|
Sunday
7th September 2003 GERARD SINGH Gerard Singh has been performing the pub and hotel bar circuit for many years. Originally from Johor, he won the Carlsberg Top of the Pubs competition in 1991 and has since 1994 been based mainly in KL. He composes music for jingles and also sings and plays six nights a week in various different venues backing himself with rhythm, bass and keyboards all programmed by himself in a performance distinguished by its polish and versatility. His repertoire is usually oldies and standards. But he also writes and renders his own material and is now about to launch a CD of his own "Slice of the Pie", which has taken several years to complete because of his busy schedule. This album is extremely well recorded and mixed, and expertly executed, with sincere, straightforward and tender vocals singing songs about Love, poverty and domestic violence. There is a good rock backing with nice electric guitar arrangements on most songs, highlight songs being "Counting the Moments" and "Don't Talk About Love", but "Pray" also stands out, accompanied by a delicious Spanish guitar. In fact all the songs are good easy listening style material. The Record company is Michael Veerapen's outfit, Scat Studios which was responsible for Amir Yussof's groundbreaking and classic folk album "Some of this is Real". Gerard's show will consist of numbers from his album, plus maybe one or two covers of his favourite popular songs
LO Jason Lo was born in Kuching, on the island of Borneo, Sarawak, of Chinese and Irish parentage. He discovered his love of music at the age of 12 and promptly took up the guitar. By 14, he was already playing live gigs with his first band. . By 17, he was playing his own music and songs. He cites among his influences Counting Crows, Pearl Jam, U2 and Radiohead. His first album entitled "Days Without Dawn", was released in Malaysia at the end of 1999. The following year it won six nominations at the AIM Awards Jason and his band Lo is renowned for his energetic live concerts, stage presence, and passion for what he does. But what is most remarkable is that despite being outside the mainstream of major labels he has achieved through his own record company Fat Boys Records a high profile for himself throughout Malaysia through radio and video play and good press coverage. He is the first Malaysian to ever reach the Top three on the Pepsi Top 20 International charts. He has also enabled other Fat Boys acts like Naked Breed and Disagree to achieve similar mass recognition partly though his sensational series of Rock the World stadium sized concerts. His latest album "Firefighter" was released in 2001.
LURKS Mohd Fariz Bin Mohd
Fahami alias Zach(vocal and sampling) Zachary Jordan the alter-ego of Mohd Fariz (see above): "Lurks started off as a "one man" band, originally as a hobby back in 2001. My songs are something like the musical diary of life. Music lurks inside of me, reaching out from depths of sadness and depression. "At present I would say that Lurks music is more of the electro experimentation genre. Most of the songs are based upon the structure of eighties pop songs. The music is a mix of electronica, synth and trippy, retro sound effects coupled with emotionally driven vocals. If I were to define it, I would call it experimental trip pop. "My chief influences are Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Portishead, Massive Attack, New Order, Duran Duran, The Cure, Sade, Tricky, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and Kraftwerk. I am also very much influenced and inspired by the work of some hardcore and nu-metal bands such as Snapcase, VOD, Deftones, Korn and Machine Head. "Most of our songs are performed and produced on PC. I do have an ‘old school’ 100-tone-bank Casio keyboard to do ‘extra’experimentation stuff. As for software, I utilize Cool Edit Pro 2.0 (mostly for multitracking and editing). "Lurks is currently
finishing its third release. The CD will also feature some enhanced Since then Lurks have
formed as a band and have done many gigs including the "Most Wanted"
gig at Actors Studio Bangsar in May and Free-style Jam at the Emporium:
"Lurks kicked off the show with a very laid back feeling but solid
as a rock! Samples of sound effects, harmonized with dark vocals by Zach
made the crowd paid attention to every single move and beat in their set.
Well crafted arrangements in their songs won them the support from all
the musicians and the patrons They played mostly songs from their EP released
2 months back and also a cover from the lovable Radiohead's 'Creep' and
a track from Depeche Mode. Overall, their music marked a 'journey' to
each of our innerselves and the external lives!" by Andy Fam.
MIA PALENCIA 18 year old Mia played her own compositions in public for the first time at The Songwriters Round, organised by singer-songwriter Peteteo. Hitherto she had made a name for herself singing mostly jazz standards, accompanied by acoustic guitar wizzard Roger Wang in their duo Double Take. But Mia is even better singing her own compositions which stand out even if you can discount the the highly skilled and emotionally expressive way she delivers them - precocious songs about relationships, like the two songs she wrote when she broke up with her boyfriend - the angry song and the apologetic one. Her band, consisting of musicians from ICOM music college is called "Sabre Tooth Mia Meow" - just in case you are thinking about messing with her. Mia's voice is World-class, her tunes always easy on the ears, her words well-crafted and she delivers the whole package with the sort of mature aplomb that belies her tender years.
