Rock music programs leave different traces

Rock music programs leave different traces

By Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Since the beginning of this month, two
television stations have been giving viewers a reason to shed
their "I don't like Monday" attitude.

Private stations RCTI and TPI are airing music programs that
should help satisfy the musical appetites of youngsters, seniors
and everyone with a youthful spirit.

The two programs take different approaches in addressing the
generations, and it is interesting to note that the programs are
also delivering some nonmusical messages beyond the entertainment
aspects of the shows.

RCTI's A Mild Live on TV at 10 p.m. is hosted by Nadya
Hutagalung, a former MTV Asia VJ, while TPI's Classic Rock
Specials at 10:30 p.m. is brought to the public by the lesser-
known Micko Atmoko and Reno Sarah.

Nadya guides viewers through a series of videos featuring one
group or musician, such as U2, Vanessa Mae and Mariah Carey. She
provides information about the featured artists, going over their
career highlights, latest albums and current tours.

This is not much of a stretch for the half-Indonesian, half-
Australian Nadya, who rose to fame at MTV Asia and is now
pursuing such interests as launching her own jewelry line,
opening a champagne bar and campaigning for the preservation of
endangered species.

Those familiar with MTV-style music programming (and the
Singapore-based 24-hour music station has gained a broad audience
here, in large part due to ANteve, which carries some MTV
programming) will find nothing new in A Mild Live.

The ideas for the program no doubt come from its producer,
Soundbuzz music media company, a group of professionals from the
music, Internet and finance worlds many of whom, not
surprisingly, are also former top executives at MTV Asia.

However, MTV Asia is more informative and keeps viewers awake
in front of their TV sets with interviews and some interaction
with the artists (remember the Artist of the Month program?)
rather than merely featuring their videographies.

The only thing that viewers may remember at the end of the
half-hour A Mild Live is the "Others can only follow"
advertisements and the product's distinctive white-and-red lines
serving as a backdrop to the foxy Nadya. (This raises the
question of whether a cigarette company is actively targeting the
youth market by sponsoring a music program on TV).

The programmers over at TPI, apparently catching the wave of
nostalgic music programs that has swept local TV stations, have
come up with Classic Rock Specials.

This rock program features artists from the late 1960s, 1970s
and 1980s. The program has so far turned its spotlight on Queen,
Uriah Heep, Deep Purple and The Who, with the Scorpions, Genesis
and Eric Clapton waiting in the wings.

After one or two songs, hosts Micko and Reno discuss the
groups and their members with a music observer or radio
broadcaster invited to take part in the discussion.

Though the guests usually have never met or worked with the
featured artists, they are still able to share personal memories
of the group and the music.

For example, during the Queen show Deddy Isman was the guest.
He was a guitarist in a local Queen tribute band, and he talked
about everything from Queen's music to the late Freddy Mercury's
famously tight pants.

When it was Uriah Heep's turn, Imran Amir, who saw the group
perform when it came to Jakarta in the mid-1980s, was invited on
the show.

Classic Rock Specials gives viewers a closer look at rock
musicians through the eyes of special guests. The drawback is
that viewers cannot share their own memories during the 90-minute
show because it is not interactive.

A Mild Live and Classic Rock Specials have certainly made
Monday nights a bit more livelier and should help viewers get
over those beginning-of-the-week blaahs.