The songs we used to play

The hippest discotheque in the whole country back in the ’80s, The Palace remains a happy memory for many Thais of a certain age and a mention of its name usually prompts a smile and an outpouring of nostalgia.

 Saichon Radomkij, the former singer with ’80s pop band The Innocent, is no exception. He’s even adopted The Palace as the name of his new band, which unsurprisingly plays Thai and foreign songs from the ’70s and ’80s.

“When Boyd Kosiyabong asked me to name something outstanding from the ’80s, The Palace was the obvious answer. And we play disco too,” says Saichon, who works a consultant in artist relations at Boyd’s record label. LOVEiS. 

“I just want to fill out the mainstream music market a little with old time songs and also cater to adult listeners.”

Saichon first came up with the idea of forming a retro band in 2006 while taking part in a winter music festival in Khao Yai. He recalls his surprise at the tremendous response to shows by Khiriboon’s Ronnachai “Od” Thomya and Ploy’s Wasu “Jib” Sangsingkaew, both pop bands born in the ’80s. The idea crystallised into something more solid after he got together with his old bandmates for the “The Innocent – Reunites” concert in October 2009 and packed out Impact Arena.

The Palace was initially made up of five members: Saichon, fellow Innocent member, keyboardist and founder Peerasan Juabsamai, Wongsakorn “Ton” Rassamitat, the former drummer of McIntosh, Montri “Jued” Kittikal, the ex-bassist of Forever and Inca’s guitarist Ronapop “Toey” Akraraj. The band later went on recruit Soonthorn “Jeed” Sujaritchant, the former singer of string combo the Royal Sprites, Od Ronnachai and Jib Wasu.

But their comeback quickly met with a hitch: the organiser of their first event ordered them to change their set.

“Our show was designed to bring back the ambience and feelings of the ’80s through a retro presentation and a song list of oldies, which included The Innocent’s hits ‘Rak Khue Arai’, ‘Pieng Khrueng Jai’ and ‘Proh Ther Rue Plao’, as well as foreign oldies ‘It Might Be You’ and ‘Still in Love with You’,” says Saichon. “But the organiser wanted danceable songs only.

“Putting on a show is very different these days. Thirty years ago, we’d play in a cinema and the audience came because they wanted to listen to the music. Today, they demand entertainment too. Look at reruns of [live concert TV show] ‘Loke Dontri’ and you’ll see that the audience preferred listening to songs to clapping their hands. They’d turn away if the camera swung around to them. Now, the crowd does everything it can to be on camera.”

Saichon went back to the drawing board and came up with a presentation and song list that seemed to please. Over the past year, The Palace has performed 20 shows, entertaining guests at corporate banquets including those organised by K Bank and Thai Life Insurance. Bookings have also been confirmed through the end of 2013.

In addition to the eight members from seven top ’80s bands, The Palace is often fronted by other singers, among them The President’s Warunee “Uan” Suntrisawad and Direk Amatayakul. The sound, Saichon points out, is aimed at people in their 40s and older.

“We’ve had an unexpectedly good response,” says Saichon proudly. “It’s been suggested that we recruit some new generation artists or musicians to jam with us so that we can connect with the younger audience.”

Drummer Ton agrees. “We dusted off the oldies and arranged some of them with a more modern sound.”

“I’m surprised that The Palace has such a tight schedule. It’s unprecedented” says the Royal Sprites’ Jeed, with Ploy’s Jib adding: “It is like old wine in a new bottle.”

“We’re expecting to come out with a great hits album,” says Khiriboon’s Od.

And in fact, over the past few months, The Palace has been recording new songs, most without a name as yet, and say these combines old school style with the modern sound of high technology. The members, though, are aware that very few reunion bands enjoy success with a new album.

“I’m prepared for something like that and anyway, I’m not sure it’s the right time. But, we’re not expecting to be as successful as in the past. To me, new songs point to our band’s direction in the future. I don’t care about popularity,” says Saichon.

 

 

SING IT AGAIN

 

Follow the band on Facebook at “ThePalaceBandFanpage”.