Indie Surf

Tara Ellis

2009-05-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

“High voltage” and “first lady of club rock” are rather strong words for any singer, but fans of club music are finding that Tara Ellis lives up to the billing. She is particularly interested in lyrics as art, a lost talent in recent years. In addition she puts influences such as Gwen Stefani and Pink to work with her music.

“Rockin in LA” is a cute song, but Ellis is trying to give this type of tune more of a message. Time will tell if it works. It isn’t Joan Jett, except for the voice perhaps. The CD came out in December and has attracted some interest on such sites as MySpace. “Made New” is much the same in terms of rhythm and pace, with a bit more of the Jett anger.
As her marketing information asks, however, “Are we empowering people to be the best that they can be?” Somewhere in this girl/club performer is a person who at least asks some of the right questions. In addition, she tries to bring back some of the “Big Poppa” sound, using snapping snare and straight beats that support a story. “Proper Lady” is gathering fans. It is a good song, maybe her best for atmosphere. You can also check her out at http://music.taraellismusic.me.

Tara Ellis on MySpace

The Very Sexuals

2009-05-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

It is a bit disconcerting to find that The Very Sexuals are from Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands and then read that their music is defined as regional Mexican, grindcore and two-step. The sound of this talented group doesn’t seem to fit any category, at least up front. Of course, the easy way out is to call them indie pop and then sit back to enjoy.

Maybe “interesting rock” would fit best. (I made up that one.)

I do like the catch-phrase “suntanning in the nuclear fallout.” That works in so many ways, as does the song “Wreck This Century” and the CD title Post Apocalyptic Love. To get a real handle on this band however, it might be best to start by listening to “Can You Promise Me the Sky.” If there is a song that pushes The Very Sexuals into the “interesting rock” category, this is it.

Contributing to the group sound are Joep van Son, Pien Feith, Niels Philipsen, Cox Dieben, Jelle van Veenen and Rob Bours. (Don’t forget to include Iskaa and Oscar Kocken as contributors.) I hear a bit of The Beatles in “World War III Rocketeer,” which is a great thing. But The Very Sexuals don’t go back to that 1960s place as much as they take the youth-emotions of the time and put them in the 21st century.

The Very Sexuals on MySpace

Benji Hughes

2009-05-13T21:47:00.001-07:00

This North Carolina singer/songwriter has been called both “earnest” and “whimsical,” a combination that is quite welcome in an industry of extremes. A two-disc CD, A Love Extreme contains 25 songs that have caught the ear of the reviewers at venerable Rolling Stone magazine.

I wish I knew the answer to “Why Do These Parties Always End the Same Way?” I’ve been to more parties than I can count and I don’t have a solution. This is the whimsical/beer-drinking side of Hughes. But this listener thinks “You Stood Me Up” will grab as many listeners, if not more. This is singing-but-hip-hop music and is proving to be quite popular, with thousands of plays online. (It doesn’t hurt to have national media reviewing your stuff.)
Those who don’t enjoy the site of beer bellies might want to look away from some of Hughes’ photos. He’s a beer drinker and free spirit in the Southern style. By the way, “All You’ve Got to do is Fall in Love” shows the earnest side. It is a pretty song. In addition you may have heard some of his work on popular TV shows, without realizing that was Hughes songwriting. He’s made some good contacts in the business. This, along with great production and studio musicians, makes for a professional-sounding work.

Benji Hughes on MySpace

Paulina Logan

2009-05-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

This California performer produces a sound that puts her squarely in the folk/acoustic genre. That should satisfy people in the industry who have to categorize each and every artist as part of the marketing scheme. Logan puts a slight twist on the classic folk sound in such songs “Write You as a Song.” The production is solid, with a sharp drum track and a second line of instruments that doesn’t detract from her strong voice.

There have been comparisons to Jewel, which is fine with Logan, apparently. There is something softer about Logan, based on “Write You as a Song” and “Lovely.” In addition to being on a couple of nice compilation CDs, Logan sent her own collection, Wallflower, out into the world. She is reportedly working on a second CD, which is much anticipated by those who enjoy her strong and melodic voice. For the listeners who haven’t experienced Paulina Logan, expect some Norah Jones and Sarah McLachlan (good company indeed). Logan is unsigned and should hook up with a good mid-sized label soon (opinion only).

Check out this lady in a couple of California gigs in May, including one in Ukiah. She’ll calm the nerves with the above-mentioned songs and then probably pick things up considerably with the rocker “Shut the Door.” Good stuff, Paulina.

Paulina Logan on MySpace

Colorblind

2009-05-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, from Virginia Beach, Virginia – Colorblind.

First impressions are important in sales, in dating, in music, in just about everything. A newcomer to Colorblind will have the impression that this band is southern rock, Pearl Jam, Nickleback and a few other influences blended smoothly for listening pleasure.

The guitar work by Blake Wingfield is very strong in “On My Way Down,” a ballad sung with feeling by lead vocalist Derek Smith. This listener is particularly drawn to any tune that has a theme of being in hell or feeling like hell or something similar. “Must Be In Hell” by Colorblind not only attracts the listener with its title, but also offers a nice surprise in the lyrics, “Must be in hell ‘cause you’re standing beside me again.” Nice in a dark sort of way.

These fellows are veterans of political rallies, music festivals and the night club scene. They just released Different Life (autumn 2008). The band’s core has been together for 15 years, with some significant changes in personnel on occasion.

The band includes Wingfield, Smith, Dan Reed on drums, Pete Johnson on bass and Tim Lang on acoustic guitar and bass. Check ‘em out now in the Viriginia venues.

Colorblind on MySpace

Efek Rumah Kaca - Kamar Gelap

2009-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Indonesian label Aksara Records continue their winning streak with the second album from Efek Rumah Kaca. These wonderboys were the recipients of the Rookie Of The Year award from Rolling Stone Indonesia in 2008 for the surprising success of their debut album, which has so far racked up sales of more than 45,000 copies–a hugely impressive number for an obscure indie act on a humble indie label.

Those expecting the sort of immediacy that made their debut album such a beguiling listen will be slightly disappointed though, which was my initial reaction when I first put this album on. There’s nothing as drop dead-Radiohead-gorgeous as ‘Jatuh Cinta Itu Biasa Saja’ or as pop-tastic as ‘Cinta Melulu’ but then I realised that, after taking a second spin, that’s probably not the point they’re trying to make with this album.

Decidedly angrier and moodier lyrically, the band clearly avoids anything resembling Radiohead this time around (which was probably an oft-made comparison when describing their debut), and instead explores the moody terrain of literate bands like Red House Painters and American Music Club.

Opening with the deathly moody and slow (and almost seven-minute long) ‘Tubuhmu Membiru...Tragis’, it is not the kind of move one would expect from a highly anticipated follow-up to a successful debut album, and definitely a risky move for an album that’s expected to break Efek Rumah Kaca into the mainstream. But then, that’s why these guys are so well-respected as artists.

Famed for their excellent lyrics (in Indonesian), this album continues to amaze on that front with songs about the people’s political power (‘Mosi Tidak Percaya’), false dreams of a successful life in the city (‘Banyak Asap Di Sana’), the value of books (‘Jangan Bakar Buku’) and cam whoring (the first single ‘Kenakalan Remaja Di Era Informatika’), amongst other things.

Just in case you’re wondering whether these lyrical topics imply that the songs are overtly serious and boring, think again, as these songs are coated with some truly wonderful melodies. The only caveat, however, is that the hooks are not as straightforward as they are in the band’s debut, but will have you floating with delight once you get round to your second or third listen.

If you’re the impatient type though, just go straight to the last song ‘Balerina’ and you will be left with no doubts as to Efek Rumah Kaca’s skill and talent with a melody. Maybe then you’ll find the courage to let this truly great album sink in. A true "grower".

Taken from Junk's April 2009 issue.

