It’s only five hours away between Bangkok and Fukuoka. And the two cities are actively engaging. A music event called BEYONDERS took place in Fukuoka to showcase promising artists from both cities. NiEW welcomed Ginn and Shogo Nomura to catch up with the forefront music scene of the two cities.
Ginn moved to Thailand from Japan and is now the drummer of the band Faustus. He also has fostered the relationship of those cities for over 15 years under the name “dessin the world.” Fukuoka collective BOAT’s Shogo Nomura is also the organizer of “BEYONDERS” where he worked with the Fukuoka Music City Council.
Fukuoka is the gateway to other Asian countries and now witnesses an ongoing massive redevelopment while art and music harmonize in Thailand. In the first part of this interview, they discuss the current music scene in Thailand and Fukuoka.
INDEX
“NARUTO,” “ONE PIECE,” and “NewJeans” are the mutual language in Thailand and Fukuoka.
Nomura: It has already been three months since “BEYONDERS” was held with the participation of KIKI from Thailand and Deep Sea Diving Club from Fukuoka. Looking back on the event, how do you feel about it?
Ginn: The first thing I thought was that the groove among the bands was better than expected. It is quite common to hear of cases where the organizers choose the bands, but when they actually meet them, they don’t really get along.
Ginn has lived in Bangkok, Thailand for 15 years. He has been active in the Thai indie scene with his post-hardcore band “Faustus,” which he formed with Thai members, and also runs “dessin the world,” a label that aims to promote exchange between the Japanese and Thai indie scenes. He also runs “dessin the world,” a label that aims to promote exchange between the Japanese and Thai independent music scenes. Bringing Thai music to Japan. He has been involved in many exchange projects such as physical releases, tours, and promotions of Thai artists in Japan, booking of Japanese artists for festivals in Thailand, event planning, booking of interviews with local radio stations and media, and support for collaborative song production between Japanese and Thai artists. He is involved in a number of projects.
https://dessin-the-world.jimdosite.com/
Nomura: I wasn’t able to communicate fluently in English, but it was instantaneous to get along with each other. I also felt that Japanese and Thai people are rather close in feeling. I also felt that Japanese and Thai people are rather close.
Ginn: In February of this year, a Thai band called Soft Pine was scheduled to perform at “Music Lane Festival Okinawa 2023,” an international music showcase festival held in Okinawa, and since they were going to Japan, they wanted to perform in Tokyo as well. We played with ayutthaya, and the two bands grooved well together and had a great time (laughs).
Nomura: Young Thai people, in particular, watch the same things as young Japanese people, such as movies, music, and anime. That’s why there is a lot of common language, and at the launch party, we got unusually excited with lines from “Naruto” and “One Piece” (laughs).
Ginn: We also sang the NewJeans song in chorus.
INDEX
“Japanese-style live house” in Bangkok
Nomura: How do Thai artists see Japan?
Ginn: Like Soft Pine, who mentioned earlier that it was one of their dreams to perform live in Japan, and YONLAPA, who performed in Japan last year, they are impressed by the Japanese live environment and the way the audience enjoys the live show. In Thailand, there are very few live music clubs, and the places where you can play are usually live bars. But in most cases, live bars only play covers of famous songs, and there are only about 5 or 6 places in Bangkok where indie bands can play their original songs. The equipment is also a world apart compared to Japanese live music clubs. Furthermore, in Japan, the audience listens carefully to our performances. They seem to be impressed by such an environment.
Nomura: So you have positive feelings toward Japan.
