Ska swings its beat across Indonesia

By Endi Aras

JAKARTA (JP): In 1995, Brian Rosenthal conducted research which he published on the Internet (www.skamusic.com). He reported that Ska music was born in the former British colony of Jamaica which became a member of the Commonwealth in 1962. At the end of 1999, Ska music, now well-known to the public, has suddenly appeared and almost dominates the music market in Indonesia.

Ska music has become a trend among the younger generation in Indonesia, mainly in the big cities like Jakarta and Bandung. But even youth in the smaller cities in Central Java and East Java like this type of music. A number of recording companies in Jakarta are now vying with each other to produce Ska music and to hunt for new talent.

Like some other music trends in Indonesia, Ska music has emerged due to certain conditions. The wish of musicians for freedom and peace in life is contained in the mostly optimistic Ska lyrics. Among the Ska groups the Tipe X band from Jakarta seems to attract the most attention. There is also the Wastafel group. Bandung has the Noin Bullet group, Surakarta the Teddy Bear and the rainy town of Bogor the Error group.

Yogyakarta has now some 20 Ska groups. Most of them are seriously involved in Ska music. Think of Shaggy Dog, Black Sky, Traffic Light, Joy Island and Terplunk.

The names of Ska groups are strange and funny. Ska groups have also burgeoned in small towns in Central Java and East Java. In Malang the Ibu Kita Skartini group has adopted and changed the name of a popular Indonesian heroine, Kartini. Purwokerto in Central Java makes use of its vernacular to take the name of Skarepe (to each his own) for a Ska group. A band in Jakarta has assumed the name Kethoepat Skayoer (ketupat sayur is a dish of rice cakes and vegetables in a hot coconut sauce).

The mushrooming Ska groups are accompanied by the growing aggressiveness of their fans. The fanaticism is seen at Ska music concerts. With their striking accessories, Ska fans attract the public's attention. Ska mania is expressed in the colorful attributes worn by Ska supporters during concerts. Caps, ties and coats are the main accessories worn by Ska fans. Suitcases, checkered shorts and Hawaii shirts complement Ska mania. Fans dye their hair blond. Equipped with their Ska style, they dance joyously to Ska rhythms. Their dance style is vastly different from other dance forms. The difference is largely influenced by the beat of the music accompanying the dance.

Different from other imported music, such as Rap, Ska has a number of striking characteristics. The brass section is one of them, although not all Ska bands have the instruments. Brass instruments enhance the atmosphere of joy and liveliness. The Noin Bullet group thinks the brass section is complementary to the function of maintaining a song's liveliness. In this way, it is like African music, which also accentuates the sounds of brass instruments. The development of Ska music has led to the dominance of the brass section.

There is some confusion about the Ska trend. Some people say Ska resembles Reggae, others find it is like The Police. Ska fans in Indonesia remain undeterred.

It is not clear whether Ska music here is only a feverish trend. But its fans can be found in small towns in Indonesia. The performance of Tipe X in Wonosobo, Central Java, some time ago was warmly welcomed by the youths of the small town at the foot of Mount Dieng. Young people in the Wonosari region of Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, are fanatic about Ska music. They all know about the Shaggy Dog group who hail from their town.

Rap and Reggae are two other forms of music that were introduced to Indonesia. They just dropped by never to stay. Before Rap came to Indonesia, music accompanying dance like Breakdance also made Indonesian youths feverish. One of the latest imports was House Music, a trend which soon vanished when the government issued the law on narcotics and prohibited drugs.

Ska music has caused some bewilderment in Indonesian music circles. Many music observers do not understand Ska music. The music is popular within limited circles of adolescents and youths aged between 14 and 22.