Indonesia’s Grrrl Gang are preparing to grow a fan-base globally thanks to the upcoming release of Spunky!. You can pre-order your copy here before its 7 September release. TGEFM was joined by Edo, Angee and Akbar to discuss the trio’s sound, their future and their influences.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats in advance on the upcoming “Spunky!.” For our readers not yet familiar with you, what can you tell us about the band, how you got together and your sound?
Akbar: We met when we were still in college. Other than studying in the same university, we were also involved in an independent music collective called “Terror Weekend” where we organize gigs and parties for touring and local bands. Lots of crazy yet beautiful moments in those days. Long story short, we decided to form our own band.
Music wise??? Hmm we actually came from a different background. It’s just a mix of our own personal references I guess??? There’s pop in it (I personally am crazy about Sarah Records and other 80s-90s C86 bands), we also influenced much from 90s-2000s indie rock and punk bands, especially for this album. I don’t know, it’s a tough question.
Angee: Thank you so much! I guess, other than what Akbar said, we’re just a bunch of dorks that bonded over our love for music and decided to form our own musical group. Personally, it had always been a dream of mine to be in a band since I was a kid, so that actually happening feels like a dream come true.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
Akbar: As mentioned, I am highly influenced by Sarah Records and its roster and it’s not only the music. It’s the attitude, the manifesto and their gesture in the scene that influenced me alot. I will always think that they are relevant and will always be relevant in the “music” spectrum.
Angee: The earliest catalyst that made me want to become a musician was, truthfully, watching Hannah Montana on Disney Channel. The double life made it seem so fun and interesting–student by day, rockstar by night kind of thing.
Grrrl Gang came together out of a conversation during a car ride. That’s a pretty common conversation but usually doesn’t go anywhere. What is it about the 3 of you that put in the work to manifest the conversation out of the car and into the studio?
Angee: I was a really shy person back then–still am, actually–so I’m super grateful that Akbar actually took the initiative to invite us for a 2-hour band practice following that conversation. I remember that we played Frankie Cosmos’ “Fool” during that first practice. Then we got invited to play at a small campus event, and I think things started to pick up from there.
Edo: I think the reason Grrrl Gang went further than we could have ever dreamed of could be because we all love music that complement and complete each other somehow.
The world has been going through some shit over the last few years. What effect, if any, have the cultural and political landscapes of the last few years had on your music
Angee: The uncertainty of the world really weighs me down at both conscious and subconscious level–whether it’s climate change, weird governmental bills, or gender-based violence. Our songs may not be politically obvious or straightforward, but they reflect how these things have affected me and made me feel helpless and insignificant, in a way.
We are living in a “just deal with COVID” world and everything about this timeline is some level of completely fucked. Where do you see the future of the music industry, specifically live events. headed in the wake of pandemics, lockdowns and the proliferation of social media?
Akbar: I was super excited during those three (or four?) years of uncertainty because there was a HUGE JUMP of development in the music industry. COVID-19 “matured” the music industry which showcased resilience, adaptability and agility, where technology played a pivotal role in its development. Technology transcends the geographical barriers between people, where it opens a new opportunity for collaboration between music professionals across the world. Through the absence of live events, the industry “discovered” and enhanced a new revenue stream with help from platforms such as bandcamp, and social media tightened the boundaries between musician and fans, creating a new, more immersive, fan-engagement experience (I love TikTok). We adapt, we innovate and I believe there will be lots of exciting things that will happen in the industry for the next 5 – 10 years.
- We’ve all got a few, but what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
Angee: I think my only regret with Grrrl Gang was that I wish I could’ve been stronger while going through a really bad depression during our early years. Going through that couldn’t make me deliver at times, and I know I’ve let Akbar and Edo down several times, but I’m currently trying to make it up to them.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should know about.
Edo: I think I’ve always been a fan of all of our friends under the Kolibri Rekords and have always been happy to see new music come out from each and every one of them. Specifically our friends Bedchamber and FlowrPit have just released singles that your readers should definitely check out
Beyond the album release, what’s next for the members of Grrrl Gang?
Edo: I mean the tour of course has always been on all our minds. The travel ban made touring seem super bleak for us and now with that slowly loosening up, dreaming of a tour doesn’t feel too out of reach anymore.
A second album as well!! making this album just got me excited to explore and try out more sounds for us.
And then personally, I just really want to have one full marathon under my belt. I’ve always loved running and started training more seriously during the lockdown, and now that running events are up and running again, I’d love to finally finish a full 42.2km run.
Angee: Other than tour, I’ve been really trying to write a book and get it published.
Akbar: Going for master degree is still in my bucket list.
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
Akbar: I have smelly feet
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
