"IT'S FINALLY AN END TO OUR MUSIC INDUSTRY IN MALAYSIA???"
A recent remark by Sheila Majid, that our local music scene is fading off. Not her actual words
but I knew what she was trying to say.
As for me our Local Music Industry have beenDEAD a long time ago. Only the strong survive? But for how long more?
Here I go again and again and again, as from my previous post(s), I have been in the industry for over
40 years. Been there and have done it, and have done my very best. In order to stay in the music industry till now. As I have mentioned, being an artist is notglamorous and there's no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Only being judged by the unnecessary critics, not appreciated by our own people.
How an artist to sustain one self to be able to have the "STAYING POWER"?when our own"ASSHOLECIATIONS"are notdoing anything for us.
Maybe the 1MDB will look into our welfare. HOPEFULLY?
WHAT A SAD CASE LAHHHHH!!
There were numerous times my songs, video clips were not been played on the AIR TIME. Maybe I am now branded as an "OTAI" Everyone grows old as time passes by but if you want to be old
than you are old and waiting to die but NOT TRYING. Yes I am much older now but my passion for music keeps me going and my spirit is getting stronger than before.
I am still singing, still enjoying it because I am not the one that created FACEBOOK, APPLE
AND MICROSOFT or that RUBIK'S CUBE.
MY 2015 LATEST PROJECT
'' KU UKIR NAMA MU "
Recently, I was offered by the legendary Moliano Rasmadi The lead guitarist of Lovehunters and honored to be chosen to remake this song.' Ku Ukir Nama Mu '. is the first hits song by Lovehunters
This song was chosen as the best Malay song for SG50' 2015 ( Singapore 50th anniversary of Independence) the first composition by Moliano Rasmadi for the bands also the best guitarist in Asia.
( I love Gibson Guitars..me and moliano's gibson les paul sunburst 80's model )
I would like to thanks Mr Moliano Rasmasdi, one of my favorite guitarist, a wonderful person to collaborate with.
The famous hit song named "KU UKIR NAMA MU" I am glad to share this Teaser, the making
of 'KU UKIR NAMA MU" before the video clip and song to be released.
IS GOING TO BE A WOW FACTOR. Enjoy it.
Signing of : Rahim Maarof...... to be continue........
My first cover version from Leo Sayer's hit song "More Than I Can Say" While I wrote the lyrics on the spot. Title "Kini Aku Sendiri"
The lyric were not the direct translation of the English version, somehow
I managed to put the right word to that song. So here I go again and again.....
In the 80s, recording a covered version of any song was a trend. 'MORE THAN I CAN SAY" was a big hit then. It was played everywhere especially in discos. Those were the days.. It is a very entertaining song.
I posted my version on facebook but many of my fans requested that I should do a cover of Whitesnake's frontman, David Coverdale's Here I go again.
Maybe for Youtube, but not to the radio stations.
They might just throw itOUT. You may all ask WHY?
I have released a new single this year and it is very DISAPPOINTING. It was never played on air. I do not know what are they expecting, maybe they expected me to record a song from boy bands like One Direction? OR SOME RUBBISH THAT THEY AIR EVERYDAY WITH THAT BORING BLAH BLAH BLAH .
I can definitely do that type of genre/sound because
I AM VERSATILE.
But it must be a MAN GROUP not a Boyband.(HAHAHA)
As I said earlier again and again I believed being an artist,
YOU should not lose your IDENTITY.
.
I have 12 albums under my name, Rahim Maarof."Kini Aku Sendiri"was my first album. There was a hit song in every album. This entitled me to go on tour or a SOLO CONCERT.
To share a secret with you, that is what I am planning to do for 2015.
My dear readers , I am taking this opportunity to wish all muslimin muslimah around the world a Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha@Raya Korban 2014,
Wishing everyone a joyful and blessed holiday with your love one, families and friends.
What can I say for the year 2014... a year we all are looking forward to, supposedly be a good year for
all malaysian. 'A VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR'.
How can one expressed what had happened in 2014, Missing Airline MH370 and MH17 Shot down were not what we are expecting but it happened and now coming to HARI RAYA, a celebration and a holy month for all Muslims around the world.
Even till today, more bad news keep popping up, we can only pray for peace for the rest of this year.
Lets all hope for the best, as there are always a silver lining in every black cloud.
I would like to wish all my readers in my blog - HERE I GO AGAIN....AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.... a very peaceful and blessed year from today onward.
SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI semoga anda tiba ke destinasi. Balik Kampung jangan lah terburu buru, ingat lah keluarga tersayang. BE SAFE and pray for those that are not so fortunate than us.
