringing Bala back to Backyard on October 27 for the Jairus MusicFest 2004. So come on over and hear the new Bala and please, please no more requests for Sorang-geh-ne.

Contact: Bala at balabb44@hotmail.com

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