This kid's got some skill..
Check out..
California Dreaming
Whiter Shade of Pale
All You Need Is Love
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Dear Emma
Dear Emma,
Thank you so much for dropping a line. If you also have a blog please forward me it's link, I'd love to read it and link it to mine. I guess you are doing fine... I'm responding to your comment not on a personal level nor is it meant to hit your fine country, our neighbour, Indonesia. This is just a part of the debate which I'm looking forward to continuing.
Anyhoo,
I do appreciate on the imput on some facts on the Indonesian market. You do realize that the Indonesian population is some 228 million people, which is roughly almost 10 times more then the estimated 27.5 million people. Therefore, I'd like you to analize the ratio of sales to the "market".
Of course everywhere will be talking about the volume of record sales but here, as we are speaking on local support, let us analyze on how many locals are really supporting the industry.
Even with Peter Pan's record of 3 million copies sold in Indonesia, it's actualy about only one in a million who is buying.
Their "rezeki" on being blessed with good looks or brilliant minds and making money out of it was never at question in the first place. Lets say if they had to rely solely on the music, how would they survive? I take back what I said on the reliability of the Indonesian bands on Malaysia to make them rich. My apologies there. I now agree Malaysia on it's own doesn't put food on the plate for the Indonesian bands, I'm not even questioning the Malaysian devotion towards Indonesian bands. I'm only asking my fellow Malaysians to look and love what we have.
Emma,
How would you feel if your local telco (in our case MAXIS) sponsors a stadium, theme park concert for foreign acts? Indonesian acts included...when on the other side we are struggling to get sponsors, permits, running into trouble with the cops, venues(always some hall or club) for our bands-established and upcoming to perform. Amy Search performed in Limkokwing, Butterfingers performing in Ruums soon.
Thanks Fly Fm for having the Campur Chart, but you could have banged the one year anniversary in a stadium or make it feel real Ozzfest, Woodstock like. Maybe next year...i hope!
Thanx Emma...hoping to hear from you soon.
p.s. Emma was kind enough to leave a comment clarifying some facts on my previous post Local Scene Blues
Thank you so much for dropping a line. If you also have a blog please forward me it's link, I'd love to read it and link it to mine. I guess you are doing fine... I'm responding to your comment not on a personal level nor is it meant to hit your fine country, our neighbour, Indonesia. This is just a part of the debate which I'm looking forward to continuing.
Anyhoo,
I do appreciate on the imput on some facts on the Indonesian market. You do realize that the Indonesian population is some 228 million people, which is roughly almost 10 times more then the estimated 27.5 million people. Therefore, I'd like you to analize the ratio of sales to the "market".
Of course everywhere will be talking about the volume of record sales but here, as we are speaking on local support, let us analyze on how many locals are really supporting the industry.
Even with Peter Pan's record of 3 million copies sold in Indonesia, it's actualy about only one in a million who is buying.
Their "rezeki" on being blessed with good looks or brilliant minds and making money out of it was never at question in the first place. Lets say if they had to rely solely on the music, how would they survive? I take back what I said on the reliability of the Indonesian bands on Malaysia to make them rich. My apologies there. I now agree Malaysia on it's own doesn't put food on the plate for the Indonesian bands, I'm not even questioning the Malaysian devotion towards Indonesian bands. I'm only asking my fellow Malaysians to look and love what we have.
Emma,
How would you feel if your local telco (in our case MAXIS) sponsors a stadium, theme park concert for foreign acts? Indonesian acts included...when on the other side we are struggling to get sponsors, permits, running into trouble with the cops, venues(always some hall or club) for our bands-established and upcoming to perform. Amy Search performed in Limkokwing, Butterfingers performing in Ruums soon.
Thanks Fly Fm for having the Campur Chart, but you could have banged the one year anniversary in a stadium or make it feel real Ozzfest, Woodstock like. Maybe next year...i hope!
Thanx Emma...hoping to hear from you soon.
p.s. Emma was kind enough to leave a comment clarifying some facts on my previous post Local Scene Blues
Saturday, May 3, 2008
LIVE ROCK n ROLL!!!!
To all Rock fans...
LIVE!!
