Blackhead draw a 'White Line'

After a silence that has lasted for the best part of six years, rockers Blackhead are creeping back into the fold with “White Line”, their first release since 2007’s “Deep”. Fans who are expecting the foursome’s trademark alternative sound should however be prepared for something different, as this time the band spices up the music with dubstep.

“Dubstep came here at the beginning of the year and the genre has really drawn us into exploring new sounds,” says Anond “Poo” Saisangchan, the rock group’s front man during a recent chat.

In fact, dubstep has been around for at least a decade, with elements of the genre making a surprise appearance on last year’s “Jeb Kwa Khue Chan” single by Retrospect. More recently, the electronic dance music found its way on to “Lon” (“Hallucination”), a soundtrack of new movie “Jit Sampas 3D” (“The Second Sight 3D”), which was first heard on Blackhead’s second album “Full Flavor” in 1997.

“I also star in the horror flick and the director, who was a fan of the song, asked me to come up with a rearrangement,” explains the singer and songwriter. 

“We are being prudent in our use of dubstep. But other people have done it successfully. Take DJ Skrillex who used the genre in his own electronic work and at the same time for nu metal outfit Korn.”

Blackhead have been one of the stalwarts of the Thai rock music scene since emerging 19 years ago with their self-titled album in 1995, which may explain why fans are less than enthusiastic at the band’s experiment with electronica.

“White Line” features nine new songs, among them “Suay Jing”, “Wai Rai”, “Het Dai Thueng Rak Ther” and “Yang Noi” plus the reprise of “Lon”. Keyboards also make an appearance.

“We added colour to our first single ‘Suay Jing’ with the synthesiser and bring in piano to the second single ‘Wai Lai’. Most of songs hark back to ‘Full Flavor’ with plenty of grunge, alternative, hardcore and psychedelic sounds. That’s why this new album is titled ‘Wai Lai’ or ‘White Line’. It demonstrates that we have collected experiences along our musical road. We have a variety of music styles but keep our originality,” says Poo.

With Bodyslam also recruiting a keyboardist, does Poo think this is a new trend among the country’s rock bands? 

“A trend probably not but I think it reflects the limitations imposed by creating only with guitars,” says Blackhead’s guitarist Apisit “Eak” Pongchaisirikul.

“Keyboards make a difference. Usually, we come up with our music structure with guitar chords but the piano helps us to be more creative with melodies. It is far easier than composing with just easier rhythm and solo guitars,” adds Poo.

Blackhead will demonstrate just how well dubstep blends with rock in a concert next Saturday at Moonstar Studio that will also feature a show of electronic music along with 3D mapping with the help of Lullaby’s production team.

“Mapping accompanied by laser lighting supports the hallucinatory effect of break beat, trance and dubstep. It’s terrific for a young audience but could make older people a little dizzy,” says Poo.

Manning Moonstar’s decks will be manned by DJ Run Zero Run, or Sarunkhate “Run” Charoensan as his mum and dad know him. He started his career playing guitar and switched to electronic sounds after learning about them on YouTube. He mixed the dubstep on Retrospect’s “Jeb Kwa Khue Chan” and more recently tackled Blackhead’s “Suay Jing.”

“It isn’t pure dubstep but is mixed with other categories of electronic music,” says Sarunkhate, who’s a Skrillex fan. “I try to play along with the song and keep to the original melody. I just insert it with the rock beat.”

He’ll spin a five-song set at next week’s “White Line” concert among them “Ma Rak Kap Phi” “Suay Jing”, “Lon” and “Mr Mai”.

 

 

All tranced out

_ Blackhead play at Moonstar Studio on Lat Phrao Soi 80 next Saturday at 8pm. 

_ Tickets cost Bt2,000 for seating and Bt1,600 for standing and are available at Thai Ticket Major outlets.

_ Call (02) 262 3456 or visit to www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

_ Buy four Bt1,600 tickets and get one free.

_ Check out “BlackheadRock” at Facebook.