By Rajoshree Das
Their music is inspired by the universality of rock genre and the name of their album reflects the rat race in the erstwhile sleepy hill city.
MoneyRacer is the new band in town whose members released its debut album recently. Veteran singer Lou Majaw was at the release of the album as an inspiration to the not-so-young musicians.
Donald C Syiem, Sanja Risaw, Badajied Lyngdoh and Bassit Khlain Ryntathiang are in their forties but age has only bettered their skills and made them confident to face the competition in the overcrowded music arena of Shillong.
“I am so thrilled with this record and can’t wait for everyone to hear it! I am excited for the listeners’ responses,” says Syiem, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the experimental rock band.
The band was formed in the winter of 2014 and the members wanted to focus on traditional songs.
The members would listen to different artistes and bands which inspired them to write their own music.
With time, rock music became their main genre. The members say through their music they not only want to inspire their fans but also let them know the true meaning of lyrics.
The self-titled album, MoneyRacer, features a fusion of rock and traditional music compromising eight English songs. “It took us two years to complete the recording after the formation of the band in 2014,” says drummer Risaw.
Before the launch, they released their debut single Traffic Jam, which was a part of the album in their YouTube channel, and “got great response”.
On how the name MoneyRacer came into being, the members say it was conceived in a unique way. “We researched that if taxis in Shillong didn’t make eight trips a day it was useless to be in the business. While observing the taxis we saw stickers behind many vehicles which read ‘Moneyracer’ and hence the name of the band was coined,” says Lyngdoh, one of the guitarists.
On choosing rock as their genre, Syiem says, “The rock encompasses a wider spectrum of relevance and it’s the only genre of music that allows individualism to come out. We always say I’m in the mood for Blues or I’m in the mood for Beatles but you never say I am in the mood for rock.”
The band chose to root themselves in traditional format because it acts as a strong base. “From here we can go to electronic music that allows us to create music in a wider zone,” says Ryntathiang, the other guitarist.
On competing with younger musicians in the city, the band members say being in the forties, it’s the best age for them as they studied a lot and have come through a lot in life. “We have a lot of stories to tell and they motivate and help us to write varieties of songs and (now) we have the resources to do so,” they say in unison.
Their album was recorded in Audiotech studio, Lumdiengmet, and the sound designing was done outside the state. The total expenditure was Rs 2 lakh.
Commenting on the band’s vision, Syiem says, “I think we are getting better everyday and by the time we launch our next song it will be much better then what we are now. We are constantly working and by the end of the year we must be hitting another album.”