Snap!

Just a short entry with a berangan pic lawa tapi sebenarnya biasa je kan shot...

Ni dari show siang tadi bersama Atilia dan Dafi. These people are funny together. Semua ada kepelikan sendiri. 

But glad to say they're all professionals in the way they handle themselves, and that's what counts.

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Studio time

Sejak aku 'kembali' ke pangkal jalan (gituh), dan mengambil keputusan nak berhenti dari bidang penulisan selepas 16 tahun, hidup aku kian hari penuh dengan bermacam venue lain untuk show, ataupun studio untuk persiapan.

Malam semalam sama aa konsep. Mula-mula gegas ke studio di Taman Tun Dr Ismail, ada sesi latihan bersama Atilia untuk Amir.

Esok, ada majlis 15th Anniversary San Francisco Coffee di Publika, dan Amir di undang menyanyi bersama Atilia. Last minute prep, gegar sikit. Sebelum ni Amir bukan duet ke collaborate ngan orang pun.

Yang ada setakat ini pun betul-betul untuk show, dia gabung dengan Sheila On 7 (pengalaman pertama dia) dan juga Aizat (untuk Go Gerila) selain show di Bandung bersama beberapa penyanyi dan seniman serantau.

But it's an honor to be performing with Atilia so wajib lah tak miss.

Selepas habis, bajet nak ke Blackberry party di Zouk, tapi ada sesi studio di Kasi Gegar, bersama tuan producer Anas Amdan.

Melampau sejak dua menjak studio lengkap untuk rakaman ni, si Anas tambah sibuk. Merasalah, kau mampu nak dua MacBook Pro sekali jalan?

Kesian Anas kena fitnah ngan aku. Milik Ruvi satu lagi tu.

Anyway, I've been having some awesome ideas lately, dan setakat ini ada empat plan besar aku doa akan terlaksana sebum penghujung 2012.

Aminkan  saja lah...

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Zoom

So time nak recap balik some of the fun, but hectic activities yang aku sibuk sangat last week sampai collapse bagai.

Well, up to last Thursday memang meeting bersepah bagai. Was so bogged down rushing from one location to another, with a final meeting lewat petang. Sebelum meeting rush ke Bentley kat Damansara with Amir, nak ganti tali gitar dia sebab malam ada show kat Laundry Bar for Moonshine by Reza Salleh.

Masa nak tukar tali, aku irritated sikit sebab akibat 'tak cukup staff' orang kedai kata balik in an hour.

Malasnya nak ulang alik... so actually plan nak beli dan ciao Amir nak wat sendiri. Tapi singgah la sebentar usha instruments memacam.

And one thing caught my eye.

Now, you must know - aku ni technically musically illiterate. Untuk jurusan kejuruteraan bunyi dulu, I had music theory up to Grade 4. Tapi kalau nak main instrument - haram! The only thing I know how to play with is my own organ. Matilah ko!

But who's never dreamed of being a rockstar before right?

And I always liked the guitar because I thought it had a power of its own.

My dream guitar zaman dulu - Fender Stratocaster and Flying V - salah James Hetfield nya pasai la. Tapi nak beli - wat pe kan? Main hado tau...

Until I spotted this!


Isn't she a beauty! It's a Fender Stratacoustic! Sound dia memag delicious, crisp, full bodied and with just enough weight and depth!

Sebab Amir memang akustic persembahan dia - tanpa teragak aku pon sapu la beli. Heh! Janji puas dan dia leh guna. Lagipun, sebagai pengurusan dia aku nak dia punya kelengkapan untuk membuat persembahan.

And later in the night, when he performed half hour showcase dia (terima kasih backing cajon ye Shamiel - anak Erma Fatima yang memag skang kita rekrut jadi sessionist tuk Amir) - memang sound best gila!


Aku ada upload video-video persembahan dia kat Youtube, so pepandai la korang skodeng. Malas lak aku nak tempek satu-satu.

