Don’t Quit Your Day Job is VICE’s column on musicians who—you guessed it—still work a full-time job.
In the never-ending list of all things “core” there’s bound to eventually be a CEO-core. And Jakarta’s Polka Wars would fit right in. Three of the band’s four members run a real estate company selling fancy eco-properties to the capital’s wealthy elite at a new residential development called Sandar Andara Residential.
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The company PT Magale Sayana Indonesia, is run by vocalist/guitarist Karaeng Adjie, guitarist Billy Saleh, and bassist Xandega Tahajuansya. How the hell can a band work and perform together without eventually wanting to kill each other? VICE’s Marcel Thee set out to find out.
VICE: How did three of you end up running a property company together?
Aeng (Karaeng Adjie): Everything started after we started the band. It was initially just me and Rendria, a high school friend. Then Dega (Xandega Tahajuansya) joined as an occasional partner. Billy came on-board not long after. We joined forces so it’s easy to manage our work schedules alongside with the band’s schedule. At the time, [our drummer] Deva had a prior commitment to another company, so he couldn’t join us.
This whole company started when Rendria quit his job as an engineer at a multinational oil company to pursue his own business. Rendria came to me for advice, because in college we had a small textile business together. I had gained quite a bit of business experience by then. One thing led to another and we had this idea of starting a sustainability company since all of us shared the same concerns regarding climate change. Sandar Andara Residential is our starting point since it just so happened that we had a land bank with a great location we could work on.
Do you ever use the business to fund Polka Wars?
Billy: We have. When we did a photo exhibition at [the Kemang cafe] Sunset Limited in conjunction with the release of our new single ‘Rangkum,’ Aeng’s oil company helped with the funding. Alhamdullilah, it all worked out for us. It was amazing. Perhaps when our company makes a lot of profit, it can sponsor the band’s needs. Wish us luck.
Do you approach your business the same way you approach your band?
Aeng: We started Sandar Andara Residential with a purpose. If we can’t make a positive impact on the environment, we might as well not exist. It’s the same thing with Polka Wars. The basis of the band’s existence is to write music that delivers a good message. If we don’t do that, then we might as well not play music.
Billy: We want to have a positive impact on people. Sandar Andara Residential can immediately make an impact since its inhabitants will apply responsible lifestyle ideas 24-hours-a-day with features like ‘passive design’ that allows inhabitants to not need to use their lights and AC all the time. The houses are built with a lot of windows and vents that allow sunlight and air to penetrate the house.
So if this property project fails will it affect the band at all?
Billy: Inshaallah, no, if it doesn’t have anything to do with Polka Wars. If anything, it’s possible that the business makes us a lot of money and we’ll get so busy that we’ll have no time to play music. But we still need the music, so hopefully the fire doesn’t go out anytime soon. There are three things that typically break a band up: money, girls, and laziness. That’s all.
Dega: I think we would be more motivated to succeed as Polka Wars since it’s the only thing we have left.
Has your business ever inspired your music?
Billy: Maybe in the future. I don’t know yet. It’s not something we’ve dived into. If there’s an inspiring story about the business, then perhaps we can turn it into a song.
Dega: It’s not the business per-se, but how our lives can’t be separated from our business. It might make an appearance on our second album.
What’s your favorite reaction from people who find out that all three of you have this company together?
Billy: This is a tough question. They’re all generally supportive. This is a testament of our brotherhood even though we fight a lot. Everyone has different tempers and throws tantrums at the wrong times. Many have asked, ‘don’t you guys get bored with each other?’ We’ve been together since high school—and even elementary school for Aeng and Dega. I mean if you can’t trust your inner circle, then who do you trust? Maybe things are destined to turn out this away. Inshaallah, it will last forever.
