God Bless

God Bless was founded by Ahmad Albar (vocals), Jockie Soerjoprajogo (keyboard), Fuad Hassan (drums), Donny Fattah (bass), and Ludwig Lemans (guitar) in 1973.{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}} They had their first concert on 5 May 1973 at Taman Ismail Marzuki, which was followed on 16 August with the Summer 28 concert, the first (and, as of 2004, largest) open-air concert in Indonesia.{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}} During that period they also played at the Jakarta Fair, held near the National Monument.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2009, God bless 'em}} That same year the band acted in Ambisi (Ambition); Lemans left the band not long after to return to the Netherlands.{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}}

In 1975, the band opened for British rock band Deep Purple when the latter played in Jakarta.{{sfn|Leo 2010, Godfather of Rock}} They released their first album, Huma di Atas Bukit (Rice Field on a Hill), the following year.{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}} The titular song for the progressive rock album, an adaptation of "Firth of Fifth", from Genesis' 1973 album Selling England by the Pound, went on to be used as the theme song to Sjumadjaja's film Laila Majenun (Laila is Possessed).{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}}{{sfn|Simanjuntak 2002, Old rockers meet}}

Four years later, God Bless released Cermin (Mirror), which included more ballads and showed influences from Deep Purple and Van Halen;{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}}{{sfn|Simanjuntak 2002, Old rockers meet}} Abadi Soesman contributed a bit.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}} The band, in an off-again on-again state for the next several years, released their third album, Semut Hitam (Black Ants) in 1988;{{sfn|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}} the album went on to be their most successful.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}} This was followed by Raksasa (Monster; 1989), and Apa Kabar? (What's Up?; 1997).{{sfn|Yudono 2011, Yockie, Tondongan}}

God Bless performed a "duel" with Padi on 9 November 2011, a band twenty years their younger; held in the Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta, the duel was witnessed by over 200 people, greater than the capacity of the venue.{{sfn|Simanjuntak 2002, Old rockers meet}} In 2003 Jockie left the group and replaced by Iwang Noorsaid and Abadi Soesman on Keyboard ; initially reported as being over creative differences, in October 2011 Jockie revealed that it was after a fight over Albar's drug habits.{{sfn|Yudono 2011, Yockie, Tondongan}} Jockie, once a drug user himself, was asked to tell Albar to stop using drugs; in response, Albar reportedly pulled a gun on him.{{sfn|Maullana and Kamil 2011, Wawancara dengan Yockie 3}} Jockie was soon replaced by Abadi Soesman.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}} Guitarist Ian Antono confirmed that a pistol was involved, but he thought it could be a toy; he stated that the argument flared up when Jockie insulted Albar's family.{{sfn|Maullana and Sofyan 2011, Ian Antono: Malu}}

In 2007, Yaya Moekito joined the band as a drummer.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}} After Albar was imprisoned for drug possession in November 2007 and paroled in July 2008,{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2008, Singer Ahmad Albar}}{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2008, Ahmad Albar gets}} in mid-2009, God Bless played at the Jakarta Fair and released another album, 36th.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}}{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2009, God bless 'em}} In late 2009 the band was pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone Indonesia.{{sfn|Leo 2010, Godfather of Rock}} The following year, the band went on a cross-country tour, playing in nine cities and accompanied by Nidji, Gigi, Andra and The BackBone, and Naif.{{sfn|Leo 2010, Godfather of Rock}} The band also played in the 2010 Djakarta Artmosphere festival.{{sfn|Dass 2011, At a glimpse: Music}}

On 14 June 2011, God Bless performed at the Hard Rock Cafe with Jibriel to celebrate founder's day; the latter group consists of two of Albar's sons, one of Jockie's, one of Antono's, and Albar's nephew Bagoes.{{sfn|Maullana and Kamil 2011, God Bless Bikin}} In July, the band played at the Hard Rock Cafe Jakarta to celebrate its 40th anniversary.{{sfn|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}} The following month, from 22 to 24 July 2011, the band performed at the InterMusic Java Rockin' Land alongside The Cranberries and Neon Trees.{{sfn|Setiawati 2011, The Cranberries channel}} On 20 October 2011 Jockie posted on his Facebook wall that he was upset that the band continued to play songs written by him without paying royalties.{{sfn|Yudono 2011, Yockie, Tondongan}}

