FROM THE EDITOR [MARCH 10th 2006]

The live music in BuGils last week was shocking. The Mick Jagger looked like a stoned lady-boy version. He started of with Route 66, but instead of 'get your kicks on route 66' he song 'Give your licks to sweat swifty six'. His movements were like the young Mick, maybe even with more energy. His swirled his three meter long pink scarf above his head. His voice was often terribly false, and some people left while shaking their heads in disbelief. Mick didn't care. He kept on shouting 'because I used to love her, but its all over now'. After hearing the same sentence twenty times people started looking at each other. When was this song going to end!? Even the guys in the band tried to get his attention, but the singer was in another world. Some new people came in. They were music professionals from Europe who just had finished their show on the Jazz Festival nearby. They sat down at the bar, looked at the band and were just staring motionless for a long time. They didn't smile, they didn't talk; they were just sitting there with their mouth hanging open. Mick Jagger pulled his shirt off, rolled over the floor in front of the band, getting messed up in the cables but nevertheless kept on singing 'Start me Up'. The audience followed with 'Get him Up'. He didn't care. He had the time of his life.

During the break I noticed the singer standing in a corner of the pool room, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He was tired or stoned, I couldn't figure it out. very calmly replied: 'I am ready Mister. Mick will be back in a second....'. I went to the toilet and when I came back only two minutes later, Mick was already jumping around again, his pink scarf in the air. But now the BuGils Staff started to abuse him. Rini and Iya were pulling one end, Novel and Hanna were pulling the other end. His head was in the middle and, although they pulled hard, he kept on singing, even when he was forced to kneel on the ground ( having turned a peculiar shade of red). They were trying to suffocate him but, like a true rock star he kept on singing, blasting out the lyrics to Sympathy for the Devil. The Whoops and hollers became less and less loud. One Scottish regular, caught up in the frenzy, started whipping him with his shirt. It was a weird scene. I knew I had to do something or Mick Jagger would certainly die in BuGils. Worried for their singer's safety the band finished their song, realising they'd better go back to Bandung. The singer was still lying on the ground, gasping for air. I went up to him to see if he was all right and -again- he looked up, totally exhausted and gave me this satisfied smile. He was a happy man. 'It's only Rock and Roll man, and I like it....', he said in an almost whispering voice. One band member pulled him to his feet and dragged him to the tour van. Another one picked up his shirt and had to chase one of BuGils staff to get the pink scarf back.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we were supposed to get The Doors and Janis Joplin, but apparently they  make able to make it. I called and asked Awan (the band's  organiser who plays in Sore), why not? After all, we had been promoting them already for the whole week! His answer made me realise how easy it can be to fool a bule. 'They cannot come to play in BuGils this week because they all died 30 years ago, Mister Bart!! Belum tahu ya..!? (you didn't know?)' 

I felt stupid. He continued. 'Maybe you should try to book the Grateful Dead! I heard they are still alive! Hahahaa!'  That was enough. 'You better give me a good band this Saturday and not some stoned, tranvestite Mick Jagger, you got that?' He got the message. I hope. After all, you can't always get what you want... '.
≡ Bartele