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Book Review: Answers to all your Questions about Thailand
by Lang Reid
 It
is not a historic quest, providing answers to commonly asked questions, but
almost epoch-making in the fact that this book about Thailand has been
written and published in Chiang Mai. Bravo!
Three authors (Emmanuel and Ludovic Perve and Adrien Fontanellaz) who
apparently gained their experience in Thailand (and the art of answering
questions) while running guest houses, have put together this book “Answers
to all your Questions about Thailand” (ISBN 974-93777-1-0), and published in
December 2005, so it is current (other than the April 2006 (non)election and
the disarray in the Election Commission)!
It has been a small project of mine, to listen to the authoritarian bar-room
lawyers and armchair experts pontificating at worst, advising at best, on
all subjects Thai. Be that from whether a non-Thai can own a mobile phone,
to even the very origins of the word “farang” used to describe us big-nosed,
round-eyed foreigners. Incidentally, question number 133 in this book gives
a very interesting alternative answer to the usual “francais” origin which
supposedly came after the French envoys to Ayutthya in the 16th century.
There was a descriptive term for Europeans at the time of the crusades,
termed “Frank” and linguistic studies can trace this word as the origin of
the Arab “faranji”, the Persian “farang”, the Cambodian “balang” and the
Vietnamese “pha-lang-xa”, as well as the Siamese “farang”.
The questions are divided into 11 broad sections, covering Practical
Information, Nature, Food, Customs, Society, Buddhism, Arts and Traditions,
History and Politics, Minority Ethnic Groups, Sports and Leisure Activities
and finally, language. In the center of the book there are also several
color plates featuring a map of Thailand and photographic images of some
native Thai items of interest.
The section on Minority Ethnic Groups I found particularly fascinating. For
example, the reason why Hmong women do not divorce their husbands is that if
they do so, they have to refund the bride price. If this were only the case
in the western societies, I hear some of you saying!
There are some answers which will no doubt prompt further bar-room
discussions, for example, the percentage of the Thai prostitution scene
which is devoted to catering to foreigners (if you just said five percent,
you agree with the authors), and another on the origin of Kathoeys, and the
fact that there was not just three genders in Thailand, but four! Turn to
question 62 to get their answer.
The authors do not go into much detail of their own bona fides, and there is
no bibliography at the end, though there are several pages of recommended
reading, so one has to presume that their answers were culled from the
reference books. Despite the leap of faith regarding the answers, I did find
this to be a good reference tool, providing the reader with good information
about Thailand. It is just a pity they did not include more information on
themselves and their sources, and an index.
At B. 745, it is not cheap, but still reasonable value. Well worth looking
out for at the local Bookazine, which supplied my copy.
Mott’s CD review: Bill Bruford’s Earthworks
Performing live at Siverlake Vineyard
in Pattaya on June 3rd 2006
 Written
by Mott the Dog
Applauded by
Meow The Cat
The oldest joke in music is: “Question: Who do you often see hanging
around with musicians? Answer: Drummers!” Well, the leader of Bill
Bruford’s Earthworks has certainly gone a long way to disproving this
old joke. Mr. Bill Bruford cut his teeth playing in many British blues
boom band’s in the mid Sixties including for one gig Savoy Brown,
although his primal influences were the great jazz drummers of the time
like Art Blakey. But finding that most bands expectations of a drummer
were simply to count them in and keep time, Bill Bruford took a look
around to find something a little more ambitious. This desire was
fulfilled when he joined the formative ‘Yes’ in 1968 with Peter Banks on
lead guitar, Chris Squire on bass, Jon (then known as John) Anderson,
and Tony Kaye on keyboards. Bill Bruford stayed with ‘Yes’ through
various line-up changes, and five albums, quitting for the first time
during the recording of Yes’s triple live album ‘Yessongs’ to be
replaced by Alan White.
Bill Bruford had been enticed away from the secure and lucrative drum
stool of ‘Yes’ to throw his lot in with Robert Fripp who had a desire to
kick start ‘King Crimson’ again. This was to prove to be the first of a
trend where Bill Bruford would follow musical challenge, instead of
financial security. During his time with Yes the great Buddy Rich had
become an admirer of Bill Bruford’s drum technique, there being no
higher accolade in the drumming world.
The new King Crimson was a powerful and unique outfit, featuring Robert
Fripp on lead guitar, John Wetton on bass and vocals (who came in from
Family, and when King Crimson fell apart went onto put the bass in Uriah
Heep before joining up with Bill Bruford again, and then hitting pay
dirt with Asia), the completely unknown, but extraordinarily talented
David Cross (who was a multi instrumentalist), for the first album the
avant-garde percussionist Jamie Muir and for the final album Ian
Macdonald. This version of King Crimson released three seminal studio
albums Larks Tongue in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974),
and a live album U.S.A. (1975). But to hear Bill Bruford in all his
glory in this era, get the 4 CD the Great Deceiver, a selection of cuts
from concerts from an American tour with the whole band at the height of
their powers.
When King Crimson fell apart Bill Bruford quickly found a place in the
line-up of National Health, a group formed out of the ashes of
Canterbury sound band Hatfield and the North. In their ranks were Phil
Miller on lead guitar, Richard Sinclair on keyboards and later Neil
Murry on bass, Bill Bruford also moonlighted with teapot rockers Gong
during this time, but not before he had recorded two albums with Roy
Harper, HQ and When a Cricketer Leaves The Crease, both recorded in
1975. Bill Bruford also went out on the road with Roy Harper’s Band
which included Chris Spedding on lead guitar. Over the years Bill
Bruford has appeared on too many album sessions to mention in this
review.
