Music

Rising sunset

By Tatat Bunnag, Photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb

Rockers return with brand new sounds

Brand New Sunset are one of few Thai bands to reach a mainstream audience with extreme, head-banging music. Their winning blend of metal mayhem and pop-punk charm have made them one of the most sought after bands in Bangkok.

After building a strong underground following over the past few years, Brand New Sunset recently moved into the big league by signing with Sony Records.

The band�s third album and major label debut, Brand New Sunset, is awash with rocking riffs and supercharged rhythms.

Student Weekly recently got the high-octane rockers � 27-year-old singer Supaluck Tovatcharakul (Toon), 27-year-old guitarist Suchai Chucherd (Chai), 25-year-old guitarist Karn Seneetantikul, 27-year-old bassist Karnnut Phaholkul (Yuth), and 27-year-old drummer Warintorn Srinin (Bloom) � decked out for a special Halloween photo shoot. The guys told us about their new album and about rising in the rock world.

• Did you know •

Brand New Sunset got their name from a song by Japanese punk group Hi-Standard.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Why did you decide to call your third album Brand New Sunset?

Toon: To tell our fans that even though we�re now on a major label, we�re still the same band.

Chai: It�s a statement that represents who we really are.

STUDENT WEEKLY: You�ve done well as an independent band. What made you decide to sign with Sony?

Toon: We�ve been offered lots of record deals, but we were most happy with the Sony offer. We thought about it for almost a year before signing with them.

Karn: With Sony, we have control over the creative process. We still have total freedom to create our own music.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Your new record was produced by Scott Moffatt � are you guys fans of

The Moffatts?

Karn: Not really, but Scott is a talented musician and songwriter. I was surprised when I found out that he was going to produce us. But after a few conversations with him, we knew that he was the right choice.

Chai: He produced the latest Slot Machine album, and I thought he did a pretty good job on that.

STUDENT WEEKLY: This is your first album with Thai lyrics and ballads. Is that because of the new contract?

Karn: No, not really. Whether we sing in English or Thai, the message is still the same. Musically, we listen to more variety now. We�ve opened our minds to new sounds, so our songs are more varied than before.

Chai: We tried a lot of things that we�ve never done before on this album. There�s a short, two-minute song and 10-minute-long rock epic!

STUDENT WEEKLY: If Sony asked you to record a song with somebody like your label-mate Tata Young, would you do it?

Yuth: [Laughs.] Yeah, why not? It�s all music.

Chai: Slash from Guns N� Roses once recorded with Michael Jackson, so anything�s possible.

STUDENT WEEKLY: How do you feel about being a headlining band for this year�s 100 Rock Festival?

Toonu Excellent! We can�t wait to see our fans there. I�m also excited because my favourite metal band,

As I Lay Dying, will be playing at the festival.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Do you guys have plans for Halloween?

Karn: We�ll probably stay home.

Chai: We�re scared of ghosts. [Laughs.]

	sought after (adj): wanted by many people, because it is of very good quality or difficult to find awash (adj): having something in large quantities supercharged (adj): stronger, more powerful or more effective than usual high-octane (adj): full of energy; powerful deck out (v): to decorate somebody with something rise (v): to become more successful, important, powerful, etc. represent (v): to be an example or expression of something creative (adj): involving the use of skill and the imagination to produce something new or a work of art ballad (n): a slow popular song about love varied (adj): of many different types epic (n): a long poem or song with lots of detail headline (v): to be the main performer in a concert or show