Nervous Rechords: Mempelam Newsletter #6

From Nizang Nervous:

Assalamualaikum. It’s been a while since Nervous Records (or Rechords) put out our last newsletter. We’ve been very busy with our studies and, er, MySpace, however the label has been quite busy with a couple projects.

Ever since early this year, we have been facing a very hard time trying to sell some of the titles we have released. Recently we realized that kids just don’t buys CDs anymore. Young kids nowadays only dig mp3s, downloadable songs, and MySpace. At the time, we’ve just released The Twosome Takeover, Jellybelly and The Obvious split-CD, with 1000 copies pressed. We thought we could sell it quickly since Jellybelly’s cassettes which we put out in 2001 sold for 550 copies.

Then again, we realized that it was 2001. Now it’s 2006. Back then, you can count with your fingers the amount of bands who released their stuffs. Nowadays there’s a lot of releases from various types of bands. Kids have too many choices of stuffs to buy. This is the outcome of our analysis, we think most of the kids ended up buying only the stuffs they really dig. Back then, even grindcore freaks would buy pop-punk releases. You get what I mean?

So, what should we do now? Stop releasing the recordings? Just put up the songs on the net? Only release CD-Rs? However, I think stuff like grindcore, thrash, screamo violence and such ilk still have their own following and if they would release cassettes, the kids would still buy them. So, to those who are releasing stuff like ours, good luck kids! Or maybe it’s just me who feel this way?

Nervous News:

Spit End

When Nervous Records started in 2000, we only intended to release recordings of Terengganu-based bands. But we have now “betrayed” that intention. For Nervous’ 10th release, we bring you Spit End, a band from the Philippines. Spit End e-mailed us sometime mid-last year, saying that they have just posted a master CD with some photos and lyrics and asked us to release a pro-tape of that recording.

At that time, we’ve just released the Jellybelly and The Obvious split-CD, so we thought we could use the money from the sales to help these Filipino friends of ours. Sadly the sales of that split-CD was not as expected. So, we decided to do a CD-R version with pro-printed sleeves of the the Spit End release for Malaysian kids. We don’t know whether the band had already released the official version of the recording or not.

Spit End @ MySpace

50K Promises

50K Promises will finally release their CDEP this July 2nd after a year collecting money to press the recording. So, if you get the CD, do ignore the year stated there (2005). The sleeve was actually printed late last year but the band had slight money problems, compounded with other commitments they had to handle. They also played at the recent “Less Is More” gig in Dungun, Terengganu last December. Do check this band out. The guitarist lzhan even designed the CD sleeve himself. 50K Promises plays garage-pop like Weezer, Ozma and the likes.

50k@MySpace
Contact: email

The Obvious

The Obvious also played the Less Is More gig mentioned above. It was organised by the Community Coalition crew and held at the Kolej Teras Timur, Dungun. Last I heard, their copies of “The Twosome Takeover” CD are now nearly out of stock. But most of the CDs were given away free or sold at half-price to friends!

The Obvious @ MySpace

Contact: Duan: b8kertyco (YM)) or call 012-9460041 or leave your msg at this email

Inikah Hidup

Fazri, the bassist of Inikah Hidup has decided to leave the band. l think this is maybe because of his work/marriage commitment. We did our recent show in Ipoh with a 5-piece line-up (without Ujay, who’s busy working at Pulau Redang as a cook or something). Muiz played the bass and also did second vocals while Mat didn’t play the keyboards as per usual, instead he was playing guitar.

It was a very short set of only four songs. Imagine, the band members went all the way from Terengganu to Ipoh and everything were pretty rushed. Just before the show, we rehearsed at the ever so well known Bodysurf Music Studio. It was my first time there. I think it’s a very good place, splattered with all the flyers and posters from the good old days.

p/s: Inikah Hidup’s t-shirt is available for only RM20 from this newsletter’s address.

Inikah Hidup@MySpace

On The Road split-CD

We invested RM50 for this 3-way split-CD while our partner label, Brainwash Records, contributed another RM50. The release is however credited only to Brainwash on the CD sleeve. This release was actually planned by Papakerma Records specially for the 3 Japanese bands who did a small Malaysian tour early this year.

The bands involved are the two Japanese bands involved in the tour, Cynic 19 and The Act We Act, along with locals At Least I Speak (Seremban). Cynic 19 is really an awesome band. Limited copies are still available for RM9 with VCD packing.

Cynic-19@MySpace
The Act We Act @ MySpace
At Least I Speak @ MySpace

Coming Soon from Nervous! Well, some of the plans are for us to co-release:

1. Bollok Wok! Comp. Vol. 3 CD (featuring more Terengganu-based bands such as The Goodnite Goodies, Dirty Divider, Cannaris, Gritty Floors, The Obvious, SO K Promises, Sleepy Jeremy etc.)
2. Marjinal’s Predator (a great Jakarta punk band, a rerelease of their recent double-cassette)
3. A Benefit For A Penang Skatepark compilation CD-R (featuring Carburetor Dung, FSF, Stick No Bills, Weot Skam, Second Combat, JeIIybeIIy, etc)

Related News:

The Goodnite Goodies

They just released their second CDEP called Fictitious. A great release; very rocking melodic punk from Dungun. But the final track, which I think is a filler, is quite a waste.

Do contact them at email me or go to their MySpace here or phone 012 967 0875

Snail Mail: The Goodnite Goodies, A-7 Taman Sri Tanjung, Jln Lapangan Terbang, Sura Hujung, 23000 Dungun, Terengganu, MALAYSIA

Their CDs are available from them for RM6 + stamps. We recently distributed 10 copies of it, only one copy left at the point of writing this.

Dirty Divider

This Kuala Terengganu-based classic punk rockers are in the process of recording some songs to be released soon. I was hanging-out with the band last week. All recording is now complete except for the bass parts. They will be contributing one fresh song for Bollok Wok Vol. 4 compilation. Do wait for it and check them out. Don’t forget to ask for their previous release, Zero Too Loose.

contact: email Dirty Divider

Snail Mail: 1160-A, KM 8, Taman Purnama 20400 Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

END.

Nervous@MySpace
buzz Nizang Nervous at YM: coalitioners or email: Nervous email

JUDUL2 DARI KAMI KINI BOLEH DIDAPATI Dl:

Kuyie Jam Station, KT (0129604320)
60’s Studio, Kuala Ibai, Trg
Moshpit Studio, Dungun (0179305470)
Bewok Distro, Kemaman (019930717)
Aren in Silence, Marang (0122219707)
Greenpeace Distro, Pahang (0177234974)
Imaginasi Records, lpoh (0124774503)
Black Konflik Records, Raub (0199383049)
Lemon Soda Records, Gombak (0179706440)
Tok Mung! HQ, ttdi, KL (0169920492)
Edd Weot Skam, Penang (0124460621)

dan masih boleh didapati di sini:

Kedai Auntie, Campbell Complex KL (0326917679)
Perfect Music, Campbell Complex KL
Acoustic Music, Pertama Complex KL
Wondermilk, Uptown, KL (0377258930)
Music Magic, Central Market, KL
Bodysurf Studio, lpoh (0193671837) *
Propamedia Distro, Gombak (0132497199)
Barbar Records, Labuan (0176815918) *
Chrome Records, Nilai (0166855342)

Support your local distros, small record stores and jam studios!