This Singaporean band’s contentious lyrics and swear words gain attention from the public eye.
By Sarah Lim Xue’er
Jan 6, 2020
From left: Jesse Lee and Gabriel Rui are the members of the CB Dogs. When they are not performing, the good friends often spend time together in the Jurong estate. Photo by: Sarah Lim Xue’er
Rising local punk rock music duo, The CB Dogs, are known for their unconventional songwriting and brutally honest lyrics.
Their band name alone drops jaws – as ‘CB’ is an abbreviation for the female genitalia in the Hokkien dialect.
Guitarist Gabriel Rui and bassist Jesse Lee are only 19 years old. However, they are already making waves in the local music scene.
They are known for their extensive use of English, Mandarin, and Malay in their songs. They are also not afraid to pull any punches when it comes to social commentary on Singaporean issues.
The Army, one of their most popular songs, criticises the mandatory National Service in Singapore. What inspired their lyrics were based on their own past experiences.
"I don’t want to serve the army / Nobody wants to serve the army / SAF is a joke" Sample of a CB Dogs song.
Lyrics:
I don’t want to serve the army
Nobody wants to serve the army
SAF is a joke
If the terrorist come you also know we run
I don’t want to serve the army
When I enlist the sergeant tell me
Follow me or I send you go DB (Detention Barracks)
I tell him to f*** off
End up everybody laugh at me
Now my weekends gone, I cannot go home
To date, The CB Dogs have 1000 followers on Instagram and have performed alongside locally renowned bands such as Forests and Subsonic Eye on New Year’s eve in 2019 at the Intermission Bar.
Speaking to this reporter at the smoking area of a local Koufu in Jurong, they dressed like regular Singaporean teenagers; wearing three-quarter shorts and graphic T-shirts.
This was unlike their stage personas, in which they usually wear chains, jade bracelets, and half-buttoned dress shirts with popped collars.
From left: Guitarist Gabriel Rui and bassist Jesse Lee opening for Singapura Rock, a night show that features local music. – Photo from: Facebook/@thecbdogs
Rui says that they are no different from what people see on stage. “On-stage or off-stage, we are the same one lah. I don’t think there’s much of a difference. On stage is just…”
As Rui trailed off, Lee swiftly completes the sentence for him. “…Just that we want to put on a good show.”
The band says that ever since they were noticed by the media and started earning money by performing in the band, their parents have become very supportive of what they do.
The pair also shared their experience handling bigger crowds.
In their own show on Oct 5, 2019, 183 people showed up when they only expected a maximum of 100 people. They mentioned that the power tripped halfway because the venue was so packed.
Rui further described the atmosphere, “After the gig was over, the floor was so wet, it looked like it was just mopped, but it was actually all human sweat.”
One of the loyal fans present at the gig was 19-year-old polytechnic student Moshigen Muniandy. He mentions how shocking the band was to him by describing his first encounter with them at an open mic.
“Gabriel played a solo. Then he came down from the stage and broke his guitar on the floor. Nuts and bolts flew everywhere. I was scared I’d go blind,” he said.
Another fan that went to the gig was Ng Shi Han, an 18-year-old polytechnic student. Shi Han agrees with the lyrics in The Army and has covered it in his own performances.
"The lyrics of The Army is quite true to me lah. Why force people to do s**t they don’t want to do?” Shi Han says.
The CB Dogs believe that the lyrics in their songs are all in good fun, and do not believe it influences their listeners.
“I’ve heard of people listening to The Army in camp, but I don’t think anyone would go and f*** the sergeant because of it,” Rui says.
Mr Ramli Sarip, a veteran Singaporean musician, also shares his take on controversial lyrics.
“Musicians can do whatever they want, as long as they know the guidelines, and if they think they’re strong enough. Be responsible (for) whatever you write, as it may influence the kids.”
Moving forward from their newfound recognition, the CB Dogs are recording a full-length album. They do not plan on staying in the band permanently.
“We’ll just do whatever the f*** we want, because this band isn’t going to go very far. So, in this short period of time, we’ll just rock and roll, man!” Lee says.
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