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Interview with Jason Tan and Damien Lim, the dual 6-string tag team of local punk rock outfit Airwaves On Fire (AOF). They released their debut EP last year and they're currently working on their second EP, which is due for release early next year.
What projects are you currently involved in?
Jason: I play lead guitar for 2 bands, Airwaves On Fire and Y2K. I serve in church as well, either as worship leader, guitarist or drummer.
Damien: I play second guitar for Airwaves On Fire. Besides that, I also play for church and participate in some occasional jamming sessions and open mics here and there.
How do you juggle between work and music?
Jason: My day job has been kind to me, I get to leave work at 6 p.m. Once I'm home, I pretty much have all the time in the world to work on my music, until I turn in for the night. Gig and work schedules have not clashed so far because every show is at night. I normally take leave or at least half day leave on those days. It definitely can be tiring on certain days especially when we have a lot of shows.
Damien: As taboo as it may sound, I guess treating music as “work” is my way of balancing my time. As we usually to schedule “band time” at the beginning of the month, I’ll schedule my work and other activities around it. With the convenience of WhatsApp, we discuss stuff without actual physical contact and work on the final details when we meet or during practice time.
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Jason: On a personal level, I like writing songs (or riffs) that can be easily sung along, and loads of jumpy showmanship stuff. I tend to avoid making complicated tunes. I remember watching an interview where Misfit’s guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein said something along the lines of: “If the songwriting process gets too complicated, I would just drop it entirely”. I can relate to that a lot. You can ask the rest, I get somewhat irritated whenever they go on and on about doing some attack which the whole band can’t seem to achieve after many attempts, mainly because our skill level at that time doesn’t allow it. Some things just take time as we continue to improve. 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t be able to pull off the riffs and solos I write today. I have Guitar Pro 7 installed on my laptop, so if ever I have something in mind and I don’t have a guitar near me, I would tab it out there first. I have tried just using the phone recorder to hum my ideas, but it didn’t work. There's a reason why I am not a singer.
Damien: Music has always been a big part of my life since I was young. It’s just always been there, and I’ve always wanted to do it. Even when I tried to move away from it, I still somehow get involved in something to do with music. When it comes to songwriting, I usually write about things I experience in life: the good times, the bad times (hmm… maybe that’s why a lot of my songs revolves around alcohol), or current happenings, like politics, work, relationships or even loss of loved ones or friends.
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How's the writing process like?
Jason: The main songwriters in AOF are Jian (vocalist) and Damien. I normally come up with riffs and vocal fillers once the lyrics and chords are in. I’m not the best person to ask to write lyrics. In the early days, when we were known as Derpstep, Jian would write the lyrics and chords, and we would work around it. And that has stayed the same till today. Only Radio Riot and Stella were written guitar first, then lyrics.
Damien: There’s really no fixed process for me. It usually comes in phases out of the blue, like a train approaching a station. So every time the creative train comes, I just try to load up as much as I can and store it aside. I just hope I have my guitar, pen and paper with me when the time comes. It usually starts with a spark of inspiration, either as a catchy phrase or a catchy melody or sound when I’m playing with my guitar or testing new gear. Then it’ll grow from there. When an idea sprouts, I’ll usually record a video and send it to the band. If they like what they hear, they’ll adopt the song. From there we’ll set aside one of the practice sessions to work on the structure and arrangements until it's finished.
Any plans for another EP or album?
Damien: We’re currently in the process of recording our second EP at Studio 21:05 with our producer JD. We don’t have an exact launch date finalised yet, but you should be able to expect to see some new material from us soon.
What are your main musical influences?
Jason: For me, it's a tie between Sum 41 and Green Day. My guitar heroes are Slash, Dave Brownsound of Sum 41, and Daron Malakian of System of a Down.
Damien: Definitely the punk rock OGs from the 90s and 2000s! Grew up listening to the music from Blink 182, Greenday, Bowling For Soup, and Offspring. Have always been the odd one out, because the kids in school were usually into pop, metal or hip hop. Lately, I’ve had a shift in my music preference to a little more post-rock, ambient and progressive stuff. So, my YouTube playlists are filled with stuff like Polyphia, The Omnific, etc.
What was the first song that you learnt on guitar?
Jason: I don’t remember, but the first guitar solo I learnt is Sum 41’s Hell Song.
Damien: It was either Wonderwall by Oasis or All the Small Things by Blink 182.
What are your weapons of choice?
Jason: My main weapon is the Epiphone Les Paul Custom (because I can’t afford a Gibson yet). On the bench, I have an Epiphone LP Standard (my first guitar) and the Epiphone Tom Delonge ES-333. Each of them has a distinct sound but the LP Custom is the most versatile because of its push-pull pot function. I have used all 3 guitars for recording. As for bullets, I have a California Delay, an Awesome Pedal (by An Honest Mistake), a Dookie Drive (by MXR and Green Day), a Jim Dunlop Wah, and a tuner (the most important one). I am using the Line 6 Relay G30 wireless system for more mobility on stage. I’m not really a pedal guy though. So if I ever make it big, I’m gonna be like Slash: just the Wah on stage while everything else is controlled by a tech backstage.
Damien: I’ve only got one axe, which is my Squier Vintage Modified 72s Telecaster Thinline upgraded with Gibson Burstbucker Pro pickups. I just love the overall looks and feel of the guitar. It’s a lightweight guitar which makes it easy to move around the stage and the modern-C neck makes it super playable. Plus, you just gotta love a guitar with an F-hole! In terms of shaping my sound, I rely a lot on my pedals and I'm currently setting up my board to work directly to the mixer for a more consistent sound from venue to venue. I change my effects pedals quite frequently to try new stuff and sounds, but the Fulltone OCD has been a permanent fixture on my board for years and is generally what I build my sound around. For vocals, I use the standard Shure SM58 microphone running through a TC Electronic Mic Mechanic to fatten up my voice.
If you had a chance to either perform or record with one of your idols, who would it be?
Jason: Sum 41.
Damien: Blink 182.
What's your message to young aspiring musicians?
Jason: Music is a journey. You will have good times, you will have bad times. Cherish the good times, learn from the bad times. Swallow that pride of yours because there will always be someone better than you. Instead, work with the bands and people you meet along the way.
Damien: If you’re an aspiring musician, you need to know the difference between someone who plays music and a musician. Anybody can play their instrument of choice and if you’re gifted enough you can compose and write songs. But being a musician is more than that. You’ve got to market yourself, present your product, promote your music, grow your audience, build your image, etc. The music industry is very much like the business world. You (the artist) is the brand and your music is your product. The way you would market and sell your brand and products is the same way you would for your music. If this makes sense to you, then start by getting a decent demo out, take a couple of decent pictures and videos, build a press kit (if you don’t know what that is, Google is your friend) and send it out to as many venues, promoters, PR companies and whoever it may concern. Keep doing that on top of building your song catalogue and eventually you will get your break.
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