Why Is Thailand So Unsophisticated Musically?

[mrbp]

In my humble opinion Thailand has one of the best cuisines in the world, one of the most friendly relaxed cultures I have ever encountered, some of the most beautiful people and without a doubt some of the most sublime landscapes I have ever seen. I love Thailand deeply, thats why I live here. Whether it's the friendly locals, a beautiful sunset or a fried egg on top of my curry, I'm in love with the place but as a music lover, DJ and musician I have to say it's hel_l.

Thais only seem to like Western music if it was made in the last four years and featured heavily on MTV or Hotel California and Bob Marley, nothing else is allowed apart from Thai soft rock and cheesy Thai balads.

If they hear music that doesn't fit in to that tiny narrow band of popular music they just switch off.

They don't really know how to party either, sitting down, drinking whiskey and singing cheesey karaoke yes but dancing until the wee hours of the morning to great music they have never heard before? NO

I know it sounds racist to generalize like that about a whole nationality but in Thailand it really is true and they will tell you so themselves. It's just not cool to be different or sophisticated. No rebelious music allowed just Top 10 pop pop pop all night long please. One of the things I get told most by Thais is that when it comes to music "If we don't know it we don't like it"

I always reply how do you know any music at all then? But their minds are firmly CLOSED

In addition to the Thais the majority of farangs that visit Thailand are just as closeminded. The younger ones just want Lady Gaga and Akon back to back and will evacuate a bar as soon as the music changes. The older farangs seem to want nothing more than Hotel California repeated over and over by an out of tune Fillipino band.

I never thought I would encounter Brits and Americans who grew up in the 60's who would not like to hear The Beatles and The Stones more than a badly sung cover of The Eagles but in Thailand the old farangs seem to prefer the out of tune cover of the same track than the stuff that really rocked the 60's and the 70's.

It doesn't make any sense.

I have traveled the world and always been able to find real music lovers. Whether it's South America or Germany. There is always a trendy neighbourhood with a plethora of specialist record shops and different music venues packed to the rafters with their different tribes from rockers to ravers.

Whether it's the UK, Europe, America or Brazil from as far back as the 40's there have always been counter cultures. From beatnics to Mod's and rockers, skinheads to hip hop, house music, rythm & blues, funk and soul, heavy metal etc etc

In Thailand there is almost no market for any edgy or sophisticated music it just ain't welcomed by the Thais or the fanrangs.

Why is that? Any thoughts?

Edited October 28, 2009 by mrbp

[mrtoad]

When I was a lad we had proper bands, with instruments and proper vocalists - none of that rubbish thump, thump stuff that the youth of today listen to, and which you are suggesting is sophisticated. That music is bad, and leads to drug taking and licentiousness behaviour which is not becoming of Thai people. Now Hotel California is real music, where as DJ Rampant Rabbit and his lot is a load of senseless noise. Good on the Thais for not being corrupted by the social ills of modern western music, it's lead to the break down of the moral fabric in many a country, I tell ye.

Now where can I find my Eagles CD?

[Scott]

Different tastes, my friend, different tastes. I enjoy the music here because it's older songs and songs that are easy to listen to (in general).

Music is like food--what one person likes, doesn't suit another at all.

[emsfeld]

Well...different people different tastes. For instances, I am living in OZ and basically all you are saying about Thailand in terms of music applies to OZ as well from MY perspective. I am not a musician or DJ but really like going out to places where they play good music - I have found clubbing to be far better in that regard in Thailand than in OZ.

[clausewitz]

To the Op

you don't differentiate between string, luk toon and puea chewit in Thai music. I assume you have some preference or do you find them all equally bad?

What do you think of say popular new singers like Pai pornsotorn and his hit Kon Barn diaw gan (luk toon)?

[davethailand]

I don't agree with the op fully, There are some superb Thai musicians here with a very wide knowledge of different styles of music.

[lazygourmet]

Spot on Mr Toad...

At the end of our gated community, there is a recording studio. A sort of "a la Playboy Mansion " villa...

Ad Carabao, Nan Caravan, Sek Loso... -just to name them- are regular visitors... so do I, great people and great music!