Dah lah balik lewat malam tu, dan letih, dan gak KO sebab telan ubat - esoknya tengahari gegas ke Duchess Place tuk soundcheck bersama Amir untuk persandingan Yasmin Hani.

Persembahan Amir hadiah dari aku buat Hani, and setiba nya aku kat lokasi sanding (petang akad nikah sana gak), aku kagum! I mean biasa kalau artis kahwin nak jadi sarkas siap lengkap memacam badut dan sebagainya... but this was so beautifully simple and yet elegant!






Tema English garden wedding tak la original sangat. Tapi aku suka execution nih. Memang malam tu bila kita balik tuk majlis (lepas redah ujan dan jam yang tak masuk akal), memang the atmosphere was amazing.

Jarang aku ke wedding yang aku rasa so beautiful. And this was one of the rare few.


Tapi lagi satu yang best nya memang majlis dia intimate and cozy, takde la sampai ribu raban orang. I think there was about 300 guests tops jek.


Anyway, Hani, all the best to you and Sha'arin - aku doakan korang bahagia ke anak cucu!

I guess you could say for me, it was a nice way to end the week going into the weekend.

Eh da la.. nanti aku update agik. Lenguh tangan nak taip banyak sangat (padahal kalau update Twitter tak hengat sampai asik kena limit je sebab over quota - matilah)

Will update more ASAP!

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Oh my Berrry!

Since I'm backtracking on key events for 2011, this is one that I freaking remember. The special preview of the Blackberry Playbook. Yes, I was one of the few to get my hands on it before the worldwide launch.

I was excited since something like last October, sebab memang aku suka specifications for the Playbook. Of course, you guys would know I was an iPad user (was as is I gave away my iPad to my sister after I got the Playbook). Here are some pics from the special preview.

I matched it up against my iPad, and in every way (ignore just applications alone), and the Blackberry Playbook stacks up better in every single department.

Ni si Daphne pun cuba tangan dia kat the Blackberry Playbook.

And this is the match-up between the Blackberry Playbook, the Galaxy Tab and the iPad. Jauh beza. Dah try tiga-tiga, seriously if you want a toy - get an iPad. If you want something for work, get the Blackberry Playbook. And if you can't afford both - get the Galaxy Tab. Matilah aku kena carut pengguna Tab. I just find it doesn't excel in any department. I mean, iPads rock apps. The Playbook rocks for work and audio and video quality. The Tab is just trying.

And this is mine! My sweet, glorious Blackberry Playbook.

Ok, I snapped more pics of the packaging there. Oh well. Anyway, the first person I added on video chat was Atilia. Dia pun Blackberry Playbook addict (reformed like me from our iPad addiction prior to this)

And it provides me enough for what I need. Something to do work big time, enjoy music and videos as they should (think HD recording and playback capabilities as well as stereo recording AND playback - even the iPad 2 doesn't even come close)

The apps are so-so if you're looking for gaming tablet, but it's enough if you're not into just simply games on a tablet. Full functionality!

And yes, I am proud that because of my immense interest, I am an online friend of Blackberry. Kira macam duta gak la... heh. Tapi hanya selepas aku memang minat ye. Bukan dibayar baruy nak posting pujian melampau.

Back to games, check out the pre-loaded Need For Speed 2.

Matilah ko, dalam jam pun nak feeling layan!

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Wowed

Remember I told you guys about the postponed Adam Lambert interview. Well, it was on today, with Adam talking on the phone from there before his show there tomorrow.

It was amazing. I have new found respect for him and how he approaches his craft. We initially had fifteen minutes but the interview stretched to half an hour and it was simply because we ran out of things to ask since we ran through everything with such ease.

Initially he sounded a bit uncomfortable, which I put it down to him being one of those artistes who hated the normal questions he hears everyday over and over and over again.

And true enough, as we warmed up - he was on fire!

I will upload the recording of the interview in a few days (it must run in the paper first) and then you guys can see what I mean. So I won't say anything else about it except - WOW!

