January 21, 2015
Here it is Musical Cosmonauts! Welcome to the first January 2015 edition of Music Matters here in your local Bali Advertiser.
January rolls around again, a fresh start a New Year’s resolution to forget by February! Whatever you did for New Year, chances are is now a blurry memory, and I know mine is! This New Year I made two key resolutions. Firstly to stop drinking for a month, check, so far so good its January 13th and so far not a drop has touched my lips, secondly to get a Bali CD with the cream of Bali talent launched. I have had some great responses from readers with ideas and have to say thanks to everyone for writing in. I will be using some of these great suggestions to get the CD completed. One particular suggestion which caught my attention was a suggestion by Kyotic to visit a website which allows you to record demos and songs. I am still following up with crowd funding through Kickstarter and will post the official donation site when everything is complete. I want 2015 to be a gift for Bali’s many talented performers, and a dedicated CD should do the trick!
Speaking of talent, last night I went on invitation to check out Bisst Band fronted by a lifelong friend of my girlfriend from Sumatra. The band were a bit sloppy in places, and there were some particular songs where the front man could have done with being tighter on the words, that said there was also some great numbers like the rendition of Bonjovi’s Living on a Prayer, and also Johnny Be Good, which got the crowd up on their feet.
After the performance, I caught up with them in Uncle Norms Bistro in Legian, and chewed the fat with front man Jeje Paung about life, the universe, and what it was like to be a musician in Bali.
TJB: How long have you guys been playing together?
“We have been together for about 5 years or so, I formed the band a while back, and we have been playing ever since. I also play in 4 other bands, but I now want to concentrate more on this one as it’s the best.”
TJB: What are your favorite Bands?
“I like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, AC/DC, Bonjovi, basically classic rock.”
TJB: Where do you play and when?
“Tuesday we are here at Uncle Norms, Wednesdays we’re at secret Garden, Thursdays Santa Fe, and Sun Island, and Sundays we’re in Mini Bar.”
TJB: Biggest Audience/ Best Gig?
“50-100 people , I can’t pick a particular gig as I just love doing what I do, and every day is great.”
TJB: You’re a bit of a happy chappy then?
“Yea I am always happy I just love life and love playing music!”
TJB: I actually think your voice suits Rod Stewart do you ever do any of his covers.
”Yea I like Rod Stewart and we do a few covers from time to time.”
TJB: Is it difficult being a musician in Bali?
”No not really because I love my job.”
TJB: Does music pay the bills or do you all have day jobs?
“I have another job as a tour guide but even so I could live on what I make through music, but it’s not about that it’s about the love of what we do.”
TJB: Would having a couple of your original songs on a CD help you move forward as a band?
“Yes any kind of publicity would help. The idea of a CD of Bali musicians is a great idea; we have original songs but never get a chance to play them.”
TJB: What’s the future for Bisst band?
“Hard to tell, I would like us to get bigger I just want to continue making music and entertaining our audience. “
Bisst Band is composed of Andie Bass, Yudiz Drummer, Dudunk Lead Guitar and Jeje Paung vocals and rhythm guitar. They perform classic rock, reggae, pop, and easy listening songs generally around Legian and Seminyak. Check out their twitter page at https://twitter.com/thebisst .
Musical Legend gone wrong?
“The Jungle was full of pies apparently!”
This section I dedicate to one of rock Music’s most iconic singers the one the only Axl Rose. Axl started life as the singer for the LA Roses way back in the 80’s before they merged with another LA band The Guns to form what went down in legend as Guns and Roses. The band became massively famous with songs like November Rain, You Could Be Mine and of course Paradise City.
The original band which consisted in 1986 of vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan, and drummer Steven Adler had its fair share of controversy including when they “accidentally” incited a riot! Axl was not the typical drink, drugs and women side of the band it seems he got his kicks literally by kicking people and punching them for good measure. Famously in 90’s when asked who was the line up for Guns and Roses Axl replied “well there’s me!”
Now the band which only band member is now Axl is currently touring round the world by himself and a different line up every week where he is regularly late, walks off stage, refuses to play, and if he does gets frustrated as he can’t hit the high notes he once could, on top of this he is apparently abusive to members of the audience! In contrast Slash and a few of the original band members are doing well playing packed stadium gigs and rocking out amazing collaborations with the likes of Lemmy from Motorhead and Ronnie James Dio. It’s a shame that Axl one of Rocks greatest vocalists has ended up this way, but there is no excuse for letting your fans down and behaving like a royal jerk to the people who supported you!
That’s all folks until the next issue, wish me luck on the drinking detox and keep it live and help make Music Matter in Bali.
If you enjoyed this article or have any questions, concerns, or if indeed you are the illusive Chris Curtis please don’t hesitate to drop me a line, here to the Bali Advertiser, or alternatively to my direct email address tobiasjbrown@rockfan.com
Copyright © 2015 Tobias J Brown
You can read all past articles of Music Matters at www.BaliAdvertiser.biz