[mrbp]

You guys didn't read my post properly. I'm not saying why can't I play techno, I'm not a twenty something goon with only one kind of hard electronic sound in my record box.

I like lots of different kinds of music from Motown to The Rolling Stones to 70's funk but even The Beatles is too sophisticated for Thai and expat crowds alike.

Even when it comes to playing old classics to an older farang crowd they prefer an out of tune version of Hotel California sung by a not very good Fillipino band than an original version of Otis Reading or Led Zeppelin.

It's not just about taste because tastes vary from person to person.

If it was just about taste there would be bars in Thailand that catered for people with different tastes, people who don't want to hear Top 10 pop or Hotel California but there is just no market for anything but one album by Bob Marley one or two Eagles tracks, One Santana track and thats all folks

In Thailand taste is practically universal 99.9% of Thais and farangs only want to hear Top 10 pop, Bob Marley, The Eagles and the rest of musical history. Past, present to future? FORGET ABOUT IT.

Out of the thousands of great bands from the old days from The Beatles and The Stones to Led Zep, Little Feat and The Band only The Eagles and maybe one track from Santana is played in every bar from Chiang Mai to Phuket. Give them a Jimi Hendrix CD and it will be played for two minutes then back to "Welcome to the Hotel California"

Thailand is musically stagnant and I don't understand why.

[mrbp]

Yes there are some good Thai musicians but Thai music is basically soft rock or boy/girl band X-Factor type manufactured pop. I'm not a fan.

[CitizenSmith]

Why is that? Any thoughts?

Good post mate, spot on. There's a bar we drink in and have a few of our own CD's behind the bar. When there is a few of us in there and having a good time we ask to put them on, stuff from the 60's and 80's etc. Instantly all the girls will sit down with a face like thunder! unless some crap like 'Gasolina' is playing which is in Spanish anyway so I don't know how they even understand it!

[bkkjames]

But generally speaking I would rather watch a Thai music video with the sound off than a western one with the video on. Music to my eyes.

[gvallee2]

man i was browsing through suam plu night bazar and for the first time i heard good music in thailand. this guy was playing a MUSE cd.. almost bought his crappy stuff just because hes open his mind to more than thai country music or terrible bob marley.

As far as bars. they should play pop over and over, this is what's danced to. if you want to listen to good music, just listen to an ipod or with some friends on your sala. When i wanna play around count me in for some good 90's super pop songs and backstreet boys on repeat.

[musiclover]

You guys didn't read my post properly. I'm not saying why can't I play techno, I'm not a twenty something goon with only one kind of hard electronic sound in my record box.

I like lots of different kinds of music from Motown to The Rolling Stones to 70's funk but even The Beatles is too sophisticated for Thai and expat crowds alike.

Even when it comes to playing old classics to an older farang crowd they prefer an out of tune version of Hotel California sung by a not very good Fillipino band than an original version of Otis Reading or Led Zeppelin.

It's not just about taste because tastes vary from person to person.

If it was just about taste there would be bars in Thailand that catered for people with different tastes, people who don't want to hear Top 10 pop or Hotel California but there is just no market for anything but one album by Bob Marley one or two Eagles tracks, One Santana track and thats all folks

In Thailand taste is practically universal 99.9% of Thais and farangs only want to hear Top 10 pop, Bob Marley, The Eagles and the rest of musical history. Past, present to future? FORGET ABOUT IT.

Out of the thousands of great bands from the old days from The Beatles and The Stones to Led Zep, Little Feat and The Band only The Eagles and maybe one track from Santana is played in every bar from Chiang Mai to Phuket. Give them a Jimi Hendrix CD and it will be played for two minutes then back to "Welcome to the Hotel California"

Thailand is musically stagnant and I don't understand why.

2 points here

Firstly farangs do NOt want HCalifornia endlessly repeated. Its a Thai thing not a farang choice.

Secondly Thai pop music is made by committee and anything original is voted out!

I produced Thai music in BKK for many years and gave up in disgust both at the committee format and the incessant copying of Western tracks!

Of course other Thai styles exist but even these are copies of previous songs, The same backing track seems to have been used by Luktung producers for over 20 years now!!!!

