Harry Roesli
\nTaking shots at terror<\/p>\n
Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Passing by the Rumah Nusantara cafe and gallery in North
\nBandung last Sunday, I saw a big black banner that read
\n\"Teroris, Pentas Musik 50 Jam\" (Terrorist, 50-hour Music
\nPerformance).<\/p>\n
And below the banner stood Harry Roesli, founder of Depot
\nKreasi dan Seni Bandung (DKSB, literally the Bandung art and
\ncreation refreshment stand). It was so him.<\/p>\n
I went into the cafe and found a small stage out back, where a
\ngroup was singing traditional keroncong music. Around the stage,
\ndozens of people sat on the floor while a few others sat on
\nchairs.<\/p>\n
I walked around looking for Harry. And there he was, wearing
\nhis usual black outfit and black hat, sitting at a table with
\nsome people, including stage director\/novelist Putu Wijaya.<\/p>\n
Introducing myself, I waited at a nearby table until Harry
\nfinished his dinner.<\/p>\n
The performance was his first appearance since the
\ncontroversial Independence Day commemoration last August, when he
\nsang a satirical version of Garuda Pancasila.<\/p>\n
The free-of-charge performance was also a birthday party for
\nHarry, who turned 50 on Sept. 10.<\/p>\n
Running from Friday at 8 p.m. to Sunday at 10 p.m., the show
\nincluded hundreds of performers, some famous some not, including
\nover 100 street singers.<\/p>\n
Ten minutes later, a man handed me an envelope on which Harry
\nhad written a poem: \"The Jakarta Post which I respect, I pray,
\nhoping that you will come, Pray to God ... please grant my wish,
\ngrant it, God, grant it ... Iman (Faith), Amen.\"<\/p>\n
Inside the envelope was an invitation to a performance by the
\nBandung-based Teater Tanpa Nama (Anonymous Theater) on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Harry (real name Djauhar Zaharsjah Fachruddin Roesli), having
\napparently finished dinner, then approached, ready for an
\ninterview.<\/p>\n
Why did you decide to hold a 50-hour, non-stop show? Well,
\nbesides it being your 50th birthday?<\/p>\n
So that I could meet people and talk with them for a long
\ntime. Usually it's, like, a two-hour show, and then after that
\ntalking with people for, like, an hour, and then we promise to
\nmeet again but we never meet. It's different now. I can meet old
\nfriends and acquaintances. And then where else can street kids
\nshare the same stage with Putu, (stage actress\/director) Ratna
\nSarumpaet and (singer\/songwriter) Doel Sumbang? What an
\nexperience for them. It can be motivating.<\/p>\n
When did you come up with the idea?<\/p>\n
Quite a long time ago. I've done 24-hour performances, 26-
\nhour, 28-hour, 32-hour, 36-hour and now 50. Fifty also comes from
\n50 percent. Nothing is optimum in our country. Nothing has ever
\nbeen done 100 percent. And neither is this show. It's not a show
\nor a performance, it's just ... it.<\/p>\n
And the terrorist thing?<\/p>\n
Well, of course I was taking into account the situation now. I
\nsaw the U.S. attack Afghanistan last week, and I thought, \"Oh,
\ns---, this isn't right.\" And then the idea for the performance
\ncame. I want to do something that can \"eliminate\" terror, because
\nthere are too many terrors in our lives now. The impending fuel
\nprice increase, for example. That's also terrifying. Let's just
\ntry to eliminate our sense of being terrorized.<\/p>\n
Facing terror with terror won't solve anything. Terror must be
\nfought with something that counters terror.<\/p>\n
Why hold the performance here?<\/p>\n
It's the first time I have held something here. Usually I hold
\nperformances at the CCF (Centre Culturel Francais) building. But
\nlately there have been some demonstrations, so I chose this
\nplace.<\/p>\n
What about the performances and the performers?<\/p>\n
This is a spontaneous show. People came and performed whenever
\nthey liked. We had keroncong, dangdut and then suddenly there was
\na snake dance. Yesterday, an old man came at 7 a.m. and said that
\nhe wanted to play guitar. As for famous performers like Putu and
\nRatna, I just called them, whether they wanted to come or not.<\/p>\n
Why is it free of charge?<\/p>\n
Why not? (laughs) If it can be free why should I charge for
\nit?<\/p>\n
Are you performing also?<\/p>\n
Not really. I only played some songs on the keyboards. I
\nshould have performed, but it turned out there were a lot of
\nother people who wanted to perform. But I am staying here for
\nthree days, watching people come and go. It turns out it's more
\ntiring doing nothing than performing.<\/p>\n
So, what have you been up to lately?<\/p>\n
Mostly pushing the button on the remote control and watching
\nTV (laughs). I rarely play music now. I can't play guitar anymore
\nbecause my fingers hurt. I have this nerve ailment on the back of
\nmy head. I still write a column for Kompas daily every three
\nweeks.<\/p>\n
The idea? Well, don't be afraid to lose ideas here in this
\ncountry (laughs).<\/p>\n
What do you think of Bandung's music scene now?<\/p>\n
Creatively, it's still good. But commercially, not very good.
\nBandung musicians have to move to Jakarta because that's where
\nthe money is.<\/p>\n
Bandung bands and musicians used to dominate Indonesia's music
\nscene, but not anymore.<\/p>\n
It's an industry, after all. So now bands from Surabaya and
\nYogyakarta are hot and trendy. It's OK. It doesn't mean Bandung
\nmusicians are losing their creativity.<\/p>\n
Why have you chosen to remain in Bandung?<\/p>\n
I get more luxury here. I'm a middle- to upper-class resident
\nhere, while in Jakarta I'm middle to lower (laughs). I also get
\nmore luxury in terms of time and creativity. Besides, Jakarta is
\nonly three hours away.<\/p>\n
The interview was suddenly interrupted when a group of people
\ncame over and greeted Harry. They were apparently old friends,
\nand Harry ended the interview.<\/p>\n
So I turned to Putu, who praised the show, which he said
\ninvolved the audience emotionally.<\/p>\n
\"I think it can serve as a model, so shows are not just
\ncommodities where people come and go.\"<\/p>\n
Putu said he and Harry had worked together on and off since
\n1982. And they have performed together several times abroad,
\nincluding in Singapore, Germany and Japan.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know, we just click. I almost always turn to him when
\nI need music illustrations for my work. We suit each other
\nbecause we have the same power and energy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
On stage, Harry was making fun of the emcee, Mamat, who was a
\nstreet singer in the Leuwi Panjang bus terminal. Everybody
\nlaughed. More people came and the small cafe was packed.<\/p>\n
A guitar player, one of Harry's friends, played some folk
\nsongs. After that a local group sang religious songs, while Harry
\nstood on a table to watch.<\/p>",
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