THEY started off distributing stickers and selling cute t-shirts, and now they have exciting female fans in tank tops. With a cheeky-looking green dinosaur mascot in tow, they have just released their debut album.
Furthermore, they have graced the stages of Rock the World 2009, KLue’s Urbanscapes 2010 and recently, the Baybeats Music Festival in
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Teh was composing songs of opposing nature and performing at several occasions before he was motivated to go full force with the project. Today, after recruiting new band members, this poppunk- cum-hardcore-cum-acoustic band is made up of Teh, 23, who leads the guitar and vocals, electric guitarist Leonard Chua, 23, drummer Kevin Theng, 22, violinist Danny New, 21, bassist Kevin “Cottie” Tan, 20 and vocalist Sheryl Goh, 17.
Ever since they started, AHM has relentlessly performed at hot spots such as Laundry Bar, No Black Tie, Rainforest, as well as at universities and shopping malls. This sextuplet has also graced various functions across the country such as Fêtê de la Musique and the Elevate Tour, and not to mention being featured on Traxx FM, and twice on 8tv.
Among all of their kick-butt gigs, Teh professed that their performance at Rock the World last December was the most memorable one by far - thanks to the heavy downpour. “What was amazing was that the crowd of at least 500 were still going crazy, dancing in the rain! We had to stop because the rain got heavier.
Once it stopped, we were called up again and the crowd was packed to the brim, more than when we started. They sang along with us and we were the only band who played ‘technically’ twice at Rock the World 9! It was pretty awesome,” he shared.
However bear in mind that these six young people are not full-time musicians with a secure funding. So how do they cope? “It’s all about passion and time management,” explained Teh, who works from nine to five, as does fellow band member Chua, an events manager. Meanwhile, Kevin juggles between teaching drums and playing for other bands whereas the three youngest members are still undergraduates.
“We all do [fund the band]! We chip in for most rehearsal sessions.” Unlike strong and long-established bands out there, growing musicians like AHM are often requested by event organisers to perform “for charity”. “That’s really going to spoil the market and make artistes cheap. It is quite unhealthy for the scene,” Teh opined.
Nonetheless, all the hard work, commitment and sacri��ce have not gone to waste. Besides winning 4,400 fans (according to their Facebook page), AHM has also won the “Best College Act” category for last year’s VOICE Independent Music Awards (VIMA).
According to them, if AHM were to be nominated in an international music award body, they would want to win Best Regional Act. “We represent Asia and
He elaborated that the problem lies in the people rather than the music scene. “Malaysians just need to be educated,” he pointed out.
Speaking beyond cute band merchandises and quirky long song titles, Teh expressed that the band’s aspiration is to project a positive culture “Don’t let anyone bring you down. Spread the love. Love is THE message.”
Take 5 with AHM
If you could do a switcheroo with any of your band mates, who would it be and why?
Your worst habit.
Darren: I frown a lot for some strange reason.
Danny: Tapping my feet and biting my nails.
Leonard: I can never say no to things.
Sheryl: I bite my nails a lot.
Who’s the “player”/”ladies’ man” in the band?
Leonard gets all the girls while we all stand back and watch him. But he really is just a nice guy.
Sheryl, on the other hand gets the boys AND girls. She’s a small girl with a big voice.
What kind of “Mistake” would each AHM member be?
Darren: Not A Mistake
Sheryl: Tiny Mistake
Leonard: Korean Mistake
Kevin: Jamaican Mistake
Cottie: Skinny Mistake
Danny: Funny Mistake
Fondest memory of being a university student.
Darren: Being the topic of the board meeting of the faculty because I was too cool to be a student.
Kevin: Having to wait for a friend who’d say that he’d pick me up for class but would come an hour later from the planned time. It used to happen almost every day.
Leonard: I never really had a university life because I was working at the same time.
Leonard: I’d want to be Sheryl because I’d want to feel how it’s like being the youngest in the band and getting all the attention.
Danny: I’d play the guitar so I can swing it because I haven’t found a way to swing the violin, YET!
Sheryl: I’d switch roles with Kevin because I can play the drums too! I like to hit hard.
By: Rachel Law (26.10.10)
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