And where are any original songs????? None in 20 years that I know of!

[volk666]

Out of the thousands of great bands from the old days from The Beatles and The Stones to Led Zep, Little Feat and The Band only The Eagles and maybe one track from Santana is played in every bar from Chiang Mai to Phuket. Give them a Jimi Hendrix CD and it will be played for two minutes then back to "Welcome to the Hotel California"

They play these for farangs. I've yet to hear Hotel California in any of the Thai pubs. Their house bands can surely whip it up for some lost farang on request, but never on their own.

They hardly ever sing farang music in karaoke shops, too. Ok, the older crowd that came up in the early 90s might still pop up for a "golden oldie" song once in a while, but certainly not in the endless karaoke booths in every shopping mall.

[flying]

Depends I guess

If your looking for Thai music but you mean English beat/lyrics then perhaps they play what they think tourists like to hear.

But Thai music in Thai is very beautiful & has many styles.

Edited October 28, 2009 by flying

[thaihome]

For a self proclaimed world traveler, it does not appear the OP gets out in Thailand much.

TH

[clausewitz]

Yes there are some good Thai musicians but Thai music is basically soft rock or boy/girl band X-Factor type manufactured pop. I'm not a fan.

So Luk toon is soft rock or ..manufactured pop? I am keen to know where you place it.

[mrbp]

Why is that? Any thoughts?

Good post mate, spot on. There's a bar we drink in and have a few of our own CD's behind the bar. When there is a few of us in there and having a good time we ask to put them on, stuff from the 60's and 80's etc. Instantly all the girls will sit down with a face like thunder! unless some crap like 'Gasolina' is playing which is in Spanish anyway so I don't know how they even understand it!

Smithy!!! Blinding avatar mate. Yup you know what I'm talking about. Bloody Gasolina and Boots With The Furr etc etc

As I said if it was just about taste you would find Thai bars with Thai people in listening to something other than top 10 or Thai soft rock but it's universal from Chiang Mai to Phuket, same same and definitely not different.

As for people like Carabau they are OK but they lack edge and rhythm, it's pretty pedestrian stuff compared to Sympathy For The Devil but the soft rock will always win of proper rhythm & blues in Thailand. I think it's a musical twilight zone. Like the Bermuda Triangle for good taste.

[davethailand]

You guys didn't read my post properly. I'm not saying why can't I play techno, I'm not a twenty something goon with only one kind of hard electronic sound in my record box.

I like lots of different kinds of music from Motown to The Rolling Stones to 70's funk but even The Beatles is too sophisticated for Thai and expat crowds alike.

Even when it comes to playing old classics to an older farang crowd they prefer an out of tune version of Hotel California sung by a not very good Fillipino band than an original version of Otis Reading or Led Zeppelin.

It's not just about taste because tastes vary from person to person.

If it was just about taste there would be bars in Thailand that catered for people with different tastes, people who don't want to hear Top 10 pop or Hotel California but there is just no market for anything but one album by Bob Marley one or two Eagles tracks, One Santana track and thats all folks

In Thailand taste is practically universal 99.9% of Thais and farangs only want to hear Top 10 pop, Bob Marley, The Eagles and the rest of musical history. Past, present to future? FORGET ABOUT IT.

Out of the thousands of great bands from the old days from The Beatles and The Stones to Led Zep, Little Feat and The Band only The Eagles and maybe one track from Santana is played in every bar from Chiang Mai to Phuket. Give them a Jimi Hendrix CD and it will be played for two minutes then back to "Welcome to the Hotel California"

Thailand is musically stagnant and I don't understand why.

I would suggest that you are going the wrong places then too be honest, I've seen some great bands in Thailand that play superb covers of rock and blues including some of the lesser well known artists.

[Redhawk]

The Thai music is very developed. There are some sophisticated classical interpreters around. The traditional Thai music is a core piece of the Thai culture for centuries and equal its counterpart of western classical.

The hardrock scene is international accredited, like Smile Buffalo, Silly Fools, Loso etc.

Fooling around the wrong places tends to lead to misinterpret things.

"That is this kind of snootiness that makes us being welcomed very warm by the Thai people."

