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Book Review
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Movie Review
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Mott's CD review
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Book Review: Through King
Chulalongkorn’s Kingdom
(1904-1906)
by Lang Reid
This book, published by White Lotus Press in Bangkok
(ISBN 974-7534-56-8) was released last year in its English translation
format, done by Dr. Walter E.J. Tips. The original German impression was
published in 1912. The sub-title is The First Botanical Exploration of
Northern Thailand and the original author was the German botanist Carl
Curt Hosseus.
The book, being ostensibly one about botanical research
does have a detailed listing of the plants documented by Hosseus near the
front as well as a list of the almost 100 photographs which are
interspersed throughout the written pages.
In the first chapter, Hosseus describes arriving in
Bangkok and his audience with King Chulalongkorn, whom he depicts as a man
who “spoke excellent English and showed charming amiability.” It is
also in this chapter that Prince Damrong, the Minister of the Interior,
gives his opinion on the differences between the European entrepreneurs
who arrived in the East with huge numbers of personnel and drink champagne
to the success of the new ventures until they fail, and the Chinese
approach where a very few people arrive, work hard, including the leader,
and if the business is successful, then they bring in more people. My
personal opinion is that this lesson is still being played out today! Some
people are slow learners!
Hosseus gives excellent descriptions of the villages
and village people as he goes up the Mae Ping to Northern Thailand,
including customs and dress. He distinguishes between the Lao, Shan and
Karen, showing ethnic differences not quite as marked today. He also tells
in great detail just how the elephants were used in those days as true
working elephants, dragging the logs to the river and then pushing them
out into the current, and other fascinating snippets.
In my first year at University, we were all made to
study botany as one of the compulsory subjects. After receiving a
distinction in the discipline, I must admit that the only surviving
knowledge I have from that freshman year so long ago is that I can, with a
fair degree of confidence, differentiate between a Xmas tree and a carrot.
So I did not come to this book as a quest for botanical knowledge - but on
the first opening and looking at the photographs of the period, I was
enthralled. This book represents a rare ‘snapshot’ of life in Thailand
(Siam) almost 100 years ago. Anyone with even the slightest sense of
history of this country will also be fascinated by Hosseus’ recounting
of life in that era, before radio, TV, cell phones and even commercial
plane travel. To suggest to Hosseus that he could get to Chiang Mai from
Bangkok in 65 minutes would have been considered science fiction!
It is not a book you read from cover to cover in one sitting, but is
one you will pick up and put down many times. As a reference book it is
excellent. Leave it on your coffee table and watch the conversations that
it will generate. If you cannot pick one up locally you can contact White
Lotus Press at [email protected], RRP is B. 750.
Movie Review: Lord of the Rings
‘The Two Towers’
By Poppy
This is the second movie in the Lord of the Rings
trilogy and once again it is helpful if you saw the first movie to help
you follow the storyline. These are great movies with all the excitement,
fantasy and adventure you could wish for. All children from 5 - 100 will
love this one, although it can be a bit scary at times.
In the movie most of the cast are old favorites and
comfortable with their characters. The movie continues where the first one
left off, as if there had been no break, so you are immediately straight
back into the story.
The Fellowship is broken and Boromir is dead, isn’t
he?
Frodo and Sam continue unprotected on their journey to
Mordor in their mission to destroy the ‘One Ring’. Aragorn, Legolas,
and Gimli are hunting Orcs. We see the hunt begin, tracking and running
across the plains in hot pursuit.
Saruman’s army of Uruk Hai is ready to launch an
assault against Aragorn and the people of Rohan; the War of the Ring is
about to begin. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Pippin and Merry must recruit
some new followers, as they must defend Rohan and attack Isengard.
But there is another that wants the ring!
The scenery is stunning and you can feel the tension,
or maybe I’ll always be a kid at heart, but I think it’s great!
