Popscene has been doing a lot of shows and it's a great service to the music community in Bangkok to have all these international bands coming here.
With Harmonica closed, Play Yard by Studio Bar is picking up lots of shows as promoters and indie bands scour the city for places to play. It has grown on me quite a bit.
The Monomania "Another Side of Human" CD release was awesome the other night. They are one of those bands off my radar most of the time and can simply be overshadowed by a dozen other bands on their label as well as other indies, but the new album is a feat and rises to the occasion. Listened to it four or five times and am still searching for words.
The Sangsom Massacre has a new EP coming out called The Verse of Vice, on 1 November. The EP party will be at Play Yard with support from Pistols 99, Count the Thief, Chasing Ghosts and The Layers. Play Yard can fit a few hundred people so let's pack it in. In the very beginning of this blog, I was covering the Massacre still in their infancy as well.
My Bangkok scene report for DIY punk zine, Razorcake, should be posted on their site within month. For those of you that don't know, Razocake was founded by Todd Taylor a former editor of the now defunct punk rock zine, Flipside. Todd really loved my report on the Bangkok underground and has invited me to send more. If you are disappointed you are not seeing lots of photos posted to Facebook anymore, it's because Razorcake requires exclusive content and to be honest so many of my photos that you never see suck, I only get a few really good ones out of hundreds that I shoot with minimal skills. So between, Razorcake, my blog, and my photography book, I need exclusive material for each. I am toying with idea of a photo exhibition to coincide with book release.
There should be a Bangkok scene report coming out in another American online publication very soon!
Ran into my old friend, Jason Rosette recently and he asked if I'd collaborate on some album he's recording and after jamming for 2 hours this week, I said sure, why not. The irony is I am trying to sell sell drum gear out of need for cash to support my emerging career in journalism, but now feel I need my drums for this project. In any case, the Brady snare drum and Bosphorus cymbals are still for sale. Contact me directly for information. I am only selling to friends and people within my network - craigslist is a nightmare. And a big thanks you to Tommy Hanson of The Sticky Rice for buying my Roland electronic drums - I was nearly in tears of joy. And buy the way, Pookster and gang apparently are opening a restaurant down in Hua Hin - that resort town needed something to feel like anything less than a soul-less beach resort.
I cannot say how much I appreciate the new addition to Rock Philosophy, Andrew Wright. Andrew writes the Underground Retro blog which is hosted here and is an avid music fan as well as a solid writer and collector of music. Initially, we thought he'd just write bout music from the old days when he lived in Bangkok, but recently he's also been writing about current music here. Andrew remembers bands like Eastbound Downers, Makers of Casablanca and The Darlings which were precursors of bands currently on the scene. Andrew is able to fill in a lot of the gaps for me as I had not arrived in Bangkok until around 2004 or 2005 and it's relatively recently that I have given my life to the Bangkok underground. If you would like Andrew to review your album, contact him directly. Eventually, I will write an FAQ for handling album reviews. Most zines and publications both online and printed require a physical copy of the release - no digital formats! Toying around with this idea, but until then contact Andrew. Andrew is great at supporting the community by buying CDs when he is in town (he is based in Middle Earth or the Middle East) and treating me to so many beers and subsequent hangovers often I am not sure I could really call him "my reviewer."
While on subject of reviews and new bloggers, Rock Philosophy is open to contributing writers and photographers, creative people in the future. We'd be using the Trello project management system.
I will be posting my Q and A session with Jack Rabid, founder and editor, from The Big Takeover as soon as Jack gets back to me.
Gotta get to work on next Razorcake scene report.
Once again, the Brady snare and cymbals are still for sale. Discount friend rates apply. I am available as a freelance photographer, writer and now, a freelance session drummer. I am grateful to all the help, support and generosity I've have been receiving from everyone with donations of beer, sofas, food and entry to shows. Freelance work is streaming insteadily (photography, writing, drumming, coaching, consulting) and within the year I anticipate the website and spinoffs to be the Death Star of music media. The thank you list in the book will be a long one and probably rival the actual content. Contact me for free consultation. Ideas are free.
Closing thoughts:
Next project is a photo shoot with Niall, John and Uly of The Sangsom Massacre. Very possible I will publish the very first video interview I ever did with The Sangsom Massacre back in April 2013.
Definitely seek out that Monomania album.
I've gotta get ass over to Immortal Bar and redeem myself for missing so many shows in last month. DC
P.S. I have just learned that Le Rug's new video by none other than our own Gary Boyle has been completed. You may remember I did an interview an podcast with Ray Weiss of Brooklyn band, Le Rug while he was here recording his latest album for Austin's Fleeting Youth Records. Listen to the podcast here.
Another interview with Ray is here!
P.S.P.S. - I write these posts on spur of the moment... Basement Tape have their new release on vinyl as well you can look out for a new Plastic Section album very soon... Noise Market is just around the corner plus there is a Cat Radio Fest an Melody of Life coming up at Central World. Busy time!
I will try to do a scene report more frequently. Bands and musicians and anything related to underground/indie music, send me press releases if you have something to say. An contact me for social media campaign ideas.