Pas abih keja dan sebagainya, lepaked with Altimet and Atilia kat Rasta. Nothing was planned actually, but someohow over Twitter, last minute planning, terus menjadi.

Tuh dia Atilia cokver bad hair day while si Altimet lak doing an impersonation of Jaws. Matilah aku pepandai je nak caption camtuh.

It was inspiring because being around artistes who are dedicated to their craft inspire me - and yes, I have new ideas for some meetings coming up later this week. It's going to be BIG and amazing.

Can't wait...

But it will have to as I'm too tired to put any of it on paper now and need to sleep...

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Torch or pad?

Geramnya! Adik ku yang tersayang katanya... matilah ko... si Zahid tayang Blackberry Torch dia tadik. Si Akim arituh da tunjuk aku dia nya da. Nangis la.. Afdlin pon da beli. Linda Onn pon da. Ramai geng Torch.

I so want it! Nangis la camni. Masa serempak si Zahid kat berbuka puasa Celepets, dia dok tayang... geramnya... nak nak nak!

Aduh... control nafsu.. jap tarik nafas jap nak rilekkan diri.

Anyway, tang berbuka tu, ni some pics. All of the Celepets ada - kecuali Aishah Sinclair. Yasmin Hani, Atilia Haron, Dynas Mokhtar, Sazzy Falak, Serena C and Daphne Iking. Kengkawan artis lain - selain Zahid (sakit hati!!!) ada Ezlynn and Yasmin Yusuff. Ni some pics masa meka jamu anak yatim smalam.

Pas abih the simple but nice 'do, naik atas lepak jap. Sesi anyam ketupat dengan pantasnya bertukar menjadi sesi tayang gadget! Atilia kuarkan iPad dia. Nangis agik!

Tuh dia Atilia ngan Zahid lawan app apa entah.

But I like this app. Guitar app gituh. Si Zahid main sodap lak. Ada piano app gak... aku rasa kalao da ramai-ramai da ada iPad kan... leh form iPad band. pasang mic, main live terus.

The question is now... will I get my iPad soon. Blackberry Torch aku nak gak, but since da ada Onyx, tak perlu la rasanya.

Mmm... abih la aku. Bajet confirm burst jap gi nih.

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Fair & Lovely

Gituh... title entry yang sebenarnya takde kena mengena sangat pon. Well except the fair part.

Ni reaksi aku after reading artikel dalam mstar yang (KLIK SINI) and tergelak sikit la.

Mana taknya... ok camni. Sapa yang malas klik link tuh, ni quote from Norman aku nak share.

"Persembahan pentas mereka lebih matang, seperti yang semua maklum, ini bukan pertandingan nyanyian semata-mata. Saya menganggap mereka seperti berlakon teater.

"Dalam satu masa mereka perlu menyanyi sambil melakukan gerakan-gerakan badan dan tarian yang telah diajar. Sedangkan baju mereka sendiri juga bukan pilihan mereka.

"Jadi, saya rasa tidak adil jika mereka terus dikritik terutamanya di blog-blog. Kritikan biarlah adil, saya rasa masyarakat luar masih ramai yang menyokong dan mempunyai pandangan positif," jelasnya.

Ok. Pada press conference malam Debaran, memang aku stuju ngan Norman. All the dramatics atas pentas is part of the show, necessary or otherwise and it is in fact quite theatrical kalao banding ngan performance yang sebenarnya. Walaopon itu tak semestinya memerlukan pergerakan pose vogue ala ala Karam Singh Walia tangan angkat sana sini bagai.

But this is a fact - every year, Akademi Fantasia sama je. The requirements are the same. Routine ke baju-baju ke apa ke.. sama je. That is merely cosmetic. What is judged, is their ability. And the final result.

You don't get real points for effort - kalao tak ada hasil yang memuaskan. Trying alone isn't enough.

When you say there should be fair comment, do you understand what fair means? It means free from bias, dishonesty or injustice.