CD86: 48 Tracks From the Birth of Indie Pop

2009-04-29T07:30:00.001-07:00

This music is what British rock geeks are talking about when they talk about "indie"-- the original 1980s boom generation of scrappy, homemade guitar-pop that followed in the wake of punk and post-punk. Judging by the songs he's picked for these two discs, the best I can figure is that Saint Etienne's Bob Stanley has a strange take on what that boom looked like: Either he's blinded by nostalgia, a hardcore stickler for absolute truth, or just more of a collector than a historian or genre partisan. Forget showing new generations that these bands were worthwhile; Stanley's set actually runs the risk of convincing old indie-pop kids that the music they spent their youths on wasn't that great. There are any number of terrific songs here, and the mastering leaves many sounding warmer and fresher than they have in years, but Stanley's version of what this stuff is turns out to be disappointing-- pretty, but awfully narrow.

The impetus for this package, of course, is the 20th anniversary of the NME's C86 compilation, a giveaway cassette that wound up codifying the sound of the new indie wave. The music that found itself being called by that name-- C86, anorak, "indie pop," whatever-- wasn't exactly a revolution: A lot of these bands went in for jingle-jangle 60s-styled pop songs, recorded roughly and sung in starry-eyed schoolkid voices. At times it was defiantly unsexy, and defiantly unambitious-- the sound of idealistic student slackers shambling their way through deliberately simple pop. But there was often something about that spirit that made the stuff spark and shine. At its best, it sounds suddenly free, and you can genuinely hear the bands' joy and excitement in plowing through it all: The punk acts tear in every direction like hyped-up puppies, the pop acts delight in being as much like wimpy librarians as they please, and amateur glee trumps high sights. (Just like the Ramones!) Better still, the scene managed to embrace not only a lot of interesting bands, but a lot of downright weird ones; one track on the original C86, Stump's "Buffalo", is as awesomely strange a pop song as anything I've heard.

The big disappointment with this recap is that it doesn't reach out to encompass much in the way of strangeness or fire, whether on the twee side or the punk one: Mostly it just coasts down the center, straight through the middling guitar-strummers who usually convince people indie wasn't that interesting. Maybe Stanley's just a stickler for accuracy, and would rather make a case for exactly what the music was than cherry-pick the parts that sound most interesting to today's ears. Maybe he just prefers his indie pop polished, pretty, and retro, just like his own band. Either way, a lot of the tracks here-- especially through the first disc-- feel more like a record collector's period pieces than anything really alive. It's something you're reminded of every time you hit a track that still snaps and pops: The Jesus & Mary Chain's giant fuzzbomb on "Upside Down", the Shop Assistants pounding happily through "Safety Net", or Big Flame's spazzy/funky post-punk on "Why Popstars Can't Dance". You're reminded every time you hit a strummy pop song that towers over the others: The Siddeleys' gorgeous twee on "What Went Wrong This Time" or the Sea Urchins' "Pristine Christine", already the long-running king of exactly the kind of happy 60s stuff Stanley keeps picking. And you're reminded every time you come across a band that's terrific in ways that have nothing to do with C86-- like McCarthy, whom far too few people remember.

Take this all on Stanley's terms, though-- as a ride through the heart of "middling" indie-- and you have to give him a ton of credit: A hell of a lot of these songs manage to charm, and he's collected some singles even pop geeks won't have heard. Given time and patience, you'll be able to see what it is about this music that's so appealing. It's laid back, homespun, and winsome, full of meek voices and comfy chord changes in an era where that actually came off daring; call it conservative if you want, but it's no worse an idea than listening to sweet old country songs. When the singer from the Loft asks, over melancholy Byrds-style jangle, "Why does the rain/ Why does it always seem/ To fall on me"-- well, you realize we're still listening to this stuff, only now with Travis-sized budgets and a sense of importance. Part of what makes this "indie" is how much that sort of thing matters: These acts have an unassuming grace that keeps everything sounding hard-won and personal. So Another Sunny Day bash their noisy way through a song called "Anorak City", singing happy-go-lucky tra-la-la in the chorus, and that's a treat; and the Hit Parade chime through a shiny number like "You Didn't Love Me Then", a song that makes the Monkees sound like a death metal band, and that's a treat, too. Great stuff: Just don't take Stanley's word that the roots of UK indie pop were all quite so comfy and boyish.

Japanese Independent Music

2009-04-29T07:24:00.001-07:00

It's an orgy-- something that may not have been designed for mass consumption, but is nevertheless creating and recreating at a rapid pace that rejects even the most sincere attempts at canonization. The members of this party interact and exchange various phenomena without a shred of cautious foresight, and what results is more fruitful and volatile and reactive than any one elements could ever have been alone. I imagine the streets in Koenji must be crawling with taste police on the lookout for illegal cross-pollination and concept-ridden, incestuous marriages; that the kids who are voluntarily dropping out of the material world for riskier exhibitions must live in constant paranoia that their night lives will be used against them when the number-crunching begins. Or worse-- that nobody will listen when it's their turn to play.

But unbeknownst to their more conservative brethren, who would settle for the Occidental Tourism of Western Pop as scripture, these kids, cousins and artful clergymen are making something new under the Empire of the Sun. This is not manufactured, and it's certainly not criminal, but it is, in fact, quite extraordinary. These wildly informed noise shamans, in the age of supposed information sharing, have beaten American democratic spirit at its own game. I'm talking about unselfish art and the exchange of ideas. I'm talking about today's Japanese independent music.

Okay, so maybe I romanticize this stuff a bit. But it's not for any love of melodrama, as I can assure that I enjoy reading about someone's obscure fetishes about as much as you do. No, the musicians working underground back east pique my interest mostly due to renegade originality and purity of expression in the face of drastic underexposure. For example, when I heard the story of drummer Tatsuya Yoshida's first rehearsal with his then un-named band, wherein the guitarist didn't show up and he decided to go with only himself and a bassist for the subsequent 15 years as Ruins, I took notice. Or, when I read about how, after more than a decade of praise from the alternative press, Boredoms frontman Yamatsuka Eye still doesn't think his band plays well enough, doesn't understand why people call his music "noise," and is constantly striving for the next new sound, I was struck. These are stories of people who refuse to accept the mundane, practical or given. It's easy to romanticize a scene that offers no guarantees of fame, and yet whose members are as in love with their art as any detached fanatic.

Japanese Independent Music is an ambitious undertaking by the French label Sonore. Although there have been samplers of experimental Japanese music before, it's never been easy for Western audiences to find information about the music. Sonore head Franck Stofer packaged this album with a book of the same title that's a virtual godsend to anyone who was ever frustrated trying to find out about a band like Ruins. The book is an encyclopedic reference, with an extensive, alphabetical listing of hundreds of fringe Japanese bands/artists, featuring full discographies, essays on various sub-scenes, and even an appendix with label addresses and contact info. And best of all, it's in English, unlike the first French-only edition. I'll let you find it on your own-- and you will, if this is your bag-- but for now, let's talk about the most important stuff: the music.

The CD features tracks from 18 of the most important contributors to Japan's independent music scene. It covers a lot of ground, conceptually speaking: modern-classical, avant-prog, IDM, neo-trad Japanese folk, noise, punk-- basically, anything John Zorn has been preaching since he started his inter-continental commute in the 80s. It's a much more varied collection than others such as Bad Sun Rising or Tokyo Flashback, and perhaps most comparable to the excellent double-disc Virgin UK release Cosmic Kurushi Monsters: Tokyo Invasion Vol. 1 from 1996. This stuff goes out on a limb, and be forewarned that a little artistic levity is required before entering.

Standout tracks for me include Gaji's "Trippin' Under a Changin' Sphere" and Hoppy Kamiyama's "Fantasm B." Gaji is an experimental punk band from Tokyo who actually started out as kind of an eclectic mix of Wire, krautrock and Boredoms, but here sound much more focused and traditionally wound. The band's female vocalist, Hasegawa Yuko, reminds me of a less girly Patty Donahue, but the band's sound here is full-on aggressive, totally assured poly-punk-- think Minutemen crossed with 80s King Crimson. Too many reference points? How about moving on to Kamiyama, and about a dozen more?

Hoppy Kamiyama's tune is a great representation of many of his favorite musical outlets: Bartok-influenced chamber classical, horror soundtracks, Rock in Opposition, and no wave. The guy has seemingly been around forever, and covers a lot of bases in his 4\xBD minutes on this CD. If you never have the fortune of hearing some of his work, you'll probably run into him indirectly when investigating the scene anyway because he's head of the excellent God Mountain label (Pugs, Koenji-Hyakkei, Optical*8, Demi Semi Quaver), as well as producer for dozens of acts elsewhere. He's also worked with Zorn and Maceo Parker in the West, so I wouldn't try to hide from him.