Sekiranya anda, ada ucapan untuk RM atau readers of my blog, please leave a kind note.
Before signing off, "SELAMAT MENYAMBUT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI 2014, kita kembali kepada Fitrah.. Jiwa Suci Bersih. Maaf Zahir
dan Batin.
Nukilan daripada: Rahim Maarof
Saturday, May 10, 2014
MOTHER'S DAY - IS EVERYDAY.
Mother's Days have always been a sad day for me, since I lost my mother for 20 years ago. I often think of my mother, whom, I called Mek.
My vision of her is still very clear. She was there always working 365 days a year, Day and night everyday, cleaning, cooking and all the chores that any mother would do without salary. But my mother was very special, she never shouts or scold me, Even if she did, she did it with a warm smiled that me make feel guilty.
A mother love is the greatest love of all..
We, have often taken our mother for granted, we expected our mother to be a robot.
solving our problems, accept our mistakes, even when her heart is breaking. We expected too much from a person that gave birth to us, gave us life and a sense of belongings.
A career of a mother is a lifetime JOB.
On this special day, just take 20 seconds to built your courage to say HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY and I love you.
That the best gift you can give to your mother.
If I could have anything, I want my mother back and able to say Mek, I LOVE YOU FOREVER....
My special prayers to my mother everyday for the rest of my life.
Only a mother can feel the happiness and proud of her own.
A leather jacket was a must for all male and female Rockers or Rock & Roll singers. I wanted one
so badly. Basically, I was influence by my Idol, HE was an Icon and the most Amazing man that walk the face of earth. He was larger than life itself.
He is JOHN LENNON
Dear John, A DREAMER lives FOREVER. To you John, From Rahim Maarof
He is and will always be my favorite BEATLES. He touched many lives in his very short life and still never a day passed by without me looking at his poster in front of my office. --------->
I collect whatever souvenirs, posters, paper articles, books or anything that connects to John Lennon.
When I was just a young boy in the late 60s at my hometown, Kota Bharu. I will wait for my favorite BEATLES CARTOON
that was shown once a week. Of course, it was in Black and White and the theme song was "Hard Day's Night".
I have to go to my neighbor's house to see that cartoon, as my family was poor and couldn't afford to buy a television that time. It was great when I saw it in black and white. NOW I could see it in color and its better. I know what color guitars and drums they were using! It was a luxury to have a television in a home. Nowadays almost every house have more than one. Flat Screen with remote control. BIIIIIIIG and HD. Such a joy when it comes to watching football.
Coming back to the Leather Jacket. DO any of you know that it was JOHN LENNON who was the very
first person that wore a Leather Jacket AND a Leather Trench Coat in the early 60s? Not the ROLLING STONES OR ELVIS PRESLEY OR EVEN CHUCK BERRY.
He was a trendsetter with a huge attitude that do not give a damn. What others would or may say of him, about him or blamed him. HE WAS THERE TO MAKE MUSIC and I AM HERE TO DO THE SAME.
JOHN LENNON was a BIG name then and now. I cherished every moment I remember of John Lennon. HAPPY THOUGHTS of a Man that touched many lives and continues to inspire many younger
music makers, followers and I hope my younger readers will appreciate John Lennon the way he have
inspired my early life to be in the music industry.
So the black leather jacket was a must for me. Why? because ITS DASHINGLY ROCK-ISH. When my "Kristal Album" was to be released, Obviously, the recording label again needs to change my Image to more demure or the more Richard Marx look alike. They actually engaged an "Image Consultant" for me. Why the hell should I need an Image Consultant, in fact. Why do Image Consultants exist?!
That was new in the 80s, A so called Image Consultant was to change my Image with her professionalism. I find that a bore, who needs one when it is YOU to image yourself. She wants to re brand me the way she wanted. Oh god, are you my mother? Sadly to say she couldn't dress to impress herself either with those horrid shoes of hers. She would want to dress me up in checker jackets with pastel colors. No I am not joking. Maybe she was lost, maybe she do not understand my music because I believe in package.
I was SHOCKED!
Being a believer in my own style, I rejected her so called new 'STYLE' . So again, as usual I was branded as a REBEL with a lot of causes.
In the KRISTAL ALBUM, I wore my own clothes, my own co ordinations and with that RICHARD
MARX hair do which I hate so much but happy with my own clothes and have the Photos of the Album taken and printed to be release the song CINTA KRISTAL.
I dare say, I did what I wanted, I went looking and spending my own money for the clothes I favor even when I do not have much those days but the so called "Image Consultant" got her pretty named printed in the Album. Oh, how lucky. She must've jumped for joy.
