The Estranged drummer, Azwin Andy, was clean shaven the last time I saw him on TV, so when a scruffy looking Azwin greeted me, I was a little taken aback.

“Dang, is this the same guy I Googled a few minutes ago?” I wondered. Upon closer inspection, I figured there must only be one ‘famous’ Azwin Andy in Malaysia. “Yup, it’s him,” I decided.

After a quick photo shoot at the studio in Menara Star, we sat down in a meeting room to talk about his latest responsibility as Nike Product Red Laces ambassador.

“When they (Nike) approached me about the project, I was all up for it,” said the 26-year-old musician.

This is Nike first collaboration with Product Red, a worldwide brand co-initiated by U2’s Bono to help raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. (Visit http://www.joinred.com to learn more about this project).

One hundred percent of the profits from Nike Product Red Laces will go to the Global Fund (http://www.theglobalfund.org) and to support football based programmes to help fight AIDS in Africa.

Though Azwin believes that people are more accepting of those living with HIV/AIDS, they still cannot help themselves from letting negativity get the best of them once in a while.

“I do not have any close friends who have HIV/AIDS but I’ve met some people who live with it. I know now people are more conscious of the disease, but sometimes they still do whisper ‘Psst…that guy has got AIDS’ to one another,” he said.

“We have to work on changing such mentalities.”

Azwin also believes that it’s wise for people to get tested for HIV/AIDS and not live with the idea that it will never affect them.

“It could happen to anyone. Go get yourself tested. It’s good to create awareness about HIV/AIDS. I believe that the level of awareness on this topic has increased in Malaysia, thanks to campaigns such as this. We should have more campaigns in the future until there is no need for them,” he said.

The Nike Product Red Laces is now on sale in all Nike stores throughout the nation. It is priced at RM15 and will be available until July 2010.

Sharm says: Don’t forget to check out Random Facts: Azwin Andy, ok!