Rock is dead

I refer to the article Pop star influences make curious reading in The Jakarta Post, Dec. 1, 2000, page 9.

John Aizlewood of the Guardian News Service has neglected to mention the role of Indo-rockers (rock and roll musicians of Eurasian/Indonesian descent) who played in Holland and Germany in the early 1960s.

Bands like The Tielman Brothers were rather more accomplished instrumentalists than The Beatles (mentioned five times in your article). In an informative book on the development of this Indo- rock music (Ramona) there is a telling picture of an Indo-rocker teaching Paul McCartney, pop millionaire par excellence, a trick or two at a German night club.

The truth of the matter was once revealed by Pete Townsend of The Who in the rockumentary The Kids Are Alright: "We were listening to The Beatles ... and when we heard the songs without the vocals (mono) ... they sounded flippin lousy!". Rock is dead -- long live ngak-ngik-ngok!

FRANK LANDSMAN

Bandung