NEWCOMER to rock, Nor Naw, has shot to fame after releasing his first album A Tine Htet Alon (Extremely Well). Timeout had a quick chat with him about his upcoming album, his band and how he became a rock-star.

Timeout: When did you start making rock music seriously?
Nor Naw: Sometime after 2000 but I’ve had a strong interest in it since grade seven. Now, I’m really passionate about pursuing a career in rock music.

Which artists have inspired you musically?
I was brought up listening to rock songs by stars like Lay Phyu and A Ngae.

What was it that got you interested in music?
My dad. He is a guitarist and he organised music bands in Myitkyina.

So, you lived in Myitkyina? How did you overcome the challenge of moving from playing in the provinces to the big time here in Yangon?
I faced many challenges of course. But I always think it’s best not to worry about them and focus instead on doing what you want to do — for me, that’s making and playing music.

Tell me about your band, “The Blaze”?
When we first started the band its name was Bone Bag. It turns out though that there was another band called Big Bag so we decided to change it. In 2002 we came across the word “blaze” while looking through a dictionary. Since then, we’ve called our band “The Blaze”.

Do you find working as a solo artist and working with a band very different?
Yes, it’s quite different. You play your songs and there are no problems with bandmates, no disagreements or disputes. As a solo artist you have more freedom to do what you want during the recording process.

What did you expect from living the rock star life?
I’ve never hoped for big things so I’ve never really thought about that before. But, now you ask the question, I think maybe I should give that a bit more thought.

Is your upcoming album finished yet?
All the instrumental recordings are finished but the vocals are incomplete. We don’t have an album name yet but we’re hoping to release it within the next two months.

Your songs are quite strange for the rock listener, how can we describe them?
They are just rock songs, but I do as I want in my distinctive style.

Do you have any favourite music memories?
In my school days my friend and I would sing songs and tap our fingers on the desk whenever the teacher left the room.

Besides the music, what else do you love about the rock star lifestyle?
I love guitars and enjoy collecting them.