Blister at Backyard Pub, Hartamas
every Saturday in May
10.00pm till late
ONE NITE ONLY
@
Laundry Bar, The Curve, Damansara
22nd May 2008
10.00pm
Be there!!!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Local Scene Blues
Anyone ever heard of the band Radja? Samson maybe? The one that sings the song Kenangan Terindah? Or maybe you have heard Padi? I'm sure you've heard Dewa 19? Their song, Pupus? Kasidah Cinta? How about the band Peterpan or Sheila on 7?
Damn big names here in Malaysia rite? I mean loads of albums being sold, special concerts and awards all going to them. Give credit where its due right? So far, I have no real problems with the music they SELL (or do they call it play?). I kinda dig some of the tunes. Where are they from?
Well, this is a place to rant, and there will be some..
So...what's the real deal?
Indonesian bands here are very dominant to an extant that it overshadows our local acts. As I said, give credit where it's due, some Indonesian bands are good, but are they really as phenomenal back home in the streets of Jakarta?
The Malaysian general listener will automatically prefer music with Indonesian flavour. People actually prefer Radja and Samson and diss Spoon (not a real big fan of all 3). They play the same kind of music...and Malaysians prefer the one with Indonesian flavour. Well, here's a news flash.. Indonesian Pop/Rock bands' sales back in Indonesia are crap! They rely on us here in Malaysia to make them rich. People here worship the ground they walk on. It's ridiculous...but true.
How can this go on with radios and all blasting support your local scene. Well here's another nail in the back of the head... Have you heard Butterfingers on air? NO!! Our stations dedicate one pathetic chart a week and cramp the same old LOCAL ENGLISH bands in it! Why not let our bands mingle with the big boys of UK or the USA on air? Or are we giving our bands "preferential" treatment? Is there some kind of subliminal message saying our bands are not good enough to be played on our stations for our people to hear and enjoy (or critic..depends which side of the coin you prefer..you narcissistic b*stard..haha)
Speaking of not good enough...if lets say we had one band...local...playing the theme song for a international brand's promo...wouldn't that deserve some airtime which is not at bloody 3:45am when even the guards are asleep! Wouldn't it be cool having a band playing the theme for Nike? Well Seven Collar t-Shirt plays My Generation (not the Limp Bizkit version) and have we heard it on air? I don't think so...!
Outrage..at our local Anugerah Industri Musik, we have a special catergory for best Indonesian artiste. Do our bands get the same reception, honour there? Does the Best Malaysian Artiste Award get any recognition? NO!! Hell, I have reason to belive that our records are discarded over there.
Astro...what have you been doing all these years? Of all who won in reality music contests in Astro, Mawi is the only one seriously making it big...the arguement of whether he can sing or not, I wont discuss here. Is it the company policy to promote the wrong people? Of six Akademi Fantasias and three Blast Offs, I don't see anyone carrying their name without the tag "AF' behind their name besides Vince..You've got Khai AF, Adam AF, what the hell?
On that same note, how is pur local scene going to grow? Until when are our music going to be rated second class compared to Indonesia? Are we supposed to launch our songs outside of Malaysia and make it big outside..then only come back and play it on radio.
We've seen it with Guy Sebastian and Che'nelle. They migrate and make it big and here comes our local radios in line to play their songs. It doesn't matter if the artiste spent one hour here or a week, but as long as the artiste migarates and make it big...here comes the Anak Malaysia tag! BULLSHIT!!
From the way I see it, our musicians can kiss the dream of making it big locally goodbye, until we can make less of a mockery of Akademi Fantasia and promote really talented musicians. Thank God for youtube...
Damn big names here in Malaysia rite? I mean loads of albums being sold, special concerts and awards all going to them. Give credit where its due right? So far, I have no real problems with the music they SELL (or do they call it play?). I kinda dig some of the tunes. Where are they from?
Well, this is a place to rant, and there will be some..
So...what's the real deal?
Indonesian bands here are very dominant to an extant that it overshadows our local acts. As I said, give credit where it's due, some Indonesian bands are good, but are they really as phenomenal back home in the streets of Jakarta?
