Iwan Fals
| Iwan Fals | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Virgiawan Listanto |
| Born | September 3, 1961 Jakarta, Indonesia |
| Origin | Jakarta |
| Genres | ballad, country |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Associated acts | Kantata Takwa, Swami |
Iwan Fals (born Virgiawan Listanto; September 3, 1961 in Jakarta) is an Indonesian singer–songwriter. In 2002, Time magazine named him as a Great Asian Hero.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Iwan was born Virgiawan Listanto in Jakarta, on September 3, 1961 to Harsoyo, a soldier,[1] and Lies Suudijah. He studied at SMP 5 Bandung and SMAK BPK Bandung. He continued his studies at Sekolah Tinggi Publisistik and then Jakarta Arts Institute. At the age of thirteen, he performed as a street performer at wedding ceremonies and other social events.[2]
[edit] Career
Aged 18, Iwan Fals, Toto Gunarto, Helmi and Bambang Bule formed a group named Amburadul, this was not a success, releasing the albums 'Perjalanan' (1979) and '3 Bulan' (1980), which was Perjalanan reissued and resequenced with the added track '3 Bulan'.
As part of his early career, Iwan Fals also recorded some comedy albums, after winning a comedy country singing contest. He sang of comic situations and themes, and his first release was on 'Canda Dalam Nada' (the A-side featured five songs by Iwan: Generasi Frustrasi, Dongeng Tidur, Imitasi, Kisah Sepeda Motorku (aka. Kopral), and Joni Kesiangan while the B-side consisted of songs by Tom Slepe and Pusaka Jaya). The songs Dongeng Tidur, Joni Kesiangan and Kisah Sepeda Motorku were released, with one new song, Ambulance Zig Zag, on the Iwan Fals mini-album Canda Dalam Nada, while Generasi Frustrasi and Imitasi were also included on the 'Yang Muda Yang Bercanda II' multiartist comedy compilation.
During this time, Iwan supported himself by busking.
1981 saw Iwan Fals' breakthrough, when he signed to Musica Studio to record his first solo album, Sarjana Muda. This album shows Iwan Fals' signature country music style, with the protest song 'Guru Oemar Bakrie', which talks of how a teacher is poorly paid but still responsible for educating future well-paid and successful people. 'Guru Oemar Bakrie' became very well-known and popular in Indonesia, and helped established Iwan's name. The album also contains several ballads.
1982's Opini, also on Musica Studio, cemented Iwan's reputation as a protest singer, but also as a balladeer. 'Galang Rambu Anarki', for his newborn son, combined both elements, commenting on both the happy event of the birth of his first child, but also commenting on rising prices, saying that perhaps his child would be malnourished if they could not afford to buy milk.
1983 saw the release of Sumbang, while 1984's album releases were Barang Antik and Sugali.
In April 1984, Iwan was arrested and questioned for two weeks after performing the songs 'Demokrasi Nasi' and Mbak Tini, both songs never recorded on album, in Pekanbaru. The song Mbak Tini was about a prostitute with a road-side coffee shop, married to 'Soeharyo' (Suharto).[3] The events were retold on the song '14-4-84' on 1986's Ethiopia.
Iwan Fals continued to release albums throughout the 1980s, while in 1989 he formed the group Swami, which released two albums Swami I in 1989, and Swami II in 1991. A similar grouping was Kantata Takwa, which contained several Swami personnel. The musical style was "rebana rock", a blend of Jimi Hendrix and Rick Wakeman, to a Betawi rebana.[4] The album Kantata Takwa' was released in 1990, featuring songs such as "Bento" and "Bongkar" ("Rip It Down"), two of several songs which they sang during a demonstration by college students.[5]
Up to the release Orang Gila in 1994, Iwan had released approximately two new albums per year for 15 years. Since 1994, he has greatly reduced his release schedule, releasing two singles only in 1995, and one in 1996, whle in 1998 Kantata Samsara, the second and final album by Kantata Takwa, was released.
