SINGAPORE — Anyone familiar with Singapore’s live music and nightlife scene will know the name Zul Sutan.

The guitarist for the rock band, Tania, has been playing for the past 40 years in various nightspots, such as Talk Of The Town, Pebbles, Peppermint Park, Anywhere Music Pub and, now, Harry’s at Orchard Towers — 37 of those years with the band. But, tomorrow, Zul takes the stage at The Esplanade Recital Studio for what’s probably his first full-length solo concert in years.

“I don’t think I’ve done anything like this. I’ve been playing music for such a long time so, to a certain degree, this will legitimise the 40 years I’ve been around,” he laughed. “I want to give back to people who have been coming to see us — and me — for years.”

The show will be broken into different parts, with quiet acoustic segments and an expanded band (“including horns and everything”, he said) backing him. He even has Singapore’s iconic rocker Ramli Sarip making a guest appearance. “It’s not a Tania show — although some guys from the band will also play — it’s Zul. And, as for the songs, we will play originals and covers. It’s not a nostalgic show, but we haven’t done this in a long time. Basically, we’re going to go out and have a good time playing music. There’s no hidden agenda,” he said.

Zul’s songbook is a thick one indeed. He started out in 1974, just after completing his O-Levels. A year later, he was playing with a band at the Shangri-La hotel. Tania started in 1976 as a trio. “It was Alban (De Souza) on vocals, Talib on bass and me on guitar,” said Zul.

The band evolved through the years, recording one album along the way (“If you play it now, I sound like Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck”). One of its big achievements was owning the Anywhere Music Pub at Tanglin Shopping Centre. It closed in 2005 — a decision that was painful but necessary for the band’s survival, said Zul.

“I could see the writing on the wall. We were an independent place and I felt that only the big-name places would survive,” he explained. “That’s why we closed it.”

But despite his years of experience, Zul said he’s still learning the craft. “I did a solo album under my own name, Beat The Drums, in the early 1990s. That went on MTV and all that. But I decided I wasn’t good enough. So I got down to practising for the next 10 years ... to grow mentally, vocally, emotionally, physically. I learnt to play properly.”

And, no, Zul doesn’t grow tired of playing the same songs night after night. “A lot of people seem to think I feel like that. There’s no particular song I really hate. All songs are good songs, depending on your state of mind,” he said.

And so what if people see Tania as nothing more than a cari makan band — one playing for the sake of making a living? “You can say anything you want. A cari makan band earns the dollars — as the term implies. I’m quite happy with what I’ve done and what I’ve achieved. I’ve no delusions of grandeur.

“What I’d like to change is to be better at what I’m doing. For myself, not for you or some guy. Other than that, life is okay.”

What: One Night Only Zul Tania

When: Nov 29, 9.30pm

Where: Esplanade Recital Studio.

Tickets: Sold out.

For the full interview, visit Poparazzi (http://tdy.sg/poparazziblog)