Rise And Grind(Core)

Grindcore rockers WORMROT may be the first Singaporean band to perform at Glastonbury, but they sometimes still have to “pay to perform”.

- Yip Jieying

WHO ARE THEY: Local grindcore (think hardcore punk and heavy metal) band Wormrot was formed in 2007 by singer Mohammad Arif Suhaimi and guitarist Mohammad Nurrasyid ‘Rasyid’ Juraimi, both 33. The band’s current drummer, Vijesh Ashok Ghariwala, 26, joined in 2015. The band, which has a 64k-strong following on Facebook, made local music history by being the first homegrown band to perform at the Glastonbury Festival in June, alongside headliners like Radiohead and Lorde. Wormrot is signed to UK indie label Earache Records and have released three albums that the band endearingly terms as “organised chaos”. Arif recalls, “[The label] contacted us through Myspace back then with a record deal. We were so young and naive, we said yes immediately. But we had to hire a very expensive lawyer to go through the contract ’cos we didn’t understand a thing!”

8 DAYS: How did you land the Glastonbury gig?

ARIF SUHAIMI: We were touring Europe recently and played a show in London. [Our record label was] impressed by our show, and they approached us and said: “Please don’t tell anyone yet, but you’re playing at Glastonbury.” I was like, “Excuse me, are you kidding?” They explained that it was the record label’s anniversary and they were bringing bands performing harsher genres to the festival for something different.

NURRASYID JURAIMI: That gig was great. We played a 45-minute set at our record label’s stage called Earache Express that was actually a train [converted into a stage]. That show was packed. We also played a second time at a bigger stage, but the turnout wasn’t good. I think about 20 to 30 people showed up? We were the first band in the lineup and it was too early

Were you disappointed by the turnout?