Since when it is should be an objective to party the whole night in a drug abusing community with aggresive music which only distributed to get people consuming more and more of alcohol and others. I am happy things are still a bit more normal here.

[hammered]

Its all subjective. If people dont like what I like then it doesnt mean what they like is unsophsiticated or crap or something. Art is something that anyone can have an opinion and liking or dislike for and having those who consider themselves better informed, critics, or better taste, sophisticated etc is just pandering to some elitist or bettre than them notion of what is good or bad imho.

If someone wants to think a version of hotel california played with the "wrong chords", different words and a funny accent is better than whatever "those in know" considered as in vogue, influential etc at the moment fine that is a valid artistic opinion as this all subjective, and what one person consdiers in good taste another may well find abhorent.

By the way, try some of the traditional Thai music from around the different regions if it is just something local and different you are looking for.

All imvho

[QED]

You forgot Zombie by the Cranberries What is it with that bloody song?

Seriously though I live in a small town with 2 Thai clubs/ discos, and both their housebands and really cool. Medium to heavy Thai rock which I never hear anywhere else, but really gets everyone going.

If you are talking about beer bars then yes you will get the same old <deleted>, as one poster mentioned - try something different and all the girls sit down with faces like slapped <deleted>.

To the OP you should try visiting some different places to the girly bars for a more fulfilling musical experience

[rixalex]

When I was a lad we had proper bands, with instruments and proper vocalists - none of that rubbish thump, thump stuff that the youth of today listen to,

LOL. My mental image of you Toady was obviously way off. Adjustments have now been made to include flat cap, walking stick and cardigan with tissue in one pocket, polo mints in the other.

[thaihome]

...As for people like Carabau they are OK but they lack edge and rhythm, it's pretty pedestrian stuff ..

Really know your Thai music don't you.

Idiot.

TH

[Soutpeel]

I like lots of different kinds of music from Motown to The Rolling Stones to 70's funk but even The Beatles is too sophisticated for Thai and expat crowds alike.

Thailand is musically stagnant and I don't understand why.

Have to disagree...Mrs Soutpeel loves the Beatles, Oasis, Gary Moore, Bob Marley and believe it or not Pink Floyd, but have to disagree with her taste in Britney Spears et al....

Actually when Simply Red played in BKK, she enjoyed it more than I did and she thought "We will Rock You" in BKK was brilliant and she was standing up and singing along to "bohemaian rhapsody" at the top of her voice..

Thai bands such as Carabau are not bad, some interesting riffs/rhythm musically...one or two tunes that have a hook to them...but agree most Thai popular music is a mass produced rip off, but my favourite has to be Tata Young..... musically not much going..but nice piece of eye candy....still trying to steal one her cardboard cutouts from one of the music shops..

...much to Mrs Soutpeels distress....

Edited October 28, 2009 by Soutpeel

[SpoliaOpima]

There is plenty of good music around, at least in Bangkok. You must be going to the wrong places. Try The Tube, Common Ground, Lollipop and Rain Dogs to start with. You won't hear any pop music, whether Thai or Western, in any of them. Tough indie rock, often orginal and sung in both Thai and English.

[mrbp]

Loog toon, that's Issan music isn't it? Awful stuff it goes from syrupy cheesy love songs to <deleted> up tempo pop stuff all with the same beat and a singer that sings slightly out of tune. Nah mate, I understand it's Thai so I respect that they love it but you couldn't play it anywhere outside Thailand without getting lynched.

It sounds like a cat strangling competition with an 99 year old Ringo Star on drums plus it all sounds the same. That is a perfect example of Thai bad taste. You could wheel out a loog toon drummer with his plodding beats and the Thais would think he was a great drummer but if you resurected one of the best drummers of all time Buddy Rich they would all sit down.

loog toon

Thats a Thai love song, sounds the same as all the rest. Plodding

Otis LIVE now thats quality music

The vocals are perfect and the musicians are as tight as a gnats arsehol_e but in Thailand hearing the cream of Western music like this is not in demand by anyone. Hotel California anyone?