BUT THAT PISSES ME OFF. LIKE THE SAYING IN ENGLISH. THE TOOLS THAT GOT THE NAME AND NOT THE CARPENTER. AND IN BAHASA MALAYSIA...LEMBU PUNYA SUSU, SAPI DAPAT NAMA.
As time goes by, I managed to get used to ALL those shitty stuffs, looking at those photostat copies of myself, being gossiped at, being blacklisted over and over again. Its always like a school and I'm always the bad student.
During those days, there were so many rules to follow to. There were ruling against long hair, leather jackets, pants, revealing clothes and ear rings for male or any assesories. I cannot even remember some of their rules. Too "rebel" to follow remember? But I do remember one particular excruciating program that I personally was so happy to be involved in.
I worked so hard and never missed one rehearsal. I was on time, punctual and discipline. I was driving my Old Volkswagen. My most precious car even though it often broke down. I used to speak to that dear car of mine. Like as if he was Herbie, remember that movie? So he was like my Herbie.
"Please be co operating not to break down as I am having an important show to do". Silly of me, but I chose to not break "his" heart. As if he was alive, so I thought of talking to him because I know he understood me! Even if I cursed, he would break down. - AND IT HAPPEN!
Back to top, It was a live telecast program. How often do one Artist get that chance. That great opportunity. Why would I want to miss this chance. After being in the rehearsals for few days. Off and On with my surviving Old Volkswagen. Travelling back and forth. Rehearse to Perfection. Everything was fine until there was a BIG BANG.
THAT WOMAN.
A HUGE (so called HUGE, maybe its just her to think she is that HUGE and a total BIG of a DEAL) PRODUCER, - I hope she is reading my blog.
That POWER HUNGER woman shouted at me as if I wasn't human. As if I was her lap dog that goes DO THIS AND DO THAT. She was so rude, I still couldn't believe how she could bark at me to cut my hair. Barking like a female dog she was.
She demanded for me to cut my hair or leave the show. WHAT THE DEVILS WAS SHE THINKING. WHO THE HELL SHE THINK SHE IS?
Who gave her the power and right like as if she was Athena, one of the Greek Gods. Well more like a slimy Medusa. In my book, sad to say she just wants to feel that she is 'POWERFUL'. A POWER to overwrite a human out. Just because, she was a producer in a major tv station at that time.
That was the most mad idea she had ever gave to me. I REFUSED to cut my hair. My hair, is like my price possession. My main self to be in character. My hair brings me to who I am. Most of all, it is MY HAIR.
So Miss Medusa, who finds herself a bigger person than I am. She'd like to show others how powerful she think she was, to portray that she is the most important element. SHE SACKED ME.HARDCORE FIRED. Worst than how Donald Trumph fires his Apprentice.
Her words still lingers in my mind. "If you do not cut your hair get out of my show".
THAT was the LAST STRAW. I was on top of my nerves. I took my clothes and go with the worst speech I have made to her. I left in the end. I was upset but never did I not chin down on this.
Many artists and people involved in that program will sure to remember that incident. IT WAS THE MAIN ISSUE OF THE YEAR. Of course, I did not gave her pride back and sorry to say I called her names, (which I think she deserves it and also to reflect her tiny attitude) Names you could not want to imagine or want to hear. (IN other words, when you're mad you'd say those words unconditionally)
Producers will always say 'THIS IS MY SHOW' - As if it was like a take it or leave it.
WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM HERE? WAS I DOING SOMETHING SO AGAINST THE LAW? I WAS PROTECTING MYSELF FROM BEING SOMEONE WHO I'M NOT.
Honestly, I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN COST ABOUT THIS.
Shameless, there were other artists that actually cut their hair in public as I remember it. You call yourself an artist but you couldn't even stand up to your own image. It was so stupid and they just lose their IDENTITY. The golden rule of being an artist. IMAGE AND IDENTITY is YOU to decide.
Young Artist today,
Take this as a lesson. DO NOT allow anyone to change you. YOU BRAND YOURSELF. YOU MAKE YOURSELF. YOU ARE YOU. FIND YOUR IDENTITY AND PROTECT IT.
Nowadays, most of the TV producers I worked with are more professional with good attitude which makes
me a happier person. Thank goodness for humanity lessons. I hope they feel the same way likewise. Old saying, if you want respect, you have to respect others as well because courtesy is due when respect is earn.
I can see that there are a lot of changes in our music industry. How I envy the new artists in this generation. They are proud to be themselves. Dressed how they want too, and with any hairstyles will do to complete them. They were given good publicity, with unlimited sponsors in any form of advertisement, so many TV stations and programs to be in.
