Budiey
Line-up KONSERT ROCKAWAY
The Used
The Used’s new album Artwork was described as “the definitive album of their career but arguably one of the best records you’ll hear” according to Alternative Press. The Used thrives on friction. You can hear it on the band’s combustible self-titled debut. You can hear it on the tension-filled follow-up, In Love and Death. It’s what makes a Used album or performance such an exhilarating ride.
The Orem, Utah-based quartet is made up of four distinct personalities, each with individual musical tastes that don’t always overlap and strong ideals that are often diametrically opposed. The chemistry might have combusted a lesser band before it even started, but the equally passionate friendships and shared hardships that make up The Used have held it together.
In many ways, The Used is a completely different band than the one that recorded its debut (the disc has since sold in excess of a million copies). Prior to the release of that album in June 2002, the band had only performed twenty shows in and around Orem. Since then, they’ve logged a superhuman 600 dates around the world, including successful stints on Ozzfest, Vans Warped Tour and, most recently, Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution tour. Not surprisingly, In Love And Death reflects that accelerated growth cycle.
All Time Low
All Time Low has emerged as one of the most popular new bands in recent memory, beloved by an increasingly fervent fan following for their fast-paced and fizzy brand of pop-punk.
Alex Gaskarth, guitarist Jack Barakat, drummer Rian Dawson, and bassist Zack Merrick first got together while attending high school in the suburbs of Maryland. In 2005, the band released its debut album, The Party Scene the success of which led to their signing with Hopeless. The Put Out or Shut Up EP arrived in the summer of 2006, mere weeks after the band members’ high school graduation. So Wrong Its Right followed in 2007. Fit to burst with overwhelming singles like ‘Dear Maria, Count Me In’ and ‘Poppin’ Champagne,’ the Matt Squire-produced collection scored major MTV rotation, instantly placing ATL at the forefront of modern pop-punk. The band further sealed its status by touring nearly non-stop, with highlights including multiple Vans Warped Tours, co-headlining the AP Tour 2008, and a series of their own sold-out headline tours, both here and abroad. In December 2008, All Time Low was named “Band of the Year” by Alternative Press, a remarkable achievement that even now feels like something out of a dream.
“It’s still all catching up with us,” Gaskarth says. “It was a sort of seamless transition from being nobody to being a band that people wanted to go see. It happens so quickly that you almost don’t realize that it’s happening, it just becomes a blur. Then when you get home and suddenly you’re being recognized in the mall, it takes you aback, because it’s just not something you’ve come to expect.”
Story of the Year
Story of the Year took root in the late ’90s under a different name, Big Blue Monkey, in St. Louis, Missouri. At the time of its inception, the band’s sound was much heavier, and the lineup that would eventually become Story of the Year was not yet in place. Big Blue Monkey played frequent shows in the St. Louis area, issued several EPs, and endured the lineup fluctuations typical to any struggling combo. Creative and persistent self-promotion soon caught the ear of producer John Feldmann, who in turn brought Maverick Records into the picture. By 2002, Big Blue Monkey had become Story of the Year, signed a record contract, moved to Southern California, and toured with Feldmann and Goldfinger.
The lineup of vocalist Dan Marsala, bassist Adam Russell, drummer Joshua Willis, and guitarists Ryan Phillips and Phillip Sneed entered the studio with Feldmann, emerging in spring 2003 with the debut album Page Avenue. Story did some Warped Tour dates during the summer to advance the record, which was released the following September. By this point, the band’s sound had morphed completely and comfortably into emo-inflected post-grunge, akin to groups like Thrice or the similarly Feldmann-shepherded Used. The CD/DVD set Live in the Lou/Bassassins followed in spring 2005; it was a precursor to In the Wake of Determination, which appeared in October and debuted at number 19 on the Billboard charts. Three years later, Story of the Year released their third album, The Black Swan, on Epitaph Records. The Black Swan charted even higher than its predecessor and led to another Warped Tour run, as well as additional tour dates. One year later, the band was back in the studio creating The Constant, which they released in early 2010.
