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Valium

"Take Control"

About Me


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THE BAND
*Valium is back in the studio rehearsing and writing new songs for an upcoming debut cd. Do await for our new batch of songs which are in the works even as you read this. The band promises their new songs and direction will still be firmly rooted to post-punk /new wave genre which they are originally known for, but better. Comeback again here for updates!
THE MUSIC
"Imagine there in that bleak part of your life story, exists a soundtrack running sub-consciously on repeats, painting pictures on your otherwise tattered canvas mind..."
Valium's music can be defined as an amalgamation of post-punk, 80's new wave, and indie rock. Their distinctive "dark" sound prevalent in its ringing echo guitars, taut rhythm section and semi baritone vocals was the idea and direction the band had set upon, wanting a fresh sound, a different edge apart from other local bands this side of Singapore has seen and heard. The sound, is indeed unique and urgent, unconventional and original.
The band members in Valium are major fans of bands and they conjure up their influences from the likes of Interpol, Joy Division, Bauhaus, White Rose Movement, Duran Duran, She Wants Revenge, Editors, The Departure, The Cure, all thrown in for good measure, further fine-touching those elements with their own display of choppy tight rhythms and imaginative guitar bursts.
As a unit, the four-piece stretches their musical abilities with adventurous sonic attack, concocting their sound with underlying quirky dark themes and poignant wordplay. Three of the four members in Valium, have been, in a different time or another, played in other Singapore local bands which includes names like Sideshow Judy, A'n, Steel City Skies, Astreal, Solaris, Upright, Crossover, Rocket Scientists and Melt.
THE GIGS
The Mercy Seats Gas Haus, 1st April 2006
Live Acoustic Set The Hideout, 19th April 2006
RNDM Home Club, 19th May 2006
Jamwerkz Gas Haus, 20th May 2006
Beat! Live Home Club, 28th July 2006
Open Stage 6 Timbre, 30th September 2006
The Living Dead Comes Home @ Home Club, 30th October 2006
Interpop @ Home Club, 8th November 2006
We've had the pleasure of having our live sets recorded, you can download it HERE .
Kudos to Joe Ng!
THE SONGS
1. "Fashionista" - The very first song they wrote. The "skeleton" of this song was formed almost instantaneously inside Straits Records studio, unplanned and lots of "once more, with feeling!" re-runs. A sign of good things to come. Chemistry was prevalent for the band at that time. A take on fads and its power of influence.
2. "Sirens" - A take on vice of the lowest nature. Brooding basslines and even more brooding vocals. The most "difficult" song for the band.
3. "Menage-A-Trois" - A story about adultery and the morning after. Very Bonham-like drumming and a significant bass groove pattern.
4. "Murder In Stereo" - Depicted from a tale of murder broadcasted live on-air from a radio show. The guitar sound was intended to replicate to that of keyboards.
5. "Anthem Suburbia" - A joyous lament on two sides of "The System." A result of needing more in-your-face punchy songs, the band relies heavily on kick-snare double time signatures, bass compings and a haunting guitar attack that soars above. A stomper.
6. "You Will Sleep Tonight" - A song too lengthy for the band. (7:00 + mins) revolves around swirly comping bass and spacey-echo guitar delivery layered with morbid lyrics more so about "dancing on the pyre." As quirky as it may sound, this song is actually about guilt and the dealings of human conscience, the ability to forget, by sleeping it off, really.
7. "Idiot Box" - The television, an "the idiot box," a somewhat influential tool or medium since its invention. Their most 80's sounding dancey track. Recalls the early seminal funk of duran duran with lots of urgency.There's something the band jokingly agrees upon about this number - Zul sounding like "Robert Smith on helium."
8. "Spiral Down" - The last song Az & Zul wrote for the band before their untimely departures. Something about love and that low down empty feeling which matures around it.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 4/5/2006
Band Members: Valium

Yad : Drums
Ery : Electric Bass
Az : Electric Guitar
Zul : Voice

========================================================= Honourary mention


Al : Photos & Background
Eryan : Profiler & Photos
Sharin ( Jimmy Ray ): Photos
Amirah : Photos

Check out the marvellous & beautiful photography by

Alvelyn
&
Sharin 'Jimmy Ray'

Influences: post-punk / new wave / indie rock / goth rock
Sounds Like: Interpol
Editors
The Departure
Moving Units
She Wants Revenge
White Rose Movement
Joy Division
Radio 4
Gary Numan Tubeway Army
The Chameleons
Depeche Mode
The Floor
Duran Duran
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness
Peter Murphy
Romance
Bauhaus
The Cure
New Order
Lomax
Sisters Of Mercy
The Walkmen
Love & Rockets

Type of Label: None

My Blog

Live Set Recording @ Home Club..

Hello once again, updates updates.   I had a talk with Joe and truly enough, he has a live set recording of the performance at Home Club on the 28th. Once Joe has done cleaning up the recording ...
Posted by Valium on Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:29:00 PST

News, updates and what not.

We are currently recording 3 out of 8 songs for demo and promo purposes, getting new gigs, after a hiatus as the band decided that we wanted to focus more on working on new material etc. Baybeats was...
Posted by Valium on Tue, 18 Jul 2006 03:39:00 PST

New version

Just finished uploading the new version of you will sleep tonight, slightly better sounding than the previous one, well, until we're done with the recording. Please bear with us. Thanks.
Posted by Valium on Mon, 17 Apr 2006 09:15:00 PST

See you at Hide.Out on 19 Apr. for your next valium fix!!

The band will be performing at Hide.Out(Boat Quay) on 19 April @ 10 pm. Admission is freeeeeeeee!!!
Posted by Valium on Mon, 10 Apr 2006 08:02:00 PST

Valium demo/ep in the process

Valium is in the works of recording a demo/ep soon. We'll keep you guys posted. Cheers! ...
Posted by Valium on Sun, 09 Apr 2006 12:14:00 PST

The Mercy Seat

Valium would like to thank all who were present during the gig, to the organisers, Rahman esp. , all the bands present. Big ups to Great Spy Experiment, we dig your shiet. All the supporters, the frie...
Posted by Valium on Thu, 06 Apr 2006 12:27:00 PST