Indorock

Indorock is a musical genre, originating in the 1950s in the Netherlands and Europe. It is a fusion of Indonesian and Western music, and has roots in Kroncong (Traditional Portuguese Indonesian fusion music).

Indo Rock, Rock 'n roll 50s 60s style. A unique stream of music that was invented by Indo repatriates in The Netherlands back in the 50s/60s. Most American rock 'n Roll artists did not travel outside the states. Due to this many Indo vocal and instrumental guitar music groups started to record the American hits and became famous themselves.

What they did started to be a revolution within Europe known as the Indo Rock scene. This newly invented type of rock 'n roll music was the inspiration and start for many new artists within Europe and USA like for example The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.

History

After to Indonesian independence on August 17, 1945, many Indo (Dutch-Indonesian) musicians repatriated to the Netherlands. One of the effects of this cultural process was that, in the mid-1950s, an instrumental music genre called Indo Rock became popular.

The guitar was imported to the archipelago of the East Indies by Portuguese explorers in the 16th century. The traditional Portuguese song styles, saudade and fado, played with guitar accompaniment, later became kroncong music. Kroncong is characterized by guitars which seem to be "talking" to each other. The guitarists play rhythmic and melodic parts instinctively.

Indorock legend Andy Tielman still rocking in 2007, with Chris Latul and in the background an image of Eddie van Halen.

Many Indorock musicians had a predilection for Hawaiian music, which was popular in the Netherlands at the time. Other significant influences included American country & western, and the rock & roll repertoire played on radio stations in Indonesia via American (AFN) stations from the Philippines and Australia.

The Tielman Brothers (Reggy, Ponthon, Andy and Loulou Tielman) are generally seen as founders of this unique music stream within Rock 'n Roll music even though other Indorock bands have known to be existing before them. Still, lead singer Andy Tielman has been named the godfather of Indo Rock. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2009. Andy Tielman died November 10, 2011.

Influential artists

• The Tielman Brothers (1957) (Reggy, Ponthon, Andy and Loulou Tielman)
• The Hot Jumpers
• The Black Dynamites (1956)
• The Room Rockers/The Real Room Rockers (1956)
• Oety & his Real Rockers (1956)
• The Hurricane Rollers (Robby Latuperisa, Robby Boekholt, Hans Bax, Harry Bredow, Broer Arends)
• The Crazy Rockers (1960)
• The Travel Five (1961)
• The Eastern Aces (1960)
• Electric Johnny & The Skyrockets (1958)
• The Rocking Diamonds (1958)
• The Blue Eagles (1959)
• The Crazy Strangers (1961)
• The Javalins (1962)
• The Poetiray Brothers (1963)
• The Desmounts (1960)
• Rudy van Dalm & The Royal Rhythmics
• Willy and His Giants
• Royal Six
• The Valiants
• The Rollers
• The Royal Teens
• The Young Savages
• Ricky & The Rhythm Strings
• The Blue Comets
• Black Magic
• The Star Lights (1956)
• George de Fretes (Hawaiian Style)
• The Cherokees
• The Swallows
• The Twangies
• Franky Franken (The Javalins)
• The Hell Cats
• The Fender Rollers
• Los Indonesios
• The Black Arrows
• Lydia & her Melody Strings
• The Blue Diamonds