Kenapa kita jangan tertipu pasal isu 'Allah' sekarang ni

Hey kawan-kawan!

Biasanya i tulis dalam bahasa omputih je, sebab nak kasi can kat mat saleh untuk follow story kitorang gak, tapi kali ni, i nak tulis dalam bahasa Melayu (dulu org panggil bahasa Malaysia, tapi untuk mengekalkan kuasa Melayu, kerajaan kita perlahan2 panggil bahasa Melayu, dan lama2 kita pun terbiasa dgr org panggil bahasa Melayu je, so i pun panggil bahasa Melayu la jugak, nak ikut seruan kerajaan), sebab nak kasi can kat org Malaysia utk betul2 faham pasal isu yg sgt hangat diperkatakan sekrg, ala2 goreng pisang panas sedap yg kat Shah Alam tu - isu penggunaan perkataan "Allah" oleh org2 Kristian kat Malaysia ni.

Sebelum kita mulakan perbincangan politik ala2 hardcore dan punk kita ni, meh sini i nak terangkan sikit latar belakang isu ni yg agak ramai di antara kita org Melayu yg panas baran dan suka mengamuk ni mungkin 'terlepas pandang' atau tak pernah tau atau baca sebelum ni, sebab kita ni suka baca headline kat depan Harian Metro je selalunya, seronok la u baca cerita2 panas ni. Kalau nak baca benda2 lain tu buat apa kan, takde guna pun. Meh sini i senaraikan sikit kasi terang lagi bersuluh, supaya takde yg terkeliru dan mudah lupa:

1. Isu penggunaan "Allah" ni hanya baru2 ni je dijadikan isu apabila Kementerian Dalam Negeri kita, PADA TAHUN 2009 mengeluarkan arahan supaya suratkhabar The Daily Herald dilarang menggunakan perkataan "Allah" dlm keluaran suratkhabar tu yg berbahasa Melayu. Ingat baik2 tu, TAHUN 2009 baru depa nak buat isu. (NOTE: I baru saja dihalakan kepada beberapa blog yg mengandungi maklumat atau spekulasi bahawa sejak tahun 90-an lagi sudah ada percubaan utk menghalang penggunaan perkataan "Allah" oleh org Kristian di Malaysia ni - okay lah, kalau betul pun ada, hakikatnya percubaan ni masih lagi sangat baru, sila baca perenggan-perenggan di bawah untuk memahami kenapa i cakap 'baru'.)
   
2. Rakan 1Malaysia kita di Sabah & Sarawak (yg majoritinya walaupun Bumiputra, tapi adalah beragama Kristian) dah beratus tahun menggunakan bahasa Melayu masa diorang semayang kat dalam gereja diorang, atau masa paderi2 diorang bagi khutbah. Bukan mulai tahun 2009 ya, dah beratus tahun dah.
   
3. Kitab Injil aka Bible telah dialih bahasa kepada beratus2 bahasa sejak beratus tahun yg dahulu - dlm bahasa Melayu pun dah lama ada, dlm bahasa Arab pun ada (takde pulak i dgr org Islam kat dunia Arab sana bising mcm kita kat Malaysia ni - pelik kan, sebelum ni kita kat sini sibuk sgt nak tiru org Islam Arab, tiba2 bila sampai hal ni tak mau pulak tiru).
4. Mengikut pembacaan i, salah satu sebab mengapa perkataan Allah dipilih sebagai terjemahan kepada God semasa sesi menterjemah Bible ke dlm bahasa Melayu beratus tahun yg dahulu adalah, kalau di dlm Bible selalu ada frasa ni - "Lord God". Sebab kena ingat, pada diorang Nabi Isa aka Jesus, walaupun adalah "Son of God" juga adalah "God", jadi perlu dibezakan antara Jesus sebagai God dengan bapaknya yaitu God (jadilah frasa yg i cakap tadi - Lord God). Jadi, telah diputuskan beratus tahun dahulu utk menterjemahkan Lord God kepada Tuhan Allah. Kalau Tuhan Tuhan, atau Lord Tuhan, atau Tuan Tuhan atau Dato' Tuhan atau Tan Sri Tuhan bunyinya tak sedap dan macam kelakar la pulak kot, hehe. Sama ada korang setuju atau tak dgn konsep Holy Trinity ni tak patut dijadikan isu, sebab itu hak diorang nak percaya apa yg diorang nak percaya, kalau korang nak tunjuk alim, gi dakwah dgn diorang, jgn sibuk nak bakar gereja dan maki2 org Kristian, nabi Muhammad kena baling batu sampai berdarah pun masih bersabar dan berdakwah dgn tenang, walaupun masa tu malaikat dah tanya sama ada nak mintak diturunkan bala atau tak kepada org2 yg baling batu tu.
   