Any artists or performers would relax and feel at ease. EVERYTHING is easy now. Being an artist back then was as if we were to be in an army.
Be happy and respected as we always know our roles that "THE SHOW MUST GO ON"
At this moment I am trying to manage and understand the GENERATION 'Y' in their own manner and not to overwrite them off.. As this generations are actually raised by us.
JOHN LENNON would say...."WONSAPONATIME". - (John Lennon Style)
Being who you are and Keep your CHIN UP.
Even how down you are: Through the most difficult times, through the most stormy time of your life.
I could hear the sound of how he must have say: WONSAPONATIME. In his Melodic way.
TO ME....I JUST HAVE FAITH, MY FRIENDS.
I dedicate one of John Lennon song to you all and ALWAYS remember how HE WANTED TO GIVE 'PEACE A CHANCE'. Let us, put on our "Peace Button" and Imagine the WORLD WILL BE A BETTER
PLACE FOR US.
Here I go again and again........WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS ARE ALL IN OUR OWN HAND
As a Malaysian, I am truly proud to be one. A Patriot, YES I am, so was my father who had wisely educated me the FREEDOM our country achieved. I know how proud he was then. He fought for Malaya during the Japanese Occupations and served the country well. Many who fought during that times, still have bad memories that saddened them. How they suffered under the ruling of the Japanese's Occupations but when the war were over they felt the freedom and stood proudly that they have protected the country with great honour.
Their feeling of Happiness and a chance to be freed from cruelty . If they have felt that way, what a greater feeling of happiness, they must have felt when Malaya became AN INDEPENDENCE COUNTRY - MALAYSIA.
For your information, I am older than our country. I was born before our Independence
Day 31st August, 1957.
( 1955 the year I was born )
Whatever happened this year are a bad example to our new generations. Are they confused? or are they
just going with the flow, like do what others does? Do they actually realized that they are the future of
our COUNTRY? Don't they know the history of the past and learn to appreciate THE MEANING
OF MERDAKA? The HISTORY started way back before 1957. Maybe they are ignorance or just refused to accept the fact of RESPECT to our country's flags and obey our RUKUN NEGARA. My conclusion of those behaviours were just being ignorance. Sad to say that they prefer to be Hooligans.
I am sad with the attitude they adopts now days that make me wonder WHY?
As a kid, with all my school friends, we celebrated the Independence Day with GUSTO. Participated
in the events that all schools organized weeks before the actual day. Some of us were given colour
T-shirts the colour of our Nation's Flag and practice under the hot noon sun every day after school
to perfections.
On that day, me and other kids marched with PRIDE. Only colour were RED, BLUE,YELLOWAND WHITE . We marches in row and row. Everyone were there to supports us. Under the morning sun, we march side by side. All races, both male and female. Some holding our Nation flags, some big and
even some with a paper flags. We marched as we were apart of something special. The sizes of the
flags doesn't matter as long as we are part of the celebrations. We marched as ONE NATION.
It was a Public holiday but nevertheless we are more interested in taking part in such great event
than planning to go outing and of course our parent were overjoyed to encouraged us to be part of the celebrations.
( Five dollars those days are equal to RM50 ringgit today )
After the celebration, we go home with a smile and another happy memory and can't wait for next year
celebrations. Some thing great to look forward to. Little things like that make us happy when we were young.
As we grew older with our hectic life, racing with the time, working, learning the word responsibility and when the "REAL LIFE' begin, we tend to forget that feeling, we once had. We started to compared with all the negative thinking, reading the newspapers, copying other nations, posting negative issues in the website,discussing about politics in open areas, seeing others overpowered others without RESPECT. That gave way to disappointment and cynicism especially to our
younger GENERATION.
Our 13th GENERAL ELECTION HAS CAME AND GONE but till today THAT IS main topic for discussions. THE SAKE OF PEACE, JUST EXCEPT THE RESULTS AND MOVE ON!!!!!!.
There should not be a BAD LOSER or a WINNER.
We all played a part in our life to build a better future and hopefully we should never forget our root.
QUESTION???????
So did MATURITY kills our INNOCENCE or our PRIDE? Was it PRIDE that rooted our IGNORANCE?
Was it PRIDE that make us RUTHLESS? or was it PRIDE that make us a FAILURE?
ARE PRIDE AND STUPIDITY the same?
I think they are some how LINK to each other.
If we all look back and think positive, we might find the little joy and pride in ourselves and maybe that little.... make us feel like that kid again waving our Nation Flag with a wide smile.
I am happy and proud to be a MALAYSIAN. signing off with PEACE, RAHIM MAAROF
