fake plastic words

sesi istana budaya butterfingers: the aftermath // 160209

Witnessing a historic showcase; the first time ever a rock band was allowed to perform at Istana Budaya, Butterfinger's farewell gig (before Emmett migrates to Canada) and the last time they played together with the full original line-up (Emmett, Loque, Kadak, Loco) while taking an indefinite hiatus, their very first unplugged showcase in their 12-year career in the indie music scene, and the very first time they played an all-out 4 sessions in 2 days showcase playing hit songs from all 6 albums. Watching one of my most favourite bands of all time belting out some of my most favourite songs (some of which I've been listening and playing on the guitar on repeat since I was 14 years old) backed up with a six-string orchestra and a percussionist (who also doubled as a ukelele player). Attending the afternoon slot, Transcendence 10-Year Anniversary, to cover for an event write-up for Junk Magazine (my first ever real article for an actual magazine). Attending the final slot of the final day, Mari Hidup Kembali, as Butterfingers' official back-up photographer for the event. Hanging out with Emmett, Loque, Kadak, Loco, and the rest of Butterfingers' crew. By just being there to witness and experience the entire episode and all the little things that transpired in that fateful weekend. The weekend that I'll remember for the rest of my life.

Fucking. Priceless.

p/s: one more thing I probably won't ever forget; the time I babysitted Isabel while Emmett was having a meeting (the fact that I'm not a big fan of kids, I think I did pretty okay).

8:18 PM
Categories: band, butterfingers, event, gig, indie, istana budaya, junk, live, sesi, show, showcase, unplugged. Author: sleepwalker

big love to trashy tabloid media // 110209

It's bad enough that the Malay race have been getting unrelenting whiplashes for the past decade or so. It's bad enough that Malays in general carry a tainted reputation dipped in controversial issues like Malay supremacy, special rights, and so many others. It's bad enough that the Malay generalised image are synonymous with laziness, narrow mindedness and several other questionable "moral values".

Now, think about this; Mangga, Hai, Harian Metro, Kosmo, Mastika, etc etc. What comes to mind? Well, what else can it be other than uncivilised, shallow, immature, degrading, morally unsound, trashy tabloid media. Far inferior to its counterparts, E-News for example, our beloved local gossip media is at least 50 years behind. Or quite possibly even more.

I flipped through a few of those aforementioned magazines and newspapers, just to check out a couple of articles they wrote about the latest craptastic news reporting on the local indie scene. And oh my god. I sat there and actually, literally, felt embarrassed. It was so fucking kampung I can't believe people actually get paid to write such trashy nonsense. And that people actually pay and bring home such literary abominations. A lowly bastard spawn of the Western gossip media, the local versions fail utterly miserably in every possible aspect. Absolutely, astonishingly, miserably.

Talking to a few friends in the local indie scene, I gathered information that in the past few years that the local indie music scene has been picking up and supported by the mainstream media so have there been a rise in tabloid reporting of complaining, bitching, and degrading of many famous indie artistes. Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those condescending idiots who support any and every local music just because it's, well, local. But, really, don't turn to a whiny Nazi child and complain, bitch, degrade, defame, spread lies and exaggerated untruths for no plausible reason about the people at the front lines that are actually doing something to contribute positively to the scene.

And that's not the best part yet. For those who aren't very tabloid media savvy, here's a pinch of the truth for you; if you don't treat the reporters like they're the Queens Of The Fucking Universe, they'll merajuk and write nasty things about you thus exposing you to a very real risk of tarnishing your image and damaging your career. If you were finger banged as a child, had acne so disgusting your bestfriends stopped talking to you, almost failed school but managed to get into a local college through either your mommy's cronies or selling your undesirable body, later miraculously passed, graduated with a certificate or a diploma, and got a job at a local tabloid media (because no other place wants you), you'd feel pretty shitty about yourself. So, what better way to boost your self-esteem and inflate some artificial ego by being a tabloid reporter and getting superstars eating out of your ass?

I mean really, how fucking low can you get? The saddest part is the fact that a very, very large majority of the tabloid reporters are Malays. The kampung tabloid media are Bumiputera owned with a large majority of Malay employees. The artistes that they write about are predominantly Malays. The people, sorry I mean morons, who fork out their hard earned cash to buy such nonsense to read (because what else would low-life scums do in their free time, no?) and later spread around useless gossips are predominantly Malays.

In short, you have narrow minded capitalist bigots writing lies to sell a flawed and immoral product to idiotic, shallow consumers who don't actually need them. And the majority of them are all Malays. And you wonder why the Malays are in such deep shit.

12:41 AM
Categories: bumiputera, gossip, hai, harian metro, indie, kosmo, magazine, malays, malaysian, mangga, mastika, media, music, newspaper, rant, scene, tabloid. Author: sleepwalker

twentyfuckingfive // 090209

1. I believe a very, very large majority of people who believe and practice religion are ignorant idiots.

2. I believe a very, very large majority of people who talk politics are ignorant idiots.

3. I am very desensitized. You can take a shit while slitting your wrists in front of me while I have a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine and I'd be completely fine.