Electronic music gets its props here, too, as tracks by Wono Satoru, Yuko Nexus6, Furudate Tetsuo and Nakamura Toshimaru demonstrate that not all of the best new computer-generated madness is coming out of Chicago or Germany. Nakamura's track is straight sine-wavey stuff, produced entirely from a mixing board with no inputs. Satoru's "Allego" was done using only a phonograph plexus, while Yuko Nexus6's minimalist "N.S.K.K." sounds as if created more from the muse of a computer scientist than an experimental turntable magician. Lest these descriptions sound a bit technical, Furudate's piece brings in a little royal courtyard sturm-und-drang to spice up its strains of pounding sheet metal and reverberated signal beacons. I suppose some of this stuff would work well in a Mad Max movie, but I'm just using it to get pumped about going back to work tomorrow.

There are some "big" names here as well, like Ruins, Keiji Haino and Acid Mothers Temple, but I don't want to bore you with the music the good Fork has been (possibly over-)hyping these last few months. Or, it could be that I just don't want to go on like a crazed fan, forcing this stuff down your throat. Instead, here's something I read from an interview with avant-hero Oshima Dan: "I think that Japanese indie music is based on absolutely absurd spirit. I mean, it's built on nothing, it contains no culture." On the one hand, I think Dan undersells the impact this music has on its audience, because I can tell you first-hand that whatever the music is built on is certainly weightier than most anything else I've heard. However, he has a point; this is music that is not of a culture, but rather appears to be creating one. Whatever scenes you subscribe to, ask yourself how many of them could remain as vital when even the chance to hear the music was an obstacle. How many could overcome little-to-no documentation or familiarity with the principal actors involved? Right now, I can only think of one, and if you blink, you could miss it.

Ben’s Bitches @ Monash Music Festival

2009-04-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Monash Music Festival (MMF) is organized by the Monash University Students’ Association (MUSA). It is designed to develop newly discovered talents in Monash University Sunway Campus (MUSC), as well as to promote them to the local music community. The festival featured the Monash Battle of the Bands (MBOB) as well as local indie bands such as Antithesis, Seven Collar T-shirt, Jin Hackman, Beat the System, Prema Yin, and the ever loud Ben’s Bitches. Watch Ben’s Bitches, a very unique punk rock outfit perform.

A New Millennium, and There’s NOTHING Good on the Radio

2009-04-29T03:07:00.000-07:00

If the early ’90s was a catastrophe for the indie scene, the new millennium has been a huge success. It seems as though the big labels have poached every genre they possibly can, that bands are rejecting them en masse, and that the Internet has provided a way to get the music out to fans that has never before been attempted. The result is accessible, quality music in almost every conceivable drama.

In this atmosphere, it has become impossible to identify music by its sound, or even by its sales. Best selling albums such as those put out by The Postal Service or Panic! At the Disco illustrate the new reality that is the indie music scene. Both bands are in fact pretty experimental in nature, with the Postal Service focus on electronica and Panic’s eclectic sound of every conceivable musical sound. There are still elements of soul, rock, and mellow listening to be found on the indie scene, and many bands popular through the ’90s (such as Collective Soul and Candlebox) are now on their own labels or established indie labels.

In this atmosphere, there is a lot of conflicting opinion as to what indie music entails. Two definitions can be thought about here. The first is fairly simple, established in the ’90s; an indie act is any one that is not signed on with the big three labels. Another way to define the indie scene is in comparison to the acts signed by big labels, and played on the radio. Any recent listen to a local station should alarm music fans everywhere: the same artists or style of music is played over and over again, on every single radio station. Big labels laud themselves for being a mix, but the truth is there is a lot of R&B, even more pop, and a few dozen acts considered "rock" thrown in to appease those who do not know better.

Fans who do not like the feeling of wanting to stick augers in their ears have turned en masse to the potential of the internet. Because of the ability of the medium to disseminate music worldwide, it has become a major promotional tool for indie artists of all genres. Style of music seems no longer to be an issue, as grunge, punk, mellow, and electronica artists are often found on the same pages, if not under the same label.

In this true do it yourself era, there is more potential to have success as an independent artist without compromising your music or your message than ever before. On the downside, fans who might consider themselves hardcore "indie" also seem at a loss to define the movement, and thus any music that has any likability factor is dismissed. Fortunately, this attitude is present only at one end of the spectrum, as is the case with most things in life. So, if someone is trying to tell you that an artist is not indie because they sold a certain amount of records, you might want to look into how those records were sold and who produced the album. Perhaps now more than ever before, music has the opportunity to truly be judged (for the first time by both sides) by the quality instead of by the amount of sales.

Source: Indie Update

History of Indie Music - 1990’s

2009-04-29T03:03:00.000-07:00

Although big labels have long made money by poaching out the sound developed by indie labels, nothing in the history of music parallels the success they enjoyed by swiping the alternative style that developed in the ‘80s and getting it played on the radio. Suddenly, dozens of alternative acts were thrust into the spotlight, and hundreds of more began to imitate the dirty distortion that had up until now been under wraps in the garages of the nation.

Never before has a scene experienced such a bizarre mix of triumph and angst. The very foundations of indie at this time were on the basis of the anti-movement, and with the alternative suddenly becoming the main, thousands of fans lost their identities. This was soon reflected in the artists, as major acts such as Nirvana struggled to come to terms with their new commercial reality.

The indie scene was still around, to be sure, but if one is really honest about the music being churned out, you have to admit that it sucks. After all, when dirty music gets popular, what is the new alternative? Should Bret Michaels and company now be put proudly on display on the shelf as the new Dinosaur Jr? Or, should the indie labels become the last beacon of hope for a breed that for the first time in music was not making any money at all, the pop act?

The answers were not clear for some time, until artists such as Liz Phair and PJ Harvey once again changed the definition of what “indie” truly meant: now, instead of a type of music, indie belonged to the recording style. In this case, that was a style stripped right down, and if your voice or music sounded TOO good, then you had to make your record on the worst equipment possible. While artists such as Sonic Youth continued to put out good music (as did Liz Phair and even PJ Harvey, if we’re being honest) the grunge movement had meant a big change in the indie movement: the music found there was for the first time, actually total crap. There was nothing else to draw from.

Fortunately for the whole scene, artists once considered indie soon found out why the big labels were so detested by genuine acts. Stripped of creativity and forced to work on someone else’s schedule, many of the alternative bands began to try and buck the system. Pearl Jam sued their touring company and refused to bow to the demand for videos; Nirvana made a record so under produced it was mocked. Nevertheless, the major label’s money power would triumph and they were able to still the voices in opposition, one way or another.

Perhaps the fights with artists of integrity opened the eyes of major labels a little bit as to the difficulties in signing real artists, because by the middle of the 1990s pop had once again began to rear its ugly head. The Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, and N Sync meant that the indie scene could once again be thought of as musically credible, although the big labels had now decided to destroy long time stalwart punk music. Maybe punk was the last surviving genre in indie worth listening to at the time; whatever the reason, it was about to be rudely taken away.

Sarah Records in particular was to make an impact and a statement about the indie scene in the early ‘90s; the label was closed as owners declared that they had achieved their purpose in popularizing their music. Little did they realize that the scene would be revitalized in the near future, when fans began to ask themselves “what the hell is so ‘alternative’ about Oasis?”

Source: Indie Update

History of Indie Music - 1980’s

2009-04-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

The 1980s were an incredibly important decade in indie music history. It was during this decade that the first indie charts were compiled in the United States and in the United Kingdom; whether or not appearing on these lists was considered a sell-out depended on who you talked to. Fat chicks in tight leather would probably list Sonic Youth among those who ruined the indie scene; less stringent fans might decide that any type of success was not necessarily a bad thing for the movement as a whole. What would remain constant was the watchful eye of the big labels, who were always eager to exploit the underground scene and turn a profit on the “new” sound they had discovered.

