Raja Kumbang. My Theories, Thoughts and Practicalities…

Tonight.

Is the semi-finals for “Anugerah Band”.

Yes, the last 6 bands, weeded out from around 200 bands, to perform, on live TV, tonight.

Putra, X-Tech, Trabo (go Aidil! ), Rancour, Fatskunks (go Bogeh! ) and Cucu Datok Merah (go Boy, Anis, Eddy and Fyno! Go, go, go! Alompak agogo! )

No prizes for guessing who I’m rooting for, though. I’ll vote for them tonight! Cheers from Raja Kumbang!

I’m a bit disappointed that Knightwings didn’t pull through. Sorry, A’an, but you guys totally ruled when you were on stage.

During a gig last April, just after my project band’s slot on the stage (I was on vox. My friend AJ was on bass, AOD from Nakalistik on drums and Jas formerly from Nalo on guitar) , I had the opportunity to watch Trabo in action. At that time, I think that their vocalist couldn’t make it, so they had A’an from Knightwings stand in for them. They’re really good, and A’an’s vocals were smashingly superb. Of course, the star of the night was Jatt Ali and Awie.

I am quite a bit piqued at the purpose of Anugerah Band, though. Plus, their official website sucks sour shananas! No updates, and it’s like, semi-dead? And the Malay Daily, BH doesn’t even have news about it. I have to refer to pujanggamalam.com for reviews, how about that?

Anugerah band. Do they want pretty looking guys who can’t play for nuts, or do they ignore the looks department and go for musical ability?

Is it a search for musical talent or a search for a marketable product?

I think that basically, it’s a search for the next big thing. Well, in the malay music industry anyway.

Which, need I remind you, isn’t that big.

Do you know how many malay musicians actually survive on just making or playing music?

I don’t, but barring Rosli Mansoor, Jatt Ali and just a few others, I know that there’s not many.

Most have day jobs. Some can’t even find jobs. Others, can’t even hold a job.

Believe me, I’m living it.

To a lot of us musicians, music is either a sideline, or a very expensive, passion-fuelled, hobby.

But still, it doesn’t mean we’re giving up on it.

There’s always the hope that we could make it big. Maybe be as big as Search, Sweet Charity or Peter Pan or Sheila on 7.

There’s always hope.

Even after 20 or 30 years of playing, the hope is still alive.

That one last chance to show what you’ve got, connecting to the audience on a basic, primal level, stirring their emotions – love, anger, sadness, pain – communicating with words that don’t mean anything much and various simultaneous tones – phased, distorted, driven and boosted – and beats that evoke an inner rhythm not in the ears only, but in the heart and soul.

For an audience, the feeling is akin to being reigned over, ruled upon by a non-corporeal entity made of emotions, triggered by multitudes and layers of sound.

For me as a performer, it is the rush, not of enthralling or wowing the crowd, that excites and fills me, but it is the sense of reigning over them, arousing their senses and making them feel what I feel. Non-linear communication. Connection. In a sense, when a band is onstage and getting wild responses from the crowd, doing their best and feeling “in it”, they’re actually more like KINGS.

Kings of the arena, with the venue as their kingdom, the stage as their throne and the crowd as their subjects.

Rule badly and you and your subjects are bound to suffer.

But, if one reigns with a need to connect, on the most basic levels, to that of one’s fellow man, then all will come out of it much happier, and more connected.

That is why, I aspire to be a king.

Not of any particular kingdom. Or of any particular throne or subjects.

It doesn’t matter where, as long as I am on stage, with people awaiting and expecting a song or two, I will do my utmost best, and with dire sincerity and honesty, to connect and rule.

Witness my reign.

Raja Kumbang.