Music

Playboy Po

By Tatat Bunnag

Local legends bounce back

If you're a fan of alternative rock from the '90s, you'll be familiar with singer-songwriter Piya Sastrawaha (Poe) and his group Yokee Playboy. The band have long been renowned for their unique blend of '70s rock, funk and disco. Poe is also well known for his sexy hip-swiveling dance moves on stage.

Yokee Playboy have been making music for 14 years, consistently bringing unmatched energy to their live performances and cutting-edge ideas to their chart-topping albums.

The band took a break in 2002 when their label Bakery Music folded. Now the guys are back on track with their new album, Telepathy, released on the new Plenty Music label. Telepathy sounds even more melodic and eclectic than Yokee Playboy's three previous records.

Student Weekly recently caught up with the 30-something Poe at a hip coffee shop in Siam Square to hear about Yokee Playboy's latest release.

STUDENT WEEKLY:  What have you been doing in the years since Yokee Playboy's last album?

Poe: I didn't release any albums for a few years, but I was involved with projects and concerts for other artists. I did a song called "Up to the Beatz" on Cyndi Seui's recent album. I also wrote "Ruk Tim Khon Deaw [Love Tim Only]" for the comedy film, E Tim Tai Nae.

STUDENT WEEKLY:  Why did you decide to release your new record with Plenty Music?

Poe:  Plenty Music is a new subsidiary label of RS. It's run by Zomkiat Ariyachaipanich, who's been a friend of mine since I was with Bakery. I always said that I'd work with him if he ever started a new music label.

STUDENT WEEKLY:  Where did the title Telepathy come from?

Poe:   The title describes the music on the album. There's a special connection between me and the fans, and I'm still making the same kind of music that I made seven years ago. When they hear our new record, it will bring back old memories and remind them why they liked our music before.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Did you do everything yourself on this album, like on previous Yokee Playboy releases?

Poe:   I used to write and arrange all the songs by myself; then I'd call my friends to come and record them. But the process was a bit different this time. I'd get the main idea for each song, then jam with the rest of the band in the studio to get the finished version.

It was a great way to work, because the other guys in Yokee Playboy are all really talented.

STUDENT WEEKLY:  Can you tell us about your new single, "Tor Hai Tong Borg Nai-Jai [I Can Only Say It in My Mind]"?

Poe:  It's about being in love with somebody but not being able to say how you really feel. It might cause problems if you tell her, so you just say it in your mind instead.

STUDENT WEEKLY: Have Yokee Playboy played any shows since Telepathy came out?

Poe:  We played at the recent Honda Summer Festival in Hua Hin. We also played at a Bakery Live concert in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia. Both shows were really successful. I'm glad that we've got lots of fans there.

• Did you know •

Poe also works full-time as an interior designer.

STUDENT WEEKLY:  It's been more than a decade since your first album. Do you think that the Thai music scene has changed much in that time?

Poe:   When our first album came out in 1995, Thai people were just starting to discover alternative and indie music. The music scene has developed a lot since then.

It's great to hear the influence of our music on some of the younger bands now. Some bands have said that Yokee Playboy are a big influence for them. That makes us feel great.

	renowned (adj):  famous and respected swivel (v): to turn or make something turn around a fixed central point consistently (adv): regularly and maintaining the same standards unmatched (adj):  better than all others cutting-edge (n): the newest, most advanced stage in the development of something fold (v): to close because it is not successful enough eclectic (adj): not following one style or set of ideas but choosing from or using a wide variety involved (adj): taking part in something subsidiary (n): a business company that is owned or controlled by another larger company arrange (v): to write or change a piece of music so that it has a particular sound, is suitable for particular instruments, etc. jam (v): to play music with other musicians in an informal way without practising first decade (n): a period of 10 years

IDIOM
back on track: going in the right direction again after a break, mistake, failure, etc.