4. I will try absolutely anything once.

5. I have Indian, Chinese, Parsi, Arab, and Acheh blood. Half of my family are staunch Muslims, the other half are mostly Christian Chinese. Most are Protestants, some are Roman Catholics. I have Caucasian relatives in England and Australia. My ancestoral lineage can be traced back to ancient Parsi, to Darius the Great. Maybe that's why I'm so fucking confused most the time.

6. I'm a semi-perfectionist, slightly obsessive compulsive and not narcissistic enough to give a damn about what people think of me.

7. I don't fancy kids much. I prefer kittens.

8. I can never make up my mind. Never. Ever.

9. I have a to-do list that I intend to complete before I die. That includes to watch Sigur Ros live, drink snake's blood, live in India, get some dreadlocks, and backpack to South America.

10. I want a fucking tattoo.

11. I cuss too much. But that's because you're a fucking douchebag. Fuck off.

12. I'm drawn towards everything degenerate in life. I love stories of despair, lost loves, broken hearts, violence, drugs, and everything in between. Because only stories such as those carry real emotions, depth and truth. Others are just plastic and plain boring. Boo.

13. Sometimes I get spontaneously annoyed at myself when I'm being Mary-Poppins-nice to people. Especially strangers.

14. I love Itallian cuisine, hate using my hands to eat and think spicy food is more torture than an actual process of mastication.

15. I wanna be Hank Moody. Dream of Californication, baby.

16. I can imagine literally anything and everything that are out-of-your-mind impossible to imagine. But I can't see myself getting married and having kids.

17. But I believe in the concept of falling in love, soulmates, and all that mushy Hollywood crap.

18. I get easily tearjerked watching sad movies. But I've never physically cried. Hmm.

19. I hate horror movies. I'm a self-confessed pussy. But I love mindfuck films. And that's because I'm an idiot.

20. One day, I want to write a book about my grandfather's life, his childhood, his family with so many Greek mythology-like drama and nonsense, his passion for gardening and fast cars, his experiences serving in the army during the Occupation, and his relationship with his former photographer turn Nazi foot soldier bestfriend who's aunt was Stalin's personal assistant, and his present day ever so fiery nihilist comments on Malaysian politics and the education system.

21. I love reading. Especially memoirs. But I forget easily. So, most of the time I'd read a book at least twice.

22. I hate celebrating my own birthday. I think it's stupid.

23. I'm a walking hard-on. I like girls. So sue me.

24. The most interesting conversation I've ever had was with a 40 year-old father of three heroin addict of over 10 years who worked as a hotel manager and owned a multinational advertising company in Maldives. It was one of the most precious friendship I've ever had.

25. I think I just wasted 30 minutes of my life doing this. Fuck. Oh, and I hate the internet.

In my defence, I did that 25 nonsense whatever-you-call-it after hours of fruitless effort, or lack there of, to find something that's actually... not a complete waste of time. For ye strangers out there, lo and behold, welcome to my world. Or head for that matter.

8:54 PM
Categories: 25, facebook, nonsense, note, random. Author: sleepwalker

Goodbye Last Year, Hello 2009

Jay & Along's Wedding at Putra Heights

Dahlia & Loque's Engagement at Subang Jaya

Anas & Aliah's Solemnization at Carcosa Seri Negara

New Year Eve Spin Cycle Party at Laundry Bar feat. DJ Fuzz, DJ Soya, Raysoo & Lapsap

Drop point

Weekly Saturday night sessions at The Apartment KLCC. Great food, great music, great ambience.

New Year Countdown Showcase at No Black Tie feat. Reza Salleh, Rendra Zawawi, Paolo Delfino, Jerome Kugan, Az Samad, Shanon Shah, Markiza & Peter Hassan, Zalila Lee, Sharidir & Nizam P.

Teenage Gig Fantastic, Couple's Album Launch at MCPA feat. Bunkface & Yuna

Wall climbing virginity breaking session

Coda on stage. The last day at Lepaq Performing Arts Cafe.

One Buck Short & Friends That Loves To Party at Groove Junction feat. Bunkface & Car Crash Hearts

Somewhere over the rainbow

Channel [V] shooting & interview with Bunkface

Jom Heboh Finale, Bukit Jalil

Rock The World 8, Secret Garden, Stadium Merdeka

Fly FM Campur Chart at Laundry Bar feat. Silent Scenery, Telephony Delivery & Skudap Skudip

Sigit at UOX Play, Sungei Wang rooftop

G-Strings playing at The Apartment KLCC

Ray Cheong, a regular performer at Lepaq Performing Arts Cafe

Emmett's showcase at Laundry Bar

Bumiputera Designer Association (BDA) at MIFW

Malaysian International Fashion Week 2008, The Gardens

Kontakt III at Republic Bar feat. Jasemaine Gan, Silent Keat & Deepset

Isaac Entry showcase at No Black Tie

Bunkface at Hot FM Juara Respons, Sunway Pyramid

Djabe & Steve Hackett showcase at Laundry Bar

Folk singer-songwriter Otam raps on stage with Nizam on percusisons at Acoustic & Poetry at Lepaq Performing Arts Cafe with the help of lyrics scribbled on a bunting