Tertiani Z.B. Simanjuntak, writing for The Jakarta Post, notes that God Bless often advocated the rights of the poor and working classes.{{sfn|Simanjuntak 2002, Old rockers meet}}

In a 2009 issue of Rolling Stone Indonesia, two of God Bless' songs were ranked as being among the 150 best Indonesian songs of all time: "Kehidupan" ("Life"), was ranked 8th, while "Rumah Kita" ("Our Home") was ranked 22nd.{{sfn|Rolling Stone Indonesia 2009, 150 Lagu Indonesia}}

In August 2011, Kompas reported that Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza had spent two years producing a documentary about the band, to be titled Rockumentary.{{sfn|Maullana and Sofyan 2011, God Bless Tunggu}}

• God Bless (1975)
• Cermin (1980)
• Semut Hitam (1988)
• Raksasa (1989)
• Apa Kabar (1997)
• 36th (2009)
• Cermin 7 (2016)
• God Bless Live at Aquarius Studio (2019)
• Anthology 50th Year Anniversary (with Tohpati & Czech Symphony Orchestra) (2023)

• The Story of God Bless (1990)
• 18 Greatest Hits of God Bless (1992)
• The Greatest Slow Hits (1999)

• Vonis (1991)
• Untuk Indonesiaku (2020)
• Mulai Hari Ini (2021)

