Desktop heroes

Lek pick his top five

By Tatat Bunnag

It's been over a decade since Sompotch Kongpuiboon (Lek) formed the rock band Desktop Error. The band has come a long way from its beginnings as a cover band to being one of Thailand’s prominent indie rock groups. Desktop Error is known for its distinct sound which mixes shoegaze and post-rock.

Following the release of two studio albums and couple of EPs, the band has toured both in and outside the country, as well as won a number of awards. Throughout his career, Lek’s devotion to rock music has remained strong.

Although he grew up in a small city in Si Sa Ket province, Lek was exposed to indie and underground music from a young age. The classic albums he listened to when he was young still influence the way he writes songs today.

Student Weekly recently had an opportunity to chat with Lek and discuss some of his favourite albums that have been a great inspiration for his songwriting.

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Radiohead

Kid A (2000, Capitol Records)

“Radiohead has been one of Desktop Error’s favourite bands since the beginning. I love all the albums they’ve released, but I picked Kid A because it’s the most original and unique album the band has put out so far. Kid A isn’t a just guitar album, it’s also an electronic album that’s considered a post-modern masterpiece. This album taught me that there’s so much more about music that I can learn or discover. My favourite tracks are “Kid A,” “Optimistic” and “Motion Picture Soundtrack.””

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Moderndog

Love Me Love My Life (2001, Bakery Music)

“For me, Moderndog is one of the biggest alternative rock bands in Thailand. They started the whole alternative scene. They’ve released a lot of great albums, but Love Me Love My Life is my favourite. The album has perfect music and lyrics, making it unique and timeless. When the album came out, there were many alternative bands releasing music, but only a few bands managed to survive. If you’ve never listened to this album before, I’d recommend starting with "Vetan," "Issan Classic" and "Happiness Is.””

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My Bloody Valentine

Loveless (1991, Creation Records)

“This is a classic album released 25 years ago by Irish rock band My Bloody Valentine. It’s been categorised as a landmark work of the shoegaze and dream-pop genres. The band plays rock with a lot of distortion, delay, echo and reverb effects, but the melodies are still catchy. Songs like “Loomer,” “Sometimes” and “Soon” are perfect. I’ve heard from people who’ve seen them live that their shows are really loud with harsh sounding noises that can easily make people deaf. [Laughs.] I really wish that I could experience that myself someday.”

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Sonic Youth

Rather Ripped (2006, Geffen)

“Sonic Youth is another band that had a big impact on my songwriting, and the lead singer Thurston Moore is my musical idol. This album came out in 2006, and is one of their catchiest records. They still play weird experimental and noisy indie rock just like they did on their other albums, but the melodies are more beautiful. “Incinerate” and “Pink Steam” are great examples of how good this album is. Unfortunately, the band has split up, so I’ll never have a chance to see them live.”

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Mogwai

Rave Tapes (2014, Rock Action Records)

“I don’t know how to describe Mogwai’s music. I think most people would put them in the post-rock scene. Mogwai are from Scotland and they’ve played in Bangkok a few times. I saw them for the first time last year and I was hooked right away. Rave Tapes is their latest effort and has a more electronic sound than their previous releases, which I enjoyed a lot. Tracks like "Heard About You Last Night" and "Remurdered" are so groovy that they make me want to dance.”

 

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