STARS AND RABBIT GIVE ALTERNATIVE ROCK A NEW MEANING

INTERVIEW BY PETAR PETROV

Most people think of rock & roll as the musical accompaniment to sex and drugs, the third essential element of this Holy Trinity of fun and vice. But Stars and Rabbit doesn’t exactly evoke such vice-fueled connotations. On the contrary, it’s the perfect name for a band that celebrates child-like innocence and imagination as doorways to magical dimensions of our existence.

We talk with Stars and Rabbit about their inexhaustible sources of wonder, their song-writing processes of tapping into them, the challenges and benefits of working as a musical duo, their unique visual approach to music, and more.

Didit Saad (guitar), Elda Suryani (vocal). Photo by Robby Suharlim www.imagemaker-id.com

How did you start working together as a duo?

Elda: We’ve worked together in 2006 он a project that didn't work out. That's how I met Didit. Years later I proposed то him to help me out with my project called Stars and Rabbit, to produced its first album as a music director. And he's been mentoring us (behind the screen) since then. Sooo it makes complete sense that I proposed to him to work together again, this time as a partner (frontman) of a duo based project.

Didit: After Elda broke with her previous guitarist, she came to me and asked me to join her band.

What are the benefits and challenges of being a duo as opposed to a bigger band? Beyond the vocals and the guitar, how do you complete your songs musically, do you have an idea of what the other instrumentals would be, how exactly does that work?

Didit: It's easier to make a decision, but we also have to adapt to every change by the additional musician. It's obviously drums & bass and keyboards, and I wrote those instruments as well, except in the Rainbow Aisle album, where we submitted the chamber strings arrangement to our friend as a collaboration artist.

Elda: Benefits, there are only 2 abundant minds to be stitched together. Less distraction and fraction. Challenges, keeping up the balance. All the decisions to create sounds and impressions are based on lyrics. The instruments we choose have to represent that.

When writing music as a duo, do the songs start with the vocals or the guitar, or both? What's the creative process like?

Elda: Both and everything else. For example, as a start, we collect what we have. It can start with notation vocal hummings (sometimes with a few words or a simple guitalele chords) I've been keeping on my phone. We then choose what's "calling" us. That triggers something, something to follow. While Didit create the structure of the song, I create a theme story for it.

Didit: Elda give me a one part vocal melody (sometime with lyric) and we continue the rest of the song, but sometime I give my music (guitar, bass & drums) arrangement to Elda to make vocal melody then write the lyric.

To me, Rainbow Aisle sounds very dreamy and whimsical, permeated by a child-like sense of wonder and innocence. Where do those vibes come from, and is it hard to infuse them into alternative rock, which generally conjures up different associations?

Didit: Every song is a story, Elda is a good story teller with an innocent voice, it makes it easy to make music without worrying about musical genres as long as the music can make the story come to live.

Elda: Once we meet, you'd understand J

What does the title Rainbow Aisle stand for? Who is the album for, what does it convey overall?

Elda: It can stand for a lot of things. Originally, it represents the rainbow I wish I saw on the aisle. But it feels about right if I say it stands for the colorful aisle I pass on my walk every day. The closer I see it, the more colors I get. It almost feels like a tribute to ourselves. How we appreciate each of our journeys. And we make sure that it's created with a pure positive intention plus expressions out of infinite possibilities, cuz once it's out there it will make an impact on whoever it crosses path with it. Consciously or not.

Didit: For me, it's about our journey in the making of this album. / It's for all people who deeply listen to every story in this album, in the end they can dig up the message that life is a struggle and patience.

How about Stars and Rabbit, what does that mean?

Elda: On a clear night sky, you can see stars and rabbit on the moon

Didit: That is a picture you get when you look at the moon.

Do you think your style would lend itself to movies, since it creates a very unique mood? While listening to Rainbow Aisle, I felt like a lot of the songs could complement a whimsical, coming-of-age film nicely.

Elda: Gaawww you make it sounds like it can be such an interesting peculiar movie. Ohhh why the hell not 😎

Didit: Our music is indeed based on visuals, we always try to visualize the music in our music writing.

Have you thought about doing collaborations with other musicians, and if so, in what styles/genres?

Elda: Not really at the moment. Collaboration is another level of creating more space in the heart of a song. But we are always open to that possibility. Well let's see how it rollssss.

Didit: We collaborate with an orchestra conductor to write & play the strings section for "Blue Boat Lovers”.

Who are your musical inspirations?

Didit: The Beatles

Elda: Oh man soooo many I can't recall at this moment. Most of them are 90's music with female singers, Sheryl Crow, Alanis Morrisette, Catatonia, Jewel, etc. but to be honest, I am easily in love with any songs no matter the genre is.

Can you talk a little bit about the video to Any Day in the Park? How did you decide on this surreal approach and employing those whimsical collages?

Didit: Elda is always happy when she's in a park no matter what day it is, and our music video director proposed a surreal idea.

Elda: We trusted fully our friend Bona Palma as the director to do whatever he wants with it. We have a special connection that compliments each other's creations.

What does the future hold, as far as you can tell, of course?

Didit: We will share more positive energy with our music and it's gonna be a ticket to reach the world.

Elda: I don't know. Something exciting I'm sure.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Elda: It takes a whole album if you want to experience our music fully. And try to let go everything you think you know about this band based on one or two songs you have listened before.

Didit: Just want to thank you for your appreciation, once again...thank you very much.