By Jonathan Lee (13A01A), Chia Yaim Chong (13A01E), and Stephanie Yeap (13S03R)

And the music was good

And the music was loud

And the singer turned and he said to the crowd

Let there be rock!

— Let There Be Rock; AC/DC

Are you ready to rock? If it’s something you’ve been waiting to do all your life, now’s the best time to unleash your inner rock star and gain experience jamming to your favourite tunes!

Raffles Rock particularly focuses on our namesake genre of music, with plenty of opportunities to branch out into other subgenres such as pop and indie. From Mumford & Sons to Nirvana to Led Zeppelin, our members are encouraged to play freely and pick whatever they want to play. There is plenty of room to experiment and cultivate a musical style which is unique and yet remains within the overall ethos of Raffles Rock. Each batch of our CCA consists of roughly 12 members, who are then split into 2 to 3 bands depending on the intake.

Rock usually meets twice a week at the Jamming Studios, with Tuesday being our designated CCA day and an extra day for bands to jam when their schedules permit. We typically jam either as individual bands or as a whole CCA, with critique and comments being shared after the session. Although we are separated into bands, inter-band collaboration is extremely common and continually encouraged.

As a CCA, we hold our very own annual rock concert, which literally sees hundreds moshing beneath the stage. This involves hours of practising for the sheer adrenaline of a 20 minute set. We also perform for school events, such as Take 5 and National Day, and even events such as New Years’ Countdowns or charity gigs from external organizations. Joining Rock provides an opportunity to perform on a big stage several times a year, and also to gain performing experience in front of a variety of crowds.

In order to get into Rock, students will first have to audition in front of a panel consisting of Rock members. Students are recommended to have had an adequate background playing the instrument of their choice, such that they may be better able to demonstrate their abilities during the audition round. Should there be any other selection rounds, students will be notified during the CCA selection season.

While all this may sound like hard work, joining Rock also means joining a family. Our members don’t just make music together: we have meals, play ball, go for gigs and share experiences that go far beyond CCA hours. Rock is a closely-knit bunch of people passionate not just about music, but also about life. As chairman Chia Yaim Chong (13A01E) puts it, “To me, Rock has been more than a CCA. It’s just amazing to be in a group where everyone shares your passion, and I feel right at home here.”

Here is some of the madness you can expect to hear in Rock:

“We do Stairway to Heaven… THEN WE DO HIGHWAY TO HELL!!!” – Zikai

“Guys… we broke everything. EVERYTHING.” – Darren

Links to our performances:

Eclectic Theatrics

After Indigo

The Fifth Degree