The Malaysian general listener will automatically prefer music with Indonesian flavour. People actually prefer Radja and Samson and diss Spoon (not a real big fan of all 3). They play the same kind of music...and Malaysians prefer the one with Indonesian flavour. Well, here's a news flash.. Indonesian Pop/Rock bands' sales back in Indonesia are crap! They rely on us here in Malaysia to make them rich. People here worship the ground they walk on. It's ridiculous...but true.
How can this go on with radios and all blasting support your local scene. Well here's another nail in the back of the head... Have you heard Butterfingers on air? NO!! Our stations dedicate one pathetic chart a week and cramp the same old LOCAL ENGLISH bands in it! Why not let our bands mingle with the big boys of UK or the USA on air? Or are we giving our bands "preferential" treatment? Is there some kind of subliminal message saying our bands are not good enough to be played on our stations for our people to hear and enjoy (or critic..depends which side of the coin you prefer..you narcissistic b*stard..haha)
Speaking of not good enough...if lets say we had one band...local...playing the theme song for a international brand's promo...wouldn't that deserve some airtime which is not at bloody 3:45am when even the guards are asleep! Wouldn't it be cool having a band playing the theme for Nike? Well Seven Collar t-Shirt plays My Generation (not the Limp Bizkit version) and have we heard it on air? I don't think so...!
Outrage..at our local Anugerah Industri Musik, we have a special catergory for best Indonesian artiste. Do our bands get the same reception, honour there? Does the Best Malaysian Artiste Award get any recognition? NO!! Hell, I have reason to belive that our records are discarded over there.
Astro...what have you been doing all these years? Of all who won in reality music contests in Astro, Mawi is the only one seriously making it big...the arguement of whether he can sing or not, I wont discuss here. Is it the company policy to promote the wrong people? Of six Akademi Fantasias and three Blast Offs, I don't see anyone carrying their name without the tag "AF' behind their name besides Vince..You've got Khai AF, Adam AF, what the hell?
On that same note, how is pur local scene going to grow? Until when are our music going to be rated second class compared to Indonesia? Are we supposed to launch our songs outside of Malaysia and make it big outside..then only come back and play it on radio.
We've seen it with Guy Sebastian and Che'nelle. They migrate and make it big and here comes our local radios in line to play their songs. It doesn't matter if the artiste spent one hour here or a week, but as long as the artiste migarates and make it big...here comes the Anak Malaysia tag! BULLSHIT!!
From the way I see it, our musicians can kiss the dream of making it big locally goodbye, until we can make less of a mockery of Akademi Fantasia and promote really talented musicians. Thank God for youtube...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
How About Us?
OK..I did some checking up and I found out that about 40% of the Klang Valley working class people who between 25-65 indulge in maybe once a fortnight or more at the local pub. May it be from listening to the Os Pombos in Ol' Skool Bistro on Fridays or the Zarzadias Brothers at Backyard Pub on Thursdays...heck come check us, Blister, out at Backyard Pub every Saturday in May (cheap publicity...haha), one question lingers...what lies for the future of the musicians?
We all got our EPF or government pension or some other pension plan, basically something to sustain us in our later years...the musicians, well they don't have an EPF deduction! These are the same people who go on night after night giving us songs as we sip or gulp our larger. No, I'm not ranting out at the people, nor am I ranting out at the pubs. All I propose is system where musicians are able to taste the long term joys of an EPF payout!
Why aren't musicians eligible?
We all got our EPF or government pension or some other pension plan, basically something to sustain us in our later years...the musicians, well they don't have an EPF deduction! These are the same people who go on night after night giving us songs as we sip or gulp our larger. No, I'm not ranting out at the people, nor am I ranting out at the pubs. All I propose is system where musicians are able to taste the long term joys of an EPF payout!
Why aren't musicians eligible?
- They are part-time employees at a certain pub depending on the duration of their contract.
- Pubs rotate the talent from time to time.
- Probably because it'll be too "leceh" to go back and forth to the EPF office for the paperwork.
Utter nonsense! Here's what should be done (credit to Mr Jude Singho):
- Form a body which will contribute directly to the EPF
- The musicians and pubs register themselves with the Body with a small fee(be realistic..nothing is free)
- The Body manages the EPF accounts of the musicians and pubs
- The Body contributes to the EPF every month from the money of the musicians and pubs
- When a band retires from the scene, the Body cmakes a withdrawal
Simple!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Nice Hands
Well..again as I was NOT searching porn on the net, I was asked to go to this blog by Khristabelle (free publicity). It was very interesting to see some pictures there. I tried so hard not to fall in love...
