1) The Upstairs - indo… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) The Upstairs - indonesian new-wave band
http://www.myspace.com/theupstairs1
https://twitter.com/#!/theupstairs3
http://www.facebook.com/theupstairs
2) The Upstairs - ukrainian pop-rock band
www.upstairs.com.ua
http://vkontakte.ru/club2051163
1) The lead singer and driving force behind The Upstairs Jimi Multhazam is a charismatic cat. Hes been captivating audiences with his on-stage theatrics and electric energy, mimicking 70s punk rock legend Iggy Pop as he prances around the stage wearing white sunglasses and extra-tight black & white striped pants sporting a Mick Jagger hairdo.
Seeing the band kitted out in their chinos, spangly shirts and, pop art prints and white sneakers, you could hardly miss their retro credentials. Says Jimi, when the group was formed back in October 2001 we were heavily influenced by overseas bands like A Flock of Seagulls, Joy Division, and Depeche Mode, but we like to complement the synthesizers with heavy guitar lines.
The Upstairs beginnings were DIY in the truest sense. They produced and distributed their first EP, Antahberantah, in 2002 by themselves and simply through word of mouth and audiencde reaction it, sold like hot cakes. Known for their free form style of lyricism, eschewing rhyming, the band members include Kubil Idris (guitar), Beni (drums), Alfi Chaniago (bass & keyboard), Elta (keyboard & synths) and Dian (backing vocals).
On Valentines Day in 2004 the band released their CD debut Matraman (also their second studio recording). At the launch party at the famous BBs Club Jakarta, 100 CDs sold out in just two hours. Their moment of glory finally came on the 19th September 2005 when they sealed a contract with Warner Music Indonesia and gave birth to their first major label album Energy with the lethal Disko Darurat (Emergency Disco) on its track list. Theres a certain symmetry to such a pioneering band supporting one of the men who made dance music what it is today.
2) The idea of creating a pop rock band belongs to Olga Chernova. Olga (vocals, guitar) wrote a couple of songs and became obsessed with a dream of arranging and playing them with like-minded musicians. Being determined and devoted to music she started searching for musicians in February 2007. By April Oleg Rudnev (rhythm and solo guitar), Vladimir Ponikarovskiy (drummer) and Kirill Prosandeyev (bass player) joined Olga.
Since June 2007 The Upstairs have played a dozen of concerts in Kharkiv clubs (Churchill’s music pub, Agata, Fort). A song with an ethnic touch “Heart dance” was performed along with a tribal-fussion dancer on the concert dedicated to the band’s birthday. In July 2008 they took part in Ukrainian music festival “Pyat ozyor” along with such outstanding Ukrainian bands as Lyuk and Chayka. They received a great review in a local newspaper “Noviy den”.
In August 2008 bass player Kirill was replaced by Ivan Selyodkin and drummer Vladimir was replaced by Andrey Panasyuk. After those replacements rhythm section became more professional.
The Upstairs are being told their music reminds people of Sheryl Crow, Tori Amos and The Cardigans, some songs remind of Avril Lavigne, others – of Portishead.
The Upstairs have just recorded an EP album named “Give it a Go” which includes 8 tracks. Since October 2008 songs “Sorry” and “Just looking back” have got into radio rotation of “Novaya Volna” and M fm (Kharkiv radio stations).
The Upstairs are planning a tour to present their first album in April-May 2009.
Dekil Kelam dan Suram
The Upstairs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
saksikan mu hadir
di muka pintu
Tak lagi ku jumpa kuncir dua
yamg sempat menjadi
nama tengah mu
Tumpukan berita dan
gempuran nada ubahy
Kau rajah dirimu
dengan pencitraan
yg membuat gigiku ngilu
Kau menapaki jalan ku
Dekil kelam dan suram
Kau menapaki jejakku
Bukan hal menyenangkan
semua orang punya cara
lakukan-lakukan
kupilih bukan terang
lakukan lakukan
ciptakan masa silam
lakukan lakukan
untuk kelak di tuturkan
The lyrics of The Upstairs's song Dekil Kelam dan Suram express a feeling of surprise and discomfort upon encountering someone who has previously been absent. The first two lines suggest that the person's sudden appearance is unexpected and jarring. This is followed by a mention of the person's hairstyle, which used to be a distinctive feature but is no longer seen. The next lines describe the person's demeanor as frail and weak, and their attempts to create an image of themselves that causes physical pain to the singer. The second verse expresses a feeling of resentment towards the person and their behavior. The lyrics suggest that the singer has had negative experiences in the path that the person is taking now, and feels that the person is treading on their territory in an unpleasant way.
The repeated lines in the chorus, "kupilih bukan terang lakukan lakukan ciptakan masa silam untuk kelak di tuturkan" roughly translate to "I choose darkness, do it, create a past to be told later". This can be interpreted as a call to action, to create one's own stories and history, with a sense of purpose that may not always be clear at the time.
Overall, the lyrics of the song convey a sense of unease and a struggle to come to terms with changes in one's life, and the song encourages action towards creating one's own path and narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
Terkejut bukan kepalang
I was extremely surprised by your sudden arrival at my doorstep.
saksikan mu hadir
di muka pintu
I watched as you stood before me at my front door.
Tak lagi ku jumpa kuncir dua
yamg sempat menjadi
nama tengah mu
I haven't seen your signature hairdo in a while, which used to be your defining trait.
Tumpukan berita dan
gempuran nada ubahy
gontai langkah kecilmu
Kau rajah dirimu
dengan pencitraan
yg membuat gigiku ngilu
You brought with you a load of updated news and dramatic changes and walked in with a small, clumsy gait. You portrayed yourself in such a way that it made me grind my teeth.
Kau menapaki jalan ku
Dekil kelam dan suram
You're following the same path as me, which is dark, depressing, and unpleasant.
Kau menapaki jejakku
Bukan hal menyenangkan
You're retracing my steps, which is not a pleasant thing to do.
semua orang punya cara
lakukan-lakukan
kupilih bukan terang
lakukan lakukan
ciptakan masa silam
lakukan lakukan
untuk kelak di tuturkan
Everyone has their own way of doing things, and I chose the dark path. I acted with the intention of creating a past that can be talked about in the future.
Contributed by Carson L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.