dangerously hanging to static life

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

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.

So everything went strangely ok. For me. We had a manager offering her service. I’m delighted. Coz that would be so much easier. I’m not thinking bout it before. But, having Awin relieved me a bit. This should helps, as the registration matters and fees can be settled first without having to get back to utp.

After a good email session with am. We decided to include Karim in the team. Yeah. This was not hard. Even an intern can go on euphonius. I think.

I’m thinking as this is the last year nas would be at utp, maybe it is the last time he would perform formally. For me, I just want to have a great time. Previously, I urged myself not think bout even going to final, but just give the best shot. I must remember my priority, I want to be as expressive as I could. That’s the challenge within myself. Dun even cares bout winning.

Euphonius come again. This time, although I’m not in UTP (away for training), I decided to enter. I know Askar n King would be a big problem if I want them to fulfill my utmost desire of being at the stage, so I give shot by asking nas and pacat.

My sms:Weyll, jom masuk eupho, aku bass n am vocal.

Nas:bro, betulke nak masuk euphonius? Camna mau practice.  

My sms: Takpe.Aku sanggup turun practice setiap hari minggu. [Risky Bluff] 

After that, there’s a long conversation as I called nas. Nas & pacat was there. Supposed to be no problemo. Butt, there’s preblemo uno. Euphonius specifically designed so that u should be good and formal, n they’ve retained the rule so that each band has their own unique instrument. 

That was a harsh decision to pick who’se gonna play the percussion. (the only choice-of coarse, like we will use violinist in our song..) Jemeck recently turned down Afiq 425’s offer to play. He’s not in the mood.. I know. Because he’s in the state of realizing that ‘shit’ happens..what a boy. What to do???? Hurmmmmm..

I’ve been ‘working’ for 15 days…(including the weekends of course). Working and studying has a lot of difference. This is

1. I have to wake up at least on 7.00 am while usually I consider 9 am is too early on my study days.. I can wake up until 7.30 am, but Aizat would have scared me to death during our way to work. (We take turns of whose car – saving maa)
2. I eat breakfast! I usually come early, and there’s ample time to eat/drink/smoke in the morning. First time! I remember having breakfast during my odd days (maybe once a semester~)
3. I spend more time in front of my desktop without PES!
4. I email a lot. Outlook~
5. I do more AutoCAD drawing in one day working than in one semester studying.
6. English a lot.
7. Macai work a lot. But kinda like it.
8. Need to tuck in. Like SBP days ler pulak.
9. I see traffic jams everyday. WTF!
10. WTF #2..i cant play mp3 as loud as I had at my room. Miss izham so much.. He only shows me donor face when I played the mp3 as loud as I my winamp goes.
11. I don’t jam for almost 4 months. Super WTF.

Dude..!!!! wtf.. I will blab here and hopes nobody knows me. =) Rite here, sitting in my room. I dunno wut’s i’m doing. Hopefully, my result dis time dont suck big time.

Owhh. that’s been full a crap of u.. Can someone force me to study. Infact, there are… It’s u my quite princess… I’l go study now.. N lah..!