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Whiz kids rekindle the spirit of Koes Plus
(From left to right) Jaru, Jim and Gali perform at the 3G concert at Balai Sarbini in South Jakarta (JP/PJ Leo) Koes Plus’ heyday might have been in the 1970s, when they were the biggest rock group Indonesia had ever seen, but even today they manage to cast their spell on the music scene
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(From left to right) Jaru, Jim and Gali perform at the 3G concert at Balai Sarbini in South Jakarta (JP/PJ Leo)
Koes Plus’ heyday might have been in the 1970s, when they were the biggest rock group Indonesia had ever seen, but even today they manage to cast their spell on the music scene.
Koes Plus’ influence is impossible to deny and a new generation, charmed by their music, is rekindling their spirit.
Lead guitarist Fajaru “Jaru” Alzhari is 13 years old, rhythm guitarist Galihva “Gali” Albaladi is 10, bassist Jim Qory Algivari is 7 and drummer Buggy Adrianto is 13. Excluding the drummer, the band is comprised of brothers. It is no coincidence that this composition is precisely the same as the original Koes Plus – Tony Koeswoyo, Yok Koeswoyo, Yon Koeswoyo and Murry.
The young musicians, calling themselves T-Koes, had the honor of kicking off the 3G concert at Balai Sarbini in South Jakarta last month. 3G is short for three generation, for the concert featured T-Koes, Koes Plus Junior, whose members are sons of Koes Plus, along side the original giants themselves.
Sporting typical 1970’s white suits, T-Koes opened the concert with the hit “Kolam Susu” (Pond of Milk).
Playing like their idols, they captivated the packed concert hall with their skills and moves. Jaru strummed his guitar and played keyboards just like the late Tony Koeswoyo, Jim aggressively played his bass guitar like Yok Koeswoyo and Gali showcased his awesome fingering on rhythm guitar. Although slightly overshadowed by the three band mates, Buggy, the drummer, dropped a series of pleasing beats on his drum set.
In the middle of the second song, “Bis Kota” (City Bus), Jaru, Jim and Gali moved forward and danced to the music they played. With guitars slung on their shoulders, they bantered casually with one another between tunes.
From the stage, Jaru summoned Koes Plus’ drummer Murry, seated in the audience, to join them for “Kelelawar” (Bat). The aged and ailing Murry was stunned by such a spontaneous invitation, but he got up and swapped places with Buggy to enthusiastically beat out the classic.
Public appearances of Koes Plus have waned as the music industry caters more to newer and younger musicians. But their name continues to echo through younger musicians like T-Koes, fortifying their solid existence here.
The audience enthusiastically welcomed the songs T-Koes played that night. They immediately sang along with the boys as though quenching their thirst for the real giants’ presence.
So who are these wonder kids?
Their parents said they have played music since a tender age, as they have been raised by music loving families.
“Initially Jaru was not interested in Koes Plus. He played pop songs sung by today’s bands. But then his father told him about Koes Plus and they listened together. Jaru fell in love with the group and looked up at how Tony Koeswoyo played with his guitar,” Wati Agusta, Jaru’s mother, said. “And so did Gali and the youngest Jim,”
“He (Jim) kept complaining about how the bass guitar hurt his fingers. But we encouraged him to practice more. The only medicine for the pain is more rehearsal.”
“I think it runs in the family, the children were raised watching their father and uncle play music,” Wati said.
Buggy’s parents shared similar story. “He cried and asked to be bought a set of drums every time he returned from watching his uncles playing music,” Buggy’s father Wuryanto said.
Residents of Kemayoran, at the tip of Central Jakarta, Wuryanto and his wife Endang faithfully accompany Buggy to practice with other T-Koes members in Meruya, West Jakarta.
Agusta acts as a mentor for T-Koes members, helping to sharpen their music skills.
The idea for the children to form a band was born when Wati and Agusta, who work as event organizers, saw Buggy playing drums in another band. They then contacted Buggy’s parents and shared their idea. The name for the band, T-Koes, was proposed by Jaru, who greatly admires Tony Koeswoyo. “It is short for Tony Koeswoyo,” Jaru said.
The band was officially formed on October 28, 2007.
“Many guess is that T-Koes stands for Titipan , Turunan [descents], Tunas [embryos] or Titisan [reincarnation] of Koeswoyo,” Agus says. “And no less people think T-Koes actually means tikus [rats] because its members are small children.”
There has been a mixed reaction among the Koeswoyos regarding the name of the band. Earlier there was Koes Plus Junior, whose members were biologically related to Koeswoyo, but the members of T-Koes are complete strangers to the family.
The fact that T-Koes members wear their hair long got the children, who are still at public elementary schools, into a spot of trouble, but their teachers soon understood why they were exempted from the obligation to have their hair cut short. Only Jaru, who is on junior high school age, is not hassled, as he is home schooled.
Agusta says he explained to the Koeswoyos that Koes Plus name no longer belongs to the Koeswoyo or Murry family as the band has been part of the history of the country for more than four decades. The group members were banned and kept behind bars during the administration of former president Sukarno in 1960s when anti-western sentiments reached their height here. Koes Plus was perceived as being too western with their music and lyrics.
“T-Koes doesn’t want to ride on Koes Plus’ popularity. We want to preserve their existence. We play their music and sing their songs, of which they had more than 1,000,” Agusta said.
Yon Koeswoyo, Koes Plus frotman, says he is honored and relieved to see the children playing his music and singing his songs. “I’ve seen adults and children playing our music but they are not as good as T-Koes.”
His former band mate Murry says he is proud of the children. “They remind me of when we we’re young…the days when we were still so skinny.”
But T-Koes is not Koes Plus. Doors are open for them to grow and be themselves. They are set to release an album containing their own songs, inspired by Koes Plus. A long tour to is also planned. But for now they will sing Koes Plus songs, quenching the thirst of Koes Plus fans. Bravo T-Koes!
