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Book Review: Thailand Joy
by Lang Reid
 Thailand Joy (ISBN 974-243-104-3), published by DK
Books, is the latest book from David Young, whose previous credits include
The Scribe. I was interested at once in this book, being in some ways
looking like a modern day version of the book reviewed last week (The
Prostitute) which had been written 65 years previously.
The similarity began with the tale of an impoverished
girl from the North. A chilling start to the book was in the quote from
the heroine Mantana, “When did poverty end? Mantana knew the answer.
Poverty never ended, at least not honestly.”
The books are actually similar in content, country girl
in the city gets tricked and goes downwards in society from there on, but
totally different in the way the story is presented. Thailand Joy is very
much written in today’s style - descriptive and racy with some of the
hallmarks of a thriller. Thailand Joy also looks beyond the trappings of
prostitution, the lipsticks, powder and vodka and drugs.
Mantana begins in a department store where she is
attacked by her employer. Running away she finds work in a cabaret
restaurant where the salary is so small that she has to find a second job,
just to make ends meet. From there the slippery slide begins, ending up
with a kidnapping and acceptance of a job in a new bar in Pattaya, because
by that stage there was nowhere else to go - or to do.
The bar scene in Pattaya (or what used to be the bar
scene in Pattaya, before the MOI crackdown) is described, with Mantana,
the central character, watching with wide-open amazed eyes as training
classes were held for the balloon dart ladies. It might not be an art
form, but there is a certain level of technical expertise required! It was
also somewhat chilling to read the conversation between two girls, about
to become “working girls” for the first time, where one was exhorting
the other not to spend her last night alone, or she could change her mind
about joining the oldest profession. “What’s wrong with changing my
mind?” said Mantana. “Nothing. If you can afford to change it,” was
the reply. Those of us with choices should remember this.
The review copy came from Bookazine with an RRP is 280 baht, which
makes it a very inexpensive read these days, and should be available at
all good bookstores. The subject matter is one that has been dealt with by
numerous authors, viewing from all sides of the spectrum. I liked this
book as it was non-judgmental, but informative enough for the reader to
make his or her own judgments. Author Young shows a more than superficial
knowledge of the innermost workings of the country girl in the big city.
This is no gloss-over or pseudo-romantic imagery, but a much more down to
earth example of real life. You may not like to read something that is
much closer to the truth than that put forward by the pulp press. It may
destroy your own ‘romantic’ notions. Don’t be blinded by the bright
neon lights. Read this book.
Movie Review: Gangs of New York
By Poppy
 Fortunately
this movie is better than its rather uninspiring title. It’s set in New
York during the draft riots between 1846 and 1863. The draft riots caused
a war in Manhattan that almost destroyed it. The combination of mobs and
Navy destroyed businesses and the private homes of prominent people.
In this movie the underworld boss is Billy the Butcher,
played brilliantly with humor and a lot of ruthlessness by Daniel
Day-Lewis.
Leonardo DiCaprio as Amsterdam Vallon is trying to
avenge the death of his father (played by Liam Neeson) with the help of a
resourceful pickpocket, played by Cameron Diaz. If you really can’t
picture Cameron Diaz as an orphan pickpocket your instincts are correct.
She’s a good actress but somehow the role just doesn’t fit and she
looks far to well turned out to be a street urchin, especially in a film
depicting the poverty and rough state of the streets of New York in 1860.
Be warned, the movie is extremely violent, which might
put a lot of people off.
