Help

JOGYA QUAKE AID

Helping the quake victims - Call for help from artists in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Artists in Yogya have, on their own initiatives, launched their very own donation /distribution drive, reaching out directly to the victims in Bantul, mostly elderly and babies/children.

Help from the authorities are very slow and almost non-existent as the extend of destruction is rather wide and thus many are neglected. They cannot wait any longer as children and elderly have not been fed for days since the quake.

Some artists, whose homes were not affected, have turned their homes into base station, collecting and distributing whatever they can collect from friends. Resources are limited and they are reaching out to us in Singapore.

At the moment, we are collecting specific items like milk powder, biscuits, instant noodles and Milo. These are what we feel are of immediate need. Please do not bring other items than what is being mention because of our limitation of what we can manage. We appreciate your generosity and items can be dropped off at

Plastique Kinetic Worms
61 Kerbau Road
Singapore 219 185
Tel: 62927783
12 noon – 5.00pm
from today till Saturday.

Please note that cash donation received will be used to subsides or pay for volunteers delivering the food donations and purchase additional food items if there is surplus.

Homage to Rambo

Homage to Rambo
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

The Thirst Bloody Rambo-Ramba

The Crickets and Me

Annie Lennox is on the radio, singing Whiter Shades of Pale, one of my favourite song, I love listening to the radio in the morning, when I get bored with the laptop jukebox. Its 4:10 in the morning and I am sleepless yet again, restless as usual, but not bored, I am all inspired again, but not sure of what is coming out of it. The thing about inspiration, they come, they park for a while, and its up to you to activate into some form.

Not necessary something creative, it could be the inspiration to clean up your room or sort out your mind. Well, happiness is a warm gun to quote from Lennon, whatever that means, I have a neighbour who rear Black chickens, they start to sing at around 4...yes, chickens in this big cage, they used to have a peacock, I think the peacock has died of old age.

I am beginning to realise as people get older, they are afraid to reveal their age, for example myself, sometimes I still think I am in my early twenties, then I realised shit, that's like long time ago. Am I feeling young or am I just in denial? But its alright...I am not that old. still alright...am I pleasing myself? What the hell am I ranting, you see, they say time is precious, and I am typing these stream of thoughts, like a cheap monologue.

No! Craig David is on now on the radio, ok, this is the best time to switch off the radio for some peace and quiet, let's hear the crickets.

Day Glo Affair

I spent the day contemplating on what to do, managed to settle the laundry, and Yazer came over to interview me for his webzine, and he has the most awesome camera ever. Those Big Digital SLR with a metallic 'professional' smacked on its body, (yummy).

In the afternoon, lazed around, watched U2 Vertigo 'live' in Chicago, borrowed from the library last Sunday, and I am halfway reading 'Bono on Bono', the autobiography. In that concert, Bono looked like he's aging, and he had problem taking in high notes and the crowd helped him throughout.

I think Bono should be a politician la, stop making music for a while, and focus on his humanitarian effort to abolish poverty. Actually, I kinda like stopped listening to them after Zooropa. After that I gave up probably because I felt that they have exhausted somehow.

U2 will always remain special in my heart, partly because I grew up listening to them, and learnt how to play 'With or Without You' and 'All I Want is You' when I started playing the guitar.

If Bono is Singaporean, will it be possible for him to have a good conversation with our state leaders? hmmm...if Bono is a Malay, he's a Mat with brains, if Bono is a Chinese, he is Wu Bai, and if Bono is Indian, he is Terry Patmanathan...

The Weekender

The weekend was a mixture of tragedy and anxiety, my mum called right before Tiramisu's soundcheck, she told me about the earthquake in Yogyakarta. And I started calling my friends, and there were no reply. Later in the night, Rizky (from NOK) sent me an sms saying that he's alright, just that he lost his house and he spent the night sleeping at the airport. He said everyone is ok, Teater Garasi was torn apart, thank god most of them are now in Tokyo for a project.

Antares is safe too, and he told me about 50 people in his village died. When I was there last year, I had this thought in my mind that if Mt. Merapi would ever erupt, the people in Yogya will be affected. Now that it has happened, I feel so lost, and pray that everyone is ok.

On the other hand, Tiramisu got together again with a new line-up, finally after so long, I had a fantastic time on stage, seeing everyone so happy, the experience was just mind blowing, the energy from the crowd was so electrifying. I am so looking forward for the next one at Home Club on June 10th.

Hopefully, we get the new materials finalised soon.

Scissors Kick Weekend

Scissors Kick Weekend
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

A Spot on photo by Cookiss on a crazy weekend at The Singapore Art

Museum, for more pix go to www.tiraimisuism.blogspot.com

Coffee and nicotine Blabber: Act 1

Its 0545hrs, I can't sleep, when my sleep is disrupted, there will be a rapture in the pattern, so here am I in front of the computer blabbering these nonsense.
Life has been pretty kind, getting back together with the band has been rather good. Singapore is still the same, except that we have a DHL Hot Air balloon hovering up and down Bugis area, I am a blondie, Stoned Revivals are back, David Bowie is my idol, I love Siglap, the biggest Art festival is coming, Coldplay is coming, Ziggy Stardust is one of my favourite songs, I am into Indietronica, I am not getting any taller, I am still smoking.

