Exposed Vocals Interviews MACA of Repllica
MACA have known Jade for ages and have played together in several bands. In 2006 we decided to make our own way, both leaving music world behind giving up in playing music and just limiting ourselves to listening good music. Although, both still keep in touch and meets on occasional basis.
In 2012, MACA met Joe and was asked if we could jam together. It was not materialized until both of us went to watch Metallica live in Kuala Lumpur for the first time in 2013. That experience – watching Metallica live somehow drive us to pick up our guitar again. That was the beginning of Repllica where we dedicated to join local gig by calling few friends as secessionist to play alongside us doing tribute to Metallica. MACA decided to call Jade to join the band and he agrees to that.
1 year after its formation, we decided to move step a head creating our own materials. Up to date we have released 3 demos, each track titled: Nowhere To Run, Misfit’s Agony & If Only (It’s Okay). All tracks were performed at our home studio on acoustic carrying influenced of folksy rock genre.
Although we enjoy Metal, but at the same time we’re very flexible and enjoy to any kind of music genre as long as it’s listenable. All we want some Good Food, Good Music, and maybe Good People.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
MACA of Repllica: That’s a long story. I mean my parents been travelling since I was young, and I’ve grown up in few places. I was born Malaysia, in a state of Terengganu. Since then I’ve lived in different states in Malaysia, Japan & Brunei.
I wasn’t thinking about being an artist. Perhaps the idea of putting up this band – Repllica was merely for fun. We’re bunch of guys who love good music and just wanted to get together to play and share good music. At some point 3 of us, we do not share the common taste in music. But we respected each other and we basically do not like the idea being labelled as one-music-kind of band. For instance, Joe he’s a metal head and enjoy fast riffs and solo guitars are his thing. Jade, he’s into R&B and has written numbers of pieces of that stuff. He’s a qualified sound engineer and the most musical talented guy in the band. Meanwhile my self, I enjoy some old classic music, you know the folksy melancholic sounded music. It thrills me. Yes, I’m a big fan of Metallica and really into Metal but that doesn’t mean I’m just limiting my self there. I do listen to other stuff too.
So I was saying, being an artist never crossed our mind. I mean we’re artist at our own right. We do enjoy playing music and listening to it, but we only kept to ourselves. Never thought of being on stage and performs. I mean, all boys have that dream of being a rockstar. We have it too. I knew Jade for a long time, and we’re used to be in the same band few times. Only later on both of us decided to discontinue the interest. To be fair, it’s not working for us and plus we got to make a living and being an artist it is a tough life. Although we stopped being in a band, we kept in touch and meet occasionally from time to time.
I met Joe in 2011 at the workplace. After knowing that we both listened to Metallica, we kept our conversation discussing about their stuff. We talked about maybe someday we should jam together but it never materialised until we both went to watch Metallica first time ever in Malaysia in 2013 – we started to jam together.
Both of us plays guitar only Joe is the better guitarist, but still not enough member to jam. I invite Jade to join our jamming session and after sometimes it just clicked.
The establishment of Repllica, although at the beginning the idea of forming this band as Metallica tribute band, later on we decided to explore further by doing covers of other genres music. After performing at several underground gigs, cafes & restaurant covering tons of great music we decided to step up and to create our own stuff.
So that’s how it happened, just bunch of guys wanted to play some good music. Plus when we started this band, all of us basically are at our 30s, and it never crossed our minds to be known as artist. It’s merely happened from hobby to a few show invitations and now starting to write our own stuff to reach out to those who share the same taste of our musical interest.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
MACA of Repllica: It was derived from the name of Metallica. Since the band was formed as a Metallica Tribute band we decided to name the band with this silly sounded name – Repllica; which means we’re about to replicating Metallica stuffs. You actually can tell that by looking at the band initial logo.
After sometimes, we received invitation and request to do other stuff too and we couldn’t say no to that. And finds out the name is perfect since we’re doing covers of other artist as well. That how it came up. Repllica, we Repllicates.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
MACA of Repllica: Well, I guess with the technology available today – no one can escape that. Perhaps – it is a good thing. I mean music is a beauty and it is meant for sharing to the rest. What’s the point of writing good stuff and just kept it under the carpet. It is a waste.
Look back at the years beyond this advance technology – the new riser band or artist used to record their demo send it across to labels / radio stations for free. Only later when they got singed up by labels then their music is available with prices with the labels provide a marking plan to promote their music.
If you’re good, it will pays off. If anyone wanted to go into music with an intention getting instant pay cheque, you may as well forget about the whole thing. It is just ridiculous.
