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Bookazine Book Review: Memoirs
of a Bangkok Warrior
by Lang Reid
This book, written by Dean Barrett, an author who has
spent more than 20 years in Asia, is published in the United States by
Village East Books. It is now in its 4th print run,
and this one is the second in paperback format, which was printed last
year.
From the first page onwards, Barrett succeeds in
drawing the reader into the tale as he describes the characters with well
crafted word pictures such as his buddy Hogbody who taped armies of ant
columns to the wall with sticky tape, or his third room mate, Taylor, who
sent letters of adoration to three “Siamese” film stars in ‘Bridge
on the River Kwai’ care of the manager of his local drive-in theatre,
with ‘Please Forward’ on the envelope! Another, called Charlie was
described as the Babe Ruth of whorehouses, so became known as Whorehouse
Charlie. The penchant of young men, especially in the armed services, to
call each other by nicknames is well known, and Barrett makes them all
very believable.
 Anyone
who has ever had the misfortune to spend time in the armed forces would
recognise the “I walked through the chow line, filled my tray with
nameless, shapeless, boneless, odourless, tasteless masses which the black
market had obviously rejected,” and ain’t that the truth, no matter
whose army!
Barrett has the ability to really pare away the onion
skins of the individual to show the true man inside. His chapter on the
army chaplain (a position that I have always felt constituted an oxymoron)
who became pathologically unhinged and ended his life via a landmine
placed in his path by his twisted idea of a divine presence was
exceptional. He reminded me of one of the padres I was exposed to!
There are 33 separate chapters, each one a ‘stand
alone’ item, so it is an easy book to pick up and put down, though I
must admit I didn’t want to put it down as I enjoyed it so much.
The review copy came from the Royal Garden Plaza
Bookazine outlet (1st floor, next to Black Canyon and Boots) and retails
at 425 baht. While reading, I ranged from smiles to titters to outright
belly laughs. It is one of the funniest “war” books I have read. If
you enjoy humour, get this book. A great chuckle. However, it should also
be pointed out that some of the vignettes are very touching, and whilst
Dean Barrett is a humorous writer, his acuity in describing some of
life’s more poignant moments raise this book above the level of purely
humour.
Footnote: When I previously reviewed one of Dean
Barrett’s other books last year and was less than positive about it, the
Pattaya Mail offices received an outraged email, less than
complimentary to myself and my abilities as a reviewer (he stopped short
at questioning whether my parents were in possession of a marriage
certificate). I hope that now, after this positive review of Memoirs of
a Bangkok Warrior, he will be good enough to send me not a retraction,
but just a more affable email!
Movie Review By Poppy: "John
Q"
What lengths would you go to in order to save your
child’s life? Asks John Quincy Archibald.
John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington) is a
blue-collar factory worker whose life seems to be taking a turn for the
worse. The bank has repossessed his wife’s (Kimberly Elise) car and his
hours at the factory have been cut down from 40 hours to 20. As the story
begins, he only has only one big problem: he can’t pay his bills.
Minutes later this changes as he and his wife watch his son Mike’s
(Daniel E. Smith) little league baseball game and suddenly the boy
collapses while running to second base.
 The
doctors tell him that Mike needs a full heart transplant; the child’s
heart is three times its normal size. Unfortunately, John discovers that
his insurance doesn’t cover an operation like this. John and his wife
exhaust themselves working to raise the $75,000 needed for the down
payment on the surgery, accepting charity from their friends and selling
off their possessions for whatever they can get. Time runs out and the
hospital releases Mike saying that it’s too late for surgery now.
John goes crazy and barricades himself in the hospital
emergency room, taking an assorted bunch of people hostage. These include
Mike’s doctor (James Woods), and John demands that Mike’s name be put
at the top of the donor’s list. The police lieutenant (Robert Duvall)
tries to talk John down, while a crowd of people surround the emergency
room to cheer on John, the chief of police (Ray Liotta) and the icy-cold
hospital administrator (Anne Heche) do everything in their power to end
the situation in their own ways.