Directed by Peter Jackson
Cast:
Elijah Wood ... Frodo Baggins
Ian McKellen ... Gandalf the White
Viggo Mortensen ... Aragorn
Sean Astin ... Samwise ‘Sam’ Gamgee
Billy Boyd ... Peregrin ‘Pippin’ Took
Liv Tyler ... Arwen Undemiel
John Rhys-Davies ... Gimli, son of Gloin/Treebeard
Dominic Monaghan ... Meriadoc ‘Merry’ Brandybuck
Christopher Lee ... Saruman the White
Miranda Otto ... Eowyn
Brad Dourif ... Grema Wormtongue
Orlando Bloom ... Legolas Greenleaf
Cate Blanchett ... Galadriel
Karl Urban ... Eomer
Bernard Hill ... Theoden, King of Rohan
Mott’s CD review:
Ten Years After - Live At Fillmore East
by Mott the Dog
***** 5 Stars Rating
There was a Jazz /Blues band called the Jaybirds in
1966, who changed their name to “Ten Years After”, thinking that they
had formed a decade late to miss the crest of a wave from their mid
fifties heroes such as Chuck Berry, who became one of their major
influences along with other blues greats such as Sonny Boy Williamson and
Willie Dixon, all of whom have had their songs covered here by the band.
Many bands have covered Chuck Berry songs laying down definitive versions
like “Johnnie B. Goode” by Jimi Hendrix, “Tulane” by Joan Jett,
“Roll Over Beethoven” by the Beatles, or even “The Electric Light
Orchestra”, “Little Queenie” or “Carol” by the Rolling Stones.
The list is endless. But certainly Ten Years After can claim “Sweet
Little Sixteen” as their own.
If this album had been released at the time of its
recording (1970) I am sure it would of gone down in history as one of the
great Rook ‘n’ Roll live albums of all time (along with albums like
Deep Purple’s “Made In Japan” and U.F.O.’s “Strangers In The
Night”) as it was recorded when the band were at their glorious peak in
between their show stealing performances at Woodstock U.S.A in 1969 and
The Isle Of Wight Festival in the U.K. in the summer of 1970. (By the time
the band released a live album “Recorded Live” in 1973 the band had
burnt themselves out and put in a very lackluster performance).
But anyone who has been to the wonderful Tahitian Queen
Rock ‘n’ Roll Happy Hour on Friday will have seen the thirteen minute
version of the “Ten Years After” standard bearer closing song “I’m
Goin Home” on DVD and will bare out that this was a red hot band in
their day. When the band come in for the finale of the song, the roof
nearly comes off the place.
What you actually get here is the full set from 1970
selected from four sets recorded by sound wizard Eddie Kramer at the
Fillmore East, probably American’s leading venue at the time. Three of
the guys are basically the rhythm section, a fine one true, but basically
there to do a job. I mean keyboard player Chick Churchill doesn’t bother
with anything so fancy as a Mellotron, or Moog Synthersiser or even piano,
just sticking to his trusty Hammond organ.
This album’s star of the show, Alvin Lee, gets full
reign to lay out his wares. Billed as the fastest guitar in the west, Lee
would often leave all behind in his wake. And here he is given plenty of
opportunity to show off his talents. Of the twelve songs on this
collection two are over 15 minutes long and only three are shorter than
eight minutes. Subtlety may not be a part of Ten Years After repertoire,
but my word, these boys could Rock ‘n’ Roll. This live set was
released thirty three years too late, but don’t let that fool you. It is
still a great slab of fat, dirty, Rock ‘n’ Roll played like they
don’t know how any more.
Musicians
Leo Lyons - Bass
Alvin Lee - Guitar and vocals
Chick Churchill - Organ
Ric Lee - Drums
Track Listing
CD 1
1. Love Like A Man
2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
3. Working On The Road
4. The Hobbit
5. 50,000 Miles Beneath My Brain
6. a. Skoobly-Oobly-Doobob
b. I Can’t Keep From Crying Sometimes
c. Extension On One Chord
CD 2
1. Help Me
2. I’m Going Home
3. Sweet Little
4. Roll Over Beethoven
5. I Woke Up This Morning
6. Spoonful
To contact Mott the Dog email: [email protected]
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