Podcast: listen to episode 3 of 'The Big Playback' about the role of the archivist in music

While it may seem like a coincidence, we must remember that ‘records’ are in fact, just that: records- documents… testimonials. They’re meant to capture a moment, to tell a story. Which if you think about it, makes every record collector an archivist of sorts. The question is just how much the collector shapes the work in how they present it-the story of course is in the hands of the storyteller.

You can listen to part 1 of the 3th episode of ‘The Big Playback’ below or via your favorite podcast app.

Part 1: Irama Nusantara

Digitizing Indonesian music one record at a time, with a priority for the oldest first. Featured in LGW’s 2020 online collection ‘Reports From Other Continents’, this independent collective formed in 2013, many of them musicians themselves, with an eye on changing the fact that young people in Indonesia know way more about western music than the rich and dynamic music from their own Archipelago.

Besides the 6000 albums they’ve compiled onto iramanusantara.org, they’ve authored articles and even books about the history of the Indonesian music industry, including featured article, “Rock and Roll is Forbidden Here”, by Alvin Yunata, presented on our website for the occasion of this episode, in an English translation by Oriza Sativa Taufani.

Read: “Rock and Roll is Forbidden Here”, by Alvin Yunata

Orkes Teruna Ria

Want to know more about 60's Indonesian popular music?

Printed Melodies, a program initiated by Irama Nusantara, the Indonesian popular music digital archive foundation, Binatang Press and Norrm, just published a book called "Dari Ngak Ngik Ngok ke Dheg Dheg Plas: Perjalanan Musik Pop Indonesia 1960-1969" (in English: From Ngak Ngik Ngok to Dheg Dheg Plas: Indonesian Pop Music Journey 1960-1969). This Irama Nusantara debut publication is a long aspired output since this foundation was established in 2013. Planned to be released in three editions, the first is about the historical story of the 60's Indonesian popular music industry from a socio-political perspective. It explains how the political regulations at that time impacted the creativity of Indonesian musicians, or even the adventures of the first Indonesian girl band and also The Indonesian Jazz All-Stars in Europe.

Do you want to buy the book? Please send a message to binatangpress@gmail.com. Note: the book is written in Indonesian.

Host of 'The Big Playback' is Margaret Munchheimer, an American visual artist and writer living in the Netherlands, and veteran Le Guess Who? supporter since 2012.

Credits
Production: Margaret Munchheimer & Le Guess Who?
Audio Post- Production: Francisco Marujo
Article translation: Oriza Sativa Taufani
Artwork: Marishka Soekarna

Featured tracks
Elly Kasim w/ Orkes Arsianti - Lintuah
Elly Kasim - Relakan Daku
Euis Karwati & Layung Bandung Group - Eleh Deet
Elly Kasim w/ Orkes Arsianti - Peujeum Bandung
Benny Soebardja and Lizard - Candle Light
Idjah Hadidjah & Jupala Jaipongan - Senggot
S. Alimin Husein, Zaenal Arifien - Merantau
S. Alimin Husein, Zaenal Arifien - Ampat Lima Dalang Djambangan