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SEBAGAI kumpulan rock yang dikategorikan legenda dan nombor satu dalam persada muzik tanah air, sudah semestinya kemunculan Search di atas pentas konsert yang berskala besar amat dinanti-nantikan oleh para peminat mereka.
Malah, sebagai kumpulan rock tempatan yang paling lama bertahan iaitu selama 28 tahun, Search juga tentunya mahu membuktikan bahawa mereka masih lagi hebat beraksi di atas pentas walaupun pada usia yang mencecah separuh abad.
Tuan / Puan Pejuang Muzik ROK....
Saya ingin menyarankan agar LR menganjurkan peraduan menulis lirik dan gubahan melodi diLR. Saya akan menawarkan kontrack publishing kepada pemenang dan juga wang sebagai hadiah. Mungkin yang lain lain pun boleh menaja sama.
Album sulung Zynal, TAJUL ARIFIN, adalah hasil terbitan bersama abang beliau, Zoul dan saorang guru sekolah teknikal, Cikgu Ithinin Kasmin.
TAJUL ARIFIN telah mendapat sambutan hangat sejauh ini. Lagu Sudah DiBilang pernah menduduki ditangga yang ke tiga selama 4 minggu dicarta Radio RIA. Ini satu pencapaian yang memberangsangkan dan membanggakan.
Album TAJUL ARIFIN juga telah dicalonkan sebagai ‘Album Terbaik Singapura’ di Anugerah Planet Muzik 2005 (APM ’05) dan menerima saingan yang agak senggit daripada artis artis sekategori saperti Norazia, Iskandar Ismail, Jaliboy dan Bhumiband.
http://www.myspace.com/zoulrocksingapura
ZOUL Goes Solo
Interviewed by Renee Winata, Sundbuzz.com
A passion for music has been the life and soul of ZOUL. For the past decade, ZOUL has been involved in numerous bands and the most prominent of which being the forceful outfit KEMBARA. Now ZOUL has branched out on his own, doing more solo stuff and concentrating more on doing original materials.
In this interview with Soundbuzz.com, it is obvious that ZOUL is excited about his debut solo album as he talks about his inspirations and his passion for music.
Soundbuzz (SB): Tell us a little bit about your debut solo album, ZOUL.
ZOUL: At first, there was no idea of me doing a solo album. Actually, this idea just cropped up a couple of years ago. For so long, I was always in other groups or a duo. Being a solo is totally different because solo means you are alone.
I used to being interviewd with a band. I was with my brother’s (M.Nasir) group, KEMBARA for a while. He pulled me in when the guitarist left. That is why I started doing recording and concerts here and there. When the band disbanded, everyone went their separate ways. Then I joined Sweet Charity for a while. That was after the group’s frontman, Ramli Sarip left the group. It didn’t worked out so I ventured out on my own. I then formed a group with my childhood friend and we projected ourselves as a duo. We released an album in 1993 and called ourselves TENGGARA.
So, at that time I wasn’t ready for any solo album. But now, here we are. The idea behind this album in terms of songs and materials, they’ve been created for quite some time. We were just waiting for the right time. The material has been around quite a while so I guess the year 2000 was the right time to actually come up with this solo album.
SB: Is this album being distributed outside of Singapore?
ZOUL: At the moment, we’re only distributing them in Singapore, but we do have distributors in Malaysia and at the same time, we’re working out something in Indonesia as well.
SB: How is the response so far towards your solo album?
ZOUL: The response has been quite good. From the media coverage, from the feedback that I’ve received, they seems to like my music. Because, actually, I don’t label my music. The songs that I wrote, I don’t label them as rock song, or a metal, or grunge, or alternative. For me, I just feel free to write. I don’t want to limit myself as a rock artiste, or a rock singer. They don’t see this album as a normal rock music sung in Malay. Probably because of my writing style, and the ethnic feel that I put in my music. Maybe also because of the progressive elements. But these are just some of the feedback that I’ve received.
SB: When writing songs, where do you draw your inspirations from?
ZOUL: I look up to great artistes or legends like Eric Clapton. If we’re talking about a western artiste, I look up to him because he’s been around since the 60s until now. The music that he wrotes can be accepted even nowadays. Local artiste I look up is Ramli Sarip. He is a legend and has inspired a lot of artistes in this region (esp. in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia). I grew up listening to 70s music, to rock and who inspired me actively in music. I won’t stop!
SB: Have rock and blues been your primary musical learnings?
ZOUL: Yes.Basically I grew up listening to Eric (Clapton) and Jimi Hendrix and other rock legends. But I can’t really incorporate what I love, the style, to actually form my own style of songwriting. So, my approach of songwriting is actually different to those that I grew up with. It’s my own style.
SB: What are your opinions of the Malay music industry in Singapore?
ZOUL: It is actually need more artistes, more people to actually generates the industry again. I’m talking about those talents out there who are better than me, in terms of singing and playing their music. But some of them don’t know how to go about doing it. So, I think the industry here need a lot of songwriters, a lot of artistes, a lot of recording artistes. And I would like to see all those talented people out there to come up with something. Maybe the first time is never be the best. Well, the industry is like that. You have to have a lot then you’ll be able to come up with the good ones. You’ll never know until you try.
SB: Have you ever thought about writing songs for other artistes?
ZOUL: There was once I penned a song for Douglas (Olivero), then Energy’s frontman. He did one Malay album 10 years ago. I also did produced one low profile album done by a Malay artiste. Writing songs for others can be interesting and challenging. I don'’ see why I wouldn'’ do it again in the future.
SB: How do you think Singaporeans are responding to local music?
ZOUL: I think the trend is changing. Youngsters now favour different things. I have lost track of what they listen to and what they like. It’s hard to compete with the boy-bands. I was like them when I first started. Being young and rebellious, we tended to dislike what was in front of us. But from what I can see now, the trend is changing. They tend to appreciate local music. Whatever kind of music you are playing they take an effort to listen. I think this kind of attitude is a positive sign.
SB: Do people tend to compare you to your brother (M.Nasir) a lot? And when they do, how do you feel?
ZOUL: Everytime they see me, they compare me. I think this kind of things is something that is unavoidable. People see me as M. Nasir’s younger brother. I don’t really mind and I don’t really care, actually. From what I see, this album for example, I did it on my own. It’s all from my own effort. I really wanted to project myself as ZOUL, rather than as M.Nasir’s brother.
I can’t really avoid comparisons and all those things. I’m proud of my brother’s achievements and of what he has becoming today. He’s a superstar, to me. But I don’t compete. In music we don’t compare. Just like, for example, now that I’ve released an album, there is a few more artistes who actually releases their own album at the same time. I’m not competing with them. We’re doing this for passion of music. I’m just trying to make good use of it and released an album.
SB: What is your favourite track in the “ZOUL” album?
ZOUL: I like them all! But the second track is something that I feel deep about. As a whole, every songs has got its own identity, its own speciality. I tried to make it simple. I tried to make it “me” so that whenever anybody listens to them, they’ll know it’s me.
SB: What are your plans in next, say, five years?
ZOUL: My plan is to cut more albums, keep on writing songs and perhaps, go into acting (laughs).
That’s what people in the West do. If the money is good, why not?
SB: Thank you, ZOUL and all the best with your music.