The early ’80s saw unity among indie artists in the United States and to some extent in the United Kingdom. The creation of charts meant that any record released on a small label was considered independent; thus, you could have New Wave influenced prog rock like that turned out by REM in their college-playing days and the more distortion driven, under-produced sounds of Husker Du or Dinosaur Jr. in the same category. The big difference in the 1980s was that by the end of the decade, one type of music had slipped into the mainstream, while the other had not. The distortion of the garage bands would thus become known as “alternative music.”

Several big indie labels were formed during this time, which were to achieve notoriety in the 1990s, including Sarah Records in 1987 and Sub Pop in 1980. Founders of Sub Pop Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman actually went against everything indie music was supposed to stand for, relentlessly promoting their artists and seeking to popularize the music that they were turning out. Perhaps this is where fans of indie music should take a hard look at their criteria for bands; if music was not worth being listened to by a lot of people, it simply should not exist. The founders of Sub Pop embodied that in their promotion of bands such as Soundgarden, and of course Nirvana. In fact, the label would spawn a movement called the Singles club which would extend into the ultra glitzy and oily grip of Hollywood, about as counter to the idea of indie as you could hope to get.

In both the UK and the US, the indie scene was a direct reaction against the macho personas of big rock acts. Both the alternative sound in the US and the jangly genre of the UK represented artist’s thorough disgust at the excesses, prejudices, and false images of bands like Poison and Nelson.

Towards the end of the 1980s, the “major” indie artists were actually acting almost like recruiters for the big labels. Again, this should give many indie fans pause before judging one band or another as sell outs due to their “commercialization”. The term is better applied to imitators of the original sound for the purpose of money rather than to the sound developers. There is not a lot of credibility in the sell out argument when one realizes that it was Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth who set up Nirvana’s flight to fame, or that Breeder’s singer Kin Deal was an integral part of the incredibly ground-breaking and highly influential Pixies.

Source: Indie Update

History of Indie Music - 1970’s

2009-04-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

The 1970s was probably the first decade in which the cynicism of a generation was widely reflected in the popular culture and music of that generation. Like most decades, musically the ’70s could be divided up into five year periods; the first years saw the rise of the influence of indie band the Velvet Underground and a shift away from bubble gum rock of the ’60s; the Beatles broke up and suddenly everyone was experimenting.

In the garages of the United States and the United Kingdom, kids were figuring out just what the hell they really COULD do with their guitars and their electronic equipment, not to mention a pissed off voice. While the United Kingdom turned out some synthy stuff, the States and several bands in the UK were much more focused on the do it yourself grind that punk music offered. The indie ethos was thus created through the actions of the proto punk bands; they separated themselves from their cultural norms through their outward appearances as much as their music. Richard Hell, the Ramones, and in the UK the Sex Pistols all had their roots in the indie movement, and several of them never left the scene behind. Once again, indie was to have a huge influence on popular, although in the case of punk the major labels would not pick up on the fervor until the latter half of the 1990s, when (just as in the ’70s) annoying music again ruled the day.

Another indie development in the 1970s was the creation of progressive rock. Now, this rock was totally at odds with Beatles, Byrds, and all the other peaceful music of the ’60s. It created its sound using a full range of instruments, and was just as experimental as the electronica movement of the 1990s. Unlike punk, though, progressive rock was to catch big label attention early in its development, and made the jump from indie to “scene” relatively quickly. In fact, a big part of the growth of punk was in reaction to the commercialization of prog rock.

New Wave was the third form of music to develop on the indie scene, and like progressive rock it was quickly usurped and mutilated by labels, who would sign anyone with any connection to the true sound. This type of music was pretty much right in between punk and prog; experimental and edgy at the same time. In fact, some of the most influential artists in the New Wave movement are still cited by label successes such as U2 today; Elvis Costello was known for his pointed lyrics, and Blondie was perhaps the most well-known band of this era (although today they are labeled as disco in many ignorant quarters). Sire Records and Stiff Records were two of the major players in the indie market in the ’70s.

Of course, when a new sound is created, sooner or later someone will capitalize on the potential money. When the big labels came knocking, it was the Clash and the Cult that answered the door; their New Wave sound was the newest hit on radio in the early ‘80s and signaled the end of New Wave as far as indie scene followers were concerned.

Source: Indie Update

History of Indie Music - 1960’s

2009-04-29T02:33:00.000-07:00

Tracing the roots of independent artists is difficult, because there have been artists who have long bucked the trends put upon them by monied powers in order to do what they feel right. Minstrels in medieval Europe and poets in the Islamic empire risked more than their livelihoods if they did not kowtow to the demands of the tyrants in charge (the ancient equivalent of modern big labels); they stood a good chance of being killed and mutilated as well.

Modern indie artists do not exactly take their lives in their hands when they sit down at a piano and record a genuine version of a heart felt song, but they do embody the spirit of the rebellious minstrel, refusing to compromise for the sake of a bag of gold.

In fact, some of the musicians and composers known to us today were what could be considered indie artists. Mozart was laughed at for his style in many different countries; it was not until his death that his work began to be played first in Germany and then around the world.

When it comes to modern indie music, the scene began when the big labels started to monopolize everything that they believed could make money. Elvis’ generation got a bit of a free ride; the music was so new, and the energy so unexpectedly unbridled, that those in power had no idea how to tame it. The latter half of the 1960s would see that change, however. Bands played on the radio and the records sold in stores all had a common theme, if not a duplicate sound. In fact, the history of indie music, however much fans want to deny it, is shaped by popular music as much as the shape of popular music is changed by indie artists. Typically, there have been three music “formats” that you can find on the radio; although the formats may change, there will always only be three kinds of music. In the 1960s, the big format was pop, a little bit of R&B, and rock ala the Rolling Stones. Peace, love, and anti-war ruled the day, even among the “rebels.”

And into that scene stepped the band known as the Velvet Underground. This is one of the most obvious examples of a band that was way ahead of its time. The main members of the band, in fact, are still regarded as some of the most influential artists by musicians today (think Lou Reed). The music of the Velvet Underground was markedly different in message and in structure than that being produced by studios at the time; their songs varied from fast to slow, pulsating to melodic. Their messages switched from songs about drug use to individual takes on law enforcement. In short, they sang about everything everyone else did not. The band sold very few records, but a movement was under way. If you listen to a Velvet Underground song, you might be surprised that it was created in the era of the Beatles instead of the era of Cobain, and that is what indie music is all about; the pioneers.

It is important to note that independent labels have always been present whenever records have been sold, and perhaps now more than ever to recognize that there are artists in all genres of music that choose to turn their backs on the big business and focus instead on their music.

Source: Indie Update

Sweet As Revenge @ KL & Penang, MY, 4 & 5 Apr

2009-04-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

Jakarta emocore band Sweet As Revenge get set to roar through Malaysia this weekend, with shows in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

The six-piece act have been around since 2003, and their single 'Broken Lines And Empty Smiles' reached number one on MTV Indonesia's Cutting Edge programme, and stayed there for seven weeks. They will be joined by a whole bunch of Malaysian underground acts.

Details of the Kuala Lumpur gig:
Date: Saturday, 4 April 2009
Time: 1pm
Venue: MCPA Hall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Price: RM20
Lineup: Black Territory, Incarnation, Dead Eyes Glow, Upon Arrival, Naratu, Arsonist, This Sunday, Ana Four Craig, Daarchlea, Asthalin, The Padangs

Details of the Penang gig:
Date: Sunday, 5 April 2009
Time: 1pm
Venue: Soundmaker, Penang, Malaysia
Price: RM15
Lineup: Black Territory, Incarnation, One Life Decision, Dying Idols, Melastik Anjing, Eyemore, Flake Poison, This Sunday, The Last Son, Brabazom

For more info, contact Wong at +6017-393 7553, Faidhi at +6017-369 0978 or Apip at +6012-851 2545, or visit www.myspace.com/sweetasrevenge.

Source: Junk

Widuri

2009-03-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Reborn in the end of year 2006 with the lineup,(PT, Afik, Aiman, Azi, Iza'an) from the band name,Logical Progression, R.I.P (2003-2006).

Even though the band have run thru many things, bad thing, lineup changes, being sabotage, and so. With the new lineup, new groove, new energy, we are greater than before.More Info Visit Widuri Myspace with click the link.Chek Chek Out Out!!!

