Facing the world

Friday July 30, 2010

By N. RAMA LOHAN

entertainment@thestar.com.my

Malaysia’s hottest prospect Bunkface is poised to make the nation proud with its set at the MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2010 concert.

IT REALLY isn’t about throwing the dog a bone. Bunkface insists that everything that has come its way has been down to hard work. The initial rejections it faced simply functioned as a catalyst for the great things the school friends from Klang, Selangor, have achieved.

And the crowning glory at the moment is the band’s participation at MTV’s World Stage at the Surf Beach @ Sunway Lagoon in Selangor tomorrow, where the likes of international acts Tokio Hotel, Wonder Girls and Katy Perry are expected to thrill nearly 15,000 fans. “It’s one of the biggest music events in Malaysia. We are really happy to be playing,” revealed frontman Sam in an interview in Petaling Jaya last week. The band scored the coveted gig when it impressed MTV’s powers-that-be during its opening act for German rock band Tokio Hotel here in May.

But just like chaps who are ambitious and single-minded in succeeding, they’re also looking at the gig as a chance to learn. “I want to get backstage and speak to the artistes and crew and find out all the behind-the-scenes stuff. We want to learn how they do it,” he said.

Make it loud: Bunkface’s vocalist/guitarist Sam (left) and lead guitarist Paan raring to take on the teen masses at MTV World Stage.

Where the band’s set is concerned, Sam is a tad tight-lipped, not wanting to ruin the surprise the band has in store for its fans.

“Maybe new costumes and new faces. We might paint our faces in a different way than we’ve done before.”

Sam was referencing the previous appearances the band has made with KISS-approved facial art. A five-song set is bound to go by in a flash but the Bunkface trio – Sam on lead vocals and guitar, Paan on lead guitar and backing vocals, and Youk on bass and backing vocals – is relishing the opportunity.

On stage, the band’s line-up features sessionists – drummer Ejam and keyboardist Gjie.

The core Bunkface members, all in their early 20s, have moulded themselves from the templates set by fellow punk popsters like Green Day, Blink 182 and Sum 41. In fact, it was Sum 41’s tune Crazy Amanda Bunkface that the group gleaned its name from. It’s this familiar sound that has audiences clamouring for Bunkface ... or so it would seem.

“I think people relate to us because we work hard and they can identify with that. There is no short cut ... there is no easy way. We started off struggling, trying to get gigs, learning how to write songs ... and never giving up,” insisted Sam, who also revealed that the band knew it was onto something special when it noticed the audience singing along to its songs.

If the guys seem like they have their finger on the pulse of what Malaysians like in their rock, Sam noted that they haven’t a clue. “It’s hard to really tell. I think things here are very seasonal. Back in the 1980s, it was rock kapak, then came grunge and later nu-metal and what not.”

Youk, the only other member present at the interview chipped in: “Generally, we’re (Malaysia) a little behind from what’s happening overseas. As far as Bunkface is concerned, we’re looking to constantly evolve. Before this there were other bands like us but we twisted it a bit ... we do Malay songs with a Green Day style. Our songs are about melodies.”

Bunkface went on tour in Perth, Australia, last October for the One Movement For Music Perth, and this landmark gig earned the band the Kembara award at the Anugerah Industri Muzik awards for spreading Malaysian music abroad.

Even if this seems like an accolade, the band still insists nothing beats the feeling of watching fans sing its songs at its shows.

“I’ve taken pictures of our audience and those pictures are of great value to us,” confessed Sam, who appreciates the band’s fans (affectionately known as Bunkers).

With a Facebook following that has nearly 217,000 fans, you can be assured that Bunkface will have a massive crowd in the mosh-pit area at MTV World Stage tomorrow.

Youk added: “It’s also very gratifying to see that even foreigners enjoy our music.”

Back in 2007, the band released its first collection of songs, the EP Lesson Of The Season, featuring six English songs straddling influences that include pop, punk and alternative rock. Silly Lily, culled from the EP, scaled the top of Hitz.fm’s Malaysian Top 10 for eight straight weeks and achieved similar success on Fly.fm’s Campur Charts for 10 weeks.

Where many bands have failed, Bunkface has succeeded in making that big leap from releasing a mere EP to an album. Phobia Phoney is the band’s first long player and it has already registered a massive hit with Situasi on local radio. The album is released by Bunkface Production, the band’s own label. The band admits that selling products is still a task, though.

“Even at RM20, people still complain about the price of an album,” Youk lamented.

Phobia Phoney captures Bunkface doing what it does best, plying the pop punk route that has taken it to where it is today, but with slicker production values, tighter songwriting and a sharper sense of musicianship. Interestingly, the title was inspired by the “phoneys” the band has encountered in the industry, and there are definitely many of those running around.

“It was a conscious effort on our part to do this. Besides, we’re still growing as a band. We really work on our craft,” Sam conceded, revealing that the band works as a whole where the creative process is concerned, even if he brings the nucleus of the idea to the group.

For now though, MTV World Stage beckons and the boys are ready to rock and make Malaysia proud.

■ MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2010, to be held tomorrow at Surf Beach @ Sunway Lagoon Resort, Selangor, features live performances by Katy Perry, Tokio Hotel, Wonder Girls and Bunkface. Doors open 4pm. Showtime: 6pm. The two-hour on-air version of MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2010 will premiere on MTV (Astro Channel 713) on Aug 21.

Posted Date : 2 August 2010

Posted Time : 11.32pm