PLAGUE OF HAPPINESS "KAWAN" TOUR 2008

AMIR HAFZAN'S FROM ZERO TO HERO

2008-04-06T00:24:00.000-07:00

* This review is originally appeared in FROM ZERO TO HERO blogpage. Go and check Amir Hafzan blog, he wrote suprisingly amount of interesting subjects on arts, film and music.

Plague Of Happiness - Kawan Album
January 10, 2008 – 8:00 am
Posted in Album & Song Review

It has been a while since i wrote anything in my blog. Sorry, i have been too busy, struggling to fulfill my commitment to my daily works. I think it’s not too late to say ” Happy New Year!”

2008 shows a good sign in independent music industry in Malaysia (i strongly believe!). Bands are working hard to come out with their own material and plays more good shows. But beware, there are “Sharks” who are waiting to get hold of so called” the reign of indie scene” to get their profit by promising (bullshitting) a sky high hope.

Let’s go to POH. For me, kawan full album CD is a dream come true for this “southern king of ska/punk”. i think they are also so excited about releasing this material after a long way of music career and a lot of problems occurred since starting to record this CD. Yeah..This is a DIY self produced CD, i mean it!. All the sweat and tears been poured into this production, this include their own self collected pocket money.

Let’s talk about the CD itself. The production is clean, i mean at par as the CDs at megastores. I believe in buying CDs for the songs and also the art that comes with it. In Kawan, you’ll get both plus the happy feeling music too.

As a personal friend to this band, i feel so proud to hear the first track Resah Awan with a peacefully arranged keyboard + horn sections. The guitar was at par as ska/punk standard. Just nice, not too spicy nor heavy. This track follows by Southern Suburb, a bit more straight for sing along punk ska song. 3rd track Tiada Idea, i feel like i’m at the beach drinking the coconut, seeing smiling beautiful faces ..damn I’m happy.

Konspirasi is their biggest track (for me!) because with this song, this band cloud calm the rioting audience or making sad people smiling again. Straight forward ska/punk tune with a good dosage of positive reggae feel. You should take this song seriously by drilling down the lyrics (if you can understand malay). A good sax solo by Azmal..a cute one in POH!

I’ll skip few tracks coz it will too long to write as they are all good damn happy tunes. Track 7 is Hypnotized, a skankin instrumental tunes for the skankers. Blitzkrieg Society is a statement song for the punks..better watch out!Ouwch..trumpet…more trumpet solo!!

Rasa hati, a bit more to straight forward radio friendly punk song. This 10th track Malam is my favorite song. This songs proved that POH has been mature in musicality. It’s a blend of ska with some cha-cha but with Malay flavor. Again, drill into their lyric, and you’ll know the sensitiveness and love in their punk heart. A good approach on love song…jiwang beb!

After crying to the previous track, let dance some more to the self titled track Kawan (friends). Let your body loose..just jump around to this tune, but beware of the lyrics. it’s a statement too..ska-ska all the way.

I’m not comparing POH to any bands internationally. Why? With this album they already know what they want with their music. i admit kemuri, Rancid, Bosstone, Reel Big Fish have the element in their career but who cares. This is POH owns blend of coffee with their own sugar..condensed milk. It’s not to compared with Starbuck or San Francisco coffee. It’s Malaysian own happy tune with punk element.

While I’m writing this review, Nas, Azmal & few other POH had already finished their so called Malaysian promo tour to sell their stuff. yes they did it without any guide or sponsorship. By now, they are heading towards Indonesia to give a taste of their music to the audience.

It’s not fair if i only review the flowerish side about the CD. The CD could be more dynamic if there’s more money to finance it in the final touch. I love this CD so much but i need to tell that POH is more delicious to taste them raw in live shows. As for the vocal, I’ll be very excited to hear back the Demo version of song because my ears are so keen to the voice. However, producing a CD and recording sessions is not easy for a band. It takes a lot of commitment, health, soul and also feeling to deliver.

So guys, keep on doing what you believe and pedal to it, full speed ahead! Congratulation POH! Check them out at www.myspace.com/plagueofhappiness

KAWAN VIDEO CLIPS!

2008-04-06T00:15:00.000-07:00

Do you feel the nerve?

If you do, catch us live at your town. Exciting? Oh hell yes!

KUALA LUMPUR 18052008

2008-04-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

Punk Rock. Nuff said.

PENANG 20042008

2008-04-06T00:03:00.000-07:00

"We have joy we have fun we have season in the sun" It's Penang show, oh anyways..

