It is a hot and stuffy afternoon in a cramped studio the size of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) living room in a drab Kallang Way industrial estate in Singapore.

The floor is scattered with music equipment while a coffee-table, sofa and a work station sit at the other end.

You would never guess it by the not-so-glam setting but The Straits Times is waiting to interview a rock star.

He is David Tan, 34, frontman of local English indie band Electrico whose albums on average sell almost 10 times more than other home-grown bands.

He finally barges in, shakes your hand and gulps down a cup of water from a nearby table before realising that it was poured for his guest.

“Oh sorry, man!” he apologises sheepishly. This is a frontman without a ‘front’—what you see is what you get. No fuss, no frills.

Better known as Dave to fans and peers, the lead singer and founding member of Singapore’s most successful English band is hardly your typical rock celebrity, although he does come from a showbiz background. Father Tan Hock Lye, 71, was a DJ at radio station Rediffusion.

He still lives with his parents, has just broken up with a long-time girlfriend and offers to do the interview downstairs at the industrial estate’s kopitiam (coffee shop).

He and his band are one hot number in Singapore’s music scene. Five years, three albums and a bag of accolades after they first burst onto the scene as Electrico, the band—now comprising Tan on lead vocals and guitar, bassist Desmond Goh, 33, and drummer William Lim Jr, 32—has gained widespread recognition.

This comes especially after composing and performing the much-talked-about theme song, What Do You See, at the National Day Parade in August.

The band is regarded as the poster child for the English indie rock scene in Singapore, which currently has over a hundred bands jostling for stage space.

Not only are they a success at home, but they have also proven their playing chops as overseas ambassadors for local English rock, performing regionally.

The origins of this success go back to 1996, when the current Electrico trio, together with an early member—childhood friend Keith Colaco, a DJ—formed Electric Company to perform at a church fun-fair. Lim and Goh were introduced by mutual friends.

Electric Company recorded a few tracks for a compilation CD but parted ways in 1998. Tan went into TV production, becoming a sports journalist on the then TV12, moving on to producing trailers for programmes and later to cable channel Nickelodeon.

It was only in 2003 that he got back with Goh, Lim and newcomer guitarist Daniel Sassoon. The band renamed themselves Electrico and finished their first album with the help of producer Leonard Soosay, a family friend of Tan’s.

The single I Want You from their debut album went to the top spot on 987FM and the album sold an impressive 3,000 copies. Local bands’ CDs sell about 300 to 500 copies on average.

A year later, Electrico became the first home-grown band to be nominated for an MTV Asia Award under the category of Favourite Music Artiste (Singapore). Tan also snagged the Young Composer Of The Year Award in 2008, sealing his industry recognition. The band’s second album Hip City (2006) together with So Much More Inside sold a total of 8,000 copies. Their third and latest album is We Satellites under Warner Music.

Despite the band’s success, the members still do freelance work. Goh is a part-time website manager and Lim is a music teacher while Tan moonlights as a TV producer and deejays at clubs.

Money-wise, back when they made their debut, they each earned about S$1,000 (US$715) a month, with more from the occasional gig. Royalties only rolled in a year later, but Tan is not giving any other numbers. According to industry insiders, royalties for songs can range from three figures to five, depending on the artiste. (By Tan Yi Hui in Singapore/ The Straits Times/ Asia News Network)