Source: http://lunaih.blogspot.com/

Sunburst KL is over! Here's what went down

2009-03-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

It's finally over. Sniff. But what a Saturday it was! Even with Erykah Badu and Indonesia's Andra and The Backbone absent from the confirmed lineup, the Sunburst KL International Music Festival 2009 turned thousands of music fans (we predict more than 10,000 surely) into 12-hour party people on the wide open plain of Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club.

What was impressive was that people actually came early to catch the local acts. Bands like Estrella, Cosmic Kitchen and Gerhana Ska Cinta attracted a huge audience, the latter even amassing a human train of "skankers". Road To Sunburst winners Nao also impressed with their instrumental rock. Although most festival goers were probably new to the sounds of Russian Winters from Australia, the crowd was really receptive to the band's performance. The Silent Disco Arena was also quite popular –even Jonathan Davis of Korn dropped by to check out the sounds.

The sun was scorching like a mofo, but it didn't deter the audience from lingering in front of the Sun and Sky Stages to catch all the bands. But the real action happened after dark; Agrikulture and Nidji from Indonesia blasted their way through superb sets that included sing-alongs, and...what can we say about NERD and Korn's performances except that they were a total mind f*ck!!

Below are some pics from the fest. We're waiting on the second batch of official pics from Sunburst, so bear with these amateur ones 'til we get more in the next coupla days!

They Will Kill Us All

The Speedzone Interactive Tour

Sumo wrestling!

Source: http://www.junkonline.net/articles/1349-Sunburst-KL-is-over-Heres-what-went-down

Sharp Shooter

2009-03-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Source: GigMalaysia.Com

Sharp Shooter telah ditubuhkan sekitar tahun 2003/2004 dan kebanyakkan ahli berasal dari Bangi,Selangor. Kami memainkan lagu bergenrekan modern pop reggae di mana kami mengetengahkan irama reggae yang bercirikan ketimuran dan kami juga ade memasukkan elemen lain dalam lagu kami seperti ska dan rock. Sharp Shooter ada mengalami beberapa pertukaran line up sepanjang tertubuhnya band ini. Antara ahli band yang terawal ialah Peo, Alut, Deen, Hakim, Eddy, Fendi, Apis dan Apek. Dan setelah beberapa pertukaran, line up yg terkini dan insyaAllah akan kekal bersama terdiri dari Peo(vocal), Alis(1st guitar), Alut(bass), Apek(2nd guitar), Yanie(keyboard), Idham(drum n percussion) dan Aboon(percussion). Kami juga ade membuat beberapa lagu kami sendiri antaranya Selembut Nafas dan Panji Reggae dan telah pun direcord. Influence muzik bagi Sharp Shooter antaranya ialah Bob Marley, 311, Ddubb, Shaggy Dog, Jendral Kecil, Steven and Coconut Treez, Search, Dewa, Republic of Brickfields, Gerhana Ska Cinta dan banyak lagi. Persembahan yang pernah kami terlibat ialah seperti gig-gig sekitar Kuala Lumpur, Alompak Ago Go di Laundry Bar, Motorcycle GrandPrix 2006, Peace To World, Layar Tanchap, Tribute to Bob Marley, Business School Carnival, Remix Anniversary, Merdeka Showcase, Rentak Juara 2008, Generasi Y, Showcase Indie Raya dan banyak lagi. EP kami yang sulung akan keluar,insyaAllah selewat-lewatnya akhir bulan 11 ini yang bertajuk "Satu Hati" dan memuatkan 5 lagu dalam EP tersebut. Diharap semue mereka-mereka yang menyokong band-band tempatan dapatkan EP kami yang pertama ini. Akhir kata, PEACE, LOVE AND HARMONY!!!

My Mp3 Garage

2009-03-17T06:03:00.000-07:00

My Mp3 Garage

Port for get the great music and song. Mostly Malaysian Independent Music. Check it out now at http://mymp3garage.blogspot.com/

Nuffnang Music Bash 2009

2009-03-13T23:52:00.000-07:00

About the Event

Music is one of the greatest art that everybody enjoys. No matter what your favorite music genre is, pop, rock, hip hop, R&B or reggae, you’ll find yourself grooving in the Nuffnang Music Bash 2009! Set to be the first Nuffnang party of the year 2009, expect lots of games, performances and prizes to be won. Among the highlights of the night would be celebrity impersonation by Nuffnang staff, band performance by our very own bloggers and many more.

Live Blogging

Made possible by Maxis Broadband, bloggers can blog during the party either by using their own laptops or blogging stations specially set up. Take pictures in the party when your fellow bloggers are dancing, playing games and even singing. Upload them to your blogs and write about it. An email address will be given to you in your goodie bag so you can send your entries to the address during the party. The best blog post written during the time of the party will receive a Canon Digital Ixus 870 IS. The judging will take place after the party ends and the winner will be contacted via email.

So if you’re looking to win a Canon Digital Ixus 870 IS, think no further and come join us at Nuffnang Music Bash 2009 to blog ‘live’ and you may just walk home with it!

Please visit http://www.nuffnang.com.my/music-bash-2009/ to more information.

Pesawat

2009-03-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

Pesawat was born in the hangar of Ampang after occasional just-for-fun jamming session of four boys from Klang Valley. In 2005, they decided to take music seriously and started to write their own material that is different from the rest. Influenced very much by the bands from the UK, namely Editors, We Are Scientists, Dirty Pretty Things, Keane and Pigeon Detectives, Pesawat's music can be summed up as Indie Garage Rock with Malaysian flavor. Their music comes both in English and Malay.

The band went on hiatus in 2006 due to other commitments and back in the hangar in the end 2007 to write new songs with a new direction with more flavor. Pesawat was slotted to play at KLUE Urbanscapes 2008 as one of the voter's choice alongside with Komplot, The Otherside Orchestra and Auburn. The event was touted as the biggest art+music festival in Malaysia was held at KL Performing Arts Center.

The band was reviewed in the MalayMail(Malaysia’s top English tabloid) as the discovery of 2008. Due to that, Pesawat has achieved tremendous publicity and has become one of Malaysian band to be given attention. Other notable shows that they have played includes Converse Century Project in Queensbay Mall Penang, Crossborders at Laundry, KLUE Urbanscapes 2008 at KLPAC, EURO FINAL Indie Jam at Cyberjaya, Indie Youth Fest 2008 in conjuction with Electronic Sports World Cup 2008, XFreshFM X-Gig at Zouk KL, Moonshine and FlyFM Campurtchart Goes Live at Laundry. They have been getting rave reviews due to their energetic live shows.

Their first single entitled “Mirage” is due to release middle October 2008 and has already got an airplay in local radio station XFM. EraFM and FlyFM. The demo version of Mirage was featured in Junk Magazine Online Compilation and Voize - Possibly the best compilation ever! CD.

Mainstream, Indie and Underground

2009-03-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

Most people in Malaysia did not understand what is the true definition of mainstream, indie and underground. The older generation used to think that indie music and underground music are bad. This perception is totally unacceptable. They should know what indie music and underground music are all about before making statement that will hurt people who support the movement of indie and underground band. Here, I'll explain this three things briefly.

Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current of thought of the majority. It is a term most often applied in the arts (i.e., music, literature, and performance). This includes:
- something that is usual
- something that is familiar to the masses
- something that is available to the general public

As such, the mainstream includes all popular culture, typically disseminated by mass media. The opposite of the mainstream are subcultures, countercultures, cult followings and underground cultures.

Mainstream music denotes music that is familiar and unthreatening to the masses as for example popular music, pop music, middle of the road music or soft rock but it should be noted that older generations often dislike the mainstream taste of the youth and may not agree to what is or is not mainstream.

Independent
In popular music, independent music often abbreviated as indie. It is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels and an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording and publishing.

There are a number of cultural and philosophical traits which could be more useful in pinpointing what indie music is about than specific musical styles or commercial ownership. Indie artists are concerned more with self-expression than commercial considerations (though, again, this is a stance that is affected by many artists, including hugely commercially successful ones). A do-it-yourself sensibility, which originated with punk in the 1970s is often associated with indie, with people in the scene being involved in bands, labels, nights and zines.

