Wake Up And Smell The Revolution

I have to admit that I’ve not been in an entirely good, or for that matter sane, place in the wake of Bersih 3.0.

Part of me is, no doubt, still elated that, like with version 2.0, I survived with balls intact. There were touch and go moments, I tell you. In fact, if I’m being totally honest, I did not think my manjigglies* would survive the Komuter journey down to the city. But of course, the record shows that they and I got in and out unscathed.

The other part of me, the “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me” part, wishes my balls and I were made of tougher stuff. And that I’d traded in my hideous yellow Duduk Bantah t-shirt for a cool red Unit Amal one (with complementary black beret) and joined in the storming of the barricades.

Do we support the opposition even if they’re as fucked up as the current ruling government? Do we slam the ruling party even when they do things right? What did anyone hope 50,000 people or 100,000 or even 500,000 would achieve? Should we just give up now? Is Tunku Aziz an asshole? An even if he is, should a party that purports to support change chastise and punish a person for having an opinion? Wouldn’t that party then, be like the one it’s fighting against? … It’s a wonder my brain hasn’t exploded from all the to-ing and fro-ing.

Anyway, I know a lot of people have posted views and pictures and whatnot of their 3.0 experiences, so I won’t do that nevertheless, I do want to make a stand. Sort of. In as simple a way as I possibly can because, let’s face it, I’m no intellectual. Yup, no matter how many times I attempt to draw a line from Ryan Adams to Petty to Dylan to The Band. Or try to make people see how Ennio Morricone and Tommaso Antonio Vitali are cut from the same cloth.

OK, so my stand. Well, it’s pretty simple really. And it goes like this: Thou shall not support anyone/anything blindly.

Yes, not the government. Not God. Not Azmin Ali. Not Anwar. Not Uncle Lim. Not Tok Guru. Not ginger nut biscuits. Not Milo ais kow. Not nasi lemak. And definitely, definitely, not musicians. 

Yes, definitely NOT musicians.

If you want to support something/someone, if you want to believe in something/someone, heck, if you want to love something/someone, go right on ahead. But I believe you should never be so wrapped up in emotion/love/support that you get to a point where you’re confusing right with wrong and good with bad.

Let me give you an example. In fact, let me give you two. Both of them sorta political. Both sorta musical. Both unquestionably, less than perfect.

i) Ray Cheong -- Yellow Day

An awful song written in the aftermath of 2.0, Yellow Day is quite possibly the most horrible document of 2.0 that currently exists. The lyrics are juvenile and embarrassing and the chord structure is a straight copy of Stray Cat Strut. Sure, Ray’s a nice guy, yeah. But I’m not about to excuse Yellow Day just because Ray and I have had beers together. (I doubt he remembers, though.)

Dude, I may have marched with you. I may have gotten tear gassed with you. And come elections, we may even vote the same way. But your song, Mr Cheong, is crap. And I’m not going to endorse it just because we lean the same way, politically.  

ii) Inverted Coma -- Don’t Need You

OK, so it isn’t as bad as Yellow Day. In fact, it’s actually melodic and quite hum-able. But once again, the lyrics leave much to be desired. And the quite hum-able melody sounds ripped off.

In the days following 3.0, everyone and their dog was posting links to Don’t Need You on Facebook and Twitter. Fair enough. Emotions were high. People were angry. And Don’t Need You’s vibe seemed pretty spot on. But now that it’s been close to two weeks since we marched, do people not see/hear that the song’s a sorry rewrite of Lo’s Evening News? We should, right? We should know better. So why has no one made that observation yet? Are we all afraid of being treated like Tunku Aziz?

This is the thing, see. I’m all for change. I’m all for free and fair elections. I’m all for sticking it to the man. But, I am loath to trade in my principles and beliefs to achieve those things.

Like with music, in politics, as in life, we must look with unjaundiced eyes. And be willing to call a spade a spade. Even if that means that you’re destined to walk the valley of death alone. Even if that means you have no good man or good band to rally behind. Even if the revolution has no soundtrack. Or even if it means, there won’t be a revolution.

Yes, even if it means that.

You know, there is that thing that they say about Guinness... 

* I had no idea what “manjigglies” was before today. Thanks to, the Right Reverend Eddy Lim of Rollin’ Sixers, I now know it means “balls”. “Manjigglies” has now become my new favourite word. Thank you, reverend.