MEI CHERN Mei Chern started songwriting whilst a psychology student in the UK but never performed them publicly until a year and a half later at the songwriter's round's open mic session at No Black Tie. Subsequently she played as one of the featured performers there and also an opening set for Amir Yussof's web launch party at Niche. Her songs are mostly quiet and introspective. Pete Teo has this
to say about her:
NAKED BREED Band members: The band was formed in mid-August 1999 and was originally a 3 piece with the Vocalist doing both the singing and the bass. Naked Breed’s brand of music originally has it’s roots in what some people might say “pure rock”. Influences include quite a lot of the eighties era music from bands such as Skid Row, Def Leppard, Aerosmith and even the current scene: Deftones, Creed, Jamiroquai (drums) and so forth. A tight and professional rock band with a highly skilled guitarist Reuben Rodney Thomas. Naked Breed's debut album was released in 2001 and the focus song "Tribute" received plentiful airplay and has been hugely popular with young rock audiences. They have performed in numerous high-profile shows including all three Rock the World festivals, but this time round they are experimenting with an acoustic set where Reuben will be able to demonstate his prowess in this area. The present line up is: Reuben Rodney Thomas (guitar). IT degree student. Influences Megadeth, Pearl Jam, Skid Row, Nirvana. Guitar: Fender Strat Mexican, Washburn. Sara (drums). IT degree Student. influences: Mahavishnu Orchestra, Led Zeppelin, Guns n Roses. Played in the band 13 Tribes before Naked Breed. Justin Joe Pang (vocals). Always wanted to be professional keyboard player but teenage angst and frustration sidetracked him onto the front of the stage as lead vocalist. Influences: Skid Row, Soul Kitchen, Black Crowes. Jai Khan (bass) Influences: wide from Beatles, 80s era music (Depeche Mode, Cure), Nirvana, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Prodigy, Portishead and Korn, as well as dance/trance music. started with drums and keyyboards before transfering to bass.
NITRUS Zulrafhan bin Mahmood
(vocals) Nitrus was formed in 1997. Our first recording release is on the 'Another Boring Sunday' compilation album under Posse Records. It featured Better Days and Twisted. We won the best new artist award at the AIM awards 2002. We are influenced by bands like The Counting Crows, Matchbox20, The Goo Goo Dolls, The Cure, The Police, REM, U2 and often do covers of many of these bands. Recently our previous guitarist left the band, and Eddy who until then was the singer, changed to guitar and the new singer who has a strong gutsy voice reminiscent of Matchbox's Rob Thomas is Zul. Report of recent show
at Emporium in April this year:
REHMAN RASHID Rehman Rashid needs no introduction. For many years he has been a journalist and commentator on the New Straits Times, and is also the author of a fabulous personal account of Malaysia and what it means to be a Malaysian, "A Malaysian Journey" published in 1993. Most people however are probably unaware that he is a cool hand at writing songs and performing them accompanying himself on the acoustic guitar (although those lucky enough to see his lead role in the sell-out production of "The Sound of Music" bear witness to his finesse as a vocalist). So for both the curious and the appreciative here is a chance of direct experience.
RUHIL Ruhil Amani is not only an accomplished Malay rock and pop singer but as well a producer, songwriter, lyricist and actress and TV personality. During her fifteen year career she has released eight albums, four each of gold and platinum, has starred in four feature films and has been a regular performer on the major TV stations in Malaysia. She has performed in live shows throughout the country including many National Day shows, and also performed throughout the Region including Indonesia, Thailand and mainland China. Her latest album will be released in September 2003, and she will sing a selection of the songs in Malay from this album in her appearance at the Acoustic Jam 13. Her songs are unusual with beautiful melodies and a "World Music" feel uncommon in current Malay popular vocal music. In the future Ruhil hopes to do more production of English language material with her husband the phenomenal Australian guitar player Jamie Wilson and more live shows in South East Asia with him and other Australian musical colleagues.
SOFT TOUCH This band consists
of Markiza (keyboards, vocals), Hassan Peter Brown ST's first gig was at the late lamented Colours in D'sara Utama in 1999, and the band has performed intermittently since, including Rentak Asia (Bukit Jalil, October 2000), Fat Ant Festival (April 2002), Karyawan Festival (October 2002), Camerata Del'Arte Infestation at Sunway Pyramid (December 2002), Rock the World III (December 2002), and Free Style Jam at Emporium Grande Cafe (March 2003). Shahril is the latest
addition to the band - discovered jamming secretively in Paul's Place
Apart from one or two new songs such as "Listen to What You See", and "Happy Sad" the band still plays the souped up versions of old Passion songs (the duet that Markiza and Hassan had in the 1990s) and a selection of numbers from Peter's latest album Warm (including the song "Better World"). Currently the plan is to record an E.P. or even an album and for that purpose some new songs are being composed, arranged and rehearsed in Mokhtar's very select mini-studio in quietest, deepest Subang Jaya.
|