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Cast:
Leonardo DiCaprio ... Amsterdam Vallon
Daniel Day-Lewis ... Bill the Butcher
Cameron Diaz ... Jenny Everdeane
Jim Broadbent ... Boss Tweed
John C. Reilly ... Happy Jack
Henry Thomas ... Johnny Sirocco
Brendan Gleeson ... Monk
Roger Ashton-Griffiths ... P.T. Barnum
Salvatore Billa ... Native
Barbara Bouchet
Gerry Robert Byrne ... Draft Official
Brennan Caitlin ... Hot Corn Girl
Liam Carney ... Fuzzy
Eliane Chappuis
Lucy Davenport ... Miss Skimmerhorne
Ilaria D’Elia ... Jenny’s Girl
Brando De Sica
Andrew Gallagher ... Young Johnny Sirocco
Robert Goodman (I) ... Forty Thieves Gang Leader
Stephen Graham (I) ... Shang
David Hemmings (I)
Yoon C. Joyce
Ford Kiernan
Gary Lewis (III) ... Charles McGloin
Gary McCormack ... Stick
Liam Neeson ... Priest Vallon
Raffaella Ponzo ... Johnny’s girlfriend
Cara Seymour ... Hellcat Maggie
Donald Stewart (III) ... Anatomist
Dominique Vandenberg (I) ... Tommy
Massimo Vanni
Mott’s CD review:
Argent - Live In Concert
by Mott the Dog
*** 3 Stars Rating
Rising like a Phoenix from the Ashes, so did Argent
arise from the demise of the fabulous Zombies, who split up amongst great
acrimony in 1967. Formed in 1969, Rod Argent, although obviously the focal
point of the band with his penchant for throwing his keyboards around,
minor keys, haunting organ solos, and unfortunately calf length purple
suede boots, did not dominate circumstances just for the sake of it, he
pulled around him some of the finest musicians of the times.
His new recruits rose to the occasion and matched the
exacting demands of their leader and justified Argent’s faith in
rejecting calls to reform his former band. Bassist John Rodford, with
thirteen years experience under his belt in various combos, underpinned
Argent’s sound with rich strongly defined rhythms, whilst drummer Bob
Henritt hit the bins with remarkable strength and accuracy (for a sticks
man). Russ Ballard (the man always with the shades on - very reminiscent
of Ian Hunter) had cut his musical teeth as a member of Adam Faiths
Roulettes. Ballard was in fact a real find, possessing a strong bluesy
voice, a crystal clear, distinctive guitar sound and a commercial flair
for song writing (he later went on to write hits for Rainbow, Uriah Heep,
etc). It was indeed Ballard who gave the band much needed exposure early
on, when his song “Liar” was covered by Three Dog Night and climbed
into the U.S. top 10 in 1971.
What you get for your buck here are eleven tracks in
all, covering the band’s commercial successful years from 1972 to their
demise in 1974. First up is an entire short concert recorded for the B.B.C
at the Paris Theatre, which has most of the songs from their new album at
the time “Altogether Now”. It shows off the many varied talents of
Argent from Folk Rock, Jazz Rock, Pop Rock and Rock ‘n’ Roll. Opener
“Be My Lover, Be My Friend” is a typical Argent song covering all
spectrums of music in six short minutes. Therein was the problem Argent
suffered, trying to appeal to all. They became Jack of all trades, but
master of none. But saying that, when the band rock out on the final two
numbers of this set, hit single “Hold Your Head Up” and “He’s A
Dynamo” (in which they blatantly rip off the guitar riff from Nut Bush
City limits; great riff, why not?) the band really cook, blending power
with precision.
After this we get two healthy dollops of Russ Ballard
Stadium Rock including the gloriously dumb ode to the fans “God Gave
Rock ‘n’ Roll To You”, which includes the immortal lines “Don’t
step on snails, don’t climb in trees, love Cliff Richard, but please
don’t Tease”. Kiss later covered this turning it into a huge hit
single in the U.S.A, and used to close their live show with it in a blaze
of cigarette lighters held aloft by the crowd. Stirring stuff.
Sighting musical differences, Ballard then left the
band to concentrate on his writing skills, and by the time the band got to
mid 1974 they had gone off in a very Spinal Tap influenced Jazz direction.
Two guitarists had been added to replace Ballard (John Grinaldi and John
Verity), but it really was a completely different bottle of Mellotrons as
the last two tracks show here. Definitely the point to turn off the
player. Brilliant at their best, overindulgent and far too twiddly at
their worst.
Argent were a good band, but unfortunately other people
did it better.
Musicians
Russ Ballard - Guitar, piano & vocals
Rod Argent - Organ & vocals
Jim Rodford - Bass
Bob Henritt - Drums
Track Listing
1. Be My Lover, Be My Friend
2. Sweet Mary
3. Tragedy
4. Dance Of Ages
5. The Fakir
6. Hold Your Head Up
7. He’s A Dynamo
8. God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll To You
9. It’s Only Money
10. Gonna Meet My Maker
11. Music From The Spheres
To contact Mott the Dog email: [email protected]
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