Tuesday 2 September 2014

Band Feature: Re:CODE


Re:CODE is a visual rock band from Bandung, Indonesia. The band was originally formed by Ryou (Guitar) and Irsan (Vocals) in early October of 2009. They invited Fadia (Bass) and Emon (Drums) to join and named the band Coitus Delusion (Co: De). Co: De was a band that performed cover songs of Japanese visual kei bands, namely DELUHI. But the formation changed when Irsan (vocals) decided to resign and replaced by Ikbal. However, it was not to be and Ikbal decided to resign in Nov. 2010. This forced them into looking for a replacement, and they recruited Aldy from RIOTS as the new vocalist and that is how the band stands today. They have also changed from that of a cover band, into producing their own original tracks.

Meet the members and read the interview after the break!


Meet the members:

ALDY
Birthday: May 13
Instrument brand of choice: Shure mic
Favorite color: black
Favorite clothing brand: sexpot revenge, Rock District
Favorite food: any spicy food
Most known for saying/catch phrase: Are you ready???
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YOYOI
Birthday: November 12
Instrument brand of choice: Fender
Favorite colour: Black & red
Favorite clothing brand: Don't have one
Favorite food: Seafood
Most known for saying/catch phrase: Play with style





FADIA
Birthday: September 23
Instrument brand of choice: Fender Jazz bass
Favorite color: White
Favorite clothing brand: I don’t have any
Favorite food: Sausage, meat.
Most known for saying/catch phrase: 3 words represent Life; it goes on.
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EMON
Birthday: April 5
Instrument brand of choice: Pearl Drum & Sabian Cymbals
Favorite colour: Black & red
Favorite clothing brand: Don't have one
Favorite food: Anything
Most known for saying/catch phrase: "Run Bitches Run!!", "No Music, No Dream"





Busy, busy, busy! If I had to choose one word to describe the guys from Re:CODE that would be it! However even with their crazy schedule, they managed to fit in some time to speak with us about their name change, growth and what's coming up for Re:CODE. I found these guys randomly through the power of YouTube and fell in love with their track: "Deadman Wonderland". Check out the band behind the music.


Q. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. Would you please introduce yourselves to those reading about you for the first time and also tell me the first thing you like to do when you get up?

Aldy - Hi thanks for interviewing us. My name is Aldy, I’m a vocalist in this band. Mmmmmm, my first thing to do is checking my cellphone, haha!

YOYOI – First thing I do after getting up is have a shower.

Fadia – Hello guys, I’m Fadia. The first thing I like to do when I get up is checking my phone as well.

Emon – Hi I'm Emon. I play the drums in Coitus Delusion (now Re: CODE). I'd like some coffee, and some cigarettes in the morning.


Q. Your band name 'Coitus Delusion',  is very unique. How did you decide on it? What does it mean to [each of] you as a representation of your band?

Aldy - About band name, if you want more specific, you can ask fadia hahaha. But for me, because we want our song make you feel enjoyment and pleasure like when you're having sex. Ah this is first time we announce this, we no longer use Coitus Delusion but we change with new name or not much a new name hahaha. The name is Re:CODE

YOYOI – Hmm let others explain hahaha!

Fadia – We actually did not plan it. The name was just taken by us without considering the meaning and the philosophy behind the name. But as the band is going, we figured out that Coitus Delusion means “a delusion nation”, which express that we would try to unite all of the people who hear our songs and draw them to delusional reality.

Emon – In my own view, the name has certain meanings. We decided it at first because we want to be some addiction for people who listen to our music, who watched our performance. Just like some porn delusional, we want people to think about us.


Q. Coitus Delusion as a band has gone through a lot of growth since starting in 2009, experiencing member changes along the way. How did the current members meet and come to be a part of CoDe as it is today?

Aldy – Before joining this band, I was with “rocking in teenager soul” (R.I.O.T.S). CODE (Now Re: CODE) and riots, practiced in the same studio so we already knew each other. And then CODE had a show but their vocalist already left, and they asked me but not as permanent member. But when I did the show with them, I enjoyed my time with this band and I decided to stay with coitus delusion (Re:CODE).

YOYOI – I played with several bands before joining this band. Since at the beginning I've like this kind of genre very much. I took my chance to join the band in 2012 as other members asked me to replace their former guitarist.

Fadia – The first time I met Aldy and Yoga was at a Japanese event a long time ago. Back then we were in a different band.

Emon - We came from many kind of music genres, but we were united in Japanese music and decided to formed Coitus Delusion, till now, until the name changed to Re:CODE.


Q. In the band's beginnings you focused on cover songs, performing favorites from many Japanese rock artists. As we look at CoDe now you've taken steps towards performing as an original artist. What initiated the change in your focus? What other changes has the band gone through since your inception? Do you see yourself continuing on your current path or are there other aspects you are still looking to explore?

Aldy – As I am bad in memorizing lyrics, when we have a show I always try hard to remember the lyrics, hahahaa. And I don’t want them to recognize us as a cover band. We are more excited to make music, have more fans, and even not much, but people in other countries have also started to notice us. Yeah, we are still exploring, and learning to create a better place for us.

YOYOI – Sure, as a band I think it is a must to creates songs, especially to show our true identity. I expect we continue moving in our own path but also we have to explore many different things to develop our style of music.

Fadia – Willing to have our own songs and introduce ourselves as a “real band” are what initiated us to change the focus. The concept of the band is becoming solid and clearer. I see ourselves continuing our current path but we are still exploring something that we consider necessary to gain our quality as a band as well.