5. Persekutuan Tanah Melayu, semasa sibuk nak mengajak Sabah & Sarawak utk join kita dan menjadi 1Malaysia pada tahun 1963 tak pernah langsung menjadikan benda ni isu, walaupun pada masa tu rakan2 1Malaysia kita kat sana dah lama dah guna frasa Tuhan Allah tu.

Okay, sekarang i dah cerita sikit latar belakang benda ni, jadi bolehlah kita berdiskusi dgn ada sedikit ilmu di dada, so nanti bila nak tepuk dada dan tanya selera tu, takdelah semput lak. Kepada org yg dah ada baca artikel i kat The Malaysian Insider pasal isu ni, sorry la kalau i ulang sikit artikel tu lepas ni, k.

Mengikut pemerhatian i, org2 yg menentang penggunaan 'Allah' oleh org Kristian ni niatnya baik, depa nak melindungi org Islam, takut akidah terpesong, cuma pada pendapat i yg takdelah seterer mana ni, sebab musabab dan hujahan yg diorang pakai adalah sgt tak logik, dan lebih bersifat emosional dan agak kurang rasional, maybe kena dgr lagu Rasional Emosional selalu, hehehe.

Untuk dipendekkan cerita dan lebih jelas, meh sini i rumuskan hujahan2 utama diorang:

1. Depa takut nanti org Islam di Malaysia ni 'terkeliru' bila dgr penggunaan 'Allah' oleh org Kristian.
2. Bila dah terkeliru, nanti mestilah senang nak terpesong akidah
3. Kesucian nama 'Allah' patut dijaga, sebab Allah tu Tuhan Yg Esa dan Satu, kalau org Kristian guna, konsep tuhan yg Satu tak terpakai utk depa sebab depa punya konsep adalah Holy Trinity.

Baiklah kawan-kawan, sekrg ni i nak terangkan pulak kenapa hujahan2 depa ni tak berapa nak logik sgt:

• I rasa sebenarnya takde apa yg nak dikelirukan pun, sebab kalau la mcm tu, kat Sabah & Sarawak tu dah takde la org Islam yg tinggal dah, semua pun dah keliru dan convert masuk Kristian sebab hari2 dgr perkataan 'Allah' digunakan oleh org Kristian, tapi takde pulak jadi mcm tu kan?
• Org Islam kat Malaysia ni belajar Agama Islam 11 tahun beb kat sekolah, takkan la kita ni bongok dan moron sangat sampai tak tahu perbezaan konsep Tuhan dlm agama kita dgn agama2 yg lain?
• Org Kristian gunakan perkataan 'Allah' tu kat tempat2 yg kita org Islam tak hingin nak pergi pun - kat gereja masa depa semayang, kat dlm suratkhabar/majalah Kristian dan benda2 mcm tu - apa ke jadahnya kita nak buat ke gereja ataupun baca suratkhabar/majalah Kristian kan? Ke sebenarnya org2 yg tak nak bagi penggunaan perkataan 'Allah' ni suka gi ke church dan baca suratkhabar Kristian, jadi diorang takut lak nanti iman dia tergugat eh? Ataupun anak2 atau saudara mara depa suka gi church dengar khutbah? I agak2 je la situasinya mcm tu, sebab kalau i sendiri la, kalau la terjumpa suratkhabar Kristian, i tak ambik pun nak baca, atau kalau terdengar paderi bagi khutbah, mesti i cuba blank out kan otak i tak nak dengar, maklumlah takut nanti tergugat iman, hehehe.
  
