Harry Roesli: The Eccentric Professor Of Music Who Loves Political Criticism

Harry Roesli (YouTube screenshot of the Dorce Show)

JAKARTA - Harry Roesli is a contemporary music icon. His ability to interact with all kinds of musical genres allows him to enter every level of society.

Summarized from various sources, at the beginning of his career, Harry did not immediately have intercourse with contemporary music. Like young people of his age, rock n' roll music entered his soul. Together with Harry Potjang, his best friend from junior high school, he formed the band Batukarang in 1968.

At the time Bandung was invaded by psychedelic music. Batukarang changed its name to Tippis. Here, Harry further demonstrates his skill in re-recording social and political events into song lyrics.

In 1971 he formed Gang Of Harry Roesli with Albert Warnerin (guitar, percussion, vocals), Iwan Abdurachman (guitar, vocals), Janto Soedjono ((drums, percussion), Indra Rifai (organ, piano, percussion), and Harry Potjang ( harmonica, percussion, vocals).

Through his first album entitled Philosophy Gang, Harry showed how much he fell in love with environmental issues. Malaria, one of the compositions that is still buzzing, is a blurry picture of our government at that time.

From 1972 to 1975 Harry consistently released four volumes of Harry Roesli Solo albums. His imagination grew wilder when he successfully performed 'Opera Ken Arok'. A historical story full of betrayal, corruption, and infidelity which Harry translates as a chaotic picture of the Indonesian government.

Harry's career in rock music continues. Together with God Bless, Gipsy, Voodoo Child, Giant Step, Rollies Paramour, Odalf, Freedom of Rhapsodia, and the Yeah Yeah Boys, Harry Roesly performed at the open air music party 'Kemarau 75' at the Gedung Sate field, Bandung, August 31, 1975.

Previously he also joined dozens of musical groups at the all-night music party, 'Summer 28', on August 16, 1973 at Pasar Minggu, Jakarta. This sloppy musician really can't stay still, he never cares about where to perform. In a cafe with only a hundred visitors or an open field watched by tens of thousands of people, it doesn't matter.

As a musician, Harry has never been in direct contact with the market. Most of his works were not commercially successful. But Harry was smart enough. To keep the consistency of his kitchen still 'bulging' he touched the world of the big screen as an illustrator.

Several films that show his creative touch include Suci Sang Primadona (1977), Cas Cis Cus (1989), Di Sana Glad Here Is Happy (1990), Om Pasikom (1990), and a number of other films.

The various activities that he does actually show that Harry is not a rock musician. Like other music, rock is just a medium for expression, especially for young people, this is Harry's strength.

For 26 years, he has completed 25 album titles. In a way, Harry is more productive than the pop and rock musicians in general in this country.

In almost the same period, God Bless only produced five albums, plus Achmar Albar's solo album was also still below Harry's.

According to Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine, only Koes Plus and Hetty Koes Endang can match Harry in the number of albums.

The recording of 'Rock Opera Ken Arok' in 1977 even became a bone of contention for two producers, Apple Records and Eterna, until the price jumped to Rp 4 million, a very high offer at that time.

If calculated based on the price of cassettes in 1977, the value of Ken Arok's recordings now ranges between Rp. 100-Rp. 200 million.

Harry Roesli is a super busy man. He is almost always in various aspects of life. He hangs out with a number of NGOs, musicians, playwrights, government officials, and street singers.

His life is like a machine, causing him to fall ill because of his disordered eating and sleeping patterns. Diabetes, hypertension, gout, high cholesterol, and lungs made him in and out of the hospital many times.

In December 2004 his body collapsed again due to constriction of blood vessels. He is undergoing treatment at Harapan Kita Hospital, Jakarta. Saturday, December 11, 2004, his blood pressure was at around 60. The team of doctors was immediately contacted, but his soul could not be saved. Harry Roesli breathed his last on Saturday, December 11, 2004 at around 19.55 WIB.

The body of the man who was born on September 10, 1951 is buried at the funeral home, Jalan Besuki 10 Menteng, Central Jakarta. The next day Harry was buried in the family cemetery in Pasirmulya, Bogor.