Alston Koch
Encyclopedia
Alston Koch, is a Sri Lanka
n-born singer-songwriter, record producer, international recording and television star, and the Ambassador for Tourism for Sri Lanka. Koch is the only Sri Lankan born solo artist signed to an international record label (BMG/RCA) with chart success in most territories of the world.
. He spent his teenage years singing with Mignonne Fernando
and her Sri Lankan pop group 'The Jetliners'. Koch attended the Wesley College, Colombo
. As well as performances with The Jetliners, he played with Gabo and the Breakaways and The Esquire Set in Colombo in the late 1960s, before emigrating to Australia in 1970.
In Australia, he formed his band Darktan, recorded three international hits on the RCA
label. He toured the world, first with Darktan, then S-witch, and later as a solo artist. With Darktan, Koch appeared on several television program
mes in Australia.
His first major hit, "Disco Lady", earned him his first gold record. The song also won him the ‘best new talent’ at the 1979 International Disc Jockey Association Awards.
Koch also introduced 'The Bus Stop', which became a dance craze, when performing the song on the TV programme, Bandstand.
Since 2007, he has fulfilled a voluntary position as Ambassador for Tourism in Sri Lanka. In the same year, Koch wrote an official song for The Sri Lankan cricketer, Muttiah Muralitharan
.
In 2008, Koch wrote a song about climate change for a UNWTO presentation at The World Travel Mart Exhibition in London. He also presented the song at the Live the Deal Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. He is the goodwill Ambassador for the campaign, and the song has been promoted globally.
In 2009, he was appointed to the committee for the Cricket World Cup 2011 tournament staged in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In 2010, he was inducted into the Hard Rock Hotel's 'Hall of Fame' at a ceremony in Pattaya
, Thailand
, with his album
, Kookaburra was installed on the venue's wall of memorabilia. The same year Koch was also appointed chairman of the organising committee for the launch of 2,600 years of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, held in May 2011.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n-born singer-songwriter, record producer, international recording and television star, and the Ambassador for Tourism for Sri Lanka. Koch is the only Sri Lankan born solo artist signed to an international record label (BMG/RCA) with chart success in most territories of the world.
Biography
He was born and raised in Sri Lanka, and belongs to the Sri Lankan Burgher PeopleBurgher people
The Burghers are a Eurasian ethnic group, historically from Sri Lanka, consisting for the most part of male-line descendants of European colonists from the 16th to 20th centuries and local women, with some minorities of Swedish, Norwegian, French and Irish.Today the mother tongue of the Burghers...
. He spent his teenage years singing with Mignonne Fernando
Mignonne Fernando
-Introduction:Having won Radio Ceylon's Talent Contest at the age of seven, a year later she wrote her first music composition. Her father. Arnold Rutnam, was renowned for his mathematical skills, and her mother, Marie was a devoted and much loved teacher of music....
and her Sri Lankan pop group 'The Jetliners'. Koch attended the Wesley College, Colombo
Wesley College, Colombo
Wesley College, Colombo is a Methodist educational institution in Sri Lanka.In 1858 Rev. Joseph Rippon wanted to establish a superior educational institution for the Wesleyan Methodist Mission in South Ceylon. On March 2 1874 Wesley College, Colombo is a Methodist educational institution in Sri...
. As well as performances with The Jetliners, he played with Gabo and the Breakaways and The Esquire Set in Colombo in the late 1960s, before emigrating to Australia in 1970.
In Australia, he formed his band Darktan, recorded three international hits on the RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
label. He toured the world, first with Darktan, then S-witch, and later as a solo artist. With Darktan, Koch appeared on several television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
mes in Australia.
His first major hit, "Disco Lady", earned him his first gold record. The song also won him the ‘best new talent’ at the 1979 International Disc Jockey Association Awards.
Koch also introduced 'The Bus Stop', which became a dance craze, when performing the song on the TV programme, Bandstand.
Since 2007, he has fulfilled a voluntary position as Ambassador for Tourism in Sri Lanka. In the same year, Koch wrote an official song for The Sri Lankan cricketer, Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
.
In 2008, Koch wrote a song about climate change for a UNWTO presentation at The World Travel Mart Exhibition in London. He also presented the song at the Live the Deal Climate Change conference in Copenhagen. He is the goodwill Ambassador for the campaign, and the song has been promoted globally.
In 2009, he was appointed to the committee for the Cricket World Cup 2011 tournament staged in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In 2010, he was inducted into the Hard Rock Hotel's 'Hall of Fame' at a ceremony in Pattaya
Pattaya
Pattaya is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chonburi....
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, with his album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Kookaburra was installed on the venue's wall of memorabilia. The same year Koch was also appointed chairman of the organising committee for the launch of 2,600 years of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, held in May 2011.
Singles
- "Don't Stop it Now" (written by Errol BrownErrol BrownErrol Brown MBE is a singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman of Hot Chocolate. He has British citizenship by marriage to Ginette and they live in The Bahamas...
) Koch and Darktan, [Living Sound Records] - "All the People Sing this Song" (written by Koch and Darktan) [Laser]
- "Disco Lady" (written by Koch and Chris Connelly)
- "Island in the Sun"
- "Gimme That Banana" [RCA/Cinevox]
- "Closer to the Phone"
- "Vanishing Lady"
- "Danny Boy"
- "Kookaburra" [EMI]
- "Try Again" [BMG/RCA]
- "Never Felt This Way Before" [BMG/RCA]
- With S-witch: "I Want Your Love" [BMG/RCA]
External links
- Alston Koch sings Sri Lankan national anthem during ODI between SL and Aus at MCG
- Alston Koch born Sri Lanka (ex Ceylon) @ The Dutch Burgher Union of Sri Lanka
- Alston Koch appointed as Sri Lanka tourism ambassador
- Australian star Alston Koch storms the charts with the Murali Song
- (Video) Murali (Australasian Dance Mix) - Alston Koch
- ALSTON KOCH - SRILANKA
- Dark Tan - Disco Lady (Alston Koch)
- Alston Koch talks to Australian PM on Lanka’s Tsunami victims at MCG fundraiser