Anyhoo, here's a link to Crystal's blog and I must say this might be a reason why Mr Keris Swinging has backed down. I'm sorry this is no rant about something political. It's just something i found damn interesting. It's a long shot but I bet you can build theories.. *hint *hint
Told you she has nice hands.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Pak Lah Must Not Step Down...Yet!
I've been seeing and reading of calls for Pak Lah to step down. Some may call it irony or repetition - remember Anwar asking for Tun Dr M to bow down "honourably."
Remember this?
''Dr. Mahathir must accept the facts, hear the grievances of the people, of his own people, the Malaysian people, Mahathir's people and withdraw from the scene in an honorable manner," - Oct 1998 - of course it was regarding the Reformasi which viewing the circumstances I will be hit by comments that it is not the same as Pak Lah's situation...but spare a thought and remember closely...he stepped down in 2002...honorably? Maybe...
What did you think would happen to the country if Tun resigned after he was asked to?
If he did, our economy plunge so far down we could see Satan! We were already at an economic low at that time and all activists should thank goodness he stood firm.
If it wasn't for him standing firm, no PKR...no Opposition alliances...yet maybe and more importantly nothing to gloat or blog about nearly a decade later!
I am not criticizing the voice of the Rakyat in the elections nor am I buying front row seats to the gallows but if Pak Lah steps down now, Malaysia will have to be on guard. I'm not Nostradamus or do I want to be, but, are we ready for a political, social and economic turmoil?
By Pak Lah resigning now, wouldn't it theoretically bring us closer to a modern day Hang Tuah in full glory of keris swinging...a lost art some might say. :)
From what's happening in Perak, even the Opposition might not be able to take sell the idea of a Bangsa Malaysia. Racial composition again? After tonnes and tonnes of Bangsa Malaysia and Barisan Rakyat ideas, this?
NIAMAH!! (did i say it right, Pat?)
Go ahead and be heard! Anyone from Dato' Mukhriz and his dad to the trishaw puller in Malacca, or anyone who wants an immediate change of leadership in Malaysia voice out!
But if you ask me, if Pak Lah resigns now, it's like looking up with your mouth open just as shit is flung towards the fan! In the future however, if he steps down for reasons unmentioned now, we'll never know, would we?
Remember this?
''Dr. Mahathir must accept the facts, hear the grievances of the people, of his own people, the Malaysian people, Mahathir's people and withdraw from the scene in an honorable manner," - Oct 1998 - of course it was regarding the Reformasi which viewing the circumstances I will be hit by comments that it is not the same as Pak Lah's situation...but spare a thought and remember closely...he stepped down in 2002...honorably? Maybe...
What did you think would happen to the country if Tun resigned after he was asked to?
If he did, our economy plunge so far down we could see Satan! We were already at an economic low at that time and all activists should thank goodness he stood firm.
If it wasn't for him standing firm, no PKR...no Opposition alliances...yet maybe and more importantly nothing to gloat or blog about nearly a decade later!
I am not criticizing the voice of the Rakyat in the elections nor am I buying front row seats to the gallows but if Pak Lah steps down now, Malaysia will have to be on guard. I'm not Nostradamus or do I want to be, but, are we ready for a political, social and economic turmoil?
By Pak Lah resigning now, wouldn't it theoretically bring us closer to a modern day Hang Tuah in full glory of keris swinging...a lost art some might say. :)
From what's happening in Perak, even the Opposition might not be able to take sell the idea of a Bangsa Malaysia. Racial composition again? After tonnes and tonnes of Bangsa Malaysia and Barisan Rakyat ideas, this?
NIAMAH!! (did i say it right, Pat?)
Go ahead and be heard! Anyone from Dato' Mukhriz and his dad to the trishaw puller in Malacca, or anyone who wants an immediate change of leadership in Malaysia voice out!
But if you ask me, if Pak Lah resigns now, it's like looking up with your mouth open just as shit is flung towards the fan! In the future however, if he steps down for reasons unmentioned now, we'll never know, would we?
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