Bevlyn Khoo

I suddenly recalled this awful incident and feel compelled to blog.

I was at the gym last week. I happily walked over to the windows, open them up one by one to let the fresh air come in (you know how the gym sometimes stink after people worked out with air-con on!). Then I felt a splat on my right forearm. I thought it was a leaf, looked down on it, but saw a big, black lizard. I jumped and SCREAMED at the top of my lungs - I couldn’t decide which one I did first. Or maybe I did both at the same time. The poor lizard leapt away for his dear life onto the floor, but I was still in my screaming mode until I felt safe enough to shut up.

OMG. I am so useless.

I felt a like a ball of emotions - I felt like an idiot for screaming like an idiot (thank goodness I didn’t have the opportunity to scare the sh*t out of whoever was in the room cos I was alone). I felt sorry for the lizard for scaring him. I felt very angry at the lizard for scaring me. I felt like hunting him down to make sure he was very far away from me (maybe it’s a she but you know I’m heavily influenced by the french now, they like to use masculine particles to refer to things if not specified). I felt like my forearm was dirty because the lizard was really, black. I felt like going to wash my arm but decided it’s too gu-niang. I felt lazy too. I felt disgusted by myself for being lazy to wash my arm after being ‘tainted’ by a dirty lizard.

So the next thing I did was to distract myself with Jason Mraz on my ipod and just worked it out.

Honestly, Bevlyn.

I am ok with lizards on the streets, on the roads, on the wall, 10cm infront of me, but not ON me! YUCKS!

I Weekly Music Review_24 Jun 08, originally uploaded by bevlynkhoo.

Peter was the first to inform me about this review on I-weekly. I was surprised, mainly because I had no idea my cd was going to be reviewed on the mag..but it was a very pleasant surprise, of course. Whoever passed my cd to Ms Fu Huizhen (whose name made me recall a girl whom I vividly remember being my primary 5 and 6 classmate in Rulang Pri Sch, but I cannot be sure it’s her), I am very thankful.

The only way I can return all these, is to write more songs. And I’ve been writing!

Hong Kong Album Review 21062008-v2, originally uploaded by bevlynkhoo.

MSN:

23/06/2008 02:52:06 Cheryl : bev, just want to let you know that your CD review is on Ming Pao magazine this weekly

23/06/2008 02:52:13 Bev: WHAT!???

23/06/2008 02:52:15 Bev: u kidding me!

I was shocked, then pleasantly surprised. The magazine is called 明报周刊, a Hong Kong magazine founded earlier by very reputable writer and press businessman 金庸, and now owned by a Singaporean.

The album was picked up by the editor herself when she heard my songs played at Mackie Bookstore, and the music review is under Editor’s Choice (No. 14). *Wails –> :’D *.

I really have to thank aniDa, for it is hence possible for my music to reach listeners in Hong Kong! And Cheryl!!!! All thanks to her I came to know about it, muack muack!

Yeah, Fresh Music is so nice to me until~~~~

Their blog entry on my music is up on OMY today… Have a look here.

The part 3 and part 4 of my podcast with them are up here. OMG, really got volunteer who wants to shoot MV for me, LOL. Wow.

Yeah yeah yeah~!

Air Supply Concert…, originally uploaded by bevlynkhoo.

…was amazing. I had totally zero expectation before I went for the concert. I mean, when I tell people “I’m going to Air Supply’s concert”, reactions included “Eeee”, “Ah!?”, or sometimes they can’t even utter a sound, just a deep frown. My french teacher’s response was “Ah? But it’s my era, not yours…you’re young. U were influenced by who?”

I mean….well, I remember loving a few of their hits, and my reasoning was, there’s a reason why they’re still touring the world 30 years from when they first started, so if they come to Singapore, it doesn’t take much for me to go.

And boy, it had to be one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. No fancy clothes or peacock feathers like some fashion parade, no energetic dance moves to make you wonder how much time they spent to train (and take them away from their music). Very acoustic, true to the heart, and true to the audience. The connection was overwhelming.

3 songs into the concert, I realised I had forgotten just how much I had like them in the past, and felt so thankful I caught them this time round. They sang standard hits like Even the nights are better, Here I am, Two less lonely people in the world, The one that you love ETC ETC. I was sorely disappointed that they did not do “I can wait forever“, which was the one and only song I was wishing they would do:

Sorry for the delay in sharing my experience coming up with this DIY - I’ve been too busy resting and enjoying myself after a mad dash the past 5 mths

So, I want to share my take on - Is there a need to get a distributor for your DIY?

I remember thinking to myself I need a distributor after the master cd was out, mainly to help distribute my cds to various stores, and even harboured the vanity thought - “My cd will look better if it has a “distributed by “(fill-in big-brand-name-here)” sticker on the cover. Maybe more people will pay attention to it?”

I agree, actually, it almost seems like a chop of guarantee when you manage to secure a deal with a well-known distributor, and one should go for it and have a try. But is there a real need? I did try to source for a distributor, actually, I stupidly sent copies of master cd to the various distributors - one at a time. On hindsight, it was not a good time to be “faithful” because each one of them dragged me for what seemed ages (at least 2 weeks each). Ranging from replies like “Sorry but we have other big names coming up end of the year, so we won’t be able to distribute your album” to “I’m sorry but we’re prefer if there are more Mandarin songs” blah and etc.