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Cast: Denzel Washington, Robert Duvall, James
Woods, Anne Heche, Kimberly Elise, Ray Liotta
 Mott’s
CD review:
Ian Hunter - You're Never Alone With A
Schizophrenic
by Mott the Dog
***** 5 Stars Rating
Slip this wonderfully newly re-mastered version of Ian
Hunter’s Classic album from 1979 into your player and out bursts Dam-Dah-Ram-Dam,
then drums followed by guitar with keyboards, and there you are in the
middle of the Schizophrenic world of Ian Hunter. The nine songs featured
on this collection used to comprise five on side A and four on side B in
the days of good old vinyl. The Schizophrenic title wasn’t meant to be
wholly serious (it was actually taken from graffiti on a New York toilet
wall), however, listening to the record it soon became clear that
musically it was split. Side one featured five relatively commercial
songs, and side two four longer, more heavy introverted pieces that dwelt
on past influences on Ian’s life and showed the darker side of his
character.
After the fire and spat of opener “Just Another
Night” comes swaggering to a halt, it immediately merges into the bump
and groove of “Wild East”, a mildly energetic and melodic piece with a
sax-based riff concerning the crazed east side of New York City. It had an
undoubted Springsteen and Dylan flavour, which is not highly surprising as
joining Hunter in the studio were 3 of Springsteen’s E-street band in
Ray Bitten (Piano), Gary Tallent (Bass) and Max Weinberg (Drums) alongside
guitar ace Mick Ronson who had just come off Dylan’s Rolling Thunder
tour.
Next up is Ian Hunter’s anthem to Cleveland,
“Cleveland Rocks” (now used as the theme tune for the Drew Carey
show). It opens with a spoken section from the infamous Alan Freed before
Ronson fires the whole thing off with some guitar pyrotenics, now a staple
of all Ian Hunter’s concerts.
Hunter included a touching hymn-like ballad,
“Ships”, concerning his relationship with his father. “Ships” was
subsequently covered by Barry Mannilow and charted as a hit single,
probably earning more money in royalties for Ian Hunter then he’d ever
made before. Funny old world this Rock ‘n’ Roll, ain’t it.
Closing side one was Mick Ronson’s favourite track
“When The Daylight Comes”, a light and simple song that Ian encouraged
Mick to sing duel lead vocals on.
Side two opens with “Life After Death”, which
allowed Ian to explore metaphysical issues with an all out belting rocker.
“Standing In My Light” shifts moods and dynamics in gospel fashion. It
builds up slowly and compellingly in terms of musical anger as Ian gives a
stately account of a new beginning in his life.
“Bastard” is a powerful piece of macho-funk with a
throbbing beat and percussion that recalls the Rolling Stones Black &
Blue era. Built on a relentless grinding slow burn, the track concerns
some poor unfortunate who crossed Ian and incurred his wrath.
“The Outsider” closes the record in dramatic
fashion, employing arresting drum and vocal echoes, topped with more
scorching Ronson lead guitar.
With three months of pre-production the record produced
by Mick & Ian, engineered by the notorious Bob Clearmountain, took
only one week to record, a further three weeks to mix, and then went
straight into the Billboard top forty and became Ian Hunter’s most
successful solo project to this day.
Overall the album was a hard hitting, surging rock
record with superb studio sound.
Musicians:
Ian Hunter - Vocals, Guitar and Keyboard
Mick Ronson - Guitar
Roy Bittan - Piano
Gary Tallent - Bass
Max Weinberg - Drums
John Cale - Piano on Bastard
Track Listing
1. Just Another Night
2. Wild East
3. Cleveland Rocks
4. Ships
5. When The Daylight Comes
6. Life After Death
7. Standing In My Light
8. Bastard
9. The Outsider
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