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Efek Rumah Kaca planning a coup

Indie rock trio Efek Rumah Kaca could be the hardest working band in the country

Felix Daas (The Jakarta Post)
Sun, May 9, 2010

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Efek Rumah Kaca planning a coup

Indie rock trio Efek Rumah Kaca could be the hardest working band in the country.

Barely four years after their eponymous debut in 2007 which somewhat broke new ground on the country’s music scene, the band is now plotting another effort to ruffle feathers.

Members of Efek Rumah Kaca band, (from left) Akbar Bagus Sudibyo, Adrian Yunan Faisal and Cholil Mahmud. The band is expected to release its third album under the new label Jangan Marah Records later this year.

After two albums, the self-titled debut and Kamar Gelap (Dark Room) released in 2008, Efek Rumah Kaca doesn’t seem to know when to stop. After traveling throughout the countries touring, meeting hundreds of fans and accumulating new materials from the road, the Jakarta-based collective believes the time is nigh for them to record a new album.

However, the band also has something else in mind. They aim for something bigger and the first incarnation of their effort is founding a new record label named Jangan Marah Records (Don’t be Angry Records).

Plagued with rampant piracy, illegal downloads and lack of good talent, it is likely that the local music industry will go down the drain soon and it is against this backdrop that Efek Rumah Kaca decided they should do something about it. Chaired by the manager of Efek Rumah Kaca, Harlan Bin Boer — formerly of indie pop outfit C’mon Lennon — the new record label is set to open up new territory even for the band.

“Every member of the band loves music,” Harlan said of the band’s motivation to set up the new record label. That, however, is an understatement and he was quick to add that the record label is but one outlet of a consolidated effort consisting of a production house, a media company, a book publishing house and even a music concept store.

“But we will start with something we really like first.” he said.

All of this effort seems to echo one of Efek Rumah Kaca’s early slogans, “Pasar Bisa Diciptakan” (A market can be created).

“We believe that we can create an amenable atmosphere for this movement in music. We have some friends who have been working tirelessly in their own quarters; people from independent recording companies, independent distribution and independent record stores. These people have what it takes to break new boundaries,” Harlan enthused.

Harlan is upbeat that the new record label could shake things up. “It is probably hard for an independent band like Mocca to shift 100,000 units today, but we can bring back the good old days when indie music that we campaign for had a special place in the music industry,” he said.

To test the water, Jangan Marah Records will kick off a multi-city tour sponsored by a telecommunications company. It is somewhat a coup as it is a rarity for a concert, showcasing only indie bands, to be sponsored by a big corporation.

“I remember when I made C’mon Lennon’s video, Aku Cinta Jakarta (I Love Jakarta). There were lots of bands present; we played soccer at Lebak Bulus Stadium and shot the video there. It felt great. We could feel the friendship and camaraderie. I want to get that same feeling again by touring 10 days nonstop,” Harlan said.

Jangan Marah Records is also the home of bands like Bangkutaman, Sir Dandy Harrington, The Kucruts, Zeke Khaseli and of course Efek Rumah Kaca. For more info about Jangan Marah Records and Efek Rumah Kaca, log on to www.myspace.com/efekrumahkaca or follow them at www.twitter.com/efekrumahkaca .

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