As a DJ and musician believe me I have been out a lot in Thailand and it's not a happening place musically. There are places in rural Brazil that are more open to sophisticated music and stuff they have never heard before than downtown Bkk.

Even in Bangkoks must trendy clubs like Bed they are playing the kind of music that would be playing to chavs in Romford (A London suburb known for tacky nightlife). Not the kind of music any serious music lovers would be listening to in the West End, Hoxton or Hackney.

I know a lot of the club promoters, DJs and owners and even places like Bed Supper Club keeps the music as unchalenging and popular as possible. And Bkk is an oasis of musical enlightenment by Thai standards but compare it to Singapore, Hong Kong or the mighty Tokyo, London and New York it's dead.

[IanForbes]

Different tastes, my friend, different tastes. I enjoy the music here because it's older songs and songs that are easy to listen to (in general).

Music is like food--what one person likes, doesn't suit another at all.

I can agree with what the OP says, but I also agree with Scott... different strokes for different folks.

I can't say I've EVER enjoyed ANY of the Thai music I've heard ANYWHERE. I've been on lakes fishing and had the quiet beauty destroyed by a party group of Thais playing their music in boom-boxes. The sound REALLY travels over water. At one lake it was so loud and so bad all we could do is laugh. Even the Thai guys who were fishing with us agreed. And, nothing is worse than the screaching sound of Thai temple music blared out over loud speakers at 5 AM.

That is REALLY not what you want to hear after partying until 3AM.

[JR Texas]

Thailand is musically stagnant and I don't understand why.

The entire culture seems stagnant.........part of it has to do with education......it does not foster creativity.........it does not stimulate imagination.

So, the same old crap over and over and over again.............so boring......it is the worst music on the planet.

Bob Dylan could come over, sit on some sidewalk, play and most Thai people would walk away--would not want to even listen, especially to his voice.

There are, fortunately, a few young people who are thinking out of the box, but they are not yet popular.

I have been teaching one of how to play some tunes from Dylan, SRV, Buddy Guy, Springsteen, Neil Young, John Lee Hooker, Kurt Corbain (all musicians with a special edge).......for one year now. At first he though it was all "weird." Now he gets it; he loves it. And he is writing his own stuff now.

This guy, when he gets away from his sweet Thai voice, can actually sound almost exactly like Kurt Corbain..........I am trying my best to encourage him to change his singing voice, but when he does the Thais around him don't like it (too real? too different? too good? who knows).

Thais just like sweet stuff...........especially sweet voices.........which make me want to throw up.

[bkkjames]

Loog toon, that's Issan music isn't it? Awful stuff it goes from syrupy cheesy love songs to <deleted> up tempo pop stuff all with the same beat and a singer that sings slightly out of tune. Nah mate, I understand it's Thai so I respect that they love it but you couldn't play it anywhere outside Thailand without getting lynched.

It sounds like a cat strangling competition with an 99 year old Ringo Star on drums plus it all sounds the same. That is a perfect example of Thai bad taste. You could wheel out a loog toon drummer with his plodding beats and the Thais would think he was a great drummer but if you resurected one of the best drummers of all time Buddy Rich they would all sit down.

loog toon

Thats a Thai love song, sounds the same as all the rest. Plodding

Otis LIVE now thats quality music

The vocals are perfect and the musicians are as tight as a gnats arsehol_e but in Thailand hearing the cream of Western music like this is not in demand by anyone. Hotel California anyone?

As a DJ and musician believe me I have been out a lot in Thailand and it's not a happening place musically. There are places in rural Brazil that are more open to sophisticated music and stuff they have never heard before than downtown Bkk.

Even in Bangkoks must trendy clubs like Bed they are playing the kind of music that would be playing to chavs in Romford (A London suburb known for tacky nightlife). Not the kind of music any serious music lovers would be listening to in the West End, Hoxton or Hackney.

I know a lot of the club promoters, DJs and owners and even places like Bed Supper Club keeps the music as unchalenging and popular as possible. And Bkk is an oasis of musical enlightenment by Thai standards but compare it to Singapore, Hong Kong or the mighty Tokyo, London and New York it's dead.

Maybe you can tell us where you are next performing and we can come judge for ourselves.