Bias? Aku rasa first person bias adalah pengetua. Ni anak-anak didik, so of course things will look different.

Camni je la. Tanya la artis mana pon. Da berejam, berhari, berminggu, berbulan rekod album, last-last bila kuar orang tak kuasa nak beli ke atau haukkan, or course sang artis akan rasa teramat teraniaya. Their opinion that makes it good - is biased because they are considering the labour put into the work. Not the final result.

In the entertainment industry - what matters is RESULT. Not just effort alone.

And the fact remains. Halfway through AF8, prestasi, tahap growth level bebudak, does not match up to previous seasons. Bab tuh, you can deny it till the cows come home, but in terms of talent and likeability, they are so far apart from their predecessors that it's not even funny.

We all judge based on what we see.

Kenapa Norman rasa tidak adil hanya kerana luahan peminat (termasuk aku as I write in a personal capacity in my blog)?

Lupakah? Akademi Fantasia is ALL about the fans. The ones who keep the sponsors coming is because fans invest heavily into the show, not just through AFUNDI but also the immense support through the years through websites, blogs and forums.

The online presence of Akademi Fantasia has repeatedly TRIED to be recreated by other shows tapi tak penah sampai. So somehow, I think this boils down to the fact, that no one in production or channel realizes or recognizes this.

Dishonesty? Injustice. Let me tell you what is fair and unjust.

Giving false hope, janji palsu kat bebudak nih that they're the best ever, making them think they have a brighter future than bebudak Akademi Fantasia musim-musim lepas. Berapa ramai dapat survive? Pikir balik tujuh musim lepas.

Almost a hundred 'graduates' dari Akademi Fantasia. Berapa ramai yang betul-betul menyinar bintang mereka?

The percentage of success REALISTICALLY is low.

Lain la kalao nak kata context competition alone.

The fact is, lagi kejam dan zalim mereka yang menipu, dalam sedar atau tidak, mengatakan bebudak ni bagus sangat when realiti hakikatnya akan amat berbeza.

They should be prepared for the hardship of the real industry, not continue to be surrounded by the fantasy which will last at most another less than five weeks.

Bab aku highlight di mana Norman kata dia merasa TIDAK ADIL dikritik kat dalam blog dan sebagainya... aku nak je soal balik. Mampu ke that critic-free zone tuh bertahan lepas lima minggu lagi.

Sedangkan artis sebenar tidak lepas dari kritikan sesiapa. The fact is when you put out a piece of work to be evaluated, it will be rightfully done so. Takkan nak kata takleh hanya kerana kata-kata itu tidak dipersetujui secara peribadi?

Artis dan bintang camna nih nak dilahirkan? Yang takleh terima kritikan?

Aku terpikir bila tengok Idol, mampu tak bebudak ni hidup kalao berdepan dengan juri yang lebih professional? Dengan pengkritik sedia ada pon, dianggap kasar dan tidak adil pon... aduh.

Reality is going to be such a shocker when the kids come out.

Apapon, hakikat kebenaran akan kelihatan dalam masa tiga hingga enam bulan dari sekarang. We see how many of these fabulous kids will get ahead.

Dari nak menyangkal pendapat orang lain atau sentap, I think it would have been better for the production to work towards improving the show and the many weaknesses. NOT blame others for them - especially when the success of their show depends on the support of all untuk nak naikkan balik Akademi Fantasia.

Kalao betul mereka kata in so many ways this is the best Akademi Fantasia ever - senang je nak tally up things kalao betul meka yang asik kata ada orang cakap bagus dan sebagainya. See the volume.

Meka leh kata la jumlah penonton meningkat bagai. Tiap tahun subscriber base Astro increases, does that not mean an increase in penonton Akademi Fantasia as well? BUT is the percentage growth in tandem with that of the subscriber base? This is the question I keep asking.

Dari segi AFUNDI pulak... boleh tak meka tunjuk AUDITED numbers (bukan angka-angka diumumkan yang takleh verified on the standing of the AFUNDI through the years?)