One Buck Short (OBS)
Their story began eight years ago when the band debuted into the local scene with the smashing ‘That Day’ from their Where Is the Mouse?! EP released independently in 2003. As a result of the single and EP’s achievement, the band was nominated for the Best Newcomer Artist in the first ever hitz.fm Malaysian English Top Ten Awards in 2004 and again in 2006 for the Best Rock and Best Live Act in the whole of Malaysia. The band went into the studios to produce their full-length debut album, Halal & Loving It, under the hands of the talented award-winning producer and arranger, Greg Henderson. In next to no time, the first English single ‘Fast Times’ and their first ever Malay single ‘Kelibat Korupsi’ heavily permeated the airwaves across Asia.
Refusing to be at ease with just achieving success on local shores, One Buck Short worked hard towards aiming higher. Their efforts finally paid off when the band was hand-picked to support Grammy Award-nominated American rock band Fall Out Boy on their “Infinity on High” World Tour in Singapore. And not long after that, they recorded an exclusive MTV LIVE Showcase with Good Charlotte, where over 20,000 people showed up at the national stadium in Malaysia! The band has also supported top billboard rock acts like My Chemical Romance, Panic At The Disco and more while having toured and performed in Singapore, Philippines, Macau, Hong Kong, Australia and China. Rockaway 2011 is a project spearheaded by One Buck Short and the show will also mark the release of the band’s first full length Malay album titled Kampong Glam on October 8th 2011.
Love Me Butch
Veteran hard rockers, Love Me Butch are no strangers to the Malaysian music industry. Gaining respect from the underground scene while being in the public eye can often be a tricky tightrope to walk on. Despite this, Love Me Butch managed to captivate the imagination of music lovers while grabbing the attention of the masses. The band has opened for numerous American bands touring in the region including Deftones, Coheed and Cambria, Saosin, Misery Signals, Switchfoot, Comeback Kid, Simple Plan and headlined festivals from all over South East Asia including Baybeats (Singapore), Soundrenaline (Indonesia), Pulp Summerslam & MTV Summit (Philippines), MTV Pattaya International Music Festival (Thailand). Love Me Butch recently released a new single We Are All You’ve Got from the upcoming 3rd album due in 2011
Jason Lo
Jason Lo’s contribution to the music scene as an all-rounder cannot be ignored. He began his career as a musician, subsequently became a producer and he has also successfully established himself as an entrepreneur. His long list of accolades include being the first Malaysian to reach the top 3 on the Pepsi Top 20 International charts, won AIM’s Best Music Video for ‘Sleepy Head’ in 2006 and recently became the winner of AIM 2010 Best Producer English Album for As The World Turns by Disagree. This year, LO continues to explore new avenues and ventures to offer unique interests and propositions to the Malaysian public in the creative industries, communication and lifestyle. He is also currently working on his 4th studio album.
Hujan
Hujan came to the world with humble beginnings. In 2005, Noh created demos and posted them on MySpace and thanks to the power of social networking; they successfully garnered a large number of avid fans from the site. They officially formed the band in 2006 and from then on, they started working on their first EP, 1, 2, 3 GO and began touring relentlessly across Malaysia. In 2008, Hujan penetrated the mainstream music scene with two of their hit singles, ‘Pagi Yang Gelap’ and ‘Bila Aku Sudah Tiada’ that took the whole country by storm. Due to their massive popularity, Hujan began touring in the UK and US with growing requests from Malaysian students abroad. Their success continues with Hujan being the only local band to have released eight hit singles in a year, their YouTube videos have collected 2 million views online and they have won AIM awards for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Single for ‘Bila Aku Sudah Tiada’. After releasing two EP’s, two full albums and a live collection, Hujan offers its latest work, Lonely Soldier Boy.
Metalasia
A successful audition that took place at Tricastle Studio under the watchful eye of King Shah was the stepping stone in Metalasia’s successful run in the industry. Their raw talent was the deciding factor in their record deal. Their aggressive album rocked the music scene introducing the combination of two fiery guitarists playing harmony lines, a fresh approach to musical arrangement and vocal melodies that were very different. Their main concept is influenced by guitar work and their main aim is to relive the days of guitar heroes which was very predominant in the 1980’s but with more modern and progressive arrangements. Their lyrics depict fighting spirit, life lessons, nature and patriotism to complement their style of music. Through their music, Metalasia aims to build a generation of music listeners that are creative, strong willed and respectable.