And so, the waiting turned out to be fruitless and - though it might sadly sound like I’m eating sour grapes now - I am truly thankful things turned out this way. Why so? Yes, even though I cursed and swore when I had to deliver 1 or 2 humongous and heavy boxes of cds down to the headquarters of Sembawang Music and Gramophone, I actually enjoyed a few points:

1.I get to know the manager of the company PERSONALLY. It’s the personal touch, and it was very encouraging to hear them spur you on. And they tell you personally, from the retailers’ point of views, what music they want to hear more from you.

2.I do not have to give a cut to the distributor. It is anything from 20-30% of the retail price, so imagine if you are selling your album at the retail price of $18.90, the retailer will take 30-35%; assuming at 30% it’ll be $5.67. If there is a distributor, it will be another say 20% off (just a conservative estimation), which comes up to be $3.78. So after giving these 2 portion away, your cut is only $9.45 per cd. You do the maths. For 1 or 2 trips, or 3 trips of taxi fare, it’s much worthwhile to not have a distributor do the carrying of cds down for you, because you do not have to go down shop by shop, but only to the headquarter of each compay.

3.It’s a DIY album, so DIY and get the experience!

Next I will share my take on “Is there a need to have a manager?“

MacBook Photobooth, originally uploaded by bevlynkhoo.

Ta-dah! I finally got my MacBook at the PC fair! Yeah, and this is the first pic I took with Photobooth, when I was idling away at a pub. It’s not easy to switch from PC to Mac, but hey man, it’s not too difficult. If u’re still thinking, do it! US dollar is weaker now…lol.

I’ve arranged a new song with Garageband, it totally rocks (as in Garageband) !! (”,)

I know desires make one unhappy. And that’s why I’m burning now!

I WANT THAT ONE!

Now this is what I want

I’M SORRY IF THIS SEEMS A BIT OTT, BUT JASON MRAZ IS COMING TO SINGAPORE!!!

3 AUG 08 @ SINGFEST WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!

Ok, I started praying to the Universe after reading Eat Pray Love. An excerpt:

“I wish I could write a petition to God, asking for this thing to end.”

“So why don’t you?”

I explained to Iva my personal opinions about prayer. Namely that I don’t feel comfortable petitioning for specific things from God, because that seems to me like a weakness of faith. I don’t like asking, “Will you change this or that thing in my life that’s difficult?” Because - who knows? - God might want me to facing that particular challenge for a reason. Instead, I feel more comfortable praying for the courage to face whatever occurs in my life with equanimity, no matter how things turn out.

Iva listened politely, then asked, “Where’d you get that stupid idea?”

“What do you mean?”

“Where did you get the idea you aren’t allowed to petition the universe with prayer? You are part of this universe, Liz. You’re a constituent - you have every entitlement to participate in the actions of the universe, and to let your feelings be known. So put your opinion out there. Make your case. Believe me - it will at least be taken into consideration.”

“Really?” All this was news to me.

Yes, I stupidly tried it. Because I wanted Jason Mraz to come to Spore to perform so badly. I think about him everyday, listen to his songs religiously at the gym, on the bus, walking around, everytime praying the Universe will do SOMETHING ABOUT IT. My aha moment.

Somebody owes me a first row ticket. But well, singfest is one-day ticketing LOL.

I was screaming around when I knew he will be coming. My heart pounded like never before!!!!!!!

I was surprised when I received this call a few days ago:

Characters:

1. Auntie-like employee from corporate company whom ALD sang for in April.

2. Me

Auntie: “Ah….you know the cheque ah…Ah I wanna ask you har, if you want to join our GIRO system…..”

*My 1st thought: Har?! U mean the cheque is not even mailed out yet!??! I’ve been waiting for 2 months! I paid my musicians first, and if they had bought food with the payment, would have been removed from their bowels long time ago and perhaps already an extract FROM Newater.*

Auntie continued: “…Ah because you know ah, sometimes the cheques we sent out got lost, and we have to go back and check, so quite troublesome…”

*Irritation level - upped.*

Me: “So how long will the process be if I apply for GIRO? How long will I get the payment in?”

Auntie: “Oh, you have to go to the bank to apply, fill in the form, and let the bank do the check for you…cos we can’t do the check on our side…”

*Irritation level upped more –> 1st time experiencing the infamous Tai-chi stroke commonly known among 9-5 office comrades*

Auntie reiterated:”…Yah so it’s better for you to join our GIRO system…otherwise ah, if we lost the cheque ah…. blah blah blah“

Me: “Sorry, but I really don’t have time to go to the bank, and also we’re an entertainment company, so that time we only performed a one-off, so we don’t perform regularly for your company…Can you just send the cheque to us.”

Auntie: “Yah yah I know…ok, then I send cheque to you, but if the cheque got lost ah, then you have to wait even longer ah……”

Broke out in cold sweat: What if she purposely writes the address wrongly just to irritate the hell out of me?

Me: “Ok, pls send the cheque”

*Verified address twice*

What the hell was she thinking? Sorry but you got the wrong person to #^%)*&)_!!!!