Apr 25 2004:
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They came from the rock backwaters of Alor Star but the four chubby dudes
are making it right, writes HIMANSHU BHATT.
THEY are the unlikely dudes who have won over the indie rock scene in Malaysia.
They can't afford a studio, they can't even pay for a decent practice room. They mull over the most economical roti canai to eat, and sniff out the cheapest lodging to stay in during the odd stint in KL.
They wear bargain clothes bought in Haadyai, Thailand and fix their broken spectacles with rubber-bands.
But in December last year, the upstarts from Alor Star — the quiet city up north that can hardly be famous for rock music — pulled off the incredible.
The four chaps who call themselves Uglymen — an ignominious name by any standard — won the country's grandest duel among indie bands — the Yamaha-Asian Beat Band Competition at Bukit Bintang's Planet Hollywood.
"We were not even the underdogs," said band leader and guitarist Ong Tai Suan a.k.a. Bighead. "We were the under-cockroaches.
"While the announcement of winners was being made, we were already packing up our stuff, and leaving for a drink." Ong and his mates — vocalist Michael Lee, bassist Sow Say Hooi (a.k.a. Metal) and drummer Loi Kai Jiunn — were gobsmacked when they heard the band's name booming across the packed venue.
"When we were called out, we thought it was a joke. We were just singing our crap songs and in our crap dialect!" said the IT practitioner by day.
But more stunning surprises were in store. Ong could have almost crumpled as he muttered: "Asha Gill gave me a hug so tight." And there was much, much more in store.
On Valentine's Day this year, Uglymen went on represent Malaysia at the grand Asian finals of the competition in Taipeh, Taiwan.
Sow won the prize of top bassist, sweeping past competition from countries like the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and the host country itself.
"I got a headache when I got the prize money. I didn't know what to buy," said Sow.
What astounded him was that he had actually played on only two strings, with the least variety of notes compared with the other bassists. I was slapping my face when I won." The judges included renowned American bass player Billy Sheehan. And there were many other idols and celebs of rock heaven that the four wide-eyed dudes from Alor Star met.
There were the Japanese jazz band Casiopea, Taiwanese drummer Michael of the revered Shin group, and Mayday, the band that is to Taiwan what Search is to Malaysia. Uglymen will now perform next weekend with five other Chinese-oriented bands in a concert called Hard & Heavy 2, organised by Soundmaker. The other bands are Ocean of Fire, Untitled, Plain Flake, III A and Mecha.
Encountering the sporty, laidback and so very happy-go-lucky foursome, who have been together for 10 years now, was itself hilarious entertainment. It was a hoot of a meeting sprayed with sudden bouts of guffaws as the chubby youngsters poked fun at their own idiosyncrasies.
"We had never before been overseas," Ong said. Pausing a bit, he added: "Except Haddyai, but we talk about that later.
"We were like katak dibawah tempurung (frogs living under a coconut shell)." The band began at Alor Star where there are very few clubs or gigs and where bands don't normally last long, in 1993 when the four thought of doing a charity concert — for of all groups — kidney patients.
The group then called itself Vintage, and later changed its name to Peace, and then again devolved it to Paradox, before finally settling for Uglymen. "We realised that the one reason we couldn't move up was because of our looks," said vocalist Lee. "Look at us — most of us are overweight! So we changed our name to Uglymen." They began playing what they felt was nice to their own ears. They were four personalities who came up with a blend of four individual styles. "When someone asks us what style we play, we just say hairstyle," Lee chuckled. "We really don't know how to categorise it!" Cemented beneath the comic, jovial laughs, is a spirited bond that has made the group a family with a very serious vision.
"We want to be a model band for youths. We want to inspire children to believe in what they do, not just in music but in other things too." With 30 original compositions, the band is now looking at compiling a debut album of their best Chinese numbers.
"We were really overwhelmed by the hospitality
of the Taiwanese. We were so motivated. We don't play to show off, you can't
last long that way. "And we play music for our own satisfaction, not
for anyone else. Music is the great balance of our life." # Hard &
Heavy 2 will be held on May 1 at 8pm at The Actors Studio GreenHall. Admission
at RM10. For enquiries, call 016-416 0460.