The Times: “Everyone Wants To Do Indie Rock Melayu Now”

The Times, a working class Indie Rock ‘n Roll band, is made up of Naza, Moon, Mono, and Irfan. Formed on 31st August 2004 after playing for a few years in OAG, the band cites their influences as Tan Sri P.Ramlee, Bob Dylan, Steve Marriot, John Lennon, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, David Bowie, New Order, Morissey, Oasis, and The Corals for their fashion and attitude. Rachel Chan interviews the very spirited band by email.

What is Indie Pop Melayu Klasik? And how do you merge Tan Sri P.Ramlee, Bob Dylan, and David Bowie?

Yea..what is indiepop melayu klasik?? Authentic & original indie-pop sound made in Malaysia without sounding too much like our neighbours from Indonesia musically & lyrically. For example words like “itu kamu” or “aku tak bisa” or whatsoever Indonesian’s words never existed in our songs!!! Also DEWA/PADI/SHEILA ON 7 is not in the list of our influences.

We start to pick up the guitars because of these bands like THE WHO, SEX PISTOLS, THE CLASH, THE STONEROSES, Oasis, A.Rahman Hassan, Jeefrydin, S.Jibeng, SEARCH & SYJ etc.

How do we merge Bob Dylan & David Bowie & Tan Sri P.Ramlee…it’s like an algebra formula dude!! All of them are legends!!! Just mix & match. It’s a secret that we wont reveal to the public..nah!!

The album titles kind of sounds retro-political – are they supposed to be?

It’s nothing political. It is just The Times Music & Fashion statement for Wawasan 2020!! We greet out fans with our songs & lyrics, The Times really appreciate them with love.

What’s it like to be nominated in to the Top 5 Best New Artiste in the Anugerah Industri Muzik Malaysia 2005?

We don’t care much about it. Its 2009 now!! We want to score more like Diego Maradona’s hands of god!!

You mentioned thousands of Malay indie rock bands followed suit”. What are some of the indie Malay bands that followed in the footsteps of The Times?

Hujan!! Meet Uncle Hussein, Bunkface & more to come. Before this singing in Bahasa Melayu was not cool!! but now every band want to sing in Bahasa Melayu.. can you see how big the indie wave now in our country. Everyone want to form an indie band & sing it in Bahasa Melayu. Radios are aggressively playing malay indie band’s song, TAK KAN HILANG INDIE DI DUNIA!! HAHA!!

When did you realise that mainstream music fans were starting to appreciate indie music?

Do they really appreciate us?? We don’t think so. Only a few we guess. The Times really appreciate our fans all over the nation, we don’t care what status you are. Just come to our gigs, and then you’ll feel the vibe of Malaysian Indie Rock n Roll.