As a 42-year old I am inclined to hate everything that isn’t of the pre-digital era. I am generally convinced that the kids of today simply cannot produce anything original or anything better than its predecessors. I mean how can anyone be better than The Beatles? The Fab 4 were over before my time but still I can look fondly at the Liverpudlians and say those were the good ol days of rock n roll.
It is too unfair for young rock bands of the new millennium. They are competing against the very best of all time. A local rock band out of Bangkok is not just competing with other local bands. They are competing with the entire library of music available online. Why listen to a new rock band when you can simply listen to the old ones?
It is with these thoughts heavy on my mind that we depart on our voyage. While it may be true the new kids on the block will never be as great as the ones who came before, we all started somewhere and it is our need for community that can be a driver of creation. As well imitation is the greatest flattery and indeed it may be the way we learn as humans. Will give the kids the benefit of the doubt.
What does Lord Liar Boots have going for it? They have a name which makes no sense and which begs explanations that are unlikely to ever be satisfying. I noticed cross-dressing which while not totally original (isn’t there a band with two dudes and a lot of hair that dress in womens’ clothing and play nonsense fashionably?) it is a step in the right direction of transgressive behavior which is the hallmark of great rock n roll. I think if they took notes from Alice Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne and perhaps KISS this could be something! If they totally embrace GG Allin they will be making front page news - I am talking Buzzfeed!
I blasted off a Facebook message to the Lord Liar Boots page (this is how all music journalism begins today) and got a reply from Khun Aun, the guitarist. The influences of the band consisting of Aun; Jimmy on vox and guitar; Kaew on bass; and Blue on drums span the continuum of rock n roll. Aun likes the old stuff like Led Zeppelin (I happen to be wearing my Zep t-shirt now so this seems fitting- already I like the kid), Jimmy likes Arctic Monkeys, Kaew likes Blink 182 and Blue the drummer is into hardcore punk. This is almost a recipe for band members beating the fuck out of one another but why not? The political divides in music were always silly. It was a bit shocking to see The LL Boots sandwiched in with the likes of Millions of Dead Cops and License to Kill not to mention The Elected Officials and Cold Black Vines for today’s show at Soy Sauce Factory but now it makes a bit more sense. I hope they wear faux Prada tonight. If they go out in public dressed in drag and lipstick KUDOS.
They are no different in their struggles than most bands The challenges are: “spaces to show themselves to people; opportunities to play in different locations; fanbase that is hard to expand; finding good teams and people who do stuff like managing/producing or something aside from playing, and the way people in our society think or believe sometimes restrict what we can or cannot do.”
Aun brings up some good points - you need great musicianship and songs but hopefully someone in band can manage the band - management is not a light job. You drove your Porsche through the glass at Paragon - who you gonna call? Your manager! You forgot the alimony payments for the 15 children you fathered around the world? Who you gonna call? Your manager! You woke up next to a dead person you don’t remember even meeting? Who you gonna call? Your lawyer! Your manager will appreciate you not calling them in the event of mafia style killings surrounding your life... and expanding the fanbase is always challenging - take a note from the Shep Gordon handbook - he was Alice Cooper's manager and one of his brilliant ideas was to sell Alice vinyl with womens' undergarments. Shameless? Yes, but it worked.
There are three video on Youtube which display the band’s ability to create a pop tune with a hook with the blend of hard rock and punk. The videos have a distinct look which seems perfectly aimed at youth culture. Well done. It was said about Nirvana that execs knew they’d be’d hot because women liked Kurt Cobain - I have no idea what kind of crowd LLB bring but if they can manage to inspire their college classmates out to shows in droves, they can be certain of at least moderate success. Make sure to organize them to call radio stations and request your music.
If they can consistently crank out songs and videos for the next 5 to ten years, they will get to that big stage they are dreaming about. So while this old man is inclined to hate a lot of the pop music of the kids these days, these guys Lord Liar Boots rock. Is this a wave of Salaya bands happening? I don’t know but one of the kids over there should get all the Salaya bands together for a festival - a movement! And call it The Salaya Wall of Sound Festival. And invite me.
DC
Check out Lord Liar Boots at Soy Sauce Factory tonight in Bangkok.