To make up for the lack of new content, a number of Iwan Fals compilations were released in the 1990s and 2000s, including Best Of The Best, Akustik (3 volumes), and Salam Reformasi ("Greetings Reformation"), which sold more than 50,000 copies.[6]
In 2002, Iwan Fals released his first new solo album since 1994, Suara Hati.[7] In 2003 the album 'In Collaboration With' was released consisting of performances with other Indonesia artists. Manusia Setengah Dewa, in 2004, was a solo album.
In 2005, he released Iwan Fals In Love, essentially a compilation of existing Iwan Fals romantic reocrdings, but with the new song "Ijinkan Aku Menyayangimu" ("Let Me Love You") as the main single, and five re-recordings of old songs.[8] Two songs, in collaboration with Indra Lesmana, Haruskah Pergi, and Selancar, were released as digital download in 2006.
In 2007, 50:50 was released by Musica Studios. The album's themes were romance and social criticism. One single of the album, "Pulanglah" ("Go Home"), tells about the death of Munir.[9] Six singles were written by himself and other six singles were written by his fellow musicians.[8] Two songs were released in 2009 as Untukmu Terkasih.
In 2010, he released his most recent album, Keseimbangan.
In writing songs, he was inspired by news and environments. Some of his songs, such as "Kamu Sudah Gila" ("You've Gone Crazy") and "Apa Kamu Sudah Jadi Tuhan?" ("Have You Ever Been as God?") criticized the New Order regime . He also wrote "Belalang Tua" ("Old Grasshopper") while he noticed the grasshoppers in his backyard.[7] In "Oemar Bakrie" he told about teacher's life, whereas "Kembang Pete" ("Petai Flower") tells the poor who were underestimated.[1] "Aku Bosan" ("I'm Bored") is about a child protesting to his parents because they left him alone at home. While "Hura-Hura Huru-Hara" ("Fake Riot") compares moneylender to blood-sucking Draculas.[10]
In transportation, he wrote "Celoteh Camar Tolol dan Cemar" as a critic of the sinking of the Tampomas II in Masalembu. He also wrote "Wakil Rakyat" ("Representative of the People") as an allusion to the legislators who sleep during meetings.[11]
Beside social-themed songs, he wrote romantic songs, including "Yang Terlupakan" ("The Forgotten"), "Mata Indah Bola Pingpong" ("Beautiful Eyes, Pingpong Ball") and "Antara Kau, Aku, dan Bekas Pacarmu" ("Among You, Me, and Your ex-Boyfriend"). He also performed someone's songs, including "Kemesraan" ("Intimity"), "Jangan Tutup Dirimu" ("Don't Close Yourself"), "Kumenanti Seorang Kekasih" ("I'm Waiting for a Lover"), "Aku Bukan Pilihan" ("I'm Not an Option") and "Ijinkan Aku Menyayangimu".[12]
[edit] Discography
- Perjalanan (as part of Amburadul group) (1979)
- Canda Dalam Nada (1979) - comedy album, Iwan has the A-sde only
- Canda Dalam Ronda (1980) - comedy mini-album of four tracks, contains one new track 'Ambulance Zig Zag'
- 3 Bulan (consists of Perjalanan plus the new track 3 Bulan) (1980)
- Sarjana Muda (1981) - Musica debut
- Opini (1982)
- Sumbang (1983)
- Barang Antik (1984)
- Sugali (1984)
- Kelompok Penyanyi Jalanan (KPJ) - as part of KPJ, or Street Singers Group, Iwan Fals sings on 3 songs (1985)
- Sore Tugu Pancoran (1985)
- Aku Sayang Kamu! (1986)
- Ethiopia (1986)
- Lancar (1987)
- Wakil Rakyat (1987)
- 1910 (1988)
- Kemesraan (1988) - single, with Betharia Sonata, Chrisye, Rafika Duri, Itang, Jamal Mirdad, Etrie, Nani
- Mata Dewa (1989)
- Swami I (as part of the group Swami) (1989)
- Kantata Takwa (as part of the group Kantata Takwa) (1990)
- Cikal (1991)
- Swami II (as part of the group Swami) (1991)
- Belum Ada Judul (1992)
- Hijau (1992)
- Dalbo (1993)
- Anak Wayang (1994)
- Orang Gila (1994)
- Kantata Samsara (as part of the group Kantata Takwa) (1990)
- Suara Hati (2002)
- In Collaboration with (2003)
- Manusia Setengah Dewa (2004)
- In Love (2005) (contains only one new song, and four re-recordings)
- 50:50 (2007)
- Untukmu Terkasih (2009) - Mini-album - two songs only
- Keseimbangan (2010)
[edit] Awards
In 2002, he was named as Great Asian Hero by Time magazine.[7] In 2011, he received "Satyalancana", the highest government awards from Jero Wacik, Culture and Tourism Minister of Indonesia.[13]
[edit] Personal life
On 1st January 1982, his first son, Galang Rambu Anarki was born. One of his best-known songs, Galang Rambu Anarki, was written for his birth and released on 1982's Opini (Opinion) album.
