BORRISON IVY

In The Media > 2008 > FYI Magazine

By Damon Galo Calizo

Join FYI on a musical journey as we discover three of the country's home-grown groups singing their way to our hearts.

If you ignore the name, you soon realise that these guys can play catchy, melodic and thumping rock music. Borrison Ivy love to play pumping riffs, something that leaves lots of space in the song, allowing their listeners to get drawn into it. As one of the guys from Def Leopard [sic] once said, a song should be punctuated, not obliterated, and that is what Borrison Ivy consciously try to do.

A group composed of four people of different nationalities, these guys met over the internet and its thanks to Dubizzle and Dubai Lime that they were brought together by their common love of pumping rock music.

Drummer Marc is can't seem to pin-point exactly where he's from, bassist Quay is from the Philippines, Richard is Australian and the newest addition to the group is Mardig, the lead vocals who is, "from almost everywhere." Four men who work 9 to 5 but still find time to squeeze in their passion for music after taking care of their respective families. Focusing on catchy, live rock songs, Borrison Ivy have played their original rock anthems at Sharjah Wanderers Club and, recently, at Dubai's Souq Madinat, Jumeirah. The band plan to help boost the UAE's live rock scene by playing their new music at as many live gigs in Dubai's hotels, clubs, nightclubs and open mic cafes as possible. They will be seen in the future at Four Points Sheraton Hotel, Al Nasr Leisureland and Dubai Bike Week.

Borrison Ivy are currently in the recording studio mixing the demo of their original debut rock album aiming to sign up a recording contract with a record label interested in original rock music from this part of the world. Their songs cover a wide array of subjects from Asian women to Hobart, Tasmania. 'Asian Girls' is a celebration of Asian women and according to the band is the only "cute and fun song" on the album. 'Salary Slut' and 'Just Another Office Job' are, as the names suggest, about working a 9 to 5 job, and an attempt to burst the myth that getting a university degree equals a high income and "doing well".

'Brake Baby' is about overbearing love - about a partner who is coming on too strong. Richard thinks this song is about him, "It's about that feeling of being suffocated and the claustrophobia associated with a boyfriend/girlfriend who just doesn't give you any space." 'Hobart, Tasmania' is about the place, growing up and suffering from a collective national identity crisis. There are also four more tracks on the upcoming album that stay true to their vision of ensuring their audience feel melody, rhythm and rapport. These are songs that have more melody than attitude, something that contradicts the grungy, 90s mainstream rock era.

As for the name? Well, in keeping with their creative spirit, it came from Richard's plants named Borris and Ivy. A rocker that names his plants? Very rock 'n' roll!