What can be said about OAG?
Genius..mad..outta control..best indie-pop … Read Full Bio ↴What can be said about OAG?
Genius..mad..outta control..best indie-pop ever? All the above?
OAG's story is the story of writer/singer/frontman Radhi. Even he wouldn't be able to tell you how many lineup changes the group has had..:)

OAG's 1994 debut album on the Positive Tone label was industry changing, a watershed. Old Automatic Garbage gave birth to 'Crunchy Pop Fuzz'. Officially it sold triple platinum, but that was before the official distributor was found to be pirating copies into shops! The big hit was the song 60's TV.

Then came 1997s Melody Mocker, a new lineup, and a commercial disappointment despite the wonderfully 'Knocked Silly' and 'Creepy Crawlies'
Lyrics like "creepy crawlies, flowing my viens..creepy crawlies, stuck in my brain..when i don't get no full attention..." should give u an idea, but when sung to hooky, heavenly guitar-pop, the result is startling.

Opera-Radhio-Friendly in 2001 (once again a new lineup)started the comeback for OAG with a significant number of Malay language tracks..a new commercial hit 'Slumber' the action packed 'Stanza' and beautiful indie-pop 'For Whatever' - penned by Alim

Satellite.ink in 2003 saw the band with a more polished production and arrangement...and yet as Daryl Goh in The STAR wrote...

"The whole “crunchy pop fuzz” phenomenon ensued and also tragically imploded as the early chaotic OAG machine crashed. Today OAG is nearly a VH1-style story waiting to be told – and there are some true sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll tales to be unleashed here. But hold the rock history bit. There is still plenty of life kicking about in the bones of this “veteran” guitar-slinging band. That’s certain.

The fresh blood and bounce breathe vibrancy in the music. But it’s Radhi’s honeyed tunes that drive this band home. The infectious new and energised cuts, mostly with tongues placed firmly in cheeks, are still catchy, winsome and simply too exuberant to resist.
Radhi’s present ongoing renaissance continues but the main change is that he’s slowed things down. Tracks like Nowwhy2 and Konspirasi Bising Internasional could have easily been overpowering indie-rockers in the vein of Knocked Silly or Slumber, but there’s a velvety sparkle to them and you get more soul in the layers, and possibility more reality, by the entire band spreading the pace."

The new 2006 album is...for someone else to review..i haven't got a copy yet:) For sure though, it'll be worth picking up, and there'll be hidden gems inside, that most people will never get to hear.

Also look out for the limited edition "Best of.." from around 1999..2 new tracks, unreleased tracks and all the best versions of early OAG.

My favourite early track is Creepy Crawlies - the best of OAG in one song, and absolutely no-one knows it!..i still don't understand:)

Stanza
Oag Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Berjuta-juta stanza susila
Yang ingin kulafazkan padamu
Terpulang pada dirimu
Untuk mahu tak mahu mendengar cerita
Sadis ini yang kupendam
Bertahun-tahun lamanya
Hampir-hampir menjadi
Sebuah cerita-ceriti karun

Oh...
Perasaan ini yang membunuh nurani
Tak sanggup untukku menipu diri oh
Perasaan ini yang membunuh naluri
Tak mampuku untuk menipu diri lagi
Daku hampir lupa cara-caranya oh
Untukku menyayangi mu
Daku hampir lupa waktu-waktunya oh
Untuk ku berinteraksi denganmu woo
Ini bukan lagu cinta maut
Hanya ino ronik kudibalut mengapa
Dirimu dingin menyahut?
Ho... berjuta-juta stanza susila
Yang telah kupendam
Bertahun-tahun lamanya

Hampir-hampir menjadi
Sebuah cerita-ceriti karun

Overall Meaning

The song "Stanza" by Oag is a heartfelt confession of pent-up emotions that the singer has been harboring for years. The lyrics convey the idea that the singer has millions of unwritten verses that they want to express to someone, but it's entirely up to that person whether they choose to hear the story or not. The emotional distress of not being able to express themselves is apparent as the singer makes a plea to the other person to listen to the sad story they have been holding onto for so long. The lyrics also mention that the singer's feelings have been so overwhelming that it has almost killed their conscience and instincts.

The song's center is the singer's struggle to express their deep emotions towards someone who has been cold and distant towards them. The lyrics express the agonizing pain of unrequited love and how that feeling has been affecting the singer emotionally. The song's tone is melancholic, and the decision to leave the story's ending up to the listener's interpretation makes it all the more poignant. The song's lyrics are emotive and poignant, giving an outlet for listeners to relate to their emotions of love and heartbreak.

Line by Line Meaning

Berjuta-juta stanza susila
Countless lines of morals

Yang ingin kulafazkan padamu
That I want to utter to you

Terpulang pada dirimu
It's up to you

Untuk mahu tak mahu mendengar cerita
Whether you want to hear the story or not

Sadis ini yang kupendam
This sadness that I have been keeping inside

Bertahun-tahun lamanya
For years and years

Hampir-hampir menjadi
Almost turned into

Sebuah cerita-ceriti karun
A tragic tale

Perasaan ini yang membunuh nurani
This feeling that kills my conscience

Tak sanggup untukku menipu diri oh
I can't deceive myself anymore

Perasaan ini yang membunuh naluri
This feeling that kills my instincts