Since I've been living in Bangkok for about five years, I thought I'd write about some of the garage rock bands here in Thailand for anybody interested in checking out something different, or in case anybody is visiting Thailand and wants to check out some good local music bands. I'll try to provide links to live clips, websites or music of each band.
As far as underground music in Thailand goes, the garage rock scene is pretty small. In general, people here tend to like more melodic types of indie rock, and most of the garage rock bands are made up of a combination of Thai and foreign members. Because of this, some of the bands only last a couple of years, ending when key members return to their up and exciting gigs to check out. Here are some of the best garage rock bands who are currently or were recently rocking the local Thai underground..
Klong Riders
Unfortunately no longer going, Klong Riders were an instrumental surf garage rock band made of up Thai and European musicians. With two guitars, bass and drums, Klong riders were like a garage punk update of The Ventures. Always great live, Klong Riders released one album on self-released CD, and it's a great effort for a band that was only around for about a year (2011-2012).
Pussy and the Learjets
Another band that was only around for a year or so (and sharing a member with the Klong Riders) is Pussy and the Learjets. Led by renowned writer and journalist Tom Vater and fronted by a great Thai singer nicknamed Pussy, this band was tight, loud, energetic and always great live. They played a lot of covers of 60s garage rock (great versions of 'Dirty Water' and 'Train Kept a Rollin''), as well as some cool original songs. They releaed one 7'' single with Hong Kong label Metal Postcard Records, as well as a self-released EP on CD. Hopefully this band will be brought back to life at some point.
Blood Thirst Spider
Yet another band that featured a couple of Klong Riders (French guitarist Ax Bonmati and Thai multi-instumentalist Toppy), Blood Thirst Spider were around for a few years and released one great album on CD. This band was wild live - the guitarists loved to jump up on the nearest tables to the stage, spilling everybody's drinks and smashing their guitars into poles, mic stands, etc. Great shows, great songs, great band! Their music reminded me a bit of Pussy Galore at some points, and there also seemed to be some 80s hardcore influence in their sound. Check them out here:
Cosmos + Low Fat
Cosmos are a great 4-piece Japanese garage rock band living in Bangkok who are loud, energetic, grungy and a bit psychedelic. They self-released at leastone great CD - not sure if they're still going, but they share their great guitarist with another great new, wild Japanese punk band based here called Low Fat.
Rocket Science
This is a new all Thai punk/grunge/garage band led by Wannarit Pongprayoon, a legend in the Thai underground scene who has played in numerous bands over the years and who runs the indie label Panda Records. Rocket Science are a 3-peice (with an ex-Blood Thirst Spider member on guitar). They haven't recorded yet but live they're amazing - loud, tight and wild with a raw sound that you don't often hear in Thailand.
Itchy Band
All of the above bands are based in Bangkok, but the northern city of Chiang Mai also has a notable indie music scene and quite a few cool punk bands. One of the best and latest is the all-girl Itchy Band, who have made a number of trips to Bangkok for some exciting gigs.
Plastic Section and Basement Tape
On the subject of garage rock in Thailand, I'd better give a shameless plug to my own bands, Plastic Section and Basement Tape.
Plastic Section usually plays as a two-piece (guitar/vocals + drums), and the Thai drummers that I play with regularly are Bank Redtwenty (also lead singer of indie rock band Redtwenty) and Put Wednesday, who plays with various other bands as well as his own experimental solo guitar project, Wednesday. Plastic Section are one of the only bands in Thailand that are heavily influenced by rockabilly, old rhythm and blues and modern garage rock crazies like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.
My other band, Basement Tape, is co-led by Thai singer-songwriter Tat Bunnag. Our music is more Big Star influenced power pop than garage rock, but we always try to stay raw and lo-fi and stick to a punk ways of doing things. We recorded two albums on cassette (available on CD through the local labels Panda Records and Spicy Disc) and are halfway through recording our third.
Happyband
Happyband are an interesting Thai experimental noise band / art project. While not really garage rock, they definitely deliver their experimental sounds with some punk attitude, while their look is reminiscent of a 60s psychedelic garage band. Happyband have self-released one album so far, called Psychodakikk.