I am planning to get a new laptop, I am planning to learn final cut pro and sound editing, I have to clean up my studio, I love my cats and I feed them gourmet food. I need to read more...I need to sleep more....I have to work hard...I have to stop taking cabs...I love Foreskin bags...I love Hooked clothings but they need to have sizes in between XS and S...Salvation Army in Bukit Timah is the best thrift store in Singapore...Flea markets these days are for yuppies...I love waking up in the morning buying breakfast and newspaper...I love afternoon sun...MUG rootbeer is better than A&W...I have discarded my specs for soft lenses for convinience sake...

blabberoos and Blabberios

Tiramisu this Saturday at the Singapore Art Museum.

Tiramisu this Saturday at the Singapore Art Museum.
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Tiramisu will be ripping the stage at around 11pm, so come on down!

End of the Sea Master

Teenagers, they need motivation and encouragement, I realised they are still fragile after all these years, sitting at the school canteen, I watched them. They have the greatest potential ever, but they need some form of encouragement and appraisals or sort to build confidence.

I didn't have that when I was a pimply teenager, I had to hide behind the 'baddies', I was a good-boy-in-front-of-teacher type, so I always got away with things. Looking at them kids, if only they know the real world is totally different from school.
I always tell them, be prepared to face it...

Supa Maniam

Supa Maniam
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Indian Superman and Lois Lane, a Bollywood version back in

the 80s, surprisingly, its huge in Japan.

Black Dog Bone

Black Dog Bone
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

When I was about 4, my father introduced me

to Black Dog Bone, a local funk rock outfit, this was

their album cover.

The New Way

The New Way
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Stoned Revivals at Bar None last week with Mista Sulaiman (ex Black Dog

Bone)

Blonde Ambition meets Jah Rule

Blonde Ambition meets Jah Rule
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Sontol and Nutty Dread, hanging out at Om Cafe on a coincidental Friday

night.

The Post Performance Blues

Now that Queen Ping is over, I am suffering from the classic post-performance blues, we had 3 nights of sold out shows. And there are still remnants of white paint on my legs. I am not sure why but it feels like a new year, now I have to face the new challenges for the second half of the year. The biennale, masters programme, Tiramisu recording and dadida.

My only pleasure these days are watching dvds and eating pretzels with Marigold's cookies and cream, I watched Barbarella while I was folding the heap of clothes, and I thought it was the campiest film that I have ever watched, good to drown the post-performance sedation.

I need to revamp the studio, but I have been saying this since the beginning of the year, well I have to do it somehow, this business of procrastination is not going anywhere.

Stoned Revivals are back and I am so looking forward to their new sound. Rawk on!

From the relics of the Future

From the relics of the Future
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

One of those sticky nights, FOI3, Substation Gallery, photo by Trase.

ARTVSTS party at 10 Siglap Close

ARTVSTS party at 10 Siglap Close
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Late night BBQ session, Goodbye Party for Yok, photo ripped off from

ARTVSTS site.

Not So Electric Dream

I had a strange dream last night, I was outside Home Club, they were having a party or sort, like some sort of anniversary party. Vijay Singh and George Chua were there, but Vijay had a super geeky side parting hair style like Clark Kent, while George had a long beard. I didn't know most of the people there, there were a lot of new faces, those just turned 18 types.

Then, Don Kinemat came from a spiral staircase right above the club, and from his bag, he threw a few packs of contraband ciggies. Vijay told me not to take them, it was 3 a.m and the sun was rising.

I decided to go to the toilet, and I saw a bunch of young Malay boys about 10-13 years old, they were carrying musical instruments, similar to a Cuban music ensemble or something. They started to rehearse, and they sounded like a fusion of Gamelan and Cuban Jazz, and it was the most beautiful music I have ever heard. I could not describe it, I took some photos, no one in the club was interested.

super strange

Queen Ping

Queen Ping
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Come on down and check it out...

VOTE for SONTOL

VOTE for SONTOL
Originally uploaded by mrfantesticles.

Sontol Al Loyo is coming to your life soon!

Mid Year is Approaching

It has been quite a while, life has been quite a private affair...rehearsals and watching loads of dvds, catching up with reading and making wholesome breakfast with Cuppa Roma coffee.

Last night, I watched a super classic film, 'Black Orpheus' by Marcel Camus, a film set in the 60s in Rio, the film introduced Bossanova to the world. It was an amazing technicolor feature with the famous Carneval experience during those period, featuring mostly black actors. The soundtrack was by Antonio Carlos Jobim, the pioneer of Bossa, throughout the film you can see all these Brazilians dancing throughout to manic samba beats. A must watch and you can find the DVD at the Esplanade Library.

Plus that, the maestro of deadpan style films, Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers, they are selling the VCD at Video Ezy for $10, watch it for the cool soundtrack by Ethiopian Jazz maestro Mulatu Astatke, and of course, if you are a fan of Jarmursch, you should watch this one.

Beginning to feel the heat to my Masters programme in July, so I think I better prepare something for my thesis and clean up my junkfilled work station.

Polling day is around the corner, and I could see my favourite politicians hanging on lamposts by the roadside, sometimes they get washed down by the rain. I realised something, the PAP crew have make up on, maybe cosmetic powder on these self-portraits, or may digital touch-ups. Hmmm...

SO people let's PARTY PARTY PARTY!