Origin: Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
Contact: Willy Hidayat
Song: "The Anthem"
Hailing from the highlands of West Java, Indonesia, Speaker First was founded by twin brothers Beni and Boni with the goal of putting the soul back into rock music. Inspired by acts from the golden age of rock (and equally disturbed by the state of the Indonesian music scene), the guitar-slinging siblings hooked up with vocalist/bassist Mahattir Alkatiry and Speaker First was born. Defined by their raucous, straightforward and uncompromising sound featuring massive drum riffs and ballsy vocals, Speaker First creates their own unique, invigorating brand of rock & roll in the vein of such luminaries as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Kings of Leon, Wolfmother and Led Zeppelin. The group is creating quite a buzz with their current single "The Anthem," which is earning airplay in the US, Germany, Ireland, China, South Africa, Sweden, Australia, India and other countries. Written about their struggles as a band – "The song is talking about the blues, about the pain and suffering, about the emptiness and loneliness," they told Vent magazine - "The Anthem" was a fan favorite during Speaker First's gigs as part of the recent Passport Approved West Coast radio tour, which included stops in San Diego, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle and other cities.
