ADE DARMAWAN
Visual Artist, Art Curator
What music are you into at the moment?
Mostly rock and metal. I’m kind of stuck in 60’s to 90’s music hehe… I don’t really follow current music trend. Plus I’m not really listening to radios or watching TVs anymore. It has become less and less interesting for me. They all sound and look the same. So artificial as well. So here I am, happily stuck with Zeppelin, Sabbath, Crimson, Motörhead, Clash, Maiden, Tool, FNM, Anthrax, Megadeth… Well, if I really have to mention a new group from rock/metal scene, I would say Meshuggah. Some indie stuff are interesting, too. I continuously check http://yesnowave.com for new stuff.
What was the first record you bought—any interesting story behind it?
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son by Iron Maiden! At exactly the same time I got my first ever radio-tape player/recorder. It was a total double excitement! Before that, I used to sneaking in to my brother’s room to listen to music and surrender myself to The Beatles, CCR, Queen, Stones and Police. Which I didn’t really mind but they didn’t really express who I was at the time. So when I had my own tape player, I had my complete freedom to crank up stuff that I was really into.
What is your all-time favorite album? Why?
Ãnima by Tool. It’s very intense album. Experimental and conceptual at the same time. Lots of anger but simultaneously thought-provoking and poetic lyrics towards corporate-state, beliefs, and value in the contemporary society. It’s also a fatalistic album where Maynard James Keenan prays for tidal wave, all the destructed things in the world should be better flushed. The album also presents speed and rhythm that constantly changing, challenging yet integrating. Other than experimenting with soundscape, this 1996-released piece also features industrial-rock groove “Die Eier von Satan” which features a speech in German complete with synchronously militaristic hand clap. You could feel a fascistic atmosphere there! But in fact there’s nothing fascistic about it. The contents of the speech are about a hashish cake hehe…
This album also includes a sample of jokes from my favourite stand up comedian, Bill Hicks, in “Third Eye” song. Not to mention this album gives you bonus a surreal videoclip of “Stinkfist” song. It’s one of my all-time favourite videoclip. Everything in this album is inspirational for me.
[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07pLGIgyfjw’]
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What was the worst record you ever purchased?
Hmm… I don’t think I have any. I guess because I’m pretty picky when it comes to buying records. I always did my comprehensive research before purchasing records. Even though in the end the album didn’t meet my expectation, I’ll collect it and archive it.
Who do you want to be, other than yourself, next time you reincarnate?
To be a successful entrepreneur. If possible to become the fifth richest man in Indonesia. I guess I could do a lot with all the money I had—much better than what I am able to do today. To build a Spending Spree Foundation isn’t a bad idea, is it?
What book are you reading now and what’s the score (1-10)?
Materialisme Dialektis: Kajian tentang Marxisme dan Filsafat Kontemporer by Martin Suryajaya. Martin is a brilliant and promising young thinker. Not only he once again explores the strand of Marxism called Dialectical Materialism, he also criticises post-modern philosophies which we all agreed these last few decades. Can I add one more? Other than that too-serious book, at the moment I’m also reading the comic version of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.
What new movie should people see? Why?
Prometheus by Ridley Scott. This the prequel of the horror sci-fi Alien but Scott adds his own idea about the origins of mankind on earth, the pursuit of God existence (God a.k.a. The Creator in this movie is called The Engineer—such a technical term). This movie challenges the concept of God and creation. And of course the extraordinary, big-budget type, special effects which is mainly based on H.R. Giger design.
What song do you choose to start your weekend?
“The Pot” by Tool.
And song you choose to end your weekend?
“Cuckoo for Caca” by FNM. The speed and the shout, perfect combination to start weekdays. Check out the lyrics so you understand what I’m talking about:
…Being good gets you stuff
Being stuff gets you good
Good stuff gets you being
And wheelin’ and dealin’ and squealin’
Shit lives forever…
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Ade is currently busy preparing his first solo exhibition after 8 years this late September called “Human Resource Development”. With his RuangRupa colleagues he is scheduled to participate in Asia Pacific Trienalle in Brisbane, Australia, in December.
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*This interview was firstly published on The Beat (Jakarta) #71, Sep 17-30, 2012
*Photo on the front page is taken from Indonesian Youth Conference