It all started with a phone call from Bapak Horasi. I still remember that day, if not the date. I was sitting in my cubicle, acting busy -- yeah, like, what else is new, right -- when the phone rang.

"Eh, nge-band yuk! Lucu-lucuan aja. Ajak RB gih."

BTW, I'm trying to simulate that feeling I had back in the day when I used to read Agatha Christies and wondered, what the fish does that French thingy mean?!

Phone calls, SMSes, and emails later, we had a band. Or rather, an almost-band. We still needed a bassist.

Entered Audi Sonata Pramananda.

"Mat, si Audi tuh bisa maen alat musik nggak?"

"Bisa kali ya. Namanya Audi SP gitu, udah nama pemusik banget kan."

"Di, elu bisa maen alat musik?"

"Keyboard."

"Oceh deh, elu maen bass ya."

And a band we were. Formation then: Horasi (drum), RB (guitar), Audi (bass), Tiyok (keyboard), LC (vocal), Intan (vocal), and me (guitar). Early covers -- yes, covers only -- included Padi's Semua Tak Sama, The Calling's Wherever You Will Go, U2's With or Without You, Warrant's Heaven, Radiohead's Creep, and The Police's Every Breath You Take. To select the songs we had one criterion only: must be easy to play.

Only later did we realize, all the songs were originally composed for male vocals and we had two female singers. Never mind, the show had to go on.

Months on, we lost Bapak Tiyok to his personal commitments. It was tough to juggle being in a band, being a husband and father, and being the founder cum chairman of the Singapore Newcastle United Fans Club.

Reeling from this loss, the band -- still unnamed -- tried hard to cope. From playing non-keyboard songs to trying out a new bassist (with Audi moving to keyboard) to trying out several keyboardists (with Audi moving to Yishun after getting married).

Then, Nantha came over and eureka! -- we had a bass player. Audi moved to keyboard. By then, we had had more female-vocals-friendly songs, such as Natalie Imbruglia's Torn and Cokelat's Luka Lama -- and a name: AUDIble. A nod to the most proficient musician in the band.

Soon, we were to lose Horasi -- who simply disappeared. Noone knew what had happened to him or even whether he was still in the city. Later, we learned from a friend's friend's girlfriend that he had been afraid to go out during the Sars-plagued months.

Change of formation again it was, then. Nantha moved to drum, Audi back to bass. When a song called for keyboard, I would handle the bass duties. Everything was good again. For a while -- the worst was still to come.

Both our vocalists completed their respective projects here and went home to beloved families.

It took a while before we were finally complete again with the addition of Gani (bass), Evie (vocal), and Ite (vocal). Notable songs from this era were, among others, Evanescence's Bring Me to Life, Limp Bizkit's Hate Me, and Make Up's Pegasus Fantasy.

It was this formation that produced our few originals.

Before long, however, Evie would retire and Ucan would join the band.

Nantha finished his study here and had to go home for his visa had expired. For months, no regular practice sessions took place with the band trying out different formations and guest musicians.

Azman joined the band as the drummer and not only did AUDIble start to hit the studio regularly once again, the songs slowly became more challenging. Soon, we began playing songs like Gary Moore's Parisienne Walkways, Shakatak's Nightbirds, Casiopea's Magic Ray, and Bunglon's Denganmu.

Too bad, not all members felt comfortable with this change of direction. The band started having disagreements over songs selection.

It was time to move on.

After five years and countless memories, AUDIble was no more.

This morning, I chanced upon Dewa's Pupus on someone's Multiply -- in case you don't know already, Multiply has established itself as a good place to break copyright laws -- and emotions suddenly overcame me *that's the blogger in me writing*. Thus this entry was conceived.

I would like to thank all the names in bold above for the lots and lots of memories. And also these people below, who have once or twice warmed the studio alongside us:
- Dettol
- Fajar
- Novi
- Pat
- Phyo
- Robert

Also to:
- God -- who may or may not be bald
- the fans, who have supported us and bought our albums
- many others

Current music: Dewa - Pupus
Current mood: happy