Music and living with it

I’m arriving late and couldnt believe my eyes. We always talk 400 sumthing crowd, and here there are, (every type of person u can think of). There’s a cute boy with slightly advanced hairstyle, school children (hopefully they’re from secondary school), and even parents who seemed like dragged down by their children wanting to watch Hujan.

We’re simply not used to it. After a few rounds finding Yun and Qiela Rainbow, briefed by Izham I managed to sit down. There are people everywhere, and looked like they couldnt wait any longer. “Cheer up!” I mumbled. “Ramai sial….!”  Jemek wit his disbelief face. He had been always so critical but positive minded. I can only grinned. We have approximately 37 sale booths and another 7 exhibition booths, so mathemathically it goes down to the power of network promotions. What makes it sweeter, the event is not in KL! I couldn’t think any of event not funded by well-published company, doing indie gig and art of this magnitude.

I hope everyone had a good day. I miscalculated the manpower tshirt. I end up giving an XXL Jebon an M tshirt! No wonder he’s so angry. =) He’s the hero of the day from my point of view dealing the stage flow and equipments while the imported bodyguard, Mr. Najib takes care of the security.

There are point for myself to remember tho:

1. No more sleeping ‘keru’. Every crew should have jobs.

2. Entrance to after-barricade area should be monitored closely. The stage is somehow crowded with assholes, in shape of cameraman and groupies.

3. Is there any ‘bomoh hujan’ u know?

4. Technical (plus one person - connecting stage and mixer tent). Security (if only we have 5 more Mr. Najib)

5. Soundman is experimenting on the day. I cant hear the tops, the sub woofer is ok. Will be alright if the band are all guest band!

Owh. btw. Retrodelic plays a beatles tune. Followed by Dewi and I was born to love you. We wanted to do some experiments so we played Rockstar Inc with Askar on vocal. I dont know but i think the crowd remember it and hopefully it’s a good sign.

Right before coming on stage my hp is nowhere to be found. That stupid asshole also give some msg to my contacts. May he live long enough!

Ops.the previous post should say that the ‘freak accident’ happened in march 2007. A day after the preliminary round for Euphonius that year.

Now approximately 1 year later, the Euphonius 2008 was over. We clinched to second place! I’m so happy, as Donut was also there and watch the performance. I cannot hide that deep down i feel sad as The Capoiz was ‘invincible’! Nothing to be ashamed of, as all the performers are really awesome. Seriously, we can’t tell who’s going to be second,third,fourth or fifth. First? I had a feeling from the start that they going to win again. They’re a ‘batch band’ and also boasting the finest singer on the competition. The most important thing. And the line-ups they have, you should be really special to compete with them.

Thank God we slashed out the urge of winning into something more realistic. To destroy! It’s a perfect excuse of telling we can’t win but have to be the best either way. Got the point?
I got a stomachache seeing Yasha’s montage. Where’s the last sentenced sound a bit like this ‘The Unity of May03′. Last time i recall, I’m still a May03 and that won’t change. The montage maker make it loyalty and personal by choosing which band to vote. I do think, it also make other batches turn off to vote them. And how about me, i didn’t unite being in other band. Lamest thing, on making this thing a battle of the batch! Owh, I had issues only with the montage not with the band. =)

The next agenda is Wu-Huu 2008. I’m so busy monitoring tshirt sales and end up giving a horrid time to Dr. Azmi my Failure Analysis lect during my FYP seminar.

“This is my progress per now, sir”

“It’s OK…

you just have to go back and start working”

Wow! I’m like crazy.

P/s:Thanks awin.she’s the manager again.