• Secara ringkasnya, penggunaan perkataan 'Allah' oleh diorang tu sebenarnya takkan sampai pun ke telinga atau mata kita, unless kita sendiri cari lah, dan kalau kita sendiri yang cari, jangan sibuk nak salahkan org lain, betul tak?
• Penggunaan perkataan 'Allah' oleh rakan2 1Malaysia Kristian kita tu langsung takde bersifat menghina pun. Depa cuma guna dlm konteks Lord God mcm i cakap sebelum ni, takde pun depa guna frasa mcm Jesus Allah ataupun Roh Kudus Allah, ataupun Maryam Ibu Tuhan Allah ke. Depa cuma guna utk Tuhan Allah je. Jadi sebenarnya, perkataan 'Allah' tu tetap Satu je walaupun dlm konsep Holy Trinity diorang.
• (NOTE: Ada org komen kat Facebook kitorang mengatakan kalau dibenarkan org Kristian guna 'Allah' secara tak langsung kita mcm mengakui yg Allah tu boleh beranak etc (konsep Holy Trinity tu), jadi akidah kita dah terpesong mcm tu lah. Jawapan i senang je: Allah kita dan Allah depa langsung tak sama, so what's the problem? Alaaa macam kereta la kot, I ada kereta Kancil, u pun ada kereta Kancil, tapi kereta kita lain maaa, nama je sama. Loan bayar lain2, tambah ekzos besar bising pun lain, sport rim pun lain, letak speaker dentam-dentum pun lain, habis tu u nak marah i suruh tukar nama kereta i ke, jgn guna nama Kancil? Nanti i tukar nama jadi Move org kutuk lak, tak sedar diri pakai kereta local, perasan konon kereta import, hehehe. Pendek kata, benda yg senang buat apa la nak disusah-susahkan...)
  

Jadi kawan-kawan, marilah kita sama2 berfikir dgn lebih rasional pasal isu ni. Kurangkan emosional, walaupun lagu feveret u Rasional Emosional. Nak atau tak, kita berkongsi bumi Malaysia ni dgn org2 dan agama2 lain. Junjungan besar kita, Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. sendiri pun, walaupun telah menjajah tanah Kristian, tak pernah membakar gereja apa lagi kacau kepercayaan org lain, malah dia siap membuat perjanjian dgn org Kristian utk melindungi dan tak nak mengacau gereja2 mereka. Itulah keindahan Islam beb, akhlak kita, keadilan, menghormati hak asasi manusia dan kesabaran yang patutnya kita jadikan contoh kepada org lain.

I tau, kita ni bukannya nabi, tapi itu tak bermakna kita diberi lesen untuk jadi setan dan samseng, betul tak u?

Kepada kaki2 bikin teori konspirasi, isu ni lagi la bikin dey all sakit kepala. Sebab apa? Sebab ada banyak lagi isu besar yg lebih menyakitkan hati dey all yg kita semua terlepas pandang sebab sibuk nak concentrate pasal isu 'Allah' ni (yg sebenarnya bukan isu pun) mcm:

• Kehilangan 2 enjin jet yg bernilai ratusan juta ringgit yang sepatutnya berada di dalam jagaan kerajaan kita yg bijak bistari dan bertanggungjawab - siapa yg curi dan jadi kaya? Mungkin kita takkan tau sebab kita sibuk nak bakar church je sekrg, dah terlupa dah ratusan juta ringgit duit rakyat lesap begitu saja
  
• Dulu bila org nak berdemonstrasi dlm kuil, kerajaan tak bagi, siap tembak gas pemedih mata ke dlm kuil, tapi bila org nak berdemonstrasi dlm masjid pasal isu Allah ni, boleh la pulak, tiba2 je kita semua ada hak untuk berdemonstrasi, dah jadi ala Amerika u, kuat demokrasi tiba2. Kenapa eh u? Kita kena pancing kot... maklumlah Melayu kan mudah panas dan mengamuk, lagi digalakkan utk panas, lagi senang boleh kita bergaduh sesama rakyat
  
