Thread: Thai tastes in Western music

blog.banjig.net

^ Indeed.

Some Thai's just listen to western music because they think it's cool and sophisticated to do so, without actually liking it all that much. It's rather like the character in the singer sao mart's luktung song sao lad phrao who, after going to work in Bkk from banock suddenly despises issan food, music and dress and develops hi so pretensions, even though she is only a house keeper. Secretly she still enjoys all the old things but thinks showing a liking for modern/western things gives her more status and face. The song is a comedy of course.
There is a long history of western influence on thai music though as can be most clearly seen in lukrung and string. However, even luktung has had major influences at times from western sounds. Many years ago there was a style called pleng ho, or cowboy luktung which encorporated country and western sounds and yodling into thai luktung, this style has almost died out but sometimes gets revived as with Mangor Coiltichas sao luktung a couple of years ago.
I prefer Thai music to western and can't understand why visitors travel 1000's of miles then want to sit in a places playing western music. I always wonder why the Egales are such long time favourites here. At one time the UK act Cliff Richard and the shadows were enormously popular with copy bands called wong Shadow very common around bkk and Cliffs songs can still be heard in 'posh' issan Hotel cafes, alongside Pumpuang's and Teressa Teng's.

Originally Posted by crazy dog

Some Thai's just listen to western music because they think it's cool and sophisticated to do so, without actually liking it all that much.

So do many western kids... Record companies make a killing from peer pressure.

...Or used to.

Originally Posted by November Rain

Sitting here, littl'un's out playing, dogs are silent, no TV or music on & can hear the music that next door neighbours are playing. I've never heard anything but Thai music from them before, but they do have their teenaged to early 20's kids at home at the mo.

First I heard the Eagles 'Lyin Eyes' OK, not too bad. Then it went swiftly downhill to 'Me & You & a dog named Boo'. Now it's 'Love me, love my dog'. Aaarggh!

My BF and his mates all loved Western rock, but they seemed to be in the minority. In the local *aherm* nightclub frequented by Thais & Farang it's mindless pop (of the Aqua style). It seems that most Thais that like Western music at all prefer the more banal genres. Is that true or just the narrow strata of society that I meet?

We must keep different circles, as I know most Thais don't have a tendency towards Western genres nor have too much exposure. There is a smaller percentage that relish in the new ideals of Western pop music, they're scattered everywhere.

Air Supply, Winds of Change, Bee Gees, Winds of Change, Achy Breaky Heart, Winds of Change, anything by America, Winds of Change!

The funniest thing I witnessed was when Roger Waters (ex-Pink Floyd) toured Bangkok and the Thais all arrived fashionably late and mid way through the concert.

The big problem was Roger Waters opened with "another brick in the wall" and when the concert finished all the Thais were complaining that he didn't play the only song that they knew!

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Air Supply, Winds of Change, Bee Gees, Winds of Change, Achy Breaky Heart, Winds of Change, anything by America, Winds of Change!

The funniest thing I witnessed was when Roger Waters (ex-Pink Floyd) toured Bangkok and the Thais all arrived fashionably late and mid way through the concert.

The big problem was Roger Waters opened with "another brick in the wall" and when the concert finished all the Thais were complaining that he didn't play the only song that they knew!

Reflective really, of how limited their exposure is.

I once took a morlam dancer to the pictures here in Bkk, god she was a beauty. Anyway I expected she would want to see a Thai film, so my heart sank when she said she wanted to see 8 mile I think it was with that emenem in it all hip hop, or is it rap?. I hated it and although she pretended to like it I could tell like me she could not wait for it to finish. She wanted to know what all the motherfucking talk meant. No doubt she told her mates what she had seen and how cool it was.

When I want to get the latest update on new British music to download I always ask a Thai friend of mine, she has fantastic taste and has put me onto a lot of new bands. I think the younger generation, the ones that have access to the net/western media/foreign friends etc. have a lot more exposure and you'll find a lot more variety of music with them. My Burmese mate always plays 'The Specials' when he's driving.

My friends are now playing M.Jackson .Feckin hated him. They always ask me what music people listen to in the UK and it an't what they listen to.

Originally Posted by tjyflhol

My Burmese mate always plays 'The Specials' when he's driving.

Green on the way for you because of your mate.

i used to love the eagles, BUT AFTER 4 YEARS OF LISTENING TO THE BUGGERS MURDERING :

"WERRCUM TOO HOTERR CARRIPORNIA", i had enough of them

met a young hottie in the village who asked me to lend her a couple of my cd's. sed she only wanted rock music. i lent her some led zeppelin, alice cooper and a good bit of black sabbath, and she returned them the next day, saying she hated that crap.
don't i have "rock music" like the "macarena" or "achee brachee harr "or something?

she left, thinking i was an asshole.

i was glad she left, thinking SHE was an asshole.

I think the younger generation of Thai are far more interested in fashion and music from other Eastern cultures such as Japan and South Korea than the west.

My father in law is or was an Elvis fan.

Originally Posted by English Noodles

I think the younger generation of Thai are far more interested in fashion and music from other Eastern cultures such as Japan and South Korea than the west.

THAT'S JUST COZ THEY ARE STOOPID AND WERE NEVER REALLY EXPOSED TO "PROPER" MUSIC.
just the poofter pop and disco shit that they love so much.

Originally Posted by tsicar

THAT'S JUST COZ THEY ARE STOOPID AND WERE NEVER REALLY EXPOSED TO "PROPER" MUSIC. just the poofter pop and disco shit that they love so much.

Some good Japanese rock bands, Asian Kung-Fu Generation are cool.

It was some 4 years into my marriage when I discovered that my misses is a bit of an Elvis fan, wasn't expecting that.

She also likes a lot of Ska, but that would be my influence. Punk tends to go down well in this part of the world as well.

Forgot to mention,.the girlfriend is also a fan of Jack Johnson's (maybe my influence) and a Sade.

It was reggae on my beach. My doggies loved it.

Originally Posted by Moonraker

Punk tends to go down well in this part of the world as well.

Reminds me when I was at an Agnostic Front concert with my ex. She didn't really enjoy it.

Whoh. Mainstream America listens to rock music, and R+B new style. Check out Alicia Keys Live at the Lincoln Center, she is the real deal. Shakira.
*hardly anyone buys a CD, teens download and trade their music for free, putting
all but Virgin Records out of music. Tower records is long gone.
*Rap is not music--it is poetry+rhythm. Usually bad poetry..sexist and racist and a prerecorded syn drum--beats. Gangster culture in the inner cities.
*The 5 per centers: classical music listeners like Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart. Jazz: New Orleans Classic Jazz to Rick Braun (cool jazz trumpet) and Diana Krall (sold out two concerts in Sac 3 months before event
Country &Western--Still a big audience out there centered in Nashville, Austin Texas and Bakersfield Ca
Writer (me) has two degrees in Music History BA and MA and am current playing in Sac with two groups; trumpet and piano.
PS Linkon Park was an embarrasment as was Smashing Pumpkin. 0 talent

Originally Posted by tjyflhol

My Burmese mate always plays 'The Specials' when he's driving.

Good choice. Mrs Ast had a thing for Robbie williams and Pavarotti. What a combination. She seems to be liking Kings of Leon at the moment though, so we`re both happy.