La Bambas
Encyclopedia
La Bambas was an influential Sri Lanka
n music group, composed of Priya Peiris, Rolinson Ferdinando, Brian Fernando, Erinton Perera and Lasla Fernando. They were one of the first Sinhala groups to utilize a box guitar, and were popular in Sri Lanka during the late '60s; their hits include "Cock-a-doodle-do", "Nuwara Menikela", "Himidiriye (Piyakaru Mala)" and "Lak Nadhee".
The auditions were successful, and the La Bambas appeared on stage for the first time on May 25, 1966 at the Coconut Grove inside Galle
Face Hotel. It didn't go as well as they wished, however, as they were booed and jeered off the stage.
, the oldest radio station in South Asia
helped popularise their songs.
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 music group, composed of Priya Peiris, Rolinson Ferdinando, Brian Fernando, Erinton Perera and Lasla Fernando. They were one of the first Sinhala groups to utilize a box guitar, and were popular in Sri Lanka during the late '60s; their hits include "Cock-a-doodle-do", "Nuwara Menikela", "Himidiriye (Piyakaru Mala)" and "Lak Nadhee".
Formation
Brian Fernando was inspired to form the group after spotting an advertisement for a talent show in the Ceylon Observer. Fernando drawing inspiration from Sinhala musicians like Noel Ranasinghe and the La Ceylonians in his music, called on his friends Lasla, Rolinson, and Priya to complete the band. They applied for the contest and received a letter from the pop group Mignonne and the Jetliners inviting them to audition for the show in February 1966.The auditions were successful, and the La Bambas appeared on stage for the first time on May 25, 1966 at the Coconut Grove inside Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
Face Hotel. It didn't go as well as they wished, however, as they were booed and jeered off the stage.
Success and reunion
This was just a minor setback, and the La Bambas recovered to become one of most popular Sinhala bands of the '60s. After the band broke up, Priya Peiris pursued a solo career; in the early 2000s, he represented the group at several nostalgia shows. Radio CeylonRadio Ceylon
Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...
, the oldest radio station in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
helped popularise their songs.