Monoloque
In 2004, Loque’s creative alter ego – Monoloque (pronounced as ‘mono-lok’) came to life. Influenced and inspired by the late P. Ramlee, R. Azmi and Kassim Masdor, he began laying the groundwork for Monoloque during his stay in the United States. Joining him as a collective part of Monoloque is a supporting band of experienced and highly creative musicians that consists of Kadak (bass), Ijoo (electric guitars), Apex (keyboards) and Loko (drums). He has undertaken a variety of successful music projects and collaborations; including scoring for feature films, writing and scoring for the MPO, and putting together the superband called A.P.I. Other achievements include establishing a private music institution called Sekolah Baru Kuala Lumpur (SBKL) to share his passion and vast experience in the practical, theoretical and technical application of music. In hopes to usher in a new Malaysian Renaissance, Monoloque aspires to inspire today’s young musicians towards creating a unique Malaysian sound.
They Will Kill Us All
Formed from the ashes of various legendary but now defunct musical groups in Kuala Lumpur, four seasoned musicians; Amir Shazlan, Edwin Raj, Ihsan Ariffin and David Leong banded together in a singular vision of producing an energetic, forward looking sound that is unlike any other in Malaysia. When that vision was spectacularly revealed in their early 2009 debut release ‘Secret Episodes’, the band basked in its muscular and forceful sound. But never one to be content, they laboured hard to step up their game in the quest of finding their own unique voice. Over time, the heavy buzz of distortion now made way for more ethereal textures; the lyrics darker in its connotations and the rhythm more propulsive. As a testimony, their recently released single ‘The Great Glass City’, which debuted at the end of 2010, signalled this intention to be better than ever. With the band putting the finishing touches to their sophomore release, They Will Kill Us All certainly is keeping to their promise to deliver great inspiring music.
Kyoto Protocol
Kyoto Protocol was formed by a group of angsty but fun-loving adolescent males who embarked on a quest to explore sonical frontiers together. They combined their varied influences ranging from The Clash to Queens of the Stone Age to create an eclectic mix of punk, soul and electro. Things got serious when their raw passion was validated as talent after they won 1st place in the Yamaha Asian Beat Central Regional Finals. There was just no turning back for the guys. Kyoto Protocol’s first single, ‘Pussycat’ spent 18 consecutive weeks on FlyFM Campur Charts and it was the first #1 song in 2011 and spent 10 consecutive weeks on Traxx FM Upstage Charts and was at the #1 spot for 6 weeks. Kyoto Protocol has also played on stages of varying sizes, from intimate sets at No Black Tie to festival-sized Rock the World 9. Thematic, unconventional but deceivingly catchy, Kyoto Protocol, like their namesake, is divisive yet utterly undeniable.
Pop Shuvit with Project E.A.R
Pop Shuvit is currently set to embark on a new evolution of their career in 2011 with the release of their 6th studio album titled Cherry Blossom Love Affair. Slated as a double album in both English and Malay, the songs in this “concept” album are thematically inspired not just by the tracks itself but also by the inclusion of visual illustrations, music videos; all presented within a mini coffee table book-styled album packaging. Helming producer/engineer roles once again will be guitarist JD, this time with greater involvement from bassist AJ (part of production duo THE UNKNOWN with DJ UNO). With many production and mixing credits for local and regional bands (Bunkface, Estranged, Slapshock, Project E.A.R) and a Best Engineered Album Award (AIM 2008), his approach of combining classic recording techniques with forward thinking ideas means that the new album will bring fresh new sounds to fans whilst maintaining the rap-rock vibe that the band is known for.