Emon - We want to be successful like other Japanese rock artists. We started as band cover, made some efforts to create our own songs, and then our music video as well. We want to make something different, we always want to explore something new, but trying not to lose from our own path.


Q. You describe yourselves, the band as "Visual Rock". Do you feel that this gives the audience a preconceived expectation of you and your music? How do you break through, beyond those barriers?

Aldy - Becoming a visual rock band is our will from the beginning. Whatever audiences think about our music, it does not a matter. We will keep walking with this kind of genre.

YOYOI – My opinion same with Aldy haha!

Fadia – I personally think this probably is not a barrier for us. We have decided to take “visual rock” as our way and always try to follow and adopt many things (such as customs, stage performance, and the songs) in relation to “visual rock” or “visual kei” in Japan.

Emon – I like this band form and whatever audiences preconceive about us, we will stay to continue our music style as “Visual Rock”


Q. Recent months have brought a lot of firsts for you as a band. December saw the release of your first maxi-single "Deadman Wonderland", a great way to end the year! This maxi single contains 3 tracks. If you had to pick only one, which would you pick, and why?

Aldy - Mmmmit’s hard to decide XD. But I choose "hall of illumination" because when me and yoyoi made this song, we worked hard and in the process we changed the composition of the songs few times. In other way, I love deadman wonderland lyrics haha!

YOYOI – I would like to pick Crimson Tears. I don’t know why but I love the song.

Fadia– I would pick “hall of illumination”. The reason is just because I enjoy it when we perform on the stage.

Emon – Deadman Wonderland, it's because we experienced many things on making the song, and music video.

[Official PV 'Deadman Wonderland']

Q. You've also just released your first Promotional Video for 'Deadman Wonderland', congratulations! Take me through your creative process. How did you decide on the setting and visuals to tell the story within your lyrics? What challenges did you experience using this medium versus a live performance?

Aldy– Thank you ^^. I wrote the “deadman wonderland” lyrics, so I created the concept and I talked with the director “kojima” and he developed my concept. We were working hard on this PV, a lot of trouble in the making process but here it is, our first PV. Hope all of you enjoy our work, we have a great team (Ruiza,dimas,winda,kojima,kenzo,jasmin), big thanks to them .

YOYOI – It was certainly our precious experience, particularly for me. Hmmm the challenge could when I tried to act in front of the camera, I had some difficulties in expressing my emotions back then.

Fadia - I think the big challenge we faced back then was the equipment. We actually did not have a lot of equipment to make video, especially for Visual Kei standard. But we finally settled the problems down and finished the PV. We are proud of that.

Emon - The challenge for was when I played the drum. I sweat a lot that my make-up was fading faster. hahaha


Q. Speaking of live performances, what's your favorite part about the stage, what draws you to it? Is there a song which draws the best crowd reactions from your fans? What has been your favorite live memory to date?

Aldy – My favorite part is when I bring my audiences to sing along with us. The atmosphere is really amazing. Hmm I think every live is my favorite. hahaha

YOYOI – Of course, the favorite part is when I play my guitar in front many people. Haha I like it, every second on the stage is amazing.

Fadia – I like it when I’m on the stage as I can see many people get along with the songs we cover and have fun with us. I suppose it is “Crimson Tears” because the song is used to play as the first song on the stage. I think any lives were my favorite.

Emon - The emotions of the crowd. I think when we played Deluhi's song for a few years ago, the fans will be, "AAAAAAAA!!!!" and, "OMG!!!!!!" hahaha

[Audio Preview Teaser "Bridge to Nowhere"]

Q. Looking to the future, where would you like to set foot next? Are international tours something you are hoping to pursue or do you plan to take over the 'home field' first?

Aldy – I don’t think a big thing like that hahha, I choose home field first. But international still our dreaming.

YOYOI – It will be very exciting to have a show in other country but I think we have to gain more audiences here so we need to focus to build our “own nation” here first.

Fadia – Both of them. If we get chance to go on an international tour we must be really glad but taking over the audience here at home, is also our main focus now.

Emon – We definitely want to take International tours, maybe Japan first. But now we try in our own country first.


Q. Thinking of home, if I were to come to Indonesia and you were my tour guide, where would we go? And what would we eat?

Aldy - come to our hometown Bandung because it is culinary town. Mmmm I’ll treat you spicy food hahaa!

YOYOI – Bandung, or Ciamis. Ciamis is the place I find my happiness and maybe you’ll get it as well. :D

Fadia – My hometown of course, in Bandung, there are many things you can eat there.

Emon - We take a tour around Indonesia. And because Indonesia had a lot of different kind of food, every city we stay at, we should try the best food in there.


Q. And just for fun. You've found a genie and he'll grant you 3 wishes, what will you wish for?

Aldy – Never grow old, have a show in big festival all country, I can fly.

YOYOI – Money, another guitar collection, and also cool motorcycle.

Fadia – Hmmm PS4, gain a little weight, unlimited money.

Emon - 1. A DRUM SET hahahahaha!!!!!

2. Some tour to the country that has Japanese events (Including Japan itself).

3. Last, I want that genie to grant my wishes till death hahaha. *kidding. I want Coitus Delusion (Now RE: CODE) dreams come true, and success


~Project: Lixx~

A HUGE thank you Re:CODE: Aldy, YOYOI, Fadia and Emon for participating in this feature!

Be sure to check them out through their official links below.