name: Joe Kidd
bands: Carburetor Dung, The Shitworkers, The
Morones, Famous Cowboys + 667 - Neighbour of The
Beast.
country: Malaysia

Answers:

"The Underground: What's the reality?"

Objective:  to find out what's the reality of the
"underground" scene.

Questions:

- is it progressing like what most media hyped
about or is it dying?

Answer: Truth is I don't think the media has any
clue on the underground and frankly, I don't see
much media hype after the rabid corporate
interest in everything "alternative" took a
nosedive back in the late 90s. From my point of
view this is very, very good.

The recent wave of corporate interest and the
media frenzy is just another cycle of
money-making ventures. As always, it's another
exercise of blunting and co-opting genuine
creativity and genuine youthful expression to
sell products. Another block of nicely packaged
soap on the nice consumer-friendly shelf.

Just like what they did with every cycle of
youthful rebellion from the 50s onwards. At the
end of every corporate feeding frenzy, the form
no longer has it's actual function apart from
filling corporate coffers.

Everything they co-opted and churn out, will be
safe and marketable, thus losing the original
edge and appeal and then when the money no longer
comes rushing in, the corporate sharks will move
on to something else to devour.

Progress? What is progress? Is it progress when
the media talks incessantly about it and the
businesses co-opting it, or is it progress when
the genuine creative voices out there realise
this endless exploitation and decided not to be a
part of the hype?

When it comes to the word "progress", I think
what's more relevant for the scene is whether
it's coming out with great bands/artists who are
not only breaking new grounds but also managed to
put together a very supportive and creatively
progressive community or not. After all it's more
about expression and the ability to do so without
hindrance from the need to conform to a certain
set of standards and sales projections.

Dying? What is death? Is it death when there's no
more media interest in it or is it death when
there's no more "underground" bands? From my
point of view, there will always be loads of
creativity in the scene, even when that
creativity is not as adventurous or
groundbreaking as certain pivotal points in the
history of the scene.

There are tonnes of bands, tonnes of zines and
tonnes of activities happening here in the
Malaysian scene and also across the causeway. And
it will go on, "business as usual" even when
those who are not in it can't read about it in
the papers or see these bands on their big arsed
TV screen.

-  how do bands feel? - has the scene been given
enuff support?

As a band member and gig organiser, I feel
alright. There are gigs happening in almost every
major towns in this here land, in every other
week. There are recordings coming out left, right
and centre all the time. Local bands are putting
out recordings overseas, playing around the
region etc.

As for support. If you are talking about the
"industry", I don't think we need them at all.
Not when bands are straddled with restrictions
and exploitative contracts under their thumbs.
Just talk to any one of the bands who are
"contracted" in some ways to labels, "major" or
"independent", and you'll hear endless grievances
and anxieties about their future, their music
etc.

What support we need is from the people who have
genuine love, interest and understanding in the
politics, the creativity and the scene itself.
People who would put up shows, put up zines, do
distribution, come to the gigs etc. People who
are in it for what it is rather than to make
money and reap exploitative personal rewards.

-  is there enuff opportunity given to bands?

Your band is what you do with it. If you have
enough passion and commitment, what you need is
just a cohesive direction and just aim towards
it. New bands are constantly being called to play
and record at all times, what you need if you're
a new band is to have the confidence to put up a
show or meet the organisers for a chance to show
your stuff. After all it's all about getting up
and do it, no waiting, no sitting on your arses
and dreaming.

-  are local bands pushing their luck when
dealing with record labels? demanding?

Ha! Demanding? Pushing their luck? What they need
is just "fair play" in the dealings of the
business and history has been telling us that
it's all a dream. If you really want to play the
game, then you will have to be a businessman with
enough acumen to reap the best for your band. And
that's rare. A band that has a good contract is
usually the ones who have the leverage to twist
the business arms. And to have that ability is to
proof to the business that you don't need them.
That's when a band can ask for the best, when the
labels come begging instead of being in their
high horse, eyes twinkling with "the money to be
made".

-  what should be done? -  what have been done?
is it enuff?

Things are being done by those who care and
supportive of the cause. What's left is up to
your values. If your value system says that
success is loadsa money, then the scene is NOT
successful but if your value system says that
success is the ability to play, be creative, meet
people, put out your recordings whenever you can
then the scene is successful.

What's needed is to have more great bands,
greater creativity, more grassroot support and
understanding, more original, wide-ranging and
ground-breaking activities, more venues across
this land which would open their doors to the
scene, more active people who would put in their
5 cents, from organising non-exploitative gigs to
putting together a regular zine, to running DIY
labels, to coming in droves to the gigs without
relying on media hype etc.

-  conclusion.

The kids are alright! The scene is doing fine!
Just leave them alone, you bastards!


cheers

Joe



--- Nirman Juman <nirman@...> wrote:
> hi joe,
>
> was wondering if u can help me a bit here. i'm
> doing an article on the
> underground scene all over the world with
> special attention to s'pore and
> m'sia. wonder if u can help me by answering
> some questions here. if at all
> possible, include yer name, band (if any) and
> country.

=====
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