Shaggydog

Shaggydog was formed in Sayidan, a small neighbourhood on the banks of a suburban river which flows through the heart of Yogyakarta, a quiet and regal city. On the 1st of June 1997, Shaggydog consisted of a couple of fun partners: Heru, Richard, Raymond, Bandizt, Lilik and Yoyo’ all of which agreed upon creating their very own special brew of song, ‘Doggy Style’: a mix of ska, reggae, jazz, swing and rock. Vibes from The Cherry Poppin Daddies, Hepcat, Bob Marley, Long Beach Dub Allstars to name a few, along with the ups and downs of daily life, colour the Dog’s sound. As time went by, the boys played gig after gig, in malls, cafes, headlining college music festivals and in they released their first self-titled LP, under the management of their own label, ‘Doggy House’. Their debut album sold a staggering copies and could be heard all over the archipelago. Due to the demands of touring, the boys threw the book at the man and chucked in their academic ‘careers’ to devote their time solely to the band. After a hiatus of 2 years, in 2001 Shaggydog released their second album ‘Bersama’, with little back-up or support. The album was really a labour of love; the manager pawning his bike, the boys seen busking to raise bus money home. Not as romantic as it sounds… 2003 was to be the break that the boys needed. Head hunted by EMI Indonesia, Shaggydog was to turn major. Not only did the deal help their financial situation, cracking a deal with a major label helped them reach the kind of notoriety they could only dream of. Ears all over Asia pricked up and saw the guys being invited to be part of a Japanese compilation, “Asian Ska Foundation” which featured Ska from all over the continent. Finally, in 2004 the boys got the incredible opportunity to play at the Festival Mundial in Tilburg, The Netherlands invited by the FESTIVAL MUNDIAL PRODUCTION. Not bad for a couple of pissy lads from downtown Yogyakarta!