Music

Top Music Makers Indie Bands

By Tatat Bunnag

As one of the few Thai independent bands to have scored big hits on both indie and mainstream charts, Apartment Khunpa were an obvious pick for our top indie music makers.

Since the release of their album Somros Lae Para (Marriage and Burden) last year, Apartment Khunpa have kept a high profile in the local music scene.

Student Weekly recently caught up with Apartment Khunpa's 32-year-old� guitarist Piyanart Jatikasathira (Pump) to talk about their ongoing success.

STUDENT WEEKLY: How does it feel to have won so many awards with your band?

PUMP: It feels great. We make music with love and care, so when people say that they like our songs, we feel like we've really accomplished something.

STUDENT WEEKLY: How do Apartment Khunpa manage to appeal to both mainstream and indie music fans?

PUMP: I guess it's because we do everything ourselves. We write our own songs, make our own music videos, arrange our shows and sell our own CDs. Doing those things makes the band stronger.

For our mainstream success, we really have to thank artists like Calories Blah Blah and Da Endorphine for covering our songs.

STUDENT WEEKLY: What are you guys working on at the moment?

PUMP: I'm currently working with the band Krungthep Marathon. Tul wrote and produced music for The Diet Pills, and Ball is working on a project with Burin from Groove Riders.

Some of us are also getting married soon.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Who's getting married?

PUMP: Me! [Laughs.]

Slur

Slur definitely makes our Top 40 list as the Dek-Naew band for the new generation.

After their self-produced debut album, Boo!, shot to the top spot on the Fat Radio charts in 2006, the band's reputation spread worldwide - they now have albums released in Europe and have played gigs in Germany and Hong Kong.

Besides their unique music and fashion sense, the key to Slur's success might well be 24-year-old heartthrob guitarist Arak Amornsupasiri (Pae), who has gone from being an indie poster boy to being a familiar face in magazines, TV dramas and feature films.

Tattoo Colour

Tattoo Colour are one of the biggest-selling bands on leading indie label Smallroom. With only two albums under their belt, the band have won over fans all over the kingdom with their catchy hooks, exciting rhythms and sentimental ballads. And seeing these four guys from Khon Kaen posing suavely in a recent TV commercial proves that good looks can't hurt if you want to be a big success.

Modern Dog

Modern Dog were one of Thailand's first alternative bands, and they're still hugely popular after 16 years of music making. The veteran rockers released their latest record, Ting Nong Noy, on their very own Moderndog Company Limited label.

The band recently performed their Modern Dog Private Performance concert at Thailand Cultural Center and are currently winning new international fans on their first world tour. - TB

	ongoing (adj): continuing to exist or develop accomplish (v): to succeed in doing or completing something appeal (v): to attract or interest somebody key (n): a thing that makes you able to achieve something suavely (adv): in a confident and elegant way

Idioms

high profile: receiving a lot of attention and interest from the media and public
have something under your belt: to have already achieved or obtained something