The mellowing of sexpot singer John Molina

After a brief hiatus, the veteran lead singer of Kruger returns to the live music scene at Yello Jello Retrobar. Here, John Molina bares to CNNGo his thoughts on Bono, Jamie Yeo and Modern Talking.

CNNGo: What made you decide to return to performing live?

John Molina: Simply put, it was time. Every now and then, I take a sabbatical, a break to relax and recharge. LifeBrandz (owners of the Yello Jello bar) was very proactive when they found out I was ready to come back full time and everything just fell into place -- the timing was perfect.

CNNGo: What are some songs/artists that we can look forward to seeing you perform?

Molina: We pay tribute to any band that we feel gives us quality music. As a rock band, we’re most well known for playing Bon Jovi, Coldplay, U2, Green Day etc. You can expect a good mix of old classics and current chart singles in every set, with a few surprises thrown in. Some of the hardest songs to play are ultimately the most rewarding.

CNNGo: You're performing at a bar that plays retro music. Name us three songs that can be defined as your guilty pleasures from the 1970s and 1980s.

Molina: Now that we’re here, Yello Jello is repositioning itself, moving from a retro bar concept to a more contemporary bar that is known for its good English live entertainment/band, with ever popular hits from the 1980s, 1990s, to contemporary times. Sure, there will be some ‘retro music’ from time to time but it will no longer be the central theme of the bar anymore. If it’s good and fits in with the bar’s new musical direction, then there’s a good chance you’ll hear it. That being said, when I was growing up, there were. of course, songs that weren’t cool to like, but I liked anyway. Good music is good music.

Your three songs:
1. ABBA – "Thank You For The Music"
2. Barry Manilow – "Lonely Together"
3. Modern Talking – "Brother Louie"

I’m okay telling you about these songs now, but when I was younger, I would have disavowed any knowledge of them!

CNNGo: Which musician, living or dead, would you like to play with?

Molina: Bono. And the rest of U2, the greatest band of my generation. And, quite possibly, some of the greatest humanitarians alive as well. Not only musical geniuses, they also use their status and personal beliefs to touch so many lives beyond the boundaries of music, which I personally find so inspiring.

CNNGo: What is your secret to hyping up the crowd?

Molina: There’s no secret. Good music is key, and we have naturally good chemistry with the audience. People who relate to the type of music we play automatically connect with us and the music when they see us having fun. When we have fun on stage, they have fun on the floor. And when we see them having fun, we will have fun too. It’s all about the music and chemistry.

CNNGo: If you were to go to a bar, get drunk, then hit the dance floor, which artist would get you on the dance floor?

Molina: Sometimes it’s nice to let loose and let the beat take control. Koflo can do that to me when the mood takes over.

CNNGo: What do you sing when you're out at a karaoke bar?

Molina: (laughs) I sing six nights a week as it is so there’s not much incentive to go to a karaoke bar. I guess, on the few occasions I have been to one, it’s always cool to try something like Simon & Garfunkel’s "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with some major pitch bend!

CNNGo: What's your secret to staying awake and alert to perform every night?

Molina: I’ll answer that when I wake up. It is tough, but that’s what all stage musicians have to cope with.

CNNGo: If you could get a female singer to duet with you on stage, who would it be?

Molina: Jamie Yeo! Does she sing? Is she available? (wink)

getting there

John Molina & Krueger perform at Yello Jello from Mondays to Saturdays, from 9.30pm till late.
Yello Jello
Blk 3C, #01-06, The Cannery, Clarke Quay, Singapore
tel +65 6887 3733
www.yellojello.sg