Heroes live on

SW pays tribute to recently departed musicians

By: Tatat Bunnag

It’s been a tough few months for music fans, and we know some SW readers have felt it too. Multiple music legends, both local and international, have left us the past few months.

Local musicians include Singha Musikapong from indie pop band Sqweez Animal and Wanarat Chaiyapan (Tung) of shoegaze band Assajan Jakgawan, while American rock singer Scott Weiland and Lemmy of Motörhead recently passed away. Following that, the Eagles' Glenn Frey suddenly died, just a week after pop icon David Bowie.

Seeing our heroes pass away is never easy, but Student Weekly has created a playlist collecting some of the best-known songs to honour these important artists, and to celebrate the accomplishments of those who made an impact on the lives of countless music lovers. These stars may have gone, but their music lives on.

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"Starman"

David Bowie

It’s a tough job to choose the right song to pay homage to David Bowie, a true music legend who passed away recently after a battle with cancer. “Starman” is an appropriate song to represent Bowie’s best era. The single is taken from his 1972 album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which introduced the concept of an alien that comes to Earth with news that the planet will end in five years.

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“My Freaky Friend”

The Diet Pills

The Diet Pills were an electronic pop duo consisting of ex-Project H singer Ploy Horwang and Songsumon Poshyanonda (Pom Pom), who passed away last year of a heart attack. Their self-titled album came out in 2009, with neat production by Tul of Apartment Khunpa. “My Freaky Friend” is a catchy and groovy pop tune which the duo sing in English.

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“Big Bang Baby”

Stone Temple Pilots

Scott Weiland was the face and voice of the popular ‘90s American alternative rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Scott passed away in his sleep on the band’s bus while on tour. “Big Bang Baby” was the first single from the band’s third album Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop, which saw the group move away from the grunge rock trend towards a more ‘70s musical style.

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“Enchante”

Sqweez Animal

This beautiful ballad was played on repeat by Sqweez Animal fans when they heard the tragic news about lead guitarist Singha Musikapong. It’s a sad song about longing for somebody who may never come back. Singha also played the lead actor in the music video which broke the hearts of fans every time they watched the video.

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"The One You Love"

Glenn Frey

Glenn Frey may be better known from his days with the Eagles, the country rock band that have been a staple of the American music scene for generations, but we picked "The One You Love," because it’s a lesser-known track that showcases his sweet songwriting. "The One You Love" was the lead single from his debut solo album in 1982. It’s an easy listening ballad with touching lyrics that ask, “Are you gonna stay with the one who loves you, or are you going back to the one you love?”

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“Reverse”

Assajan Jakgawan

Although the band is known for their dark and intense shoegaze-inspired rock, the acoustic track “Reverse” is probably the band’s most famous song. It appeared on the soundtrack for Ananda Everingham’s 2011 film Hi-So. Tung, the band’s lead singer and guitarist who died from blood poisoning last year, was one of the first artists who made shoegaze and post-rock popular in Thailand, paving the way for bands like Desktop Error.

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“Motörhead”

Motörhead

Motörhead was one of the most important hard rock bands in UK music history, led by singer-songwriter and bassist Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmy always said in his lyrics and interviews that he wasn’t afraid of dying because he lived his life to the full. “Motörhead” is the song that started it all and was Lemmy’s last composition as a member of Hawkwind in the ‘70s. After Hawkwind broke up, Lemmy quickly launched his new band and the re-recording of “Motörhead.”

 

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