Thai Funk/Luk Thung e-san from Mister Dao Bandon!

Sunday and some time to fool around...! This record from Mr. Dao Bandon has been with me for a while, but I only recently discovered how great it actually is. Probably a perfect example of what is often considered Thai Funk (which is not that funky, but more like late sixties soul that is just about to get funky). I'd rather say it is the E-san version of Luk Thung (luk thung e-san), and together with Saksiam Petchompoo and Thepporn Pethubon he is one of the great stars of this genre. His voice is much higher than for example Thepporn's, but this makes it so suitable for funky rhythms. Here is HLP 236! Beware, I did not include the last 2 songs, which like on many other records from this period give a far too sweet (=cheesy) closing to this record...

For further listening you may check out a recent compilation of his essential songs on the wonderful EM Records label from Japan called "Man on a Water Buffalo".

more from Banyen Rakgaen - Molam from HLP 231 and 247

Was neues altes von Banyen Rakgaen! Ich hatte hier bereits die fantastische "Lam ploen denn isaan" gepostet, die sehr roh und groovig ist. Leider sind viele späte Alben von Banyen vollkommen anders, möglicherweise gab es den Wunsch, auch einmal einen Hit zu haben, erfolgreich zu sein und Geld zu verdienen. Möglicherweise war es ähnlich wie bei anderen Musikformen, dass irgendwann die Möglichkeiten, den Molam zu variieren, ausgereizt waren. Ich lass das mal als Hypothese so stehen, denn es würde ganz gut diese zwei Alben von Banyen erklären. HLP 231 und 247 haben jeweils eine fantastische A Seite, die mit Molam und Lam Ploen sehr experimentell umgeht, während die B Seiten jeweils nur schmalzige Balladen bieten. Das Konzept war wohl, auf Nummer sicher zu gehen. Schmeisst man den Schmalz der B-Seiten raus, hat man ein absolutes Killer Album! Ich erlaube mir daher mal, hier jeweils nur die A Seiten zu posten!

Sorry folks, this time I prefer to write in German. Please let the music speak for itself! You will find innovative Molam from Banyen Rakgaen, only the A Sides from HLP 231 and 247 - together they make for a killer record! 

Have fun!

Thai Funk from The Impossibles! "Stage Show" (1974)

                                           

The Impossibles were really big in Thailand throughout the Seventies, playing Soul, Funk, Country and Ballads alike. They recorded their 1975 Album “Hot Pepper” in Sweden while on Tour in Europe: reportedly they were the first Thai Rock Band to record a whole album in English.  They took their name from a 1960s cartoon called “The Impossibles” (a Hanna-Barbera TV Series). The group split up in 1977. While “Hot Pepper”, originally issued on Philips in 1975, has been repressed (unofficially?), “Stage Show” from 1974 has not been repressed. A couple of weeks ago I found this record in a small shop and did not expect too much, since most later records from The Impossibles were rather unlistenable (cheesy ballads). .. but not his one! It gets immediately funky, starting with an awesome version of Stevie Wonders “Superstition”, and stays funky and soulish (think Kool & The Gang, Barry White etc.). The only song I had to omit is a cover of Hank Williams' “Your cheatin’ heart”. I am a big fan of Hank Williams, but I want to spare you (and the world) this cover-version from the Impossibles… anyway, the rest is awesome, please enjoy! If you like to see the songlist, it can be found on Discogs…

Jan Molam - a couple of my favorite 7inches compiled

Semester break, and finally I can upload a few of my favorite tunes. You will find Lae  (check out tune number 1 Yodkaew - sounds to me like a thai sibling of Junior Kimbrough), Lam Ploen/Molam, Shadow/Garage (The Cat), the unique Waiphod Petsuphan, even one classical song, some popular singers like Ploen Promdaen, Chai Mueangsing and Thepporn Petubon, and many I have no information about. All of these are from 7 Inch vinyl, so I hope lots of songs you have never heard before! Here are the tracks:

1. Yodgaew Duangden: lae mae mai
2. Suntorn Chairungrueang: toey disco
3. Banyen Sriwongsa: lam phloen sawan chao na
4. Chai Mueangsing: blug ban
5. Kobgun Wongsawaat: lam phloem hag num ban na
6. Napapon Mueangsuphan: sawan jao ka
7. Asawin Binphet: lan toey giao saao
8. Waiphod Petsuphan: chom sao isaan
9. Kam Mueang Nakorn: chuan nong long dai (2^nd half)
10. Dao Bandon: lae pattana meuang
11. The Cat: torpedo run
12. Thepporn Petubon: phlaeng jai dam
13. Rungpet Phetisaan: phon hen naa
14. Samai & Somchai & Sonwong: jubyae jan
15. Waiphod Petsuphan: tid gaew gin liang
16. Thai Classical Music: serng kratipkao
17. Ploen Promdaen: farang serng bongfai

 Hope you enjoy my compilation!

Banyen Rakkaen - this is where Molam really kicked off...!

...Molam is probably hundreds of years old, but for me it really kicks off with this album - because here the traditional Lam Ploen was taken to a new groove that it did not have before in my opinion. Older forms have a good groove as well, but here it started to kick you hard. This set does not yet use electric instruments, but the drums that support the traditional Kaen (mouthpipe) move it away from folklore and push in the direction of rough soul. I guess it is from the late sixties or early seventies. The recording itself has a raw quality that later Lam Ploen records do not possess. So here is this really rare record (titled "Lam Ploen Denn Isan") in all its glorious Mono for you to enjoy!

Thai VS Bollywood III: Waipod Petsuphan "Setthi Ngoen Gu" (7")

As requested another item concerning Thai-Indian (musical) relations... Waipod Petsuphan of "Ding Ding Dong" fame (Sound of Siam Vol. 1) issued this little gem on one of my favorite labels, Khob Ploeng - nearly every single I have from them is briliant (see label logo below). On this one, Waipod sings about one of the main professions of Indians in Bangkok, money lender, backed by pseudo-indian music, sung in his unique Lae singing style! Enjoy!

Noknoi Uraiporn - Isaan Molam from the 70ties (HLP 232) split album

Noknoi Uraiporn did this excellent album back in the 70ties - it is a split Album with Noknoi Uraiporn on Side A and Chutima Duangpon ("Fon dok Laew" featured on "Siamese Soul - Thai Pop Spectacular" Vol. 2) on Side B. Noknoi has the Phet Pin Thong Band backing her, but this record is a nice mix of ballads - which are luckily not as cheesy as other Molam singers attempts at Luk Thung - and groovy Molam tunes. Actually Miss Uraiporn is still touring with a big Molam group, but the sound is not as raw and funky as it was back in the 70ties. Please forgive me for just posting the Noknoi Side: Enjoy!