IPOH 06042008

2008-04-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

Next stop: Top Pop Fun Pub, Ipoh Perak with promising local acts Laila's Lounge, Bugstar, Arrogant Inside Ourself and Sforzando! See you there!

MELAKA 23032008

2008-04-05T23:58:00.001-07:00

Second installation in Stadium Mini Bistari, Ayer Keroh.

KUALA LUMPUR 02032008

2008-04-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

First installation of the tour, Kuala Lumpur CM Annexe. Amazingly DONE. See you next!

THE JOURNEY HAS BEGIN...

2008-03-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

INSPIRE RECORDS & NYARING RECORDS
PRESENT
Plague Of Happiness "Kawan" tour w/ The Full Pledge Munkees

KUALA LUMPUR
Venue: MCPA Theater Hall
Date: 2nd March 2008
Supporting Bands: Decma & TheCouldHaveBeen, Novelea, The Otherside Ochestra, KLPHQ and Meet Uncle Hussain.

MELAKA
Venue: Dewan Mini Stadium Bistari, Ayer Keroh
Date: 23rd March 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Laila’s Lounge, The Rhaman, and The Spector.

PERAK
Venue: Top Pop Fun Pub, Ipoh
Date: 6th April 2008
Supporting Bands: Laila’s Lounge, Bugstar, Sforzando, and Arrogant Inside Ourself.

PENANG
Venue: Wisma Oh Kongsi
Date: 20th April 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Laila’s Lounge, Coma, and Hui Se Di Dai.

KUALA LUMPUR
Venue: Annexe, Central Market.
Date: 18th May 2008
Bands: Novelea, Decma & TCHB, Laila’s Lounge, Nostalgia, and Rumi.

KEDAH
Venue: Dewan Jitra, Jitra.
Date: 24th May 2008
Supporting Bands: Laila’s Lounge, Incarnation, Skatanix, and The Bourjuis.

PAHANG
Venue: Swing Bistro, Kuantan.
Date: 8th June 2008
Supporting Bands: Decma & TCHB, Laila’s Lounge, Akram’s Band, and Rip Off My Friends Jacket.

TERENGGANU
Venue: Terengganu Equestrian Resort, Kuala Ibai.
Date: 28th June 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Laila’s Lounge, Demise of Earl, and Love as Arson.

KELANTAN
Venue: Anjung Bising, Kota Bharu.
Date: 12th July 2008
Supporting Bands: DailyShow, Cannaris, and Givenpath.

SABAH
Venue: RazzMaTazz Live Entertainment, Kota Kinabalu.
Date: 26th July 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Laila’s Lounge, Scold, Donnatello, and Sweet Mary Jane.

SARAWAK
Venue:Old Courthouse, Kuching.
Date: 27th July 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Laila’s Lounge, United Kids of Oi!, and Vormit.

JOHOR
Venue: Dewan Jubli Intan, Johor Bahru.
Date: 3rd August 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Decma & TCHB, Laila’s Lounge, Never Ending Threat, Logam, and Kluk Kluk Advanture.

SINGAPORE
Venue: Substation.
Date: 23rd August 2008
Supporting Bands: Novelea, Decma & TCHB, Laila’s Lounge, etc.

KAWAN by Plague OF Happiness

2008-03-12T08:50:00.000-07:00

"I’m not comparing POH to any bands internationally. Why? With this album they already know what they want with their music. I admit Kemuri, Rancid, Bosstone, Reel Big Fish have the element in their career but who cares. This is POH owns blend of coffee with their own sugar.. condensed milk. It’s not to compare with Starbuck or San Francisco coffee. It’s Malaysian own happy tune with punk element.."

- Ammir Hafzan (http://ammirhafzan.wordpress.com)

"After so many recording attempts for this project; time and time again being ripped-off by studios, dragged around by crap production people, offers by a major label (who threatened them with total boycott if they didn’t sign the contract!) etc., Johor’s main ska-punk proponent PLAGUE OF HAPPINESS finally decided to give their best in a posh studio in Singapore; self-financed, self-dictated!

It took around four long months; scrapping for money during the week days and visiting the studio at weekends. Tonnes of money spent, and it’s not cheap; actually if you would go by normal DIY punk rock standards, the money spent could have been used to record 20 DIY punk rock EPs!

Anyway, the band is finally at ease, they have now in their hands their very own, long-awaited album and here’s the result - a colourful pro-printed CD with 10 songs encased in an equally colourful digipack and a poster; all under their own label Nyaring Records.

