Iwan Fals : I still Care

He is a father. He is a musician. He is a singer. He is a songwriter. He is a hero. He is a living legend. He can be anyone you want. Iwan Fals will always be a special figure to us.

The Past

Born as Virgiawan Listianto, on Sept 3, 1961, Iwan Fals spent his childhood in many places. From Saharjo, Jakarta, he moved to Bandung to spend his junior and senior high school years. In his early teens he also lived for a while in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with his aunty. Feeling lonely, he could only stand life there for 8 months. "How could I stay there, I was so lonely. The guitar given by my mom was my only friend." On his flight back home, a steward taught him how to play Bob Dylan's song. Blowing in the Wind on the guitar. And...there the story began : just like the wind; he has kept on blowing. And it's not a coincidence that Bob Dylan is his only favorite singer.

In his teenage days, The Rolling Stones were big. But the songs were too difficult for him play. So Iwan decided to compose his own songs. He often wrote funny songs and collected warm appreciation from his friends.  They even challenged him to sing on the street. "I got excited making money on the street!" Even though his parent got angry, he still sang on the street until his second child, Annisa Cikal Rambu Basae, was born in 1985. In the late 70s, he moved back to Jakarta with his beloved wife, Rosanna, and his children for the sake of his music career.

Though is early albums failed on the market, his hard work began to pay off when he got a record deal with Musica and released Sarjana Muda in 1981 with the hit single, Guru Oemar Bakrie. As him fame rose, he made an appereance on the big screen when director Sopan Sophiaan asked him to play the main role in Damai Kita Sepanjang Hari in 1984.

After releasing Mata Dewa in 1989 under Airo, he planned to have a 100-City Tour, but too bad the show was cancelled because he was banned by the government to hold any concerts for his lyrics were considered too sharp.

In the early 90s, he collaborated and performed with bands like Swami, Dalbo, Kantata Takwa, and Hijau. Kantata Takwa and Iwan gave a historical concert in front of 150,000 people in the National Stadium Senayan, Jakarta, on January 23, 1990.

When his first son, Galang Rambu Anarki, died on April 25, 1997, Iwan found himself at the lowest point of his life. He had his son buried in his back-yard at Lewinagung Depok, Bogor to make him feel close to his son. In his sorrow, he locked himself up away from the world ; he even dissapeared from the music world."Once I wanted to move to America because Cikal wanted to study there. But when I thought about it again, I saw a new beginning in Indonesia. So, there wouldn't be any difference for me, wether I was in New York or Jakarta. I do believe Indonesia is the home for ideas about everything, from music culture.

After a 10-year absence, he recorded a new album, Suara Hati, in 2002 and kicked in a long tour, Satu Rasa Tour, to rock 34 cities around the country. He has also been chosen as one of the Asian Heroes by Time Asia Magazine, appearing on the front cover of the April 29, 2002 edition.

After his third child, Rayya Rambu Rabbani, born on January 22, 2003, he was inspired to start his music career all over again. "Rayya was the reason for me to stand up again. He made me feel like a brand new person."Iwan Fals is back! This year, the humble legend has released a new album, In Collboration With...where he gave young and talented Indonesian musicians the opportunity to collaborate with him.

The Future
Iwan finds a way to prepare for the future by running a social foundation for kids and seniors. Since 1986, over 300 kids and more than 300 seniors have received a donation from the Hairun Nissa Foundation.

Just face it! Iwan believes that the future is a mystery. When he was in Japan, his friends there complained that he only wrote sad songs nowadays,"People are changing. Today's situations are unpredictable. I have to face my destiny. We should praise the Lord in any way, including through music; fight for freedom in the same name of love. Whatever happens to Indonesia and the music, I still car."