Three years later, his first daughter Anissa Cikal Rambu Basae was born.[14] His third child is Rayya Rambu Robbani.[8] He and Rosanna, his wife live in Cibubur, West Java.[5]
Galan Rambu Anarki had started to follow in his father's footsteps, playing in a band from a young age, but died in 1997, aged 16, either of asthma, or from a drug overdose.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Ginting 2009, p. 286
- ^ Ubaedy & Ratrioso 2005, pp. 1–2
- ^ http://rollingstone.co.id/read/2011/02/08/182515/1563366/1093/iwan-fals-berterimakasih-kepada-orde-baru-dan-mengagumi-soeharto
- ^ Sen & Hill 2000, p. 182
- ^ a b Aning S. 2006, p. 96
- ^ "Rising R&B, Duetting Dangdut, Singing Spirituals". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media) 110: APQ-2. October 24, 1998. ISSN 0006-2510. http://books.google.com/books?id=JQoEAAAAMBAJ.
- ^ a b c Ubaedy & Ratrioso 2005, p. 4
- ^ a b c "Iwan Fals". KapanLagi.com. http://selebriti.kapanlagi.com/indonesia/i/iwan_fals/. Retrieved October 8, 2011.
- ^ Ginting 2009, pp. 289–291
- ^ Emmerson 1999, p. 286
- ^ Ginting 2009, pp. 286–287
- ^ Ginting 2009, p. 289
- ^ "Pop singer Iwan Fals receives highest government award for dedication". The Jakarta Post. March 24, 2011. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/03/24/pop-singer-iwan-fals-receives-highest-government-award-dedication.html.
- ^ Ubaedy & Ratrioso 2005, p. 3
- ^ http://suaramerdeka.com/v1/index.php/read/cetak/2010/04/22/106730/Dapat-Julukan-Kiai-dari-Santri-Rembang
[edit] Bibliography
- Aning S., Floriberta (2006). 100 Tokoh Yang Mengubah Indonesia (Revised ed.). Yogyakarta: Narasi. ISBN 9789797564759. http://books.google.com/books?id=XLrkTdG_9xEC.
- Emmerson, Donald K. (1999). Indonesia Beyond Suharto: Polity, Economy, Society, Transition. Armonk, N.Y.: M. E. Sharpe. ISBN 9781563248900. http://books.google.com/books?id=JQjzLRYXJZQC.
- Ginting, Asrat; et al (2009). Musisiku. Jakarta: Republika. ISBN 9789791102520. http://books.google.com/books?id=ig3oH5TGv4oC.
- Sen, Krishna; Hill, David T. (2000). Media, Culture and Politics in Indonesia. South Melbourne, Vict.: Oxfor University Press. ISBN 9780195537031. http://books.google.com/books?id=xMhWm38KQcsC.
- Ubaedy, A. N.; Ratrioso, Imam (2005). Refleksi Kehidupan: Kisah dan Kajian Hidup Orang-Orang Ternama. Jakarta: Elex Media Komputindo. ISBN 9789792077254. http://books.google.com/books?id=o85mshB9IK8C.
