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World’s Indie Scene: Bandung
Bandung is known as a hometown for indie artists for the last two decades. Bandung give rise to so many creative and innovative artists with high quality and diverse kind of music, such as hardcore, punk, death metal, rock, hip-hop, ska, gothic, reggae, pop, ballads, electric and kroncong. Just like on other parts of the world, in Indonesia indie movement grew from a friendship, they work without intervention or assistance from major label and distribute their music by themselves.
In 1993, a band from Bandung, called PAS band, made a history as the first band that creates an independent album. Mini-album titled “Four Through The S.A.P” became Indonesia’s first independent album, was released and sold successfully. Samuel Marudut, the mastermind, was a Music Director for GMR Radio, one of the first rock stations in Indonesia. Not long after PAS band made the hits, two others independent-spirited band, Puppen and Pure Saturday was born. Since then the community who call themselves as the indie community began to form and evolve.
In early 1994, there was a legendary music studio which became a forerunner underground rock scene. A studio called Reverse was founded by Richard Mutter, PAS Band drummer at the time. Richard also formed an independent label, called 40.1.24, first debuted in 1997 with a compilation CD titled “Masaindahbangetsekalipisan”. Various high-profiled indie bands participated in this compilation; they were Burger Kill, Puppen, Papi, Rotten To The Core, Full of Hate and Waiting Room.
Saparua stadium emerges as a “holy ground” for independent musician at that time, which closely related with underground music. Saparua stadium, a silent witness of the musical movement in Bandung, became a host for genre such as punk, hardcore, and grindcore. Events such as Hollabalo (1994), Bandung Berisik (1995), Bandung Underground (1996), Gorong-Gorong (1997), and several more was being held thereafter.
In the past, before internet became familiar in Indonesia, the distribution of indie music were quite unique. Distribution of the records at that period being done by spreading from one friend/community to another. Marketing was done by bartering, selling, or open a sidewalks stall in the overhang of shopping mall or plaza at the heart of Bandung city. It was became a forerunner to the establishment of Riotic Distro, the first independent music record store.
The emerging of the internet paved new way of how these artists distribute their music. MySpace, YouTube and such became a new way of distribution used by “indie band community” to introduce their music. The S.I.G.I.T is one of indie band that utilizes the existence of the social networking site MySpace to introduce their songs. Through the internet, they eventually discovered by a record label from Australia and offer them a bid to release the album. Similar stories happen with fellow indie band White Shoes and the Couples Company, which managed to release an album under Chicago’s famous indie label called Minty Fresh. Utilizing the existence of the Internet network to introduce and distribute their music with no limits or geographical boundaries. These become the current trends conducted by almost all of indie bands in Indonesia.
Having their voices heard, they do not only figure out how to have fun, think about their appearance, and how to make the band famous. They took it all and giving back to the community. Various charity programs already being helped and held by various indie artists. With events such as music concerts for education, human rights and, the latest, for humanity, these independent musician has taken their spirit and voice one step further, to not only became good to hear, but also good to feel. Today, indie spirit in Indonesia has been flourished and always grows bigger with the time.
25 May 2010 · Comments
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