VIDEO: The Reality of an Independent Musician in Malaysia

By Karissa Lund  •  in Music
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No matter where you are in the world, being an independent musician is something not everyone can do. It takes true passion and effort to actually make it out here. Succumbing to the mainstream on the other hand is like signing a deal with the Devil (truly evil).

Local subculture channel Case East reflect on our Malaysian indie scene in Penang, following Yew Kuok Cheong aka Cole Yew, one of the oldest members of the island state’s underground scene who has more or less been there from the start and is fiercely keeping the art alive.

Besides being a musician, Yew has been running Soundmaker Studio for a decade – and he’s not stopping anytime soon regardless of his struggles. This man has created a safe space for the youth to mosh out and has hosted hundreds of shows there. It’s safe to say he is well-respected in Penang.

In the video itself, Yew talks about the reality of being in the indie scene and how he copes with it. While casually smoking a cigarette, he delivers the first line of the video, “I wish to make history lor.” He discusses the importance of keeping the scene alive, how he maintains it, why he does what he does, and more.

Take a look at the full video down below:

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