DOMESTIC GROOVE ~ Celeb’s Chosen Nine is my biweekly column in The Beat (Jakarta) mag. Basically it’s an interview via e-mail which focuses on small, intimate, domestic stuff; what Indonesia’s public figures are really into.
For the 31st edition I went upclose-and-personal with Endah N Rhesa.
ENDAH N RHESA
Singers, Songwriters
What music are you into at the moment?
Endah: Oh, I love the Primus album titled Antipop. I listen to it over and over again and never get bored. When I listen to the music, I always try to have the musician’s perspective, in this case it’s Primus. I’m always curious about how they can make such great guitar licks and unpredictable chord progressions. Primus is totally insane.
Rhesa: The Rocket Science album of Béla Fleck & The Flecktones. Maybe it’s gonna be their last album, I hope it’s not. Because they (Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten, Future Man, Howard Levy) are getting older and it’s the Béla Fleck & the Flecktones original formation. Very sentimental…
What was the first record you bought—any interesting story behind it?
Endah: It was Mr. Big’s Lean into It. I started to play an electric guitar when I was nine years old and my big brother forced me to buy Mr. Big album and challenged me to learn “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind”‘s guitar intro. And yes, I did it perfectly. Ha ha ha!
Rhesa: Tommy Page’s Shoulder to Cry On. All my families and friends bought that album because the song was so popular at that time. So, I thought, I had to follow the trend too. Ha ha ha!
What are your all-time favorite albums? Why?
Endah :
– OST The Lion King album. I love the music, the composition, arrangement, lyrics, and the voice of characters from the album. The album is good for any situation and moods. It cheers me up!
– Californication by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I know that Frusciante lost his guitar skills at that time. But, he has his unique guitar licks and the power of rhythm in this album. Sexy!
And all Béla Fleck & the Flecktones albums…. they are just… perfect!
Rhesa :
– Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Because it’s the golden era of John Frusciante’s guitar skills.
– Under the Table and Dreaming by Dave Matthew’s Band. It inspired me a lot in how to play acoustic guitar in different way
What was the worst record you ever purchased?
Endah: I don’t remember the title of the album. I just remember that I bought one instrumental album as a present for my dad many years ago. And its sound was bad! All of the instruments were using BAD MIDI sampling. No dynamic or intonation in the notes. The musical expression was FLAT! The guitar sampling was terrible, the only good sound was the piano! Hahaha! You can imagine my face when I gave it to my dad and listened to it together with him. I took back the CD and buy him THE REAL MUSIC: Frank Sinatra Orchestra.
Rhesa: I never regret the albums I buy. Even though the music is not so good, but the artwork cover looks good on my rack.
Who do you want to be, other than yourself, next time you reincarnate?
Endah: I want to be a young professional classical guitarist like Thibault Cauvin of France.
Rhesa: Steve Jobs.
What book are you reading now and what’s the score (1-10)? Borrow or buy?
Endah: Buy! Steven Tyler “Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?”. I give it nine out of ten! Many secrets revealed! I love Steven Tyler. It’s interesting to get a little peek into the life of a rockstar. Hahaha!
Rhesa: Buy. Home Recording Studio: Build it Like a Pro. I give it perfect score. Ten out of ten! It helps me to make it in my house. Hahaha!
What new movie should people see? Why?
Endah: Sherlock Holmes. It’s outstanding. They can put the tension from the beginning ’till the end of the movie. Very awesome details. The story, music and pictures are stunning! Well, even though I prefer Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes TV series) to Robert Downey Jr., but still I think it is a good movie based on its production.
Rhesa: Tintin (2011). You have to watch it because it uses great animation technology that has never been used before.
What album do you choose to start your weekend?
Endah: Actually, there is no particular music to start weekend, but if I want to start my weekend with working (performing with Endah N Rhesa), I decide to listen to Béla Fleck & The Flecktones’ Live at the Quick. I love to catch their chemistry while they’re jamming on the stage so it can boost my mood when i’m on stage, too.
Resha: Richard Bona’s album named TIKI. It’s cheerful.
And album you choose to end your weekend?
Endah: Anything… it won’t ruin my mood. Weekdays means holiday! Hahaha… musician starts the weekend on weekdays. (wink)
Resha: TOR. The album from TOR that I’ve co-produced. It will be released it soon.
Endah N Rhesa are now starting to make their 3rd album. They will launch the album in mid or late 2012.
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*This interview was firstly published on The Beat (Jakarta) #55, January 2012