Thanks chuna and mia.they are ’the groupies’.

i opened my eyes, hearing in from afar, while collecting my scattered wits. it is my name, coming out from strange people.i mean stranger. strange voice. i looked around only to realize that i in unfamiliar places. dark night, unimaginable territory.

how odd it can be. i wake up only to find out i’m half covered in mud near a highway. ‘this can’t be it’. and it followed by, ‘damn, pure damn’.

and finally i spot spill of blood close to me. making smooth chores of lines to the end of the roadways and sand (i supposed) which i currently sit on. it’s my blood. i slowly regained consciousness. i’m not waking up from a bad dream. it’s really happening.

i can do scanning now. ‘damn it’, was i all i can say, for one last time. it’s the picture of my crashed-to-the-limit car that grab me.it’s within 10 metres away.looked like i got an instant punishment. the car’s in awful lot. the sides (i mean both sides) had totally cracked in. the rear looked like it’s smashed up to be halfway in. and the rear glass window, which is the only way i can be here, out of the car, scattered. shiny little pieces of glass. this is when i felt raw, unease strain at my knee. it’s blood there, too. and i must have been dragged on most part of the time end up in current place; on my two legs. this will leave an awful reminder in form of scars. which is what i hate most.

i didnt bother the pain, and the people staring at me. i hear them murmuring, and i dont give a shit;get up on my foot and began tracking my things from the car.the first one is my timberland bag.which carry most of my valuables.and second one is my wallet, which separately found at the backseat.maybe the effect of momentum.

one caring guy approaches me, as if it was his bussiness (which turns out it is), ‘jgn buang masa,adik.kita terus ke hospital.yang lain kitorang uruskan’. i dont know why. i followed in agreement.sit on the backseat of his red toyota moving slowly fled from the scene. the peoples, other peoples; looked like they’re scared.while i’m actually cursing why this could have been happened.

at the toll gate to get off the highway. i heard the generous guy said, ‘cepat sikit, teruk ni’; he was not talking to me. i have this illusions, and dizzy. i couldnt see more as the black faze filled up my head. i was unconscious.

p/s: this was around march 2006, when i’m doing practical at J&J.huge thing happen which much changed me in many ways of thinking.i owe big thanks to the generous brother.and to my family and close friends.

I said it like hundred times. I do being alone most of my time now. and honestly it was hard. Considering i’m being in a bigger group since v1 days. I do realize, it’s hard for me to adjust being in a group of mediocre thinking people either, which made me seperated from ‘others’ almost every time. Being alone however, made me think a lot more than ever. which is good. Stupid little things comes crawling when i’m alone;

1. what can i do now, is read a lot more. and hopes, pour in more-than-average efforts so i can have a good challenging life i always hope.
2. Being lazy fool who never learns, makes it look like thousand mile adrift from the mission, ilham!
3. Sometimes, anticipation is better than reality. we never knows who’re the real friend.is being close is what it mean by friend/ doubt it.
4. and love; is stupid. makes me and you, weak. wavy seperation, which is always tough; will prove to be a good tonic.
5. Do i really need challenge/ Doubt it. Actually i want a manageble life. Messy workplace with no obligation of schedule isnt for me.Why would i lie.

 Got to do the plan or izham will be crazy.

We decided to form a new band. and the headache is to find a good name. a cool name. there’s a list; i personally like no.8 awas; api! coz it was so radical. so that i can be a nationalist freak altough i dont understand anything of independance.i wasnt there.

pilihan nama band
1. acid redshift
2. retrodelic   
3. glitter overkill
3. random puppet student
5. klik jurnal
6. pengkalan
7. hapusan data
8. Awas; Api!
9. Protokol
10.Polisi Rantau Timur
11.Sekuriti Unik
12.Scarlette Empire      
13.Scam Konformist       
14.Fufu Bunny & The Gigglers    
15.ANGKUH
16.strato-skandal
17.Retrodelic Skandal  
18.John Smith

We have our first show as a band just a moment ago. our hujan’s bila aku sudah tiada was so shit we’re so lucky brother nizam comes and saves the day. like superman, he is. anyway we felt happy, i sweat a lot. and it compensate my lack of jogging i do lately. 

We meet Rainbow Clothing, angel coming down to earth giving their hand on our Wu-Huu 2008. There’re also designers who help us on the t-shirt, which are talented, like hell. Everything going on well except i didnt submit my fyp progress report just YET. just shit. Working on my CV, waiting proofreading from afik n askar.

It’s jamie cullum’s. and i reccomend it altough u’re not into jazzy, country or anything slow moving. the lyric is simply consumable.

 What a difference a day make, 24 little hours, of the sun and the flowers, where they used to be red.

My yesterday was blue day, today i am upon to view day, my lonely nights are through day, since u said u were mine.

