rocking in the garage

by Sansamp Rocks

Photos by Ecrus Garage

Formed in 1997 and undergoing several line-up changes, the indie rock band as known as Ecrus Garage has finally released a single Oceans after all these years. Aging Youth speaks to the frontman Syed Feroz and guitarist Joe about their long history, the reason why they keep going and pizza.

Hey guys, maybe you can do a quick introduction of the band?

Joe : I’m on guitar, Mel plays drums and percussion, Uzi plays bass guitar and Roz is on vocals and guitar.

Roz : Well said, Joe!

I’m sure many are curious to know how the name “Ecrus Garage” came about?

Joe : Roz, you named it, you answer it.

Roz : The name came about 9 years ago. Uzi (Bass player and co-founder) and I were just killing time during our teenage angst years. I’m a huge Liverpool FC fan and at that point of time, the club’s away kit was the beige ‘ecru’ shade. A mutual friend of ours was harping bout ButchVig’s new band Garbage but kept on telling us it was ‘Garage’ instead. We set the record straight with him and also took the piss out of him for that! Henceforth, the name: Ecrus Garage. You will be surprised how many times the band’s moniker has been mis-spelt, misprinted or mispronounced. Aiiks!

You guys have been around for quite a long time. What do you think keeps it going?

Joe : Passion for music and the bond between us.

Roz : Joe is right. Love in doing what you do. Also, there has to be a mutual understanding and respect for each other in order for any relationship or partnership to stand the test of time. That’s the secret to the longevity of the band. Then again, we took long breaks over the years due to National Service commitments, work and study commitments, etc. That’s another factor in building up the time bar for Ecrus Garage.

How would you describe your music? And what do you draw on for inspiration to write your material?

Joe : Soulful eccentric scientific, brilliant gothic rock and roll music!

Roz : Signature brooding baritone voice over good brooding, trippy music. In general, I’m the principal songwriter and if I don’t write, the band takes a day off (or years). I write a lot about love, God, life… So yup, these are my veins where I draw blood, inspirational blood.

I heard that some of the band members are actually new. Feroz, how do you think this has changed the sound of the band?

Roz : Uzi and I started this thing when we were teens in ‘97. In all naivety, we were drawn to how cool it would be to start a band! We saw great bands on the local circuit then, Stomping Ground, Stoned Revivals, etc. The Psychedelic Ants were my favorite! We roped in another friend on guitar and recorded our Sound EP in ‘97 with a session drummer. Thanks, Syed (from ex- Psychedelic Ants and currently Stoned Revivals)! We roped in 2 more friends to bring the show on the road!

Mel joined us in ‘98 so he’s not new. He’s a damn nice guy and a fantastic drummer (wood basher!). I’m privileged to be playing with him.

I got to know Joe in the army and asked him to join. (He’s) another great pal and great musician! I guess, we became better musicians over timewith their presence. Joe brings in a lot of musical ideas and riffs to the band. He’s versatile in his musical vocabulary and is able to do right things for the songs.

What kind of effects do you guys use?

Joe : Boss Digital Delay DD-6, Boss Pitch-Shifter PS-3, Boss Tremolo, Ibanez Chorus, Ibanez Phaser, Boss Super Distortion 2, Boss Foot Switch FS-2, Morley Wah and E-Bow.

Roz : Boss Digital Delay DD-3, Digitech Digidelay, Ibanez 70’s Flanger, Boss Super Distortion 2 SD-2, Boss Dynamic Wah, Ibanez TubeScreamer TS-9 and E-Bow. I confess, I’m a guitargeek.com fan!

What made you decide to release this single?

Joe : Hmmm… Actually, I think only you know, Feroz.

Roz : ‘Oceans’ was written and recorded way back in ‘98. At that point of time, we were serving National Service. It was shelved for many years until I decided to release it now. Our last release was the Big O singles Club track in ‘98 and that was it… It’s very long overdue.

We have recorded half an album worth of songs that was never released. We don’t sell our music; we give it away! But we are all busy with work; we can’t really promote what we put out. That’s why in the CD liner notes, we are appealing for assistance on this. That’s the predicament in being an indie band in Singapore. Anyone who wants a copy of the single may get it from Focal Pro Studios or email us at ecrusgarage@yahoo.com.sg.   I’m looking into releasing something every 4 to 5 months for the other tracks.

How did you guys go about recording it? Any major screw-ups along the way?

Joe : Screw-ups? Come on, we are ‘pro musicians’…

Roz : It was a very interesting process. Oceanswas recorded in ‘98. Drums were recorded at Green Room Studios round the time when we were recording the Big O track. The bulk of guitars was recorded with Randolf in his bedroom studio. We shelved it for 7 years. We recorded vocals, more guitars, bass percussion, synths and mixed the track at Focal Pro Solutions with Giri.

Of course, there were screw-ups. We recorded them in ‘98 at the tender age of 19 - 20. There were bum notes, etc. We wrote the lyrics in 2005, 1 week before we hit Focal Pro. But Giri is brilliant! He managed to get the best out of what we recorded in ‘98 and took it to a totally different direction.

Any plans for a full length album or EP?

Joe : Maybe. If we have the money… and Joe will have to sell lots of pizzas. By the way, do support Joe’s Rite Pizza. It’s Halal now. Call 6899 3838 for pizza delivery!

Roz : Perhaps. More paying shows will be good in order to finance the band’s activities. But, as mentioned earlier, I will try to release something now and then…. Assistance please!

What do you guys hope to see in the future of local music?

Joe : Local music can definitely go far as long as we the musicians have the money to promote our music. Right now, radio is playing local music so we can foresee a better future for music in Singapore.

Roz : I have been asked bout this many times before. My stand still remains: Foster a good communal and musical spirit in our scene. Bands, keep doing your thing. Promoters, zines, etc. Keep on promoting, authorities and institutions. General Public, all I can say is: watch and listen.   No doubt bout it, there’s immense talent here!

Thank you for your time.

Roz : You are most welcomed. Thanks for yours. Keep on fighting the good fight, Aging Youth!