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The
story of La Bambas He promptly took the challenge to apply for same after rounding up three other friends Rollinson Ferdinando, Priya Peiris and Lasla Fernando to sing with him. The youngster Brian Fernando from the musical town of Moratuwa had a fascination for modern Sinhalese folk music set up by Noel Ranasinghe and the La Ceylonians. His ambition for a long time was to form a group of this nature and so he thought that this invitation in the newspaper was an ideal opportunity for same. The boys received a letter from the pop group ‘Jetliners’ who were conducting the auditions to turn up at the Lewis Brown Studio for their very first audition in February 1966. Brian still remembers how Mignonne and the Jetliners stopped them after listening to only four lines of modern Sinhalese folk harmony and gave them the green light to be billed on the contest. It was the May 25, 1966 when they finally got their long awaited moment to be featured at the Coconut Grove. Unfortunately for them the crowd that gathered on that day were western pop fanatics. They jeered and booed them. “Though discouraged we vowed that we will rise up and make those who booed, give them a standing ovation someday. “ Brian said in a special interview with the TV Times. From there onwards started a story of blood, sweat and tears for the La Bambas who were coming up the ladder of success. They were faced with loads of opposition and fires of jealousy from all over. Yet they toiled night and day practicing very hard to come up. They are still thankful to people like Doctor Vijaya Corea, the late Vernon Corea, Noel Ranasinghe (Leader of the La Ceylonians) and the late Neville Fernando (leader of the Los Cabelleros), who urged them on against this tempest of opposition and helped them in numerous ways. Very quietly but steadily they stole the hearts of people singing songs like ‘Enna Yanna Nelum Vile’, ‘Gala Yai Nadee’ and ‘Kurulan Piyambala’ which reached the top on the Sinhalese hit parade and stayed there for two consecutive weeks. Their ‘Kale Ukule Thiyala’ became a roaring success but the golden nail which nailed them to the zenith of popularity in 1971 was their ‘Cock-a-doodle-do’. Their fans went berserk over this song. The disc jockeys at then Radio Ceylon had no choice but to play this song from morning till night as there were gunny bags full of post cards requesting this song. They thereafter revelled for years and years riding high on the crest of a wave of popularity making even those who jeered them on the 25th of May 1966 put their hands together like they said they would. Lately the gray haired men as they are now wanted to take a break from the music scene and kept silent for some time. However the showbiz men came in search of them and pulled them out from their hiding. They had no alternative but to oblige them. Their age old fans were held spellbound at their recent performances at BMICH. The present group comprise Brian Fernando (leader), conga drum, Rollinson Ferdinando (lead guitar), Priya Peiris (rhythm guitar), Errington Perera (percussion), Malsiri Wijesuriya (percussion /2nd lead guitar) and Annesley Fernando (bass guitar). The La Bambas
will go from strength to strength and wish to thank all their fans
who are instrumental in sustaining them right at the top. |
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