Interview With the Wok the Rock: Founder of Yes No Wave Music

By: Monica Dominguez

Yesterday, I had the oppurtunity to interview the creator of one of Indonesia’s first and only free online record labels. The man is Wok The Rock and the label is Yes No Wave Music. Relaxing in the sanctuary of Wok’s current residence, KUNCI Cultural Studies Center in Yogyakarta, with his dog by his side, we were able to chat about everything from eighties thrash metal  to the hairbrained dreams and visions for the label. Check it out.

M: What is Yes No Wave?
W: It’s simply an internet-based free download record label.

M: Do you have bands from all over the world on your label or only from Indonesia?
W: I have a band from the Czech Republic...and one from Brisbane, but most bands are Indonesian. But it’s open. It’s open for whoever wants to distribute free downloads and if I like it.

Indonesian Rock – A Documentation of Change

By: Chandra Drews

The story of the development of rock music in Indonesia is tightly related to the cultural and political changes the country faced in the last 50 years.

Chandra Drews delves into the history of rock in Indonesia:  Indonesian rock during the Sukarno years, the New Order and now.

Indonesian Music, Your Online Guide!

By: Chandra Drews and Emma Kwee

Indonesia has a rich culture of music that sadly often goes unappreciated overseas or even (more sadly) at home. This article offers a quick overview of Indonesian music, past and present, and the explosion of subcultures and scenes in the archipelago.

Indonesian Music, an Introduction

Many people in Europe often ask me to explain the essence of Indonesian music in a few short sentences. Sadly that’s almost impossible to do. So what really is the music of a country comprised of more than 17,000 islands?