Internet technology allows artists to introduce their music to a potentially enormous audience at low cost without necessarily affiliating with a major recording label. Most artists maintain their own Web sites as well as having a presence on sites such as Myspace.com. Technological advances such as message board, music blogs, and social networks are also being used by independent music companies to make big advances in the business.

Underground
Underground music is music which has developed a cult following, independent of commercial success. This music generally speaking has little or no mainstream appeal, visibility or commercial presence. The term is also currently used to describe contemporary music of non-mainstream musical exponents with actual specific genre or style being unimportant in determining the "underground" status. This diversity may serve to "protect" underground music from being packaged and marketed based on a restricted, easily identifiable sound.

The term underground music has been applied to several artistic movements, such as the psychedelic movement of the mid 1960s,other early underground include the Velvet Underground, the MC5, and Iggy Pop and the Stooges, all three of whom have made significant contributions to music.

Estranged

2009-03-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Name: Estranged
Year: 2001
Genre: Alternative

Members:
Vocals: Richael Lawrence
Guitar: Din
Guitar: Azrai
Bass: Alda
Drums: Lionel Chan

Biography:
EstrAngeD was born on halloween 2001...after Din,Richael and Rusty decided to put together a band while in ICOM.they later roped in Leonard to play second guitar.after using a sessionist to play and record bass.they asked Alda to join them.have played in various gigs mostly noted was asian beat 2001.where we went all the way to the malaysia finals.soon after leonard left and Adzrai was asked to join the band.and finally Lionel was asked to join EstrAngeD after Rusty left.

Dragon Red

2009-03-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

Name: Dragon Red
Year: 2001
Genre: Alternative

Members:
LandSlyde @ Chun Kit - Vocals
Adam @ Stinger - Vocals
Amil Khan - Guitar
Manshaan @ Bai - Drums
Alda @ Shogun - Bass

Biography:
The band was formed somewhere in the end of 2001.It all started when Landslyde formally from Poetic Ammo decided to form a new rap rock outfit. So he went out looking for promising young talents. Through word of mouth, Landslyde heard about Amil a guitarist who could play wicked riffs and decided to drop him a line. Amil was all out to join this new rap rock outfit and decided to recruit his drummer Suresh (from his former band Hardcover).

Amil then introduced Landslyde to his guitar riffs and they instantly felt that the music with Amil's riffs and Slyde's freestyle flows sounded tight. So the hunt for the rest of the musicians went on. After visiting a battle of the bands held by a local college, Amil recruited their first bassist Jeremiah, a bartender who played the bass.

The band then knew that they were one person short. They needed a singer. It was then when Landslyde heard about a singer whom he invited for an audition. At the audition in a local jam studio, Amil and Suresh instantly recognized that person as Adam formally from Wisdom Of Sorrows. They used to perform in gigs together and used to be in the same primary school.

As soon as the band jammed, everyone just fitted in and DraGon ReD (Not Red Dragon) was formed. But Jeremiah was busy with his job and he was in the process of being transferred to Singapore and that's when Dragon Red decided to look for a new bassist.

Hanz (formally from Johns Mistress) showed his interest in joining the band after leaving Johns Mistress. After jamming, once again there was chemistry as the fusion of everyone's musical influences set the pace for our genre of music. Landslyde with his hip hop flow, Amil with his rock and metal riffs, Suresh with his traditional Indian beats, Adam with his hardcore cum melodic vocals and Hanz with his radio friendly bass lines. Thus the Dragon Red that you have all come to know was reborn.

After playing with the band for 7 months Suresh was replaced by Manshaan which made Dragon Red to keep flying higher than before. To him, its a very great challenge to be in this band as he has never played funky tunes and riffs before. Being a good musician, he blends the best of 2 worlds together somehow by mixing all his influences into one piece to create music.

Recently after performing his last show on the 8th of March 2003, Hanz parted ways with Dragon Red because he wanted to pursue his career in business. Even though Hanz was gone, Dragon Red's fire keeps burning with the introduction of Alda and his bass capabilities.

Cryptic Malediction

2009-03-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

Name: Cryptic Malediction

Year: 1993

Genre: Metal

Members:
Tamlikha– stunning aphonic voice of destruction
Philosopher of Death – six mournful strings of apocalyptic vision
Shah – six grisly strings of doom and devastation
AR long – four distorted strings of bass doses
Gie - battlecrafts

Biography:
Based on philosophers’ journey of trance clairvoyance, CRYPTIC MALEDICTION was formed in December 1993, to unveil their vision of destruction. The responsible figure behind this cryptic shadow is Philosopher of Death, who forced the other two guys namely Tamlikha and Azlan, into playing this intense music.The search for the complete line up began with the addition of Rimi and Toejoe (later he was replaced by Roddy) to their highest rank of Death Metal supreme council.

Since the dawn of its creation, they experienced huge line-up problems, as some of the members were not fully committed to what the band needs to accomplish.Fortunately, in October 1994 they gained the required status by recruiting a new drummer, Cinorth and a new bassist, AR long; as a replacement to their departed members. Both new members have injected new spirit and ideas to the desolate world of CRYPTIC MALEDICTION. In desperation to find the fifth member, Shah was finally called forth to join the psychopaths.

As aresult, ‘Cognitive Dissonance’ demo was recorded on 28th February 1995(unfortunately, it was considered as a failure!). The ‘live demo’ failed to raise their standard to a satisfactory level, due to weak arrangementand simple song writing. However, it was a turning point for the band tobe more serious, creative and innovative in writing their future materials.In August 1996,their drummer Cinorth decided to quit the band as he is very busy with Malaysian leading black metal band, ARADIA. The replacementis a guy called Gie (from a now defunct Dark Death Metal band, SERMONT).

Discovering new elements in their musical ecstasy, CRYPTIC MALEDICTION strikes back heavier and much more technical, compared to their priceless ‘Cognitive Dissonance’ demo 95. ‘Insanity to Berzerk’ mini album or EP was finally recorded in October 1997 at Tricastle Studio, and it was produced by the philosophers themselves. The EP has been released on July 20th, 1998 by ULTRA HINGAX PRODUCTION. The EP will showcase the new approach in their music with the addition of hatefull and fiery lyrics. Altogether, this EP contains five tracks of bizarre death metal attack, deadly captured inthe name of the dying art.

Due to difficulties with former distribution label (VSP), the Ep re-released with re-mixed version plus a bonus track available on Cd and cassette.

Arkhaytulmayt

2009-03-09T03:20:00.001-07:00

Name: Arkhaytulmayt

Year: 1998

Genre: Metal

Members:
Zaffeerun (Lead Guitarist)
Savartus (Rhythm Guitarist)
Zalzabouth (Drummer)
Nakarazakth (Bassist)
Emperor Draconis (Vocalist)

Biography:
It was far enough from our imagination that this band can still survive until now. Back to 1998 when the three 'Musketeers of Darkness', Zaffeerun (Binjai), Nakarazakth (Wan) and Zalzabouth (Lan), from the 'Darkest Part' of a region called Shah Alam decided to perform the most enchanting occult art ever and it just almost a 'Utopia' than a reality. At the beginning of this never-ending journey, they just playing cover songs from some 'Metal Hordes' such as Ryusgnal, Hayagriva, Rotting Christ and some other bands in their jamming session. But their dream became reality in 1999, when Arkhaytul (Kerry) joined this 'horde'. 'It wasn't enough...' Who will sing their songs then??? This 'question' was answered not long after that when Zaffeerun met Seri Gempita (Mizal) and he introduced Zaffeerun with his junior in PPP, UiTM named Emperor Draconis (Pet) in an 'audition' session. Emperor Draconis was then immediately joined this 'horde'. Now the 'horde' had a complete list of it's member, so what to waiting for... make some good music then... Ahhh... before that, a band must have a name... What's a suitable name for this band??? At first we decided to use 'Zirkon' as our band's name. But it's sounds like 'Shit'... and on some gloomy mystical night as we gather around together with Seri Gempita, had came to our mind to use 'Arkhaytulmayt' as our band's name... It was the mixed of two words that is 'Archaic and Mayt (It's corpse in Arabic)'.

