Amir Yusof and Ravie Varmaan collaborated on ‘Island’s remix remotely. (Frankie pic)

Seasoned musicians Amir Yussof and Ravie Varmaan, who helped shape the local live circuit in the 1990s, have never met each other.

They now live more than 3,000 km apart; Amir having migrated to North Island, New Zealand in 2016 and Ravie to Adelaide, Australia in 2003.

Recently, Ravie – whose band, Havoc – won the Asia Bagus band contest in 1994, reached out to the once-popular pub singer and recording artiste Amir, to propose a collaboration.

Ravie messaged Amir via Facebook to seek his approval to do a cover of the singer-composer’s 30-year-old infectious song ‘Island’ for his new 11-track solo album, ‘Never Too Late’.

Amir’s reggae-influenced tune about feeling free and living on an island and in the jungle, was one of the hits in a Malaysian compilation album, ‘Ikhlas’.

Batu Caves-born Ravie, 51, hoped that the 53-year-old Amir would do a duet with him on the new ‘Island’.

1994 Asia Bagus champion band Havoc: (L-R) Shaikh, Rama, Ravie, Iqbal and Ganesh. (Ravie pic)

Amir instead did a voiceover track for the intro and outro that breathes new life into a song that he said was “perhaps, subconsciously inspired while teaching windsurfing, sailing, water skiing and snorkelling in the Maldives.”