A BIG thank you
I did an interview with THUMP Nederland, dutch only for now. An english translation will be online here at the end of next week. I also recorded a mix for THUMP worldwide to showcase the music that I hold closely and has been a big part of my life as of this year. Making new friends on my trip through Indonesia and discovering all new parts of what the music industry has to offer.
“This couldn’t have been done without the help from a lot of people...”
First of all Munir from Midnight Runners who in the beginning of this year gave me a first glimpse inside the Indonesian disco scene with his Nusantara edits. I found him on a reddit post on the second page of google (that place where nobody looks haha) and met up with him later on in the year in Bandung and we had an amazing time when I stayed at his place for a week. Digging, eating, meeting his friends, makings a little music and what not. makasih banyak saudara!
Egon from Now Again Records for pointing me in the right direction and warning me for the pitfalls of the Indonesian scene which gave a little heads up on what to expect. (He already did a comp on Now Again Records about the Indonesian psych-roch and funk scene)
Roger Bong from Aloha Got Soul for helping me out with "where do I even begin with setting up a re-issue label?!" and being optimistic and supportive in the sounds that we both in our own field represent. Hawaii and Indonesia have a lot more in common than you think.
Aben & Ridwan for showing me all this great music when I didn't know where to look. Also for not ripping off this bule who only has the best intentions. This was also the first day I went out digging, since Merel had just left the day before. Aben told me that exactly this night there would be a party called Diskoria at which they would only play Indonesian disco, soul, boogie and funk. If this wasn't ment to be I don't know what is.
There I met Aat and Merdi. Playing only the stuff I wanted and the stuff I liked and didn't know yet. The party was amazing, everybody singing and dancing to these old Indonesian gems. I'd never seen anything like it and if felt amazing. Aat also works at Monka Magic Vinyl so the day after, and in fact the week after I would spend my whole day there talking with Aat and his friends about the music scene, discovering new music, getting to know the culture, practicing my bahasa and buying some of his doubles.
He put me in contact with David and Alvin from Irama Nusantara. Now what these guys are doing is amazing. They are archiving Indonesian music from the 20's up till the 00's, not only by themselves but with the help from other youngsters who all come together at Demajors. On the website of Irama Nusantara they post articles from the old days, to the coverart and the music itself, they even got help from the government to go to the old radiostations and go through their archive.
David is a very special person to the local scene in Indonesia, and to me. He is so open and welcoming and willing to share this music that he feels is his heritage, and I am totally on the same wavelength as he is. This music needs to get out there, and we need to convince the older generation to let us. So thank you David, saudara, mentor and guru for helping me out wherever you can.
He also put me in contact with Reza, the owner of Peel Club Recording who took me through Medan, my families hometown. We went digging in a city where there are no recordshops. Told me about Medan's heritage and we went for the best sate and mie I ever had. Sate memeng.
I of course have to thank my Amsterdam sister Natasha and her husband Bergas for letting me and Merel stay at your place even during hard times, and of course for letting me keep all the records and cassettes I bought safe at your place to not have to carry it around, and worry about it all the time during my trip :). Dankjewel xxx!
Last but not least of course the love of my life Merel for letting me do me and always showing support in whatever I do. <3
I'm probably forgetting a lot of people for showing support but you know who you are :) Wouter, Laura, Carista, Antal, Andre etc. etc. etc.
Sorry for the long read but I had to get this of my chest. Even though this is a one-man mission for now. I couldn't have done it without your help or support! On to the first release and many more!
Terima kasih banyak semua teman-teman saya,
ONE LOVE!
