DIVA chats to Malaysian, queer experimental indie punk band Shh”¦Diam!
Malaysian, queer experimental indie punk band Shh…Diam! formed in 2009 and are actively involved in promoting LGBT rights in Malaysia, as individuals, and as a band.
They are the first openly queer band in a country where colonial-era sodomy laws are still enforced. Their previous drummer, a trans woman, left the band and Malaysia due to the pressures trans women face in the country.
While a recently-elected government offers hope, there is still a lot to do before every Malaysian can say they are truly equal. The queer community in Malaysia is regularly harassed by the religious authorities and the police.
Despite the climate of fear among LGBT people in Malaysia, the band plays gigs around the country to show the public that queer folk aren’t, "evil and they don’t have orgies all the time," a common misconception promoted in the mass media.
Here, Evie Vouilleman catches up with the band ahead of their European tour this August.
DIVA: How did you come up with your band name?
SHH… DIAM!: Random. We were likely not sober at the time. It doesn't have a specific or deep meaning so when people ask us what it means, we'll make something up. Translated into English, it means, "Shh, quiet!"
How would you describe your music, in a nutshell?
The nut would have to be very big. One big nut. Someone once described it as, "something else". Every song is different. There are elements of surf, jazz, punk, 80s, power ballads, psychedelia… We try to reinvent ourselves with every song so we can be better than Madonna.
Which bands and musicians have been your biggest influences?
David Hasselhoff's music is diverse and appeals to all ages. We're also lucky to be surrounded by talented queer musicians like TingTongKetz and Sex Metal Sunday (who also coincidentally practice at our studio and are also coincidentally signed under our record label, Kucing Kotak Records).
Do you have a standout show that you’ve played?
There have been lots of crazy shows, but one show we played in our early days was probably the craziest. We played in the centre court of a shopping mall in a small town. Our audience was kindergarten kids who were there for a field trip. Kids are nuts.
How are you feeling about releasing your second full-length album?
We're excited and scared as fuck. What if it sucks? The last album was basically a compilation of songs we already had, but this one we started from scratch. Malaysia was going through a lot of political shit and as a band we were going through some stuff as well. Our drummer (before Afi) left and we had no drummer for a long time. It seemed like it was never going to happen because we weren't writing anything new.
Do you ever get nervous before live performances?
Every single time. It never gets better.
How does it feel to be the only openly gay band in Malaysia?
Sometimes we think we're stupid for being openly queer and trans in a country where it's not something you want to reveal to the public. There are a few new queer bands coming up though, like TingTongKetz.
What is it like for LGBTQ+ people living in Malaysia right now?
We recently managed to vote out the old government that had been in power since independence, but the new government is hesitant to take a stand on LGBTQ+ issues. We're still vilified in the media, still discriminated against. Conversion boot camps are still a thing. We're hoping that the new government will be more open to dialogue.
Do you think the queer music scene in Malaysia could grow in the next few years?
Yes! So many new acts are coming up, like Alextbh, Saint Raja, Senja. We're old, so it's good to have young blood in the scene, you know, in case we die.
Has your sexuality or gender identity been an issue in your music career, so far?
So far, so good. We're super lucky to live in the city where there's a strong queer support network. Faris started transitioning nearly four years ago but we kept playing shows. We got some questions but they weren't mean about it or anything. At the same time, we'll never make it in the mainstream scene simply because we choose to be open about who we are.
Do you have plans to come to Europe?
Comiiiiinggg!! This August! See you soon!
For more on the band visit shhdiam.com 💥
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