A member of the Fukuoka collective BOAT and in charge of miscellaneous affairs for the band MADE IN HEPBURN, which is the core of the collective. After graduating from college, at the age of 23, he started working part-time at “LOVE FM” and became involved in the production of radio programs, supporting fellow artists he met in the process of producing the RKB Mainichi Broadcasting radio programs “Drink Bar Bonjin Conference” and “Chartbusters r!”, which led him to establish the music He established the music collective BOAT. BOAT’s activities led to the creation of music videos for major artists such as Siip, AmPm, and Yoshiho Nakamura, as well as for Fukuoka artists such as Deep Sea Diving Club, Cranazm, and YOUND. From 2022, he will be producing an official podcast for Spotify and a program for Hi-Tide Store and Paper Sky magazine, as well as a documentary about Fukuoka’s emerging artists. In addition to directing various audio contents such as “THINKING CLOUD,” a program by High Tide Store and Paper Sky magazine, he is also a member of Fukuoka Music City Council, where he is in charge of event direction. He will organize “BEYONDERS,” a collight project by artists from Fukuoka and Thailand.
https://www.instagram.com/yaungtao/
Ginn: Yes, that’s right. But if you look at it from a more bird’s eye view, without music, the generation around Generation Z has grown up with Korean culture and entertainment, and Japan’s presence is becoming weaker for them. 15 years ago, there was a huge boom of Hallyu in Thailand, especially with Girls’ Generation and Tohoshinki. When the Korean Wave ignited in Thailand, the Korean Tourism Bureau hijacked major outdoor media. Then Korean food, cosmetics, and fashion came in, and consumer electronics replaced Toshiba, Sony, and Sharp with LG and Samsung.
Nomura: I see.
Ginn: But in the past few years, Chinese automakers have been entering the Thai market with EVs. The air pollution in Thailand is very bad due to exhaust emissions and other factors, and as the government promotes the use of EVs, the presence of Chinese manufacturers is becoming stronger.
Nomura: What about animation?
Ginn: Japanese anime and manga are very strong. Recently, a friend of mine in Thailand recommended “Bocchi Za Rokku! was recommended to me by a friend in Thailand. When he visited Japan, he went on a pilgrimage to SHELTER in Shimokita. Being a bit older generation, I read “BECK”, so I have a longing for “live music clubs”.
Nomura: Heh~!
Ginn: By the way, the word “live house” is a Japanese word, so it is not understood in the West, but in Thailand, the word “live house” is widespread. I think the influence of anime and manga is one of the factors. Recently, young people have been working hard to create a Japanese-style live house in Thailand. A live music club called “Blueprint Livehouse” was recently established by a group of young people who were determined to create a Japanese-style live music club in Thailand.
INDEX
Why isn’t the business sustainable? Circumstances surrounding Bangkok’s live music venues.
Nomura: What was the situation surrounding live houses in Bangkok before Blueprint Livehouse was established?
Ginn: There have been people who have tried to create a Japanese-style live house. Ginn: There have been people who have tried to “build a Japanese-style live music club,” but most of them had gone out of business after about three years. There are many reasons for this, but first of all, there are not enough bands to fill the live house every day. This makes it impossible to open on weekdays. As for the location, the land owner would not renew the contract, and when a luxury condominium was built behind us, the police were often called and we had to close. This would increase the likelihood of going out of business before they could recoup their investment. I want to build a live music club. How is it run in Japan? But in light of the actual situation, I think it is not an easy thing to do.
There used to be a live music club called “HARMONICA,” but it too disappeared after about three years. It is so rare that each time there was a live house, people would say, “This band is of the HARMONICA generation,” and the name of the live house would become a symbol of the era.
Nomura: So you can tell the generation by mentioning the name of the live music club where the band played.
Ginn: That’s right. So I think the Blueprint Livehouse generation will emerge in the future. They are trying to establish themselves as a place where people can listen to music, not as a live bar, which is the norm in many places, so I hope they can continue for a long time.
Nomura: If there are so few live houses, what about rehearsal studios?
Ginn: I can quickly think of about four or five rehearsal studios in Bangkok. It is a battle for reservations. I think this is the same as the management of live music clubs, and because there are not many bands and musicians, it is difficult to run a stable business. The reason why there are so few musicians is that the price of musical instruments is high for the average income in Thailand. It is the same or higher than in Japan. So, to begin with, only those who can afford it can own a musical instrument. The gap between rich and poor in Thailand is one of the widest in the world.
Nomura: I have an image that hip-hop is popular in places where the gap between the rich and the poor is severe. This year, “Rolling Loud” (an international hip-hop festival) was held in Thailand as its first Asian entry.