What a difference a day make, there’s a rainbow before me, skies above can be stormy, since a moment of abliss, that flinkin,

it’s heaven when u find romance on ur menu.

What a difference a day make, and the difference is u.

If u’re lookin for a package (count me in). That sucker is quite handsome. 20 something. not late 20s.but early 20s. now that’s a feat.

how on earth, an alternative, indie or rather rockish looking young dude can be such a maestro on that old taste of music. point to ponder.

To have a good looking rooms. checked.

to prepare my study accessories and timetable.checked.

to do my fyp.deleted from to-do-list

to record my songs.not checked.

this is not fair. depression. argh.

RISE OF NEW WAVE BANDS GOING TO MARK 2008 AS A HUGE YEAR FOR UNDERGROUND MUSIC

The underground music scene is receiving attention more than ever before. After so called metal raid in some spots in Peninsular Malaysia in the mid February 2006, the scene surprisingly but slowly increase the visibility; thanks to various media in internet and also from the press themselves. The main press nowadays didn’t  hesitate to write about indipendant bands anymore, as it is proven, being indipendant didn’t mean the quality is compromised. The rise of bands, like Hujan, Bittersweet, Meet Uncle Hussain, and others would prove Malaysian music is full of potential and foreign country’s raid of our music market could well be balanced.

Take a look at Hujan, currently the biggest indipendant band in Malaysia. Being young (22 going to be 23 this year) and full of surprises in his lyrics, Noh the hero on the mic had been inspiring other musicians to continue writing songs and believe in what they do. One who look at the story of success in Hujan version would think they had been a fairytale fortnight success. However, the loud applause of critics didn’t come in easy. AG for instance had been in under-rated Bhumiband before he got to the top of attention nowadays. The band had 2 EPs in their bag, 123 Go and Check2 Rock2. While simplicity and captive Malay tunes are their ingredients of success, the bands properly defined strategies are also becoming major parts of their image. Their EPs, can only be bought during their gigs, giving the people much needed live version of what actually the band sounds. Semi-poetic lyrics and flavour of The Stroke’s scram are actually helped by the close relationship with arts culture mostly operative in Myspace, hence making Hujan distinctive from other peer bands. The band could be one of major icons in Malaysian music, if they continue to write more addictive songs for the future!

Let’s not forget Bittersweet, the more upbeat band is currently boasting their latest album ‘The Perfect Match’ and had their all-around Malaysia tour in their sleeves. The band which hails from Ipoh, had been around for quite a few years (2004). The band evolve from sleek and relax indie tunes as in ‘distance to far’ to far more dance beats in ‘Simone’, ‘Kucing Hitam’ and current sensation ‘Capital E’. Bittersweet comprised of 5 mid-20s Pijie, Herri, Hafiz, Dinie and Emai. Their image on-stage definitely one of their main elements, with cool shades by most of their members, the band goes extra miles by having London-attire coats and mufflers. Their new video of ‘Capital E’ are quite a video and strong of indipendance feel. The band which goes into the spotlight of mainstream music after featuring in KAMI soundtracks, brief appearance in Muzik-Muzik TV3 and 8tv Concerts around Malaysia is a definite must in your playlist to lighten up your day.

Meet Uncle Hussain, which currently in studio for their first debut album - 8 Tahun got their much needed breaks into the main leagues after years. The band had been tagged Best DIY Band by ROTTW Poll in 2005 and 2 original songs ‘Lagu Untukmu’ and ‘La la la Kerjalah’ featured in KAMI soundtrack. Their main attraction is unsurpassed high pitch vocal thrown by their leader-in-chief Lan. The band starts as 5-piece band with Lan focuses on mic before grabs the guitar to be voc-cum guitarist. They usually have other friends on keyboard during recent live shows. Their album would be much anticipated album of the year and hopefully those high pitch vocal would never let us down!