• Apa faedahnya kita gaduh? Sebab kalau kita rakyat bergaduh (kalau lagi teruk daripada 13 Mei 1969 lagi bagus), nanti boleh la kerajaan kita isytiharkan Darurat, jadi Parlimen pun akan dibubarkan, pilihanraya umum pun tak payah ada (yg bermakna kuasa kita utk lantik siapa yg memerintah pun hilang), jadi dapatlah depa memerintah sesuka hati dan pertahankan hak 'org Melayu' (depa kan Melayu, tapi Melayu yg dapat hak tu sedara mara depa la nanti, kita Melayu rakyat + org2 kecik ni biar cukup makan je dah la).

Haa, tapi yg atas ni teori2 konspirasi la. I tak tau la betul ke tak, tapi seronok gak fikir pasal ni, mcm boleh buat movie je, ala2 Hollywood u. Takkan depa je asyik nak buat political thriller, The Fast And The Furious kita dah tiru, esok lusa keluar la kot cerita konspirasi kat sini, karya terbaru Prof Madya ke, Ahmad Idham ke, Syamsul Yusof ke, terbitan David Teo ke. Mesti best kalau buat kan? Tapi kalau buat kena ban la kot, Rempit V3 khabarnya dah kena ban, apa lagi cerita konspirasi mcm ni. Tapi hari tu Jalang lepas pulak kan? Oh, lupa lak i, kita kat sini suka seks, pura2 tak suka je in public. Hehehe.

Tapi kesimpulannya u, konspirasi ataupun tak, kita sebagai umat Islam janganlah biarkan org lain memandang rendah Iman dan otak kita. Kita ni bukannya budak2 lagi, kita ada Iman dan akal kita sendiri, takyah la sibuk diorang nak jagakan utk kita. Janganlah kita terlalai, cepat sangat panas baran dan bertindak melulu sampai nanti nasi pun jadi bubur, kalau gaduh2 ni u ingat org luar nak dtg melawat negara kita ke? Kalau takde org luar dtg melawat atau melabur, u ingat bisnes2 kat sini boleh hidup ke? U ingat boss u atau boss parents u tu print duit sendiri kat ofis ke? Kalau bisnes tak jalan nanti u dgn i jugak yg susah. U takde duit nak beli CD dgn datang gig, i lak takde duit la nak buit CD baru atau buat gig. Tak best la pulak kalau mcm tu kan u?

Pendek kata, bukalah mata, bukalah minda, jangan jadi moron, semoga Allah berkati kita semua. Amin...

-aidil-

P/S: Oleh sebab i ni mat rock, maybe u tak ambil pusing sangat apa pendapat i pasal ni, so apa kata u all baca apa Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (bekas Mufti negeri Perlis yg famous tu) tulis pasal isu ni kat sini:

http://drmaza.com/home/?p=566#more-566

Dan lagi satu ni nama dia Al-Bakistani, tak tau la ustaz ke tak, tapi yg i tau dia takdelah sefamous Dr Mohd Asri tu, tapi syok gak tgk dalil2 dia cerita:

http://g-82.blogspot.com/2010/01/isu-kalimah-allah-allah-for-all.html

I rasa, lepas baca semua ni, bila u tepuk dada nak tanya selera tu, takde la tersedak atau terbatuk kot, at least ada la berisi sikit, dan takde la kita akan keluarkan statement2 yg kosong dan moron yg takde usul periksa, betul tak?

Pop Tak Masuk Radio - the story + photos

We're anxiously waiting for the master CD for our new album, Pop Tak Masuk Radio, to arrive from Jakarta, anytime today! Once it arrives we'll surely upload as many songs as possible onto our Myspace + Reverbnation players. I almost got a heart attack earlier today when I checked the package's status on Fedex's website, and saw that it has in fact arrived in Sepang last night, but has somehow made its way to Guangzhou at midnight! Imagine the horror I felt, LOL. But it's now back in Sepang this morning, so I'm feeling much better now, hehe.