So how is it? Well, lets go on the plus points first. The band has always been dishing out singalong-friendly positive lyrics, a bit like what Youth Brigade or 7 Seconds would dish out in their early days; positivity, empowerment, geddup-standup etc.

Musically they have always been playing modern ska, a style which aligned itself to the “3rd Wave” - so it’s an amalgam of the Bosstones to Catch 22 etc. The one thing which would annoy me to no end in the early days was that “metal” sounding rhythm guitars and solos which “plagued” their previous recordings. BUT… that is now no longer a problem. The guitar has gone proper crunchy “rock” ala all of them mid-90s pop-punk bands.

As a whole though, the production is so bloody clean that it’s almost on par with fuckin’ No Doubt! Maybe I’m exaggerating here but I hate it when the “dirt” and “recklessness” of proper snotty punk rock being washed away with antiseptic-like recording. And that explains my preference for trad-ska, late-70s ska revival or skinhead-ska “boss” sound instead of this, or the dirt of Ops Ivy instead of Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

That said, there are some songs which are still jumping wild though. However, I do believe the way to experience Plague proper is to check out the live shows. The guys can go pretty manic and jumping all over the place, so I will be waiting for that instead.."

- Joe Kidd (http://ricecooker.kerbau.com)

Stomp That Feet With The Crazy SkankCore Beat!

2008-03-12T02:10:00.000-07:00

Plague of Happiness hail from the southern city of Malaysia. Johor Bahru is their hometown and they are proud to deliver ska punk anthem to all the music lovers. The band consists Nas (guitar + voc), Ipin (bass + backing voc), Azmal (tenor sax), Atoi (trumpet) and Nausad (trombone). Not forgetting their sexy sessionist; Arab (guitar) and Pozy (drum). Kemuri and Rancid is their main influence but they didn't forget their roots. The band started in 1999 when a bunch of skaters that have the same interest in ska punk decide to start a band. In August 2000, Plague Of Happiness manages to release their demo/ep called NANBAN. It was release independently under their friend/mentor grind/metal label called ORGASMATRON RECORDS. Surprisingly they manage to sold 1000 unit of cassette less than 6 month independently.

In 2002, they enter the studio for the 2nd time for the first compilation. They team up with other bands around Johor state and Singapore (SHERZO, FAGS AND STONED and FAIRY GOAT MUDDER). The compilation was called BEFORE WE WERE YOUNG and it was released under their owned registered labe called NYARING RECORDS. Later, they send a song called "13th May" to an independent label in Bulgaria called TROSKOT RECORDS, for join benefit compilation for spastic children.

In 2003, they contribute 3 song for GEDEBE soundtrack (independent movie directed by Nam Ron/PALOH). They also appeared in vcd called SKA WARS with GERHANA SKA CINTA, KING DJANGGO AND THE SELECTED ALL STARS, SECRET AGENT 606 etc. They recorded 4 songs for europe 4-way split with LAME DUCK (Norway), THE SQUARE (Norway), and SMOOTH LEE (Belgium). Its a join release by FUCKING NORTH POLE RECORDS (Norway), TROSKOT RECORDS (Bulgaria) and NYARING RECORDS (Malaysia).

In 2004, they re-records "Bookies" in tribute to ACAB under CLOCKWORK RECORDS (Malaysia). It was release on the same year called TRIBUTE TO ACAB vol 1. In June 17th, 2004; they becoming guest artist at REDROTTW RADIO SHOW under RED104.9 and ROTTW Magazine. Songs "Viva La Punk" and "Lepaskan" was first airplay on the day itself. Few days after that "Lepaskan" was airplayed on normal radio show in RED104.9 and entered one of the radio chart called CARTA 21. The highest rank that they goes with "Lepaskan" is number 6 and the song stays in the chart for about 16 weeks. The band pretty stoked about it because that is so much for a band without an album.

In 2005, their first appearance on television at 8tv show calles LATTE@8. In June 2005, they got their fisrt sponsorship on VISION STREET WEAR shoes by N&Z SKATESHOP, PLAZA ANGSANA. In August 2005, they was invited again by 8tv for a 30 minutes interview and live performance in their program called Homegrown. In 2006, a special project by Plague of Happiness and CROSSOVER was started to design and produce a Plague Of Happiness signature skate shoe. The signature shoe was launch on September 2006.

In 2007, they successfully recorded their album at the end of August 2007. The single "KAWAN" was radio airplay on several radio station such as Hot FM, RED 104.9 and Suria FM.