Ska survivor from Yogyakarta

“Di Sayidan, di jalanan, angkat sekali lagi gelasmu kawan. Di Sayidan, di jalanan, tuangkan air kedamaian.” (In Sayidan, on the streets, toast your glass, my friend. In Sayidan, on the streets, pour us the water of peace) – Di Sayidan.

courtesy of Shaggydog Thousands of people dance around like there will be no tomorrow when Di Sayidan is played live on stage. For a local band, to draw a massive audience like this is a bit extraordinary. Shaggydog, a Yogyakarta-based band, can do it. The video of its special performance is available on YouTube. It was taken from its show a few months ago in Yogyakarta. The live show was aired on a private television station. Even though it plays ska — non-mainstream music — Shaggydog’s performance was aired nationwide. In Indonesia, the golden age for ska was left a few year go. Its culmination can be traced back to the late 1990s when a major label company tried to push ska bands to the forefront. Shaggydog and Tipe X are among the last survivors that made it. Shaggydog consists of Heru on vocals, Richard and Raymond on guitars, Bandizt on bass, Lilik on keyboard and programming, and Yoyok on drums. When they perform live, they often invite a brass section that always completes the maximum galore of ska music. The band was founded in Sayidan, a small district in the heart of Yogyakarta, often considered the country’s capital of art. The artistic atmosphere of the town has seen many talented artists perform from many arts disciplines. Shaggydog has been a tremendous ambassador to modern music in Yogyakarta. It toured The Netherlands few times and just visited Darwin, Australia, last year. Of course, it filled their set with songs in the Indonesian language, and people still danced. Shaggydog stole attention when they sold thousands of copies of their self-titled album. Their second album Bersama (Together) was recorded in Bandung — the Mecca of indie labels. The album was said to fail to meet expectations, however, among Doggies — nickname for its fans. Not many people still posses the original copy, which was released only on cassette. Rumor has it that even the band doesn’t keep a copy of it. A breakthrough came when it released the follow up HotDogz with a major label distribution. HotDogz originally was a remake album consisting of songs from their self-titled and Bersama. It added few new tracks and a song titled Di Sayidan became their all-time anthem. Di Sayidan is a tribute to their home that has been supportive over the years. These Sayidan natives became inspired by their home town, they even still based daily in Yogyakarta and are known to frequently hang out at their favorite bar. SCTV did the right thing by asking them to perform for the locals. When Shaggydog plays in Yogyakarta, no one can beat the enthusiasm of the crowd. “It’s always nicer to sleep in your own bed, right?” said Yoyok of the band “Our home crowd is always explosive,” added frontman Heru. Right after Hot Dogz, the band released two other albums; Kembali Berdansa (Back to Dance) and Bersinar (Shining). These works lie in a new state where the band attempts to expand their reference and adds a few interesting elements to their music such as digital programming and Melayu-ish notes, especially in Bersinar, released last December. “Some people who have been listening to us since day one thinks that this album is too mainstream. But please, try to listen to it as a whole package,” said Heru who took most of the responsibility for song writing. “We’re at a level where we think we can make our music grow wider, without boundaries, and we also have begun to gain more acknowledgment from outside Indonesia.” Yoyok shares his thought, “We are still having as much fun as we were when we first began. We’re still the same guys.” The six members of the band have vowed to dedicate their energy to music. Everybody knows, if you’re not in a great band, then you cannot survive financially in Indonesia’s music industry. It is claimed they are taking a big risk. “I want to live with music. It keeps me alive,” Yoyok chuckles. After a few months after releasing Bersinar, the band is currently a non-stop tour artist. They’re playing on and off national television and accelerated themselves to the highest gear to conquer the nation with their ska music. In simple words, Shaggydog has taught us that ska is still here, alive and well.