As you may already know, this is going to be our first all-Malay album, and to make things even more interesting for us, we've decided to record at one of the oldest studios in Malaysia at King Musical Industries in PJ, a studio now called The Red Room, run by our old friend Reza (of the band Saturnine). It was a great, fun experience for all of us, but we'll let the photos tell the story:


Vintage looking mixing board, always a good sign...


King Shahrin marveling at the vintage drumkit


Macam best je...


Pretty picture of a Hammond organ... ooops I meant Ariana!


Stop taking our photos lah!


Tense look after botching another damn take!


Sikit lagi bro, sikit lagi pusing...


Hensem la tu kononnya... hehehe


Kasi lagi feel beb...


Acoustic guitars are HARD to play!!

We finished recording before Raya this year, and then sent the album to be mixed and mastered by talented Indonesian hero, J. Vanco (who's done albums by Efek Rumah Kaca, Sore, Vox, Annemarie and loads more), who's done a great job getting the best out of our usual shambolic performances.

We really can't wait to let you hear the results, so do check out the new tunes which will surely be up this weekend on our Myspace + Reverbnation music players, and do get all your friends to check 'em out too because after all, this is Pop Tak Masuk Radio!!

When will it be out? If all goes well with the pressing plant, we'll start selling the album at the Flyniversary Concert on 14th November at 1 Utama's Central Park Avenue. It's a free show and the CD will cost you only RM10, so do come and be the first to own the new album!

-aidil-

Jalan-jalan cari makan!!

Last week we went to Sg Petani for a gig, but being the food fiend that I am, I've already planned a raid on some of the nice food places that I remembered from my last trip there, so here we go!

Day One - 17th October 2009

Went out from KL around 9am, stopped at Restoran Jejantas Sg Buloh for breakfast (sorry, I forgot to bring out the camera, too hungry, hehe) and ate some Nasi Lemak (aka fragrant coconut milk rice). Nothing fancy, but I did have to take about 3 toilet breaks on the highway as a result of the sambal!!

Arrived in Sg Petani at 2pm and had lunch at the venue (provided by the organisers), so our initial plan of having lunch at this fantastic Mee Goreng (aka fried noodles) had to be shelved. Our set went pretty well, and the Sg Petani kids rawked!

Night came, so we went straight for my next target, a stall in Sg Petani selling Nasi Lemak Bungkus for just RM0.50 each, and this includes Nasi Lemak Ayam! Unfortunately, the shop was not open that night, so we went for whatever nasi lemak stall we could find, and found one selling Nasi Lemak Bungkus for RM1.00 (again, forgot to bring camera, too hungry, ahahaha!).

Finished the night by going to a Fun Fair and got ourselves some burgers after that to end the night (I know, we kinda eat a lot don't we? Hehehe).

Day Two - 18th October 2009

Finally, we got the chance to go to the fabulous Mee Goreng place I was talking about (it's opposite the old bus station), and just look at our happy faces!


Waiting impatiently for our orders....


Mee Goreng + Pasembur - they actually pour some Pasembur sauce on top of the Mee Goreng! Niceeeee


The cooks...


Happy customers...


Happy customers + cooks giving the thumbs up!!

After filling our stomachs nicely with the Mee Goreng + Pasembur as breakfast in Sg Petani, we then started our journey back to Kuala Lumpur, but not before we stop in Ipoh first for lunch at the infamous Nasi Ganja!!


Welcome to Hollywood... oops, Ipoh!!


Kedai yang muhibbah...


The infamous Nasi Ganja (aka Cannabis Rice... LOL)


Happy faces about to consume some ganja man...


I am ganja-ed!


I am ganja-ed too, you're next uncle!


The shop sign

Look ma, NO GLOVES!! And he's the one putting the food on our plates. So that's why it's gooooooood, hehehehe. I heart you, uncle!!

We arrived safely in KL around 5pm, with our stomachs nicely full. Moral of the story? Selalulah jalan-jalan cari makan okay geng? Melancong dalam negeri pun ada bestnya, makan! Hehehe.