But of course at the same time the public not to taking advantages on this. Take the music for free if it’s a offer from the owner. But if it’s available at some price then be a gentlemen to purchase it at the price like a man for the stuff you enjoy listening.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
MACA of Repllica: Have fun, that way you will get the best out of you. Be flexible a little bit – I mean, just like us forming this band as a Metallica Tribute band and only performs Metallica stuff we find out there are listener who enjoy our showmanship but at the same time wanted to see us doing other thing beside Metallica.
We never deny the idea, once we received invitation and request we will make sure to make the wish came true. At the same time we’re very selective, DO NOT do anything that you’re not sure of or anything that against your way. Anything that you enjoy listen to – why not don’t be shame have a go do it with style (of your own of course)
With that you may be able to create your own identify. Sing and plays it like you mean it – even when you cover someone else work, play it with your style. Once you identify your style it’ll make whole thing lots easier when you start to make your own materials.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
MACA of Repllica: This whole songwriting process it just came anywhere anytime. I don’t know but for me every time when I locked my self in the studio to work usually I’ll end up getting frustrated.
The thing is I realised, songwriting usually will be inspired by the emotional situations. Depending how it takes you just be ready. I’ll be jumping off the bed, waking up at night whenever some thoughts or ideas came across my mind. Record it in any forms, writing lyrics or melody. Voice recorder is always works best for me for melody. Lyrics, I will usually write it down on piece of paper or type it on the phone or just record in over the voice recorder.
Once I got it, I’ll blend into the ideas for few days and then work it in the studio. It works every single time for me.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Artist: Currently not yet. We’re still looking around and gathering ideas on making our own website. For the time being we made ourselves available on social media such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and a few music sharing websites such as SoundCloud and Bandcamp. Exposed vocal is the latest we currently exploring.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
MACA of Repllica: Wow, that would be the toughest to answer. A million and year off. I guess first it will go to mortgage! Hahaha. Perhaps use it to improve the current family living conditions, pay of loans, put a proper project plan for the band and allocations to fund the band activities. And definitely produce a high quality music and make it available in as many countries as possible.
With a year off, we would take 6 months go on tour and another 6 with family. I also would take them along during the tour.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
MACA of Repllica: Currently we’re on SoundCloud where public can stream online to our new released singles, and Bandcamp is available for free downloads, just trying out. I mean this is new to us. We never thought of making our music. And now it’s done we’re thinking to find the best way to promote our music to reaching the music lovers out there. At the same time we got our Instagram page (@the.repllica) and twitter (@repllicamusica) and of course YouTube showing the list of our jamming sessions / live performance (the.repllica)
And of course, we stumble across Exposed Vocals and received this invitation for interview which we all think it’s a good platform.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
MACA of Repllica: After releasing the 4 singles track namely Nowhere to Run, If Only (It’s Okay), Misfit’s Agony and another single from our collaborative work with The Conspiracy titled Judas Iscariot – we’re currently working on another 5 uncompleted materials. Hopefully we’ll mange to get it out by this year.
Perhaps after that we’ll look into the possibility producing our very first digital album. Crossed finger. At the same time we’re still regularly to continue our gigs show and still receiving offer for private functions.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
MACA of Repllica: Jade is in real estate, Joe works for a bank and my self I’m a Human Resources professional at one of the insurance company.
I was once wrong, given up on music once I found out its not really working. I mean it doesn’t pay for my living. I gave it up. Only now I realised, to be able to play music and enjoying it – it’s kind of a reward. It is not necessary to get paid, we realised the happy faces drawn on the audience faces enjoying to the music we play it is kind of fulfilling.
There are time where we just playing a show for free. We just want to get up there and share some piece of good music. Everyone are welcome to join.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
MACA of Repllica: As I said earlier. Jade is in real estate, meanwhile Joe works for a bank and my self I’m a human resources professional currently working at one of the insurance company. As much as we enjoy music, at the same time we gotta be realistic. We got family to feed. But that doesn’t stop us doing what we like. We’re working on the dot, except for Jade real estate man is always on the go. At the same time we’re family man. We’re doing the best we could to juggle, basically we’re share the same principle which is – normally we always hear people saying ‘Family comes first, or career comes first, or maybe bro’s before hoe’s’. It didn’t really worked that way – we always kept the priority first. If there’s a task to be deliver at work we just make sure it will be done. Same goes with Family, whenever there in needs we will make sure we first gonna be there. And if there’s show or project to be completed – we just locked our self and get the job done. It totally works.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
MACA of Rellica: If we do really have fans, hey you guys are awesome. Stay tune. We have released 4 single including of our collaborative work with The Conspiracy – Judas Iscariot. We’re expecting to release another 5 singles. Hopefully after doing that we may get to release our first album.