At this time Peter Gabriel had just left Genesis after their Lamb Lies
Down On Broadway tour. Instead of finding a new singer they simply moved
the young drummer Phil Collins from behind his drum kit to front of
stage to sing the songs. The trouble was, who was going to hit the
skins? Phil Collins (no mean drummer himself) announced that the only
drummer in the world he would feel happy with deputizing for him was
Bill Bruford, so from March to November of 1976 Bill Bruford found
himself as part of the tour band for Genesis. His contribution to
Genesis can be heard on the live double album Seconds Out, not for the
last time Bill Bruford found himself in a band with two drummers, when
Bruford and Collins found themselves behind their separate drum kits at
the same time, it was a mighty sound.
But this was not a permanent arrangement, so when the suggestion was
made to form a new super group with like minded old pals Allan
Holdsworth on guitar, John Wetton on bass, and multi instrumentalist
Eddie Jobson, fresh from his stints with Frank Zappa and Roxy Music, the
idea was put into motion and U.K. was formed. But after one great self
titled album, divisions formed; Allan Holdsworth and Bill Bruford went
off and formed Bruford for a couple of years, whilst the other two
carried on with U.K. replacing Bill Bruford with another ex Zappa man
Terry Bozio.
Then in 1980 the mighty King Crimson raised its mighty head again and
Bill Bruford joined the ranks for another four year successful journey.
Then to add another branch between the two supergroups Yes and King
Crimson, Patrick Moraz, the new Yes keyboard player left, and Bill
Bruford left King Crimson to form Moraz / Bruford from 1984 -1986. After
this Bill Bruford formed the first version of Earthworks with Django
Bates and Iain Bellamy, allowing Bill Bruford to get back to his jazz
roots.
In 1986 Bill Bruford was asked to come back to the Yes camp (well sort
of) to record an album with Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe and
himself. This was fine but they were not allowed to use the Yes name, so
the album was released under their own names Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman,
and Howe (1988). Supplemented by auxiliary members Tony Levin (the
bassist from Bruford’s King Crimson Days!), Milton MacDonald on rhythm
guitar and Julian Colberg on additional keyboards for the supporting
tour. They could not use the Yes name as there was still a band called
Yes led by original Yes bass player Chris Squire. Then in a moment of
sheer madness the management of all the members of both bands decided it
would be a good idea to combine both bands and record another album
Union (1990) and go back out on tour with all the musicians. That means
the aforementioned musicians and Chris Squire, Alan White, Trevor Rabin,
and Tony Kaye. (That’s right, eleven musicians on one stage!) This meant
that Yes went out with every member of the band there had ever been
except for poor old Peter Banks. This was obviously an unmitigated
disaster and Bill Bruford fulfilled his contractual obligations and
fled.
Bill Bruford quickly got Earthworks back on the road and regained his
sanity. Then for the third time, Robert Fripp and his King Crimson came
an asking. Bill Bruford found King Crimson in its double trio format of
two drummers, two bassists and two guitarists on the same stage. This
time it worked and from 1994 to 1997 King Crimson toured the Earth and
neighbouring planets to great critical acclaim, releasing live albums
and DVDs.
But then the call of Earthworks became too much again, and Bill Bruford
for the last time left King Crimson to put together a new Earthworks in
1998. There have been a few comings and goings in the line up as the
band found their feet, but they have now settled on a comfortable stable
line up of Tim Garland on sax and flute, an incredibly talented player
and composer who has become Bill Bruford’s partner in the band and is
best known before for his association with Chick Corea.
The other two in the band are a perfect blend of youth and experience.
The youth is supplied by Gwilym Simcock on keyboards who has already
fronted his own band and was the winner of the BBC Radio Rising Star
Award. Completing the band is the bass playing skills of Laurence
Cottie. The music is definitely jazz based, but there are a lot of
elements of Progressive rock in their too. Certainly the perfect blend
to satisfy anybody with an ear for good music.
Now it is time for the Earthworks 20th Anniversary tour, which
fortunately for us includes Thailand. The promoter of the tour is Mark
Bolam of Enlightened Planet, who has already brought another brilliant
jazz drummer, Billy Cobham, to Pattaya on Saturday the 13th May at the
Silverlake Vineyard. Billy Cobham played a storming set to great
critical acclaim, and much appreciation from the local audience.
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks will perform at Mahison Hall l at SCB Park on
June 1st 2006, and then will play a one hour set at the Hua Hin Jazz
Festival on June 2nd 2006. Then on Saturday 3rd June Bill Bruford’s
Earthworks will play at Silverlake Vineyard in Pattaya. The venue has a
seating capacity of only 400 so be prepared to be up close and intimate
with the artists.
Siverlake Vineyards is run by the charming music enthusiast Dennis Dila
who will of course be there at the show and more than keen to answer any
questions you may have about future events at Silverlake Vineyards, and
believe me the plans are big.
Tickets are available through Thai Ticketmaster or select retail outlets
around Pattaya. If you want more information please look up
www.silverlakethai.com or www.billbruford.com
Recent albums from Bill Bruford’s Earthworks
2001 The Sound of Surprise
2002 Footloose and Fancy Free
2004 Random Acts of Happiness
2006 Earthworks Underground Orchestra
To contact Mott the
Dog email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mott-the-dog.com
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