NEW YORK. The legendary band SAS Group is once again becoming known among psychedelic rock fans globally . The band re-released the Bad Shock vinyl albums, early this year and have been sold out in New York, Los Angeles and Tokyo. In Jakarta, the vinyls were sold out nationally in less than an hour through pre-orders, distributed by prominent independent label Demajors. "I'm so happy that SAS is getting the attention they deserve. The music is so good," said Cotter Phinney, founder and re-release producer of the music label, PsychicReader, in Brooklyn. Cotter didn't expect that the first vinyl pressing of 200 copies sold out so quickly.
The name SAS Group, originally from Surabaya, Indonesia, may not be unfamiliar to American classic rock fans. The band, formed in 1975, with members Soenatha Tanjung (guitar, vocals), Arthur Kaunang (bass, keyboard), and (the late) Syech Abidin (drums, vocals), previously joined AKA (Anak Kali Asin) with Ucok Harahap, before finally deciding to separate. This trio band was influenced by the rock trends of that era, such as Emerson Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, and Grand Funk. "In 1975, they released their debut album with the hit Baby Rock, as the explosive catalyst for their birth on the Indonesian rock music stage and recording scene," said Denny MR, an Indonesian journalist and music critic who supported this album from the beginning..
"I am really a Lucky Man (ELP's song title), in my old days but amazing things came to change my life. I never thought that our music that we recorded in the 70's would become a hit again and accepted by young generations," said Arthur Kaunang on a phone call from Jakarta. "This is the first Indonesian Psychedelic Rock band to be released in New York for all music fans in America, Indonesia, and the world," added Cotter, who is also known as the guitarist and vocalist of the post-punk band from Brooklyn, Medium. All curation, digital-to-analog conversion, and distribution were done in New York, except premastering in the Netherlands.
The SAS Bad Shock Album is Co-Produced by Naratama, Mastering by Wouter Brandenburg and Digital Transfer by Winston Luhur. "We're doing a second press of the album that will be available in August on the Psychic Reader website www.psychicreader.nyc and our distributor partner in Jakarta https://www.demajors.com/ ", explained Cotter, who is preparing to launch another Vinyl albums release from American and Indonesian bands.