What do you guys think of a LOCAL MUSIC MOVEMENT?
- Thread starter biopromax
- Start date
rottenramone
Active member
great post there! James, would be a great deed if you could sticky that!!
flip22er
New member
I am not from around here. I do not know your scene well and I know that I am not really in a good position to comment. I can however see the obvious when it is there and I feel that if Levan's post isn't placed at the top of this site as a sticky thread then it is a crying shame, because everything he has said is the only way forward for music in Singapore and the results he has produced already just show that.
I say this with the greatest respect but the fact of the matter is most people in the west have no idea where Singapore is let alone what music is being produced here. That doesn't mean however that you should throw your hands up in the air or take offense at this, but it is true, mention Singapore and most people do not even know you speak English here let alone that your country is an extremely modern and diverse one. So let them know, it is that simple. The internet makes the world a much smaller place. Read every word Levan has written above and follow it, if you really want to move the music scene here on and get international recognition then that is the way.
You are an English speaking country and that instantly gives you an advantage over other foreign speaking countries, you can communicate straight away with the target audience you are looking to attract, unlike other countries who have to learn the language first before doing this! That doesn't mean that you have to copy the West either! Sing in Singlish if you want, I am not suggesting you should lose your identity or culture! Give the world something new!!! I have been here a short while but I have seen the talent that is here, it is good enough, so let the world know it!!!!
Music and the future of music is not in selling CDs because the internet is slowly but surely killing that off, the future is online and you all have a golden opportunity to launch this country through it!!!
As an outsider looking in I just see the way forward as Levan already has, it is the only way to do what you all want to do and talk about doing so much on here. Do not fear reaching outside Singapore, and DON'T fear that you are not good enough! Believe me there are more shit bands in the UK than there are good ones, by a long long way
I know because I have suffered performances from a number of them! lol.
I hope no one thinks I am being a snobbish, English twat with this post, that is not my intention at all, just contributing.
I say this with the greatest respect but the fact of the matter is most people in the west have no idea where Singapore is let alone what music is being produced here. That doesn't mean however that you should throw your hands up in the air or take offense at this, but it is true, mention Singapore and most people do not even know you speak English here let alone that your country is an extremely modern and diverse one. So let them know, it is that simple. The internet makes the world a much smaller place. Read every word Levan has written above and follow it, if you really want to move the music scene here on and get international recognition then that is the way.
You are an English speaking country and that instantly gives you an advantage over other foreign speaking countries, you can communicate straight away with the target audience you are looking to attract, unlike other countries who have to learn the language first before doing this! That doesn't mean that you have to copy the West either! Sing in Singlish if you want, I am not suggesting you should lose your identity or culture! Give the world something new!!! I have been here a short while but I have seen the talent that is here, it is good enough, so let the world know it!!!!
Music and the future of music is not in selling CDs because the internet is slowly but surely killing that off, the future is online and you all have a golden opportunity to launch this country through it!!!
As an outsider looking in I just see the way forward as Levan already has, it is the only way to do what you all want to do and talk about doing so much on here. Do not fear reaching outside Singapore, and DON'T fear that you are not good enough! Believe me there are more shit bands in the UK than there are good ones, by a long long way
I know because I have suffered performances from a number of them! lol. I hope no one thinks I am being a snobbish, English twat with this post, that is not my intention at all, just contributing.
recklessnick
New member
what happened to rampage on the airwaves? if anyone remembers. he was doing podcasts regarding the local music scene too.
shinobi
New member
i think the most useful post was from james (i'm not trying to suck up to mod) except the last part, cos i think some singaporeans have 2-3 soft accounts especially when it comes to buy/sell. but that is another story
the biggest problem in sg is that we are not even doing the basics right. and instead, we are trying to find the most overcomplicated solutions to things.
now IMHO, which is way, way easier said than done, nothing in this country can be achieved without external support. just look at the F1, the IR, ASEAN, singapore table tennis team (ok bad example), singapore football team (worse example).
everyone is whining about the local market being too small. but i don't see how that stopped the chinese music market from going overseas. the key is to get regional support. at the very least, across the border, because malaysia is also a former british colony and hence english speaking.
in short, bring regional bands here. send local bands into the region. no doubt we want to keep things as indie, alternative and underground as possible (for whatever reason). but for the good of the industry, we need strong mainstream support, and a strong original live music culture.
and to achieve this, we need to get our basics right. good bands, event organisers who are not rude/selfish, and support from the grassroots level
the biggest problem in sg is that we are not even doing the basics right. and instead, we are trying to find the most overcomplicated solutions to things.