;Footnotes

{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography

{{refbegin|colwidth=30em}}

• {{cite journal |date=December 2009 |title=150 Lagu Indonesia Terbaik Sepanjang Masa |trans-title=150 Best Indonesian Songs of All Time |journal=Rolling Stone Indonesia |issue=56 |pages=43, 49, 51, 89 |location=Jakarta |language=Indonesian |url=http://rollingstone.co.id/read/2011/02/08/181928/1563295/1099/150-lagu-indonesia-terbaik-sepanjang-masa |ref={{harvid|Rolling Stone Indonesia 2009, 150 Lagu Indonesia}} |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316143825/http://rollingstone.co.id/read/2011/02/08/181928/1563295/1099/150-lagu-indonesia-terbaik-sepanjang-masa |archivedate=16 March 2012 }}
• {{cite news |work=The Jakarta Post |date=25 June 2008 |title=Ahmad Albar gets eight months in drug case |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/06/25/ahmad-albar-gets-eight-months-drug-case.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=31 December 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121231181341/http://www2.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/06/25/ahmad-albar-gets-eight-months-drug-case.html |ref={{harvid|The Jakarta Post 2008, Ahmad Albar gets}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last=Dass |first=Felix |work=The Jakarta Post |date=15 May 2011 |title=At a glimpse: Music from the decades |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/05/15/at-a-glimpse-music-decades.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=27 August 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827070758/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/05/15/at-a-glimpse-music-decades.html |ref={{harvid|Dass 2011, At a glimpse: Music}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |work=The Jakarta Post |date=18 June 2009 |title=God bless 'em, those legendary rockers are back |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/06/18/god-bless-%E2%80%99em-those-legendary-rockers-are-back.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=27 August 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110827061024/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/06/18/god-bless-%E2%80%99em-those-legendary-rockers-are-back.html |ref={{harvid|The Jakarta Post 2009, God bless 'em}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |work=The Jakarta Post |date=26 June 2011 |title=Keep on rocking |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/26/keep-rocking.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=29 August 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829025049/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/06/26/keep-rocking.html |ref={{harvid|The Jakarta Post 2011, Keep on Rocking}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last=Leo |first=P.J. |work=The Jakarta Post |date=25 July 2010 |title=Godfather of Rock |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/25/godfather-rock.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=15 September 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915164311/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/25/godfather-rock.html |ref={{harvid|Leo 2010, Godfather of Rock}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last1=Maullana |first1=Irfan |work=Kompas |last2=Kamil |first2=Ati |date=15 June 2011 |title=God Bless Bikin Jibriel "Keteteran" |trans-title=God Bless makes Jibriel "Keteteran" |language=Indonesian |url=http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/10/26/19213748/Wawancara.dengan.Yockie.3.Dan.di.Situlah.Dia.Mengambil.Beceng |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=3 February 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120203102157/http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/06/15/14204486/God.Bless.Bikin.Jibriel.Keteteran. |ref={{harvid|Maullana and Kamil 2011, God Bless Bikin}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last1=Maullana |first1=Irfan |last2=Kamil |first2=Ati |work=Kompas |date=26 October 2011 |title=Wawancara dengan Yockie 3: Dan di Situlah Dia Mengambil "Beceng" |trans-title=Interview with Yockie 3: And then He Took a Pistol |language=Indonesian |url=http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/10/26/19213748/Wawancara.dengan.Yockie.3.Dan.di.Situlah.Dia.Mengambil.Beceng |accessdate=6 January 2011 |archivedate=29 December 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229112227/http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/10/26/19213748/Wawancara.dengan.Yockie.3.Dan.di.Situlah.Dia.Mengambil.Beceng |ref={{harvid|Maullana and Kamil 2011, Wawancara dengan Yockie 3}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last1=Maullana |first1=Irfan |work=Kompas |last2=Sofyan |first2=Eko Hendrawan |date=8 June 2011 |title=God Bless Tuggu Kabar Miles dan Riri Riza |trans-title=God Bless is Waiting for News from Miles and Riri Riza |language=Indonesian |url=http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/10/26/19213748/Wawancara.dengan.Yockie.3.Dan.di.Situlah.Dia.Mengambil.Beceng |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=15 April 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415215346/http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/06/08/14320750/God.Bless.Tunggu.Kabar.Miles.dan.Riri.Riza |ref={{harvid|Maullana and Sofyan 2011, God Bless Tunggu}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last1=Maullana |first1=Irfan |work=Kompas |last2=Sofyan |first2=Eko Hendrawan |date=8 June 2011 |title=Ian Antono: Malu, Kita Ini Sudah pada Tua-tua |trans-title=Ian Antono: Shameful, We're All Already Old |language=Indonesian |url=http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/10/20/1738462/Ian.Antono.Malu.Kita.Ini.Sudah.pada.Tua-tua |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=21 January 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121072712/http://entertainment.kompas.com/read/2011/10/20/1738462/Ian.Antono.Malu.Kita.Ini.Sudah.pada.Tua-tua |ref={{harvid|Maullana and Sofyan 2011, Ian Antono: Malu}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last=Setiawati |first=Indah |work=The Jakarta Post |date=24 July 2011 |title=Cranberries channel the past in Ancol |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/07/24/cranberries-channel-past-ancol.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=22 June 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622220648/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/07/11/singer-ahmad-albar-released-jail.html |ref={{harvid|Setiawati 2011, The Cranberries channel}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |last=Simanjuntak |first=Tertiani Z.B. |work=The Jakarta Post |date=10 November 2002 |title=Old rockers meet youth idols on stage |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2002/11/10/old-rockers-meet-youth-idols-stage.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=15 September 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915184435/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2002/11/10/old-rockers-meet-youth-idols-stage.html |ref={{harvid|Simanjuntak 2002, Old rockers meet}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |work=The Jakarta Post |date=11 July 2008 |title=Singer Ahmad Albar released from jail |url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/07/11/singer-ahmad-albar-released-jail.html |accessdate=7 January 2011 |archivedate=22 June 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622220648/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/07/11/singer-ahmad-albar-released-jail.html |ref={{harvid|The Jakarta Post 2008, Singer Ahmad Albar}} |url-status=dead }}
• {{cite news |work=Kompas |title=Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon |trans-title=Achmad Albar, the Icon |language=Indonesian |last=Theodore KS | date=19 March 2004 | ref={{harvid|Theodore KS 2004, Achmad Albar, Sang Ikon}} }}
• {{cite news |last=Yudono |first=Jodhi |work=Kompas |date=20 October 2011 |title=Yockie, Todongan Pistol dan Hengkang dari Godbless |trans-title=Yockie, Gun to His Head and Running from Godbless |language=Indonesian |url=http://oase.kompas.com/read/2011/10/20/05163767/Yockie.Todongan.Pistol.dan.Hengkang.dari.Godbless |accessdate=6 January 2011 |archivedate=23 December 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223050225/http://oase.kompas.com/read/2011/10/20/05163767/Yockie.Todongan.Pistol.dan.Hengkang.dari.Godbless |ref={{harvid|Yudono 2011, Yockie, Tondongan}} |url-status=dead }}

{{refend}}

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Category:Indonesian rock music groups

Category:Musical groups established in 1973

Category:Anugerah Musik Indonesia winners