-aidil-

Onak Duri Bersama Couple - cerita Shahrin

Nama aku Mohd Shahrin Bin Ismail, aku sudah berumur 21 tahun, hampir 4 tahun aku bermain dengan band Couple ni. Sedikit sebanyak nak jugak aku kongsi pengalaman aku bersama band gatal ni. Selama 4 tahun aku main dengan Couple Alhamdulillah takde banyak masalah. Kalau ada masalah pun masalah sakit otak, sakit jiwa, dan sakit mental hehe.

Aku join band ni sekitar tahun 2006 masa tu dierg baru mengeluarkan 1^st album dierg Top Of The Pop! Terus terang aku cakap aku bukan peminat dierg. Sebelum aku join Couple aku pernah pergi gig dierg sekali je hehe. Mase tu dekat Little Havana Bukit Bintang. 1^st time tgk apa la band macam ni punye simple pun bole main gig dgn lagu slow, mmg tak masuk dengan jiwa aku yang memberontak ni. Mmg tak patut!!!! Haha!

Tapi lantak la. Lepas tgk dierg buat gig tu aku ada gak la tgk2 page Myspace dierg check it out sket! Hehe . Time tu band ni perlukan drummer, so aku terus contact Aidil aku habaq aku berminat nak tawarkan diri aku kat band Couple ni. Lepas dierg mengeksperimen kan aku, lepas sebulan gitu aku ditawarkan masuk ke dalam band Couple ni, macam dapat tawaran universiti bile Aidil msg ko berminat tak? Aku pun cakap I berminat la you.

Mase tu jugak Ariana pun baru join Couple dan mase tu bassist dierg Ojooe. Ojooe la rekemen aku kat Aidil habaq aku ni tititititititit. Pastu dapat la masuk. 1^st gig aku kat Starbucks Uptown Damansara, Digi punye ape ntah. Dierg ajak Couple buat show akustik.

Lepas tu Couple diajak untuk beraksi dekat Singapore pulak. Gila tak gila la 2nd gig kat Singapore, gila la! Baru masuk da wat passport sume! Dengan Couple 1^st time aku pergi ke luar negara, Singapore. Naik KTM!

Pastu da kat Singapore ada interview dengan MTV aku da la tak pnah interview ni tuk2 MTV ASIA! Cuak gile tapi redah jela. 3 slots mase tu kena interview MTV POP INC, MTV ROCK IT, MTV JUS!l Best la cube benda2 baru ni kan.

Gig-gig sampai lebam, tahun tu jugak aku dapat main Rock The World 7! Berlinangan air mata aku duk atas indie stage tu. Yeala dulu2 duk tgk kat cd je bile la aku dapat main kan. Band sendiri pun jamming je. Dekat RTW7 la aku pakai seluar sekolah pendek koyak sendiri, tak pakai baju buat show kat Rock The World! Gile rock star! Baru masuk kate kan culture cok! Hehe.

Main punye main da nak buat 2^nd album ahai! 1^st time jugak dalam hidup dapat rekod album iaitu 2nd album Couple, Teenage Disc Fantastic. Lepas da rekod 2nd album, show2! Dapat pulak main gig KAMI alahai rezeki makin melimpah dan mencurah2! Seronok gile dapat main gig KAMI tu hoi! Naik bus ramai2! Dgn band2 lain pergh! Rase macam kat oversea la katekan. Seluruh semenanjung aku dapat jajah kecuali Perlis dgn Terengganu.

Makin lama mase semakin berlalu tahun berikutnya Couple buat showcase sendiri dekat MCPA. Seronok! Show sendiri! Ramai orang datang nak support band Couple ni. Dapat jugak organize gig sendiri. Selepas tu bermula la chapter baru tahun 2009. Keberangkatan bassist baru name nye yang mulia Awang Masrin. Dia pun join Couple sebab Ojoe ada kerja lain. Lepas tu….aku sambung nanti la cerita ni…..penat…

-shahrin-

Couple goes acoustic?