The story continued then when we finally released our 1st art of darkness in late 1999 called 'Evening Flight Demo'. There were 3 'Act of Darkness' appeared in this demo called 'Evening Flight', 'Apparition in the Forest of Archaic' and 'Pusaka of the Lord of Forestry' plus one melancholic Instrumental called 'Just the Beginning'. The music arrangement in this demo was totally written by Zafferun and the lyrics was totally produced by Seri Gempita. Sadly to say that this demo sounds like fucking shit... It was because of the sound engineer or in the other words 'Bastard Mother Fucka' treated us like we were criminals or something in his not so famous studio in Section 7, Shah Alam. How can he said "Jangan pukul drum kuat-kuat nanti pecah!!!" (don't hit the drum so hard or it will broken), what a non professional person... Let's talk about the support from our local Metalheads then... We received a numerous supports and critics from our local Metal Supporters for our 1st not so happening demo... and it was sold about 500+/- copies... Lots of interviews and letters comes to us, and sorry to those whom we didn't reply your letter as we got lot's works to do...

For 2 years after, things became so quite... nothing was produced during that long bored times... It becomes more worst as Arkhaytul left the band in 2001 without any reason... (maybe it was a personal secret then... but you are still our good friend forever), At the same time... some issues rises up about 'Black Metal' brought by a 'mother fucka Harian Metro', then accompanies by other news media like 'Berita Harian', 'TV3', and some others spreading 'shits' about the 'Black Metal' movement in our country... Things went more worst when Zaffeerun brought to Police Station and had being asked some stupid questions about 'Black Metal'...

Things got better in 2002 when the 'Black Metal' issue stopped as it was just a propaganda of 'Harian Metro' to take a chance from the issue to rises up their profit of their newspapers sales... and Metalheads can once more again get involved in the scene without any disturbance from the enforcement authority. So as Arkhaytulmayt, we breath again as 'Savartus' joined this band taking up Arkhaytul possiton... and we once again will produced our 2nd act of darkness that probably will release in the end of this year (2002)... 2 songs have been completed and in the phase of practicing its in a jamming studio in Section 18, Shah Alam... So, the history of Arkhaytulmayt ends... but the tales of Arkhaytulmayt will never ends... 'Darkness it'll be...'

Bugstar From Malaysia

2009-03-09T01:14:00.000-07:00

Bugstar - many of us may not know who are they and where they are come from. Well, Bugstar is consist of quartert Farid (vox/guitar), Sepoi (vox/bass), Ejump (lead guitar) and Jim (drum) from Batu Gajah, Perak. The band started early since in thier highschool days. Just playing and jam around at that time until they discover themselves having our their own stuff out - thier own music. Then started to get shows and gigs everywhere. The genre they play is punkrock by the way in the veins of Spitalfield, Fall Out Boy, Midtown and The Starting Line. The name of the band isn't what really are today. They used to be known as BCKS then changed to the moniker and to Bugstar as today.

Till this date, some of the releases they've had done
- Bcks 1st demo (tape)
- Bcks 2nd demo (tape)
- Funny movies with punkrock tunes (CD)
- Soulmate Romantique (CD)
- V/A Silverstate Compilation (tape)
- Bugstar : Some songs from the past EP 2008 (CD)

Currently, Bugstar are planning to play at our neighbour country sometime in March. With the newly realeased EP (can get if from Bugstar members only for RM3) , they're craving for more shows. Only the latest gig played was in Ipoh. The show wasn't the good comeback for them as they had rested for long time due to band members responsbility to further their studies.

But then they're good enough to impress me that Bugstar is worth to listen to and watch. With their own punk rock music - hard-knocking drummer, six strings solo, four strings go-go and powerful vocalist - can rock you out.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bugstar

Estrella From Malaysia

2009-03-09T00:46:00.000-07:00

Formed in 2006, Estrella originally consisted of three members; Ashraf, Syariful Adzwan (Yob), and fronted by Liyana. In May 2006, the Troubaganger acoustic gig marked their first-ever performance, initially winning over the audience at cozy La Bodega KL. However, very soon after the three members were then reduced to the current two as Ashraf decided to leave the band for personal reasons.

Armed with their guitars and heartfelt tunes, Liyana and Yob began circulating the local music scene with their own brand of acoustic music. Numerous open-mic sessions and gigs at notable shows around town followed suit; namely Moonshine, Troubadours, Doppelganger, and No Black Tie, and the band began to generate more attention for the duo from both the audience and the organizers.

In June 2006, Estrella’s first single, ‘Take It Slow’ was featured in Troubadours’s “The Voices Next Door” compilation album, and the song was then taken by RedComm productions as part of the soundtrack for the SunSilk TV series Impian Illiyana which ran for 13 consecutive weeks. Gaining some pretty decent exposure in the media as well as the indie scene, friendships were also made with likeminded individuals and groups along the way, providing them with even more ideas and opportunity to grow musically.

Having captured the attention of the Laguna Music masterminds, Estrella further evolved their genre from indie jazz to a slightly more complex sound, with dreamy and spacey after-effects. Under the suggestion of Laguna Music Producer, Jeffrey Little, the strummers now became a light band - with members, Shamsul Idzwan on percussions and Jeffrey Little, himself on drums.
Making rounds at gigs around town as a full band, opening for Seven Collar T-shirt for their showcase ‘A Seven Collar Sonique Cinematique’ and performing at the annual KL Sing Song 2007 show alongside notable singer-songwriters like Azmyl Yunor, Pete Teo and Shanon Shah, gave the band ample media exposure and a good headstart.

Having worked their way to perfecting their existing and new material, Estrella’s self-titled album was released on the 28th of December 2007. Following the release of the album, Estrella released two singles, ‘Ternyata’ & ‘Stay’, to reach-out to both the Malay & English markets.

Everyday musings and inward thoughts are the main elements in their music, using simplicity as the main staple. Being so new to the scene, Estrella is simply going with the flow, and taking in stride whatever it is that comes their way. Keep you ears peeled for this act, they’re bound to reach and capture the hearts of music-enthusiasts everywhere.

Estrella now consists of:

Liyana - Vocals / Guitars
Yob - Guitars
Jeff - Drums
Wan – Percussions
Ariff – Bass

Myspace: www.myspace.com/estrellaband

Harmacy

2009-03-09T00:43:00.000-07:00

Harmacy, a band from Ipoh (Malaysia) started their own step in local indie scene early years of 2000. The line-up that time consists MUNEY as the band leader and guitar/vocal, LEY the lead guitar, BOY as the bassist and AYIQ the drummer. All of them have same interest in making music. They started play cover songs from DINOSAUR JR, SONIC YOUTH, ERIC'S TRIP, THE PIXIES, SEBADOH and MOTORPSYCHO which there were their major influence. Mostly, they play more to US indie-rock and added some noise in their music.

In 2003, 2 years later, their recorded a song called "its all over now" and put it in the KOPI SECHEWEN vol 3 compilation. That compilation was produced by BODYSURF MUSIC. A few months later, after the compilation has been release, they played the launch party and it was a great show and they started get known by the people.

A year later, in 2004, they recorded their 1st EP called "HERE TO HERE" and launched at the INDIE ALL OUT 2 gig. The songs recorded at TRINITY STUDIO, IPOH which consist 7 track. This EP attracted media to give positive feedback which from ROTTW, MALAY MAIL, BERITA HARIAN and also from JOE KIDD.

On 2004, BOY quit from the band and the position subtituted by ALAK. In this year, they put their song in the RADIO MALAYA COMPILATION. The song called "MAKES ME FEEL". Other than that, Umbrella Records like to produce a compilation called COME TOGETHER COMPILATION and Harmacy put "Only One" song in this compilation.

On 2006, they recorded the new single. The single named MILLION REASONS which consists 4 tracks, recorded at Standing Wave, KL. However, they never stop here. It will be more song and upcoming album released soon.