Deja Voodoo Spells
Malaysia’s most cutting edge rock band, Deja Voodoo Spells’ sophomore effort, Bite featured a more resilient message, with vocalist and guitar idol Rithan focusing on inspiring lyrics and signature guitar brilliance. The album caught the attention of millions, with singles ‘Rock and Roll’ and ‘Wanting You’ voted to the #1 spot on the Malaysian charts, Hitz FM’s International Top 30 and an Anugerah Industri Music (AIM) nomination for Best Male Vocal. Bite was also nominated for 9 Voize Independent Music Awards, the most nominations for a single artiste, and ended up winning the most awards of the nights as well, including Best Rock Act. The band have already won more than 10 awards, including Best New Artiste for their debut ‘I am what I am’ at the 2006 AIMs. They are endorsed by Ibanez Guitars, Tama Drums, Wagen Picks and Ziljian Cymbals. Rithan has an unofficial title as Malaysia’s best guitarist, having been chosen to play with the likes of Sting, Steve Vai, Herman Li (Dragon Force) and Marty Friedman (Megadeth).
Massacre Conspiracy
Massacre Conspiracy also known as MC16 are popular for their upbeat music and unique live performances. The hardworking boys produced their debut single, ‘Start Looking Towards The Sky’ and started promoting it on various stages in Kuala Lumpur at the beginning of their union. During trying times of losing two original members, the band worked extra hard to release their demo CD, The Prophecies. They created a growing buzz with their exciting melodic metalcore sound that got them massive positive reviews especially from ROTTW. With their current solid line-up, MC16 released another hit single ‘Bloodless’. The song was played more than 10, 000 times within several months since its release and it proved to be an impressive response for them. At the end of 2009, MC16 entered ROTTW Soundstage competition and won it. December 2010 was a historical moment for them as they were chosen to play Rock the World alongside other local mainstream rock acts. They were the youngest act to perform in a Rock The World concert. That exposure led them towards the production of their full-length album that has yet to be titled.
Busco
Busco, formerly Bus Company, has come a long way since bursting into the scene in 2007. The band decided to change their name earlier this year to showcase their maturity, musically and individually since the day they started. Opening for Switchfoot this year in KL was the band’s biggest highlight to date and they hope to continue churning out more tunes and making sure their music stays fresh and vibrant. With already countless amounts of shows locally and a few internationally in their repertoire, looks like the band isn’t going to put the brakes on anytime soon. Vowing to never rest on their laurels, Busco, loaded with a passion for music aim to release their much anticipated 5-track EP entitled In Search Of will be something to look out for.
Oh Chentaku
Formed back in 2007, Oh Chentaku didn’t waste time going on a gig spree all around the country and neighbouring countries which includes Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. The band plays a mixture of rock tunes boasting of punk, pop, electro, post-hardcore, and experimental elements that showcases their versatility. In 2009, frontman, Myo pursued his MBA studies in Switzerland. He took the opportunity of being abroad to further promote Oh Chentaku’s music to a mixture of crowd that came from Zurich, Manchester, Dublin, London, York, Amsterdam, Lugano, Lugano, Tokyo and Barcelona. The band recently won Champion Battle of the Indie Bands GIG organized by TV9. Their victory paved the way for more booked shows and they are also in the midst of recording their debut album. While the fans wait for that fateful album to be released, an upcoming Malay single, ‘Jupiter’ will be a good way to entertain themselves.
Dichi Michi
Dichi Michi burst straight into the local scene three years ago and they have been actively performing in numerous events and collaborating with independent artists from other countries at the same time since then. Their exposure in the scene has also attracted many independent clothing labels endorsement like That’s Rite, Mejiku Indonesia, MACBETH Footwear and more. Based on those accomplishments, Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) approached the band and offered to shoot a video for their songs ‘Lost in Final Year’ and ‘Realiti dan Fantasi’ for Astro Musik Aktif channel. Dichi Michi have so far released an EP called Sounds of New Hope in 2009 and the two hit singles, ‘Fine Without You’ and ‘Realiti dan Fantasi’ were products of that release. They soon became a huge favourite online and managed to stay in the top 5 of Hitz.fm Malaysian English Top Ten and FlyFM’s Campur Chart.
Tres Empre
Since their inception in 2010, Ampang boys, Tres Empre have evolved from post-hardcore into more fluid, dynamic and melodic sounds that perfectly blends with catchy melodies charged by rhythmic guitars and ambient influences. Part of the band’s perfect symmetry relies on their understanding of each other’s musicality as all of them play a role in the song writing process. They released their first single, ‘Defiance’, which was accompanied with a music video. Their debut EP is scheduled for release soon.