Last Friday we did something we've never done before, and something I personally never thought we could actually pull off with any degree of decency, which is to do a full band acoustic set. We've done acoustic sets before, but usually with just minimal instrumentation like just one guitar and one bass, or 2 guitars with no bass, and always with just a tambourine, shaker or a snare drum to keep time.

When you have someone like Yuna also on the bill (whose music is perfectly suited to an acoustic setting) and Stonebay (who are very skilled musicians), it's kinda scary for such rudimentary punks like us to attempt to do our fast songs acoustic. But we went for it anyway. Almost everything was slowed down, and I tried my best to not screw up the solos (the acoustic guitars we borrowed were kinda hard to play, ahahaha).

The stage and lighting was nice, and the ambience was suitably mellow, so we started with Say Hi (which one of our friends said reminded him of the Juno soundtrack when we did it acoustic that night - betul ke ni? Tak mau bodek2 tau... hehehehe), and just worked our way right through the last song, Come Back Again (which we played so slow, another friend asked me if that's a new song! I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not, hehehe).

Anyways, this set should be aired for the new season of Homegrown on 8TV in the near future, so do keep an eye out for it, and yes you can laugh at our screw ups during the set! If any of you readers are from Sg Petani, we're playing there this Saturday 17th October 2009 at 2pm at Carnival Waterpark (next to Cinta Sayang Resort), supporting Hujan for their Mencari Konklusi tour. See you there?

Oh, and last but not least, thanks to Azam Hashim for the photo!

-aidil-

Couple plays The Beatles - this Friday night!!

This Friday, 2nd October 2009, we'll be playing a Beatles tribute gig at Bar Sonic @ Zouk KL, organised by our pals Twilight Actiongirl, to commemorate the release of the new The Beatles remasters CDs that's been bankrupting sooo many people worldwide (especially those hunting for the Mono boxset, which I failed to pre-order from Amazon 'cause it sold out so fast).

After deciding on which songs to play (trust me, it's not easy, there's just so many essential Beatles songs out there, and being the incompetent musician that I am, I obviously can't play them all), it's just remarkable how weird the chords are, yet how memorable the songs are, even for the seemingly 'simple' ones.

I just watched High Fidelity again recently and was again reminded that making a live setlist is actually not that different from making a mixtape. There's an actual art to it. In The Beatles' case, what DO we play? Hey Jude? Yesterday? I Wanna Hold Your Hand? Let It Be? Come Together? Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds? All You Need Is Love? Yellow Submarine? Seriously, the list is endless.

I've always been kinda opposed to doing what's obvious. Like when I'm sure everyone was expecting us to just rehash the formula in Top Of The Pop, I decided to make a naughtier, punkier album with Teenage Disc Fantastic, just like how Top Of The Pop was way different than what people expected from us after hearing our Turning Melancholy To Magic and Telegrams From The Heart EPs.

As for the songs I listed above? They're kind of obvious as Beatles classics, aren't they? I'm sure you can find a lot of pub bands who do those songs flawlessly around the city, so why should we do them, right? So, what should you expect from our set this coming Friday night? Beatles classics, of course, but not what you'd normally expect, I guess. That, and a whole lot of rock n roll!

See you there then? And of course, do tell all your friends about it!!

-aidil-

p/s: The gig's at Bar Sonic, Zouk KL, Jalan Ampang, this Friday 2nd October 2009 @ 10pm. Entry before 10pm is free (I think, or maybe it's RM20, not so sure, hehe), but do come early cause we'll be playing first and after that TAG will be spinning as much Beatles tunes as they can think of.

Pop Tak Masuk Radio!

As some of you might already know, we've just finished recording the songs for our next album, which will be called "Pop Tak Masuk Radio." We've sent the album out to be mixed already, by whom you ask? Well, let's just keep that a secret for the moment, make it a surprise for another post maybe?

Anyways, this time we've asked our good friend Zharif (who did the cover + artwork for Top Of The Pop) to again do the cover + sleeve for this album. Some drafts have already been going back and forth between us since July, and this is in no way the final version for the cover art, but who knows, the way we always change our minds about things, it might even be the actual cover art! Checkidout yo!

-aidil-