Cats In Love began in 2004 originally as a backing band to singer/songwriter Zack Yusof, but the proverbial “musical differences” reared its ugly head and he went on to form Free Deserters, while the backing band went its own way to forge a rock n’ roll sound all its own.
The original lineup of Cats In Love comprised NR Lohan on guitar and vocals, Rizal Johan (who named the band) on bass, Joseph Loh on keyboards and Rudolf Frank on drums.
The band debuted at late great folk hero Hassan Peter Brown’s Too Far Gone multi-band gig at Paul’s Place in April 2005. This lineup played a number of shows at regulars’ watering hole and then resident rock bar Ol’ Skool Bistro and a handful of indie gigs.
But once again, personal commitments ended this lineup’s tenure, before being completely reset with the arrival of Thevareuben Devanesan (drums), Zulhilmy Zulkifly (bass) and Catherine Januarius on keyboards. This lineup played at esteemed jazz bar No Black Tie regularly between 2007 and 2009 before Catherine left, but not before the band stepped into King Studios in late 2008 to record what was planned as its debut album.
The band soldiered on as a three-piece leading into 2011, until Reuben, too, left, to be replaced by current drummer Ashwin Gobinath. This lineup signed off on a high in 2012, but Zul left to pursue other musical interests.
Cats then went on an enforced hiatus until a revamped version surfaced in 2013 with LK Wong on keyboards, Eu Gene on bass and the returning Reuben on drums, who would alternate the drum stool with Ash until 2016. The bass player role was also rotated with Zedes Liew.
But once more, personal commitments forced another unforeseen break, only for the band to reemerge with Jaime Gunter on bass and Rashaad Ali on drums in 2019, but given the pandemic’s constraints, scheduling issues put paid to that lineup, and eventually, Cats returned in late 2022 with Eu Gene back on bass, Ash on drums again, and LK Wong slipping in once more on the keyboards.
The Band
NR LOHAN – Guitars, Vocals
EU GENE – Bass
ASHWIN GOBINATH – Drums
LK WONG – Keyboards