Musim pertama did about 5 juta SMSes sent, while musim kedua did more than 15 million. Musim ketiga tak silap aku about 10 million.

Dengan tiap musim selepas itu, dengan pertambahan konsert (musim ni siap ada pra-konsert dalam Tirai) we should expect an increase kan? Dah capai ke?

Kejam kan nak compare numbers... but tuh based on their arguments of using numbers. Kalao by support? Again aku katakan, sapa yang sokong AF dari dulu tau dulu lagik meriah. Masuk musim je, forum Cari akan kecoh bagai... blogs AF tumbuh cam cendawan after a downpour and moderator @15 sampai kelam kabut nak clear messages sampai karpet kat channel tuh bergerak at the speed of light.

Sekarang?

Bottomline is - remember this la pada semua.

Berbeza pendapat - tidak semestinya bermaksud tidak sokong.

But the end of support is coming to an end with all these needless justification of how successful AF8 is... walaopon hakikatnya... erm... korang pon tau.

I for one, minggu ni tak kuasa nak layan konsert Akademi Fantasia, Aku gi layan Kelly Clarkson lagik better. Happening lagik. AF? Layan kat Youtube je kang.

These are songs I won't be hearing massacred this week.

Pelajar Lelaki
Maulana – Bila Rindu (Ruffedge)

Shahir – Kau Yang Satu (Ramli Sarip)
Iwan – Aku Cinta Kau Dan Dia (Dewa)
Daus – Selamat Malam (Faizal Tahir)

Pelajar Wanita
Nad – Jikalau Aku (Ezlynn)
Adira – My All (Mariah Carey)
Ain – Jujur Takkan Melupakanmu (Ella)
Farina – Mainan Jiwa (Rini)

Lagu Bonus
Konsert – Pak Balik Pak (Melati)
Debaran – Perpisahan Terasing (KRU)

Erm... ada lagu recycle dah penah wat dalam AF again... and ada lagu KRU.. again... Adira doing Mariah Carey? Nad jadik Ezlynn je aku rasa sesuai. Heh!

Moving on...

Saja nak share pic ni.

Ni pic comel those gorgeous ladies, Atilia, Sazzy, Yasmin, Aishah, Dynas and Daphne as well as Serena C masa shooting video clip lagu baru Atilia - Indah last week. Amik ko.. dalam video tuh gak ada Ning, Ida Nerina, mama Atilia iaitu Salamiah Hassan and Yasmin Yussoff. Me likey!

Sekian! Heh... banyak keja nak abih.

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Snooze time

Oh have mercy. Ngantuk gila nih...

Tadik siang gi lepak ngan group Celepets.

Who are the Celepets? Bukan group pop pompuan yang baru ok.

These are the Celepets. Part of the group anyway, short of two members masa memula lepak. Takde Dynas Mokhtar and Serena C saja.

So we have, from left, Atilia Haron, Sazzy Falak, Aishah Sinclair, Daphne Iking and Yasmin Hani.

The Celepets are kind of like a sorority kinda thing. All these beautiful actresses and singer (Atilia sorang) and model/emcee/numerous other talents are a bunch of real friends in a very fake industry.

Suka sangat tengok meka bersama, and kaki layan aku gak on Twitter and Blackberry Messenger (but Daphne jerk pakai Onyx while Sazzy tak kisah sebab obsessed ngan iPad)

They into causes, from environmental to kids to everything you can think of, and salute aku kat meka nih.

Anyway hajat jumpa meka tadik ada la... tapi takleh cita skang. Dynas joined us later after Aishah left sebab ada hal. By the way, all the best to Dynas on her coming baby - two months to go, and we're sure it's a girl!

Prayers for a safe and healthy baby coming your way, babe.

Baru nak wrap session ada lak familiar faces masuk Alexis where we chilled for like over five hours! Abih la makan minum je keja bloated (tapi still lapar and nak melantak some more at the end of it).

