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Written By: White Chicks On Rap
Last Thursday, I had a wonderful opportunity to listen to an up-and-coming band from Indonesia called The White Shoes & The Couples Company. They've been touring in the US and made their first trip to Los Angeles, playing at world-famous venue, Spaceland.
Before the band took the stage, I had the chance to meet some of the band members (vocalist Sari, keyboardist Mela and bass player Ricky) backstage to talk about coming to the US, their influences, how they got their catchy name and their goals.
I asked the band how it felt to be named by RollingStone “One of the best bands on Myspace” and “One of the most crushworthy bands of 2006” by Allmusic.com. Their response couldn't have been more humble:
"It's a a true honor," they said, "Especially since we're from Indonesia."
They said that many people are not familiar with Indonesian music and culture and the fact that people are taking the time to listen to their self-titled album is really an honor.
"We're enjoying the US and playing for our fans."
White Shoes & The Couples Company’s sound is a mix of traditional Indonesian music, jazz and pop; their lyrics mostly in the native Indonesian language.
I asked White Shoes who their influences are:
"The soundtracks of Indonesian 70’s cinema," they replied, "Because of the lush instruments and the visual stories the music creates. The lyrics are like literature and their sound helps push the stories forward. "
When I asked if the band would record more songs in English, they said that maybe they would, but that would be further down the line in their career.
I happened to notice that the whole band was decked out in white shoes. Naturally, I asked how they got their name.
White Shoes met at Art School near a shoe store that sold white Converse All-Stars. A lot of the students started wearing the shoes - including the band. When the band starting making music together they needed a name and a friend suggested "The White Shoes & The Couples Company." The rest is history.
When asked about their goals as a band, they said, "Ultimately, the goal is to keep doing what we're doing…recording."
White Shoes & The Couples Company are currently working on a second album and touring.
After our conversation, the band took the stage, and rocked the house for 45 minutes straight.
Sari (vocalist) has a beautiful sweet voice and her easy spirit carries out into the audience. She has a gentle presence on the stage which captivated the whole audience.
Although the lyrics weren't in English, the set was bubbly and catchy; I forgot I was listening to music in another language. The energy of the band was amazing, as the set closed with a 10 minute drum solo from John that brought the audience to roars and cheers of admiration.
The band may be heading back to Indonesia, but I know that they'll strike the U.S. again with more great music and live shows.
