My 3 Sons
But it's not a case of 'like father like son' for M. Nasir's children in Malaysian rock band Pitahati
When your father is as iconic as veteran musician M. Nasir is, the pressure to measure up can seem immense. But Yasin, the drummer of Malaysian experimental progressive rock act Pitahati, has never allowed the high expectations to get to him.
Together with his brothers Ilham and Hidayat, who are the band's vocalist and guitarist respectively, as well as bassist Masrin and guitarist Zahar, Pitahati channel their energies towards making the brand of music they want.
The quintet will be in town next month to perform as part of the annual Pesta Raya - Malay Festival of Arts.
As much as they prefer to strike out on their own, 58-year-old M. Nasir - a famous producer, songwriter and singer - does come into the picture to offer advice.
But Yasin, 27, said that he and his father do not always see eye to eye when it comes to their passion for music.
"Once, he offered us a song, but we told him we were not keen. Don't get me wrong, it's a great song, but it just wasn't for us.
"We have different music styles," he told M in a telephone interview from Kuala Lumpur last week.
"When we formed (in 2000), I did ask him for advice, but not any more now because we want to stand on our own two feet," he said.
TOUGHEST CRITICS
Not surprisingly, M. Nasir is possibly one of Yasin's toughest critics.
"He is harsh and extremely honest, but we know he means well.
"He's not out to purposely insult us or hurt our feelings. We appreciate it, but we want to learn from our own mistakes," he said.
Pitahati was started 15 years ago with Yasin, Ilham and their cousin Khairul Anwar before the latter left.
The current line-up has been active since 2008 and released an EP called Bintang Biru Kristal Salju in 2012 and their debut album Fonetik Anak Candal in 2014.
Their new album Selamat Datang ke Panggung Suara will be out on vinyl next month.
Pitahati, who were last in town last year, hope to reach out to more fans in the region, from countries like Indonesia and Thailand.
"Sometimes, we get Facebook mentions or posts from fans who are not from Malaysia and that is heartening. We also hope to work on a new album," said Yasin.
FYI
WHAT: MERANTAU SANG NUSA (THE NUSANTARA VOYAGE) BY PITAHATI
WHEN: Aug 15, 9pm
WHERE: Esplanade Recital Studio
TICKETS: $25 from www.pestaraya.com/2015
Rap and Roll
When Malaysian rapper Altimet performs here next month as part of the annual Pesta Raya, fans can expect an interesting fusion of hip-hop and Malay tradition.
Picture a rap tune set to zapin (a type of traditional Malay dance) rhythm as well as a nine-piece band complete with a horn section to accompany his popular rap verses.
ULTIMATE ALTIMET: The Malaysian rapper's performance will be an interesting fusion of hip-hop and Malay tradition. PHOTO: COURTESY OF ESPLANADE
"People should come with an open mind...it will be a hip-hop show that will not disappoint," he promised in a telephone interview from Kuala Lumpur last week.
The 36-year-old hip-hop artist will also be performing with local singer Trisno.
Altimet, famous for his collaboration with Malaysian rappers and his Kartel Records label mates SonaOne and Joe Flizzow on Havoc as well as Singaporean singer Awi Rafael on Kalau Aku Kaya, called himself a "big fan" of traditional music, but often taps on other genres.
His top inspiration isn't a hip-hop maestro but the late Malaysian songwriter-singer Sudirman Haji Arshad.
"He is the greatest hip-hop artist of all time. He sang great songs of everyday occurrences, which is what hip-hop is all about. Hip-hop is very much like folk music," he said.
This year, Altimet, whose last album Kotarayaku was released last year, is reuniting with Flizzow and SonaOne for a special compilation album for Kartel Records' 10th anniversary.
But he's in no hurry to release this third album.
"I'm going to concentrate on the special album first and then see what happens for the rest of the year," he said.
FYI
What: KOTARAYAKU (MY CITY) BY ALTIMET
When: Aug 14, 8pm
Where: Esplanade Recital Studio
Tickets: $30 from www.pestaraya.com/2015
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