Hah ni menarik sikit. Kiri skali sapa tak kenal Ramli MS. The dude in blue is Fadzli from TV3 and the lady sapa lagik kalao bukan Rozina the head honcho of Astro Awani.

Aiks... weird combo kan. Sampai berbisik benda. Ni leh wat gosip. Kelas... wakil Media Prima dan wakil Astro dok semeja. Er... korek!

So dari nak balik dok le layan agik.

Pastuh move lak ke Rasta layan minum borak jap ada informal meeting. The last of an early day that started out at the bank (yang best time nak Raya nih, utang semua orang da bayar, so sapa ada utang with anyone celebrating Chinese New Year, mesti bayar kalao tak suwey!)

Bumped into Alyah and friends. Layan lagik borak ...

Aku da ngantuk tahap gaban da at this point. But had one more meeting to go. Big, big plans for 2010.

But for now, I have a packed few days ahead. Later today, ada dua event kat TV3, one being signing of MOU between TV3 and promoters for Rossa's concert here coming up and the other being a cheque presentation for winners of Anugerah Juara Lagu.

Sabtu nak bawak orang tua lak gi beli belah sikit nak prepare for Chinese New Year.

Sunday I have Anugerah Industri Muzik punya judging session round one. Dua minggu kemudian lak aku masuk round two. Tahun ni all the way aku judging... praying for quality stuff to judge kalao tak... berdarah la telinga.

Monday there's Kris Allen (yeay!) and Tuesday ada press conference pengumuman pengetua, tenaga pengajar and hos Akademi Fantasia 8. Bab tuh nanti aku speku, but for those of you following my column in The Malay Mail pretty much can guess the names involved dah kan... tapi tatau la ada perubahan ke tak sebab biasa la Astro semua akan sign contract last minute (walaopon sesi fotografi rahsia semua for publicity shots, Aksi, and interview Astro Awani da wat sana).

So... me swamped! Aku kena abihkan stok story by Saturday gak... so pening gila nih. Right now.. I just seriously need SLEEP!

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Snip snip

More choreography sessions into the middle of the night... pening.

Tapi at least siang tadi best. In the evening went for the launch of A Cut Above at BSC. They launched their biggest outlet yang one stop beauty center, which is like major celeb-junkie rehab plot sebab kalao korang nak sangat tengok artis - gi wat rambut sana, mesti dapat tengok muka muka familiar.

The launch was uber fun cause so many friends there.

Tapi dapat la reconnect ngan yang lama tak jumpa. Ning was there, so caught up a bit. Nikki wat show, and she's improved on her vocals and her performance.

Sesi borak ngan Hani, Atilia dan Noryn yang ketiga-tiganya ting tong.

And the best thing is - all the ladies are headed for the Beyonce concert too, so yes, they are going to be part of the flashmob as well. Yes!! Meka akan join our training session sebab they don't have the time or will gituh nak practise with the instrutional video kang.

Atilia siap kata hyped on All The Single Ladies, merasalah down bila aku kata we changed our performance tune. Heh.... korang layan pics dulu ek.

Potong riben agik bagus dari potong kek, kan?




Hah tu bab potong riben tuh. Owh by the way... ramai agik there apart from mentioned names. Syafinaz, Tony, Aishah Sinclair... erm.. sapa lagik ek. Slipped my mind lak sebab sibuk men-GRO-kan diri ke hulu hilir borak je (sambil carik bahan tulis)

Owh yes, kak Nita and abang Mahathir were there too. Nice to see abang Mahathir da sihat. Sempat borak ngan meka jap.

Sesi borak


The single and not so single ladies


Abang Mahathir and kak Nita...


Dayang pon ada!


Tony Eusoffe


The two divas!

Tiring day, mad and dashing about as usual, tapi happy sikit sebab banyak things clear. Now on to another day packed with... oh well... wait for the next entry jer la. Hilang semangat cita hari akan datang. Da tau it's going to be mad... again.

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