For as long as history can remember, song-smiths and musicians all over the world have used their gifts to challenge the status quo, address injustice, and advocate for change.
To local musician Azmyl Yunor, music is a catalyst for ideas. With well-chosen words and a strong, hummable melody, he said he believes you can change people’s minds and hearts.
“I think that’s why many artists and musicians find themselves at odds with people in power. But in Malaysia, it’s still unexplored as a powerful method to disseminate ideas,” Azmyl quipped during a recent Zoom interview with FMT.
In his latest music video, Skodeng Blues, a song from his 2020 album John Bangi Blues, Azmyl explores and satirises an increasingly prevalent issue in modern Malaysian society: the rise of moral policing.
“Skodeng” is a Malaysian slang that roughly translates to ‘spying’ or ‘peeping Tom’, and refers to people reporting on others for supposed ‘immoral’ behaviour.
Azmyl revealed the video’s groundwork had been laid several years ago, but had been placed on the back burner as he awaited an opportune time for its release.
“Timing is everything. I am always aware that songs have expiry dates. You have to find the opportune moment to release them. The idea is to be open enough, so you can address very topical things without being too restricted to a certain time and place,” Azmyl said.
A self-professed news junkie, he said the many stories in the media recently involving moral policing, including issues with the LGBT community convinced him it was time to release the song.
“And when I eventually did release it, there was suddenly a slew of stories in the papers about security guards policing people’s dressing. Great timing!”
Local music fans likely know Azmyl well. This prolific KL-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist rose to prominence with his 2005 country folk-flavoured EP Tenets, and remains a celebrated fixture in the Malaysian indie scene to this day.
A former street musician, Azmyl has recorded eight solo albums, including “Warga” (2010), “Wilayah” (2012) and “Was Was” (2015).
He was a founding member of many acclaimed Malaysian music acts, including noise-rock band The Maharajah Commission, no wave band Ciplak, and punk band Ben’s Bitches.
Older fans may remember watching him rock out with his touring band Azmyl Yunor & the Sigarettes, until their disbandment in 2014.
Skodeng Blues is Azmyl’s second collaboration with LGBTQ artist Shika, the vocalist and guitarist of punk band Tingtongketz.
It’s animated video, edited and directed by Taiwan-based filmmaker A-Jun, is the quirky tale of four people (the skodengs) who spy and report on others in a fictional night-time Kuala Lumpur.
Squint a little, and the skodengs may resemble several prominent Malaysian figures… but this is all up to one’s interpretation.
According to him, “Skodeng Blues” was not based on any specific incident, but was shaped by the general atmosphere in the country at the time.
“Why are you policing people’s skirts, or if someone is transgender, when there are people stealing billions out there? Ironically, it seems like the bigger your crime, the less your scrutiny. I wanted to dig into the heels of the hypocrisy in Malaysian culture,” said Azmyl, who also lectures at Sunway University.
This video may seem bold as most local artistes tend to keep silent on political or social affairs so they can continue to earn a living. Azmyl, however, believes in the duty of speaking out.
“Artists have a responsibility to say something. What’s your opinion? Even if it’s popular, upholds the status quo, it’s fine, we won’t judge you. Your pedestal comes with a price. You can’t just be someone sitting on a fence, which I think is a national problem,” Azmyl said.
Was he worried about the potentially hostile reception the video would receive? Not really. As a matter of fact, Azmyl was eager for all kinds of responses.
He recalled a previous experience, when he used a line from one of his songs (“jangan fitnah seni” or “don’t slander art”) on a promoted Facebook advertisement. Soon after publishing it, he was bombarded by comments, all criticising his statement.
“I don’t reply to these people, I don’t even acknowledge them. But the moment I get some hater comments, I’ll go ‘yes’! I’ve broken through. I like their ‘support’,” Azmyl said with a smile.
Azmyl hopes that apart from enjoying the video’s satirical tone, his viewers would also be encouraged to reflect on the issues, particularly the necessity of policing a person’s behaviour.
“Why are all these things still happening in 2023? Why does one group have a say over another group, how they should act, look or behave, especially if they don’t interfere with public order or people’s lives?
“I hope whoever listens to the song, or watches the video, they leave with that,” Azmyl concluded.