Rock group Slank still doing its own thing

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Never underestimate the power of pop culture. Rock group Slank is not only a strong supporter of that notion, but also living proof of it.

"The Indonesian government shouldn't have sent the military to Aceh. They should've sent us there first. If we point our weapons at Acehnese faces so that they remain with Indonesia, it'll just scare them away," Slank's drummer and cofounder Bimbim said in a recent interview.

"But through the arts, they may change their mind."

If you want to dismiss this as the garbage talk of a onetime junkie (his longtime addiction cost him his front teeth), think again, because Bimbim and fellow bandmates are clean now, and there may be some truth to his words.

With a career spanning 19 years, 11 albums and a solid base of one million fans called "Slankers", the members of Slank have established themselves as the most popular and influential rock band in the country.

"If we're being emotional when things don't go accordingly, we can just tell Slankers to stir up some chaos, and they will do it," Bimbim, 36, said.

That has not happened yet. Instead, the band recently received the World Peace Music Award in Bali, for its consistent message of peace, not only in Aceh but Iraq.

Through its Rolling Stones-inflected music, Slank also represents the voice of the country's underclass, singing about unemployment, corruption, as well as abortion, teen pregnancy and drug abuse.

"They don't talk bulls***, they sing regular stuff that we can closely relate to," said Uum Sumpena, 24, a high school graduate who works as an office boy and is a confirmed Slanker.

"And the music is varied too, from rock, blues, reggae or even Papuan ethnic music."

Today, Slank is scheduled to be in Korea, joining other artists from Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines and India, in a documentary project, Shout of Asia.

The Jakarta Post met the whole gang -- Bimbim, guitarists Abdee and Ridlo, vocalist Kaka and bassist Ivanka -- at their base in Jl. Potlot, South Jakarta, last week. It's the place where Slank runs its record company Pulau Biru Productions, website www.slank.com and newspaper Koran2an Slank.

In a scene played out every day, about 50 fans were at the complex, waving and taking pictures as soon as Slank came out of the house.

Below is an excerpt of the interview.

What is Shout of Asia? Abdee (A): There is this Korean company called Medix that has a documentary program. They want to document Asian artists who are considered outspoken for peace. They said only Western artists are well-known for calling for peace. Now it's our turn.

After doing some research in Indonesia, they finally chose us. They contacted us three months ago, then followed us around, including on tour. The company will make a 120-minute documentary film from all artists. This trip to Korea is like the climax of the program, where we will write songs together and perform at a charity concert. Does it have something to do with the World Peace Award? A: No, that's another thing. The award is founded by people like (producer) Miles Copeland and Matt Taylor. They found that there was no award given to bands/musicians that call for peace. It then became a regular award. Bimbim (B): We had quite an experience in Bali, meeting Korean artists and many other people. We positioned ourselves as citizens of the world, not Indonesians. Hopefully it could open the way for us to go international.

But anyway, if I were Megawati (Soekarnoputri), I wouldn't have wasted such a huge amount of money promoting Indonesia through the (recent) concert in Bali. She should've just given the money to us to make a record and tour the world. The event was not really effective, so it was a waste of money.

If the world is supposed to see this country, there should be Indonesians who are known at the international level. Pop culture is the fastest and easiest way to do that -- just take a look at MTV. A: But the government just doesn't see that arts can become a tool of propaganda and have huge bargaining power. So, you found the government is not helpful to musicians? A: No. Take piracy, for instance. Without the government's help, it won't work. We found some piracy suspects, but the police released them instead of carrying out an investigation. B: I doubt the support of the government today. How can we, musicians, fight against piracy if there's no law enforcement, no help from government, no help from the police? Then what is the function of the government? What is the function of the police? Ridlo (R): To back up the pirates! You guys seem to be very Islamic now, performing with (Islamic performer) Hadad Alwi and (preacher) Abdullah Gymnastiar. Kaka (K): We're Muslims, for sure. Actually, we've always been Islamic, but the media only paid attention to our drug addiction. B: We had some suggestive lyrics, but we've always been calling for virtue, because Islam is about goodness. Radical groups? They're not our friends, because they look at Islam narrow- mindedly. Actually, I don't think you have to study a particular religion to become good people. As long as we have a conscience, we'll know right from wrong, we won't hurt people, let alone carry out bombings. How do you see the new bands right now? B: They're good, although they still very much follow the mainstream. Some don't follow the mainstream, like Superman is Dead, Naif, Koil ... they're good. Maybe they still sound like somebody, but that's OK as a start. Character-building needs time. Slank didn't initially have its own character, either. Slank has been around for 19 years. What is next for the band? B: My obsession is to see that the center of the music industry is not just the United States or the United Kingdom, but also in Asia: whether it's Korea, Japan or Jakarta. If people wear Levi's all the time, if everyone sings the Rolling Stones', what would life be like? But to be the center of the industry, musicians have to have their own identity, while most of them are just copycats of those in the West. What do you think? K: That's because right now everything starts from the West. If Asia can promote itself, I think we would come up with our own identity. Because there's a lot of talent in the region. B: It needs a rising star, a pioneer. We need just one Indonesian who can penetrate the world music industry, and the rest will follow. What about Anggun? B: She's yet to be a star. A: There's a mainstream that goes from West to East. Anggun went to Europe and started it all from there. If we want to be the center, we have to be above that Western stream. Or else, we must make a second mainstream.

Anggun is not really an Asian icon, because she goes along with the Western mainstream. If she started it here, she would then move to the West, but the mainstream would be here. Is it really possible to produce a second mainstream? B: Nothing is impossible. But in this capitalistic world, money rules. There are so many Western musicians who can't make it to MTV because they're different. Those capitalists want the bands that can be steered according to their taste. Time magazine recently wrote that the rock scene is really happening here in this country. What do you think? B: It's because the trend in the world is to rock. The rock scene in Indonesia never really died. Take a look at recent years. While boybands are mushrooming in America, it is rock bands like Padi who reign supreme (here).

This represents our opportunity. There's nothing new anymore in the world rock music scene after Nirvana. Bands with "The" names (like The Hives, The Vines, The White Stripes -- ed), are just a repetition of what came before them. A: The Western music scene has lost its creativity. They dig up old stuff and mix it with technology. This is really our chance to shine. Our potential has yet to be explored. We have to be on the upstream so the current will be reversed. The question is, is our industry willing to do that? Is it able to do that? So, what does it take to make it possible? A: First, musicians must build their own character. But it has to be done together with other things, like film. Take Japan, for instance. They first penetrated Europe through manga (Japanese comics) and anime (animation). And soon enough, they brought along pop music. Now, Europeans have become more familiar with it. B: Indonesian films are starting to see the light now, with the success of Petualangan Sherina (Sherina's Adventure), Ada Apa Dengan Cinta? (What's Up With Cinta?) and Jelangkung. But the government doesn't support it. While the local movie scene has started to grow again, the government should help filmmakers because budgets are limited.

It's the right momentum, with Hollywood now remaking Asian films. I think this country will improve if the leaders are from the young generation. We should just shut down the old valves that block progress, because young people still have idealism. But not those young people who were taught by the New Order. We need people who were never involved in the past. They may not be that good, but at least there's hope.

Or should Slank just form a political party? (laughs)