Happy Birthday Loga Alleycats

Today marks the 70th birthday of Datuk Loganathan Arumugam, better known as Loga. He was one of the founding members of Alleycats. 

Loga was born on July 15, 1952, in George Town, Penang. He started singing at a relatively young age with his brother Thiagarajan, better known to his fans as David. 

Loga grew up in Argyll Road in Penang with 8 of his siblings. He was exposed to singing through their mother, Meenambal Arumugam, a radio announcer and Carnatic classical singer.

She would often bring the brothers along to her performance sessions, particularly in town halls, said David during an interview for a documentary series titled Antha Naal.

The Alleycats formation years.

In 1969, Alleycats was formed in Penang by one of the brothers, Shunmugam Arumugam, to follow in the footsteps of David and Loga. By then, David had already made it big in Penang as a solo singer, and Loga was singing with another band called The Originals.

According to Shun, initially, the band only played instrumental music at events and gatherings. David and Loga would come in to sing.

“At one point, we just decided to come together and form a super band, and the rest is history,” said Shun.

Popular nightclubs in Penang gave Alleycats regular exposure and created a steady stream of followers. They played a fusion of The Shadows and ’60s British rock trademarked by the Beatles and the Stones.

“They were good. I used to go and watch Alleycats when I was young in Dewan Sri Pinang,” said the Director of Penang House of Music, Paul Augustin.

In 1976, the band secured a three-month contract in the Mocambo Club in Hong Kong. The contract was extended numerous time due to their popularity.

Eventually, they signed a recording deal with PolyGram Records in 1978. Their timeless hits include Sampaikan Salam, Andainya Aku Pergi Dulu Sebelum Mu, Kerana Kau, Suara Kekasih  and  Sekuntum Mawar Merah  .

The band also won many awards, notably the Muzik-Muzik best performance award and the Malaysian Book of Records award for being the country’s longest surviving Pop band.

Loga’s demise

In 2006, Alleycats was ready to release the “Rasa” album. However, it was postponed as Loga was said to be unwell, suffering from a bad cough for almost a year.

“I knew about Loga’s cancer earlier, but we didn’t talk about it because it would become news,” said T Renganathan, their manager during their rise to the top.

After numerous medical tests, the doctors diagnosed Loga with cancer eight months later. His condition deteriorated, and he died on June 4, 2007, at Mount Miriam Hospital Penang. He was 51 years old.

“It was shocking when Loga passed away, and it was the end of an era,” said Paul Augustin.

For many, Loga’s death is painfully tragic as it seems to have come too soon. Hundreds of fans attended his funeral to pay their final respect to the legendary singer.

Loga left behind two children, Vigneshwaran and Priyadashini, and wife, Susan Lovie.

An everlasting legacy

The influence of Loga on Alleycats is undeniable. If David was the heartbeat of Alleycats, then Loga is the band’s soul. He brings an aura and energy to Alleycats.

Many of Loga’s fans remember his expressive performance even today. The way he belts out their hit songs with confidence in his silky smooth voice was sheer magic.

Loga also commanded the stage like no other. His height and hands swaying to the tune make his presence on the stage even more prominent. 

When it’s David’s turn to sing, Loga will still be on the stage, providing the backup vocals and playing the tambourine. Even while on the backup vocals, he delivers an energetic performance.

“I learnt a lot from him. He doesn’t know that until today he is my inspiration,” said David.

Alleycats, undeniably, became one of the Malaysian entertainers whose music had crossed diverse racial and cultural boundaries. With his brothers and friends in Alleycats, Loga touched the lives of many Malaysian through his extraordinary voice. His legacy will live on and remembered.

Watch The Alleycats Journey in the documentary series Antha Naal on Astro On Demand.