Apart from these three bands, there are countless list of indipendant band varying in all genres of music. Bands that had been around for long like Couple, Plague of Happiness, Muck, Love Me Butch and They Will Kill Us All would be thriving to continue to impress local music scene. There are also numerous new bands just waiting to be discovered by the masses such as discotheque Komplot. 2008 would be a year of good local music, I bet!

ilham, www.myspace.com/ilhambro

List of song i like to jam before the semester ends. Yeahuu! 

coldplay-yellow
dewa-mistikus cinta,kasidah cinta,risalah hati,pupus,aku mau (once)
gun n roses-knockin on heavens door
the rock-munajat cinta
rusty blade-tiada lagi aku,pertama dan terakhir
xpdc-aku masih disini,hentian ini
rhcp-scar tissue,zephyr,californication,otherside
mcr-i dont love u,famous last word,deschanted
pretty ugly-diari seorang lelaki
ungu-kekasih gelapku
kembara-hati emas
bon jovi-it’s my life,always,i’ll be there for u
aerosmith-fly away from here
meet uncle hussin-lagu untukmu

i regard them as all encompassing genres song….we made bout just 6 songs in previous jam session.

mood swinger-mcr i dont love you

yellow.steady and very ‘afiq’s song

rusty blade’s tiada lagi aku.i’m craving this song bout ages!

dewa’s pupus.the batch dinner’s song.when the mood is at the peak.

bon jovi’s always & i’ll be there for u. jiwang all oooover.

awie’s version of musafir di aidilfitri (s jibeng).song that was not performed in the dinner because ‘time-matters’….

Next session is next week. In the middle of SBE and PE papers. Any problem? Hell no…

I’m in hepi mode.

For the first time, we fall short of time with more to be played during jam. It’s sensible. Feel good feeling. Yes, it is the same askar with his shitty attitude, (i always condemned him, but the truth is only me can stand him, and vice versa, which explain why only that bastard and me made it all the way to the final days). Having mr.twang afiq really been helpful, covering the hole part i’m not sure of. mr. influx pdus also superb (bear in my mind i dont know to judge drummers).

It’s the second time we’re jamming together. This semester as i looked back, was on my master plan-according to plan. There’s some deviation here and there… I want to recap and wrap them all here. Can i? Sure. This is MY blog.

1)The semester started with my new me, having direction from direct taught of epol.. a bassist from my place back in teluk intan. ironically, i met him thru online forum. luckily he’s generous (in term of musicwise). Materially, i become more appreciative of my ears and the arrangement of left hand fingers. And my first sem of the new semester started with XPDC’s aku masih di sini. I am not the biggest fan of XPDC, except that the fact that i salute them for being huge. (RAKSASA). Somehow, he tweaked me into liking the song. Everything i hate in the past was there, slow, not riffs but ‘bassline’, and malay song? How different i came to be…

ii)we hit it off to OUR studio. (Is it ours?) no. but let’s put it like that. haha. nice place, nice amps, acceptable drums. definitely helps. SKARFACE STUDIO call DZQ for more info. =)

iii)first event of the sem is musicfest 5. and as i mention in previous post, was not so good story. but still, i got something to be learned. i’m now realized that u cant force someone into someone he’s not…if u manage to pull them according to ur plan. u need two most important things

a)u and ahmad dhani are frens, thus u has the bit of his genius.

b)he’s into music more than u, deeper, crazier and dont mind expelled from the college to follow/lead to not-so-sure path with jackass like u.

For instance, we should never ask king to play that dread n fugitive mind song. Remember ilham. Not everything can be solved by saying “belasah je”. It’s true in most occasion, but on certain ppl it doesnt work that way.

iv)we played for our batch’s dinner. fortunately, as syed ask me to join him. i’m glad. so i ask bro nizam and remember askar? yes him, to join us. eventually, it is a good show. i merely had any problems. i can control my nervous. not so nerveous anymore. but still, i taught the jam session is better. it always work like that for us. i think. meant in sound settings area, i have to know more..btw, i sit. to be fair-because the song list was not so progressive.

v)With jemek,jbone,and others around. i think i’m musically evolved as never before.i started to play dewa.and finally end up having this good feeling.there’s some obstacle, like the hard part of gathering all ppl. (imagine when u got no cents left, with no crdts?)it’s shit…

vi)I finally finished the rough arrangement of my own song. it’s somehow distance away from wut i imagined it to be. but, at least i’m making some progress here. btw, we perform the song in musicfest 5. to sum up the story.

Conclusion;

apart from my missing tetsu’s book. i’m now generally happy. miss my book.