now IMHO, which is way, way easier said than done, nothing in this country can be achieved without external support. just look at the F1, the IR, ASEAN, singapore table tennis team (ok bad example), singapore football team (worse example).
everyone is whining about the local market being too small. but i don't see how that stopped the chinese music market from going overseas. the key is to get regional support. at the very least, across the border, because malaysia is also a former british colony and hence english speaking.
in short, bring regional bands here. send local bands into the region. no doubt we want to keep things as indie, alternative and underground as possible (for whatever reason). but for the good of the industry, we need strong mainstream support, and a strong original live music culture.
and to achieve this, we need to get our basics right. good bands, event organisers who are not rude/selfish, and support from the grassroots level
MadWerewolfBoy
New member
I find Levan's views refreshing as it gave new insights from a very different perspective. Coming from a band, Ronin, which had done exceptionally well in terms of getting their band/name known to many here (through an unbelievable amount of gigs done during the school invasion tour among others), I think he has enough legit experience to base his views on.
After reading what our foreign friend, flip22er, and shinobi said, we should have naturally come to a conclusion that what Singapore really need is some "super" bands to break out of this chain which seems to bind us within our local community. Electrico has achieved it pretty well, along with some other well known bands like The Suns etc., and we need more of these quality bands to make our music presence felt globally.
It's definitely a lot of hard work, and furthermore, it's not easy to get people to take the plunge to put in 100% dedication in this, when at the back of our heads, we're thinking (more or less with an Asian mindset) - "How am I going to fill my rice bowl while persuing passion?" "What if I cannot earn enough to support my ageing parents? (How unfilial...)" "Am I prepared to venture overseas and leave my friends/relatives behind?" etc.
These are real issues that are holding us back, keeping us binded to staying here, our comfort zone. We are just waiting for other people to make the first move, to be these "super bands" that manage to break out of the bubble / pave out a path / bash through the thick foliage, so that it will be easier for the rest of us to follow suit.
Truth is, I am able to share this view because it is based on my own experience and also from my observation of my fellow musos. We need many things for our music scene to mature, but these needs are not provided. We can complain and lament all day in a niched/ closed forum all day within ourselves and nothing will get done. Saying we need the government to pump more money!; More opportunities!; More talents! isn't gonna be helpful. It's like attending a lecture and getting nothing out of points in a Powerpoint presentation
We need specific instructions / lecture notes on the little steps on how to actually go about achieving these, like what Levan had done. It'll be good if more professional and experienced band members come and contribute specific tips on what to do, not only survive, but also to progress.
PS: we all realise how sensitive these trade secrets can get because leaking out these info might actually increase competition among bands who're "up there". If we look at the larger picture however, working together and increasing competition is beneficial to everyone because overall standards will rise, which would give better impression of our sunny city island county's music scene to the global front.
After reading what our foreign friend, flip22er, and shinobi said, we should have naturally come to a conclusion that what Singapore really need is some "super" bands to break out of this chain which seems to bind us within our local community. Electrico has achieved it pretty well, along with some other well known bands like The Suns etc., and we need more of these quality bands to make our music presence felt globally.
It's definitely a lot of hard work, and furthermore, it's not easy to get people to take the plunge to put in 100% dedication in this, when at the back of our heads, we're thinking (more or less with an Asian mindset) - "How am I going to fill my rice bowl while persuing passion?" "What if I cannot earn enough to support my ageing parents? (How unfilial...)" "Am I prepared to venture overseas and leave my friends/relatives behind?" etc.
These are real issues that are holding us back, keeping us binded to staying here, our comfort zone. We are just waiting for other people to make the first move, to be these "super bands" that manage to break out of the bubble / pave out a path / bash through the thick foliage, so that it will be easier for the rest of us to follow suit.
Truth is, I am able to share this view because it is based on my own experience and also from my observation of my fellow musos. We need many things for our music scene to mature, but these needs are not provided. We can complain and lament all day in a niched/ closed forum all day within ourselves and nothing will get done. Saying we need the government to pump more money!; More opportunities!; More talents! isn't gonna be helpful. It's like attending a lecture and getting nothing out of points in a Powerpoint presentation
We need specific instructions / lecture notes on the little steps on how to actually go about achieving these, like what Levan had done. It'll be good if more professional and experienced band members come and contribute specific tips on what to do, not only survive, but also to progress.
PS: we all realise how sensitive these trade secrets can get because leaking out these info might actually increase competition among bands who're "up there". If we look at the larger picture however, working together and increasing competition is beneficial to everyone because overall standards will rise, which would give better impression of our sunny city island county's music scene to the global front.
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