The Day I'd Kill To Be In His Shoes

Dear Diary,

Last Friday, a rockstar/VJ friend called me asking for a favour.

"Babe, I think you're the best if not only person who can help me."

Okkk...

"I'm gonna interview Dewa in like, half an hour but you know me, I know s*it about Dewa."

Okkkkk..
I crossed my fingers that he was going to say that he was having diarrhoea and was going to ask me to replace him.

"Internet's down lahh over here. Being the biggest Dewa fan I've ever met, if you can just brief me about the band?"

Owhhh.. Chet!

Jealous, I was but I am kind so I shared what little I know.

Being a fan since year 1999 back when nobody not many have heard of them over here, helps. I fed Andy with facts and insides of Dewa that I know, when they were Dewa19 to Dewa to back to Dewa19 again.

Like they were first called Dewa19 for it was the combination of initials of their names (D-Dhani, E-Erwin, W-Wong Aksan, A-Andra & Ari Lasso) and they were all 19-year-olds. Like how fans went furious when Dhani sacked Ari Lasso and replaced their vocalist with Once (what then, the band was going to be called DEWO now?). Like how their music changed Indonesia when they released Bintang 5, almost like how Radiohead changed the definition of good rock with Kid A) and the in depth meaning of cintailah Cinta the album (and how my letter to TONE's editor in 2002 elevated their rating on the album :D
[refer below and click to enlarge]).















































"Wow. You really know your stuff!"

Duh!

"Another thing babe, being a big fan rightttt, if you given the chance to interview them, what would you ask?"

Hmmmm..
I said, I'll get back to him.

"But my interview's starting in less than 15 minutes!"

Amboi!

"Errrr, can I interview them for you? Hah haaa, or at least watch you interview them with my questions?"

Amboi, Ninie tu!
Melampau, kan?

"He hee, I wish I can let you do that but I HAVE TO do the interview for Hitz.tv. Plus, it's all the way in Astro lah, babe."

Oh, okkkkkkkk..
Tsk tsk..

"I'll text you with the questions lah. Can you give me 5 minutes?"

I surprised myself that within 5 minutes WHILE DRIVING, I managed to come up with these questions:

1. Why the ever-changing band name? Dewa 19 to Dewa to Dewa19 again? You guys are not 19 anymore. Can fans expect the current name to stay?
2. With Once's solo stint, Andra's side project Andra & The Backbone, Dhani's The Rock Cafe at Kemang and the band members' never ending marriages controversies; how are these helping if not killing Dewa19 as a band?
3. If they were given the honour to nominate their own album to be 'Indonesia's No 1 Album of All Time', which one would it be and why? Which album do they think best represent Dewa19 and define their music?
4. Which international act would Dewa19 pick if given the opportunity to? a) do a studio collaboration b) perform live in a concert together


For the answers,
keep on checking Hitz.tv at Channel 705.
I'm soooo taking the credits for the questions, Andy!


"Oh another thing, I heard their drummer is no longer with the band. Apa lagi, lu cuba lah apply! Ha haa.. But if Tyo's still with them, please cium him on the lips for me! He's super hot, weh!"
















Andy looks too good to be in the band. Tak cukup Indon. Ha haaa! So kenot!


After the interview, Andy said, "Sorry babe, they have a new drummer. NAK?"

Seeing Dewa19's new drummer for the first time during the concert, I told Andy that Dewa's new drummer looks a lot like an Estranged member, the one with the dreadlocks.

TAK NAK lah!



(Useless info: Andy was also the guy with stained and yellow teeth during the much-hyped TAK NAK campaign ad some time ago)