Sometimes there is no better muse than political history. Such is the wisdom that the Yogyakarta-based indie-pop-band Nona Sepatu Kaca embraced and celebrated when it came up with its latest song "Rukmini": a ballad that touches on a real-life romance that took place in what is arguably one of the bloodiest periods in the Indonesian political saga -- an attempted coup d'état by the Communist Party of Indonesia in September 1965.

However, at least according to the band, the past does not have to be all about chaos and tragedy.

Twenty-9-year-old Agung "Gabrez" Darmawan, who serves as the band's guitarist, summed it up neatly: "Here's how I think: 'Okay, this is history, therefore we can see it as a lesson. However, as musicians, we have to showcase what was good about the story.' It's not just about us telling people how tragic the story was."

When all is said and done, "Rukmini" was not only the band's attempt at shedding a different kind of light on a gloomy past, but also a demonstration of how to freshen up a music genre that has been steeped in countless love stories -- that is, by telling the story from the more innovative point-of-view. Nona Sepatu Kaca had a virtual sit-down with The Jakarta Post on July 11 to discuss its recent musical experimentation.

Broken vow

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