Ginn: Yes, it was! Around the time before Corona, hip-hop started to become popular in Thailand. MILLI, whose name is well known in Japan, attracted worldwide attention. The scene became more exciting because a rap star emerged from Thailand. Furthermore, MILLI is a rapper who is not afraid to express his opinions, even anti-establishment ones. In the past, rock and punk were the symbols of anti-establishment, but even here in Thailand, they have been replaced by hip-hop.
INDEX
From mainstream to underground, recommended festivals in Thailand
Nomura: Is it festivals that can replace the places where live concerts can be held? I think so. Are festivals making a comeback in Thailand after the Corona Disaster?
Ginn: Compared to before the Corona disaster, there are fewer. There was a period in 2018-19 or so when festivals were rampant like bamboo shoots, but that is long gone. I have the impression that the festivals that were doing well survived. Also, BL dramas are very popular in Thailand, as they seem to be in Japan. More and more festivals are featuring actors from these popular dramas.
Nomura: That is a culture that we do not have in Japan!
Ginn: One festival started booking many idols and actors at one point in order to attract a new audience. That festival used to treat indie bands very well, even creating a stage that only featured indie bands that were not yet well-known, but they stopped creating that stage a few years ago. I felt a sense of disappointment that the chances for indie bands to see the light of day were disappearing. The audience has changed, and the atmosphere of the festival has changed a lot.
Nomura: On the contrary, what kind of festivals do you still enjoy Thai indie bands?
Ginn: One festival is the Maho Rasop Festival. It is an international music festival that mainly books artists from outside of Thailand, but Thai bands are also booked. I have the impression that the Thai indie bands booked for this festival are not so much popular or able to attract a large audience, but rather artists who have the ability to compete on the world stage. Last year, young and talented artists such as Alec Orachi, KIKI, and Dogwine, as well as legends such as Desktop Error and Death of a Salesman performed at the festival. This year, young, up-and-coming artists such as Soft Pine, Death of Heather, and FORD TRIO have been booked.
Ginn: Another festival is called “Post-Gazer”. This year is the sixth time it has been held, and it is a festival that brings together shoegaze, post-rock, hardcore, and experimental music, as well as other non-mainstream music. It is held in a provincial city about 2 to 3 hours drive from Bangkok. It is a festival where you can get to know all the underground artists in Thailand at once.
INDEX
A new street movement emerged from the legendary festival’s organizer
Ginn: Also, there was an interesting festival once, though it is no longer around. There is a long-established label in Thailand called Panda Records. The owner is Mr. Pok, a great man who has been supporting the underground in Thailand. Mr. Pok and his friends were running a DIY festival called “Stone Free Music Festival,” which was held on a rocky mountain.
The backdrop was a rocky hill that looked like something you would see in a special effects movie, and someone would play live all night long from Friday night to Sunday night. The sound echoes in the wilderness, surrounded by sheer rock mountains. It’s a natural reverb. It’s now a legendary festival. He is currently working on an outdoor event called “Bangkok Street Noise. This is an event where he performs almost every week, sometimes every other week, sometimes once a month, on Sundays in a vacant lot somewhere in Bangkok, as a guerrilla style.
Nomura: Really? Does guerrilla mean that you have not applied for the event?
Ginn: Ginn: Please let me ramble on about that (laughs). In some cases, it seems that the police may come and move us out of the way. Actually, my band will be performing this Sunday (*June 25). It’s the rainy season in Thailand right now, and there is a high chance of rain, so they are going to play in an empty lot under an elevated railway track.
By the way, “Bangkok Street Noise” is open to performers even if they are completely unknown. Some of the bands performing are noise, some are post-hardcore, and some are pop musicians. There are also traveling musicians who find out about the event and perform. It’s an event with a very broad scope.
Nomura: There is a culture that starts from such street initiatives in every country, isn’t there?
Ginn: Yes. However, I think it is difficult to hold such an event in Japan. It’s like using the eaves of the building without permission. We are also worried about whether we will be able to perform safely (laughs).
(*Addition: The police came when we were in the middle of the second song, but the organizer talked with them and we were able to finish all the songs without any problems.