Definition of Indie

2009-03-04T00:33:00.001-08:00

Indie music can best be described as independent or DIY (do it yourself), when the person making it has full control over their art, art that people work hard on, and they do it all for others to enjoy and listen to. There's something for everyone to enjoy. It can cover everything from punk, rap, country, emo, blues, jazz, jazzcore, and everything in between. It is music made by the people for the people, it is Malaysian, American, British, Australian, it is anywhere and everywhere you can imagine. Everyone is doing it, having fun hanging out at indie events with friends or family. If its out there now and its music its either indie or was once indie, so indie is worth every second of listening. Great music can be found anywhere from Perlis to Sabah, to other countries, all places have something to offer. Indie concerts are our form of entertainment. Friends go to clubs or cafes to meet new people or hang out with friends, family and most of the time there is a band, DJ, or rapper playing there, they are indie artists. They are the people that spend hours writing and practicing songs for others to have a good time. Everyone can have a form of indie music that they listen to, they may go and search for bands all the time but all they have to do is open the newspaper to the entertainment section to see that there are great bands out there and see that theres such a variety out there no one can complain. Music for the people, by the people. In a way Indie is the American way. It was created as a form of free speech that overtook the world and now it speaks to us through emotion, truth, or something similar. All artists from bands such as Greenday, Blink 182, Matchbox 20, to Aerosmith weren't always famous, they were once indie (independent) bands living out of a van. Bands such as Gage, Candiria, and As Cities Burn are living out of that van and are considered indie and are trying to make it in the music world. What they need is support, they need people to buy there CD's to keep music alive. If no one supported indie music there would be no music. It is the indie bands that will eventually be the sound of today. Anyone could pick up a guitar and record a CD if they tried hard enough, however, in our day and age it's getting harder and harder for artists to get by and do what they love. They spend thousands of dollars recording in a studio along with hundreds of hours practicing songs for shows not for their own personal enjoyment but so that anyone who gets into what their saying can go and buy their CD's. Bands travel all over the world trying to sell CD's and they need as much support as possible from everyone that can give it. If the music scene were to die then there would be no more places for people especially the younger generations to hang out at and our society wouldn't be as social as it is now. Indie music is for everyone no matter who they are, what they like, or what color their skin is, there is an indie artist(s) that they would like. Friends, family, anyone can go out and see bands play and have a great time and this is because of the artists that work hard to make people so happy. Music is a something for everyone to enjoy, indie music makes it so there is something for everyone no matter what they like. The music scene can only die if indie bands stop getting attention and all those dreams of thousands of people are not supported. Everyone should try to listen to indie music at least once and remember what it is about, being independent, living a dream.

Butterfingers from Malaysia

2009-03-03T22:17:00.000-08:00

Hi all, lets know about this band from Malaysia. Butterfingers is best band in Malaysia. Read background of band.

In 1991, Loque and his Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) schoolmate, Kadak discovered they had a passion for music that went beyond the usual rounds of gigging and jamming sessions. Forming what was then known as Loque's Tail , Loque and Kadak, together with a few MCKK friends, started producing their own material, with the hopes of making a name for themselves in the Malaysian music scene. It was while jamming in K.L during 1993 at Black Widow Studios that they bumped into Emmett, who was there jamming (as guitarist) with his band at that time, Grunge Dayz . Impressed with what he saw, Loque challenged Emmett to a ‘jamming showdown', after which they mutually decided to join forces, skills and creativity, to form their own band, and brand of music. After meeting up with drummer Kalai later that year, Butterfingers was officially born by the end of 1993, ready to take Malaysia by storm. And with the final line up of Loque (songwriter, guitarist), Emmett (vocals, guitar, strings and lyricist), Kadak (bass) and Loko (drums), Butterfingers hit the underground gig scene with such vengeance that had most of their shows sold out and described today as ‘the stuff of underground legends'.

Their previous previews of the Malay album have received nothing but rave reviews from fans and music critics alike. It's new, it's different, it's definitely a step in the right direction for Butterfingers and the Malaysian music industry. With five albums to their name, over 120,000 albums sold to date, offers to play all around the world, and hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the globe, Butterfingers have become a landmark on the Malaysian rock scene, and their reputation for keeping on the cutting edge of creativity and originality have placed them in the Malaysian music history books – and their tale is only just beginning.

Contact: MySpace

Indie Rock

2009-03-03T21:59:00.000-08:00

Indie rock is alternative rock that most notably exists in the independent underground music scene. It primarily refers to rock musicians that are or were unsigned, or have signed to independent record labels, rather than major record labels. Genres or subgenres often associated with indie rock include lo-fi, post-rock, sadcore, C86, and math rock, to list but a few; other related (and sometimes overlapping) categories include shoegazing and indie pop. Indie rock artists place a premium on maintaining complete control of their music and careers, releasing albums on independent record labels (sometimes their own) and relying on touring, word-of-mouth, and airplay on independent or college radio stations for promotion. Some end up moving to major labels, often on favorable terms won by their prior independent success.

1980s
In the United Kingdom, indie music charts have been compiled since the early 1980s. Initially, the charts featured bands that emerged with a form of guitar-based alternative rock that dominated the indie charts, particularly indie pop artists such as Aztec Camera and Orange Juice, the C86 jangle-pop movement and the twee pop of Sarah Records artists. Some definitive British indie rock bands of the 1980s were The Smiths, The Stone Roses and The Jesus and Mary Chain, whose music directly influenced 1990s alternative rock movements such as shoegazing and Britpop.

In the United States, the music commonly regarded as indie rock is descended from an alternative rock scene largely influenced by the movements of the 1970s and early 1980s and their DIY ethic. In the 1980s the term "indie rock" was particularly associated with the abrasive, distortion-heavy sounds of Hüsker Dü, Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Big Black, and others that populated American indie labels, separating them from jangly college rock bands like R.E.M. and 10,000 Maniacs, who, by the end of the decade, were signed to major labels. The late eighties band Pixies is said to be the main influence in 1990s-present indie rock.

1990s
During the first half of the 1990s, alternative rock, led by grunge bands such as Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, broke into the mainstream, achieving commercial chart success and widespread exposure. Shortly thereafter the alternative genre became commercialized as mainstream success attracted major-label investment and commercially-oriented or manufactured acts with a formulaic, conservative approach. With this, the meaning of the label "alternative" changed away from its original, more counter-cultural meaning to refer to alternative music that achieved mainstream success and the term "indie rock" was used to refer to the bands and genres that remained underground. One of the defining movements of 1990s indie rock was the lo-fi movement spearheaded by Elliott Smith, Guided by Voices, Pavement, Sebadoh, The Grifters, Liz Phair, The Elephant 6 Recording Co., and others, which placed a premium on rough recording techniques, ironic detachment, and disinterest in "selling out" to the mainstream alternative rock scene.

Resource: Wikipedia

Indie Pop

2009-03-03T21:56:00.001-08:00

Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s such as Orange Juice and Josef K and the dominant UK independent band of the mid eighties, The Smiths. While the term 'indie' had been used for some time to describe artists on independent labels (and the labels themselves), the key moment in the naming of the genre was the release of NME's C86 tape in 1986. Although featuring a wide range of bands including Primal Scream, The Pastels, and The Shop Assistants, it over time became shorthand for a genre known by a variety of terms. Initially it was dubbed 'C86' (after the tape itself), the more ambiguous Indiepop, Cutie or a term coined by John Peel: shambling bands. Retrospectively, the term Twee was used, initially ironically, due to what commentators called the "revolt into childhood" of its followers. Twee or twee pop is the common term used in the US.

Musically its key characteristics were jangling guitars, a love of sixties pop and often fey, innocent lyrics. The UK label Sarah Records and its most popular band The Field Mice, although more diverse than the label indicates, were probably its most typical proponents. It was also inspired by the DIY scene of punk and there was a thriving fanzine, label and club and gig circuit. Scenes later developed in the United States particularly around labels such as K Records. Genres such as Riot Grrrl and bands as diverse as Nirvana, Manic Street Preachers, and Belle and Sebastian have all acknowledged its influence.

In the mid to late 80s, indie pop was criticised for its tweeness and underachievement but many now argue that C86 and the birth of the genre was a pivotal moment for independent music in the UK. It continues to have a strong following and inspire musicians, not just in the UK but around the world with new labels, clubs and bands devoted to the sound.

Artists List

2008-03-09T03:17:00.000-07:00

A - C
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Arkhaytulmayt
Bugstar
Butterfingers
Colorblind
Cryptic Malediction

D - F
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Dragon Red
Estranged
Estrella

G - I
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Harmacy

J - L
=====

M - O
=====

P - R
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Pesawat

S - U
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Sharp shooter

V - Z
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