In the right Slot

STALWARTS OF the Thai rock scene for more than a decade, Slot Machine is now about to take a step on to the global stage with the release next year of its debut English-language album. Early indications are that the new outing will be promoted in 15 countries in Asia, as well as in Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.

“There was a trend several years back that saw Asian artists trying to go international – think Vanessa Mae, Coco Lee and Tata Young. We also thought of it, especially after receiving such good responses to our concerts in Laos, Myanmar and New York,” says vocalist and front man Karinyawat “Foet” Durongjirakan.

“But now we are really ready to go out of the country. We’re much more confident than we were thanks to several hits, successful concerts and, most importantly the strength of our fan base,” adds drummer Settharat “Auto” Phangchunan.

The decision to go “inter” was taken after the success of the band’s “The First Contact” concert at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani last year. The lads approached Neil Thompson, deputy managing director of Bec-Tero Entertainment, and discussed the possibilities of expanding into the international market to grow their fan base.

“We don’t know how successful we will be but we have faith in Neil’s skills in dealing with such channels as Channel [V], Sony and distributors to support us and our work. We also believe in the abilities of our new producer, Steve Lillywhite,” says Foet.

“We know our characteristic Asian sound on such songs as ‘Chan Chao’, ‘Phan’ or ‘Khloem’ made us instantly recognisable to the listener. We’ve integrated many more of our characteristics on our English-language album and I think these will attract foreigners,” says bassist Atirath “Gak” Pintong.

Lillywhite is not the only foreign producer with whom Slot Machine has collaborated. For 2006’s “Mutation”, they worked with Scott Moffatt, former member of The Moffatts, who brought an American sound to their music, while for last year’s “Rainbow”, they joined up with Australian producer Daniel Denholm. They’re hoping that Lillywhite, a six-time Grammy Award-winning producer who has worked with U2, The Rolling Stones, The Killers and 30 Seconds to Mars, will take them even further.

“We are categorised as a rock band that gets people on their feet and dancing and we’re going along with that. The most valuable lesson I’ve learned from Steve is that we can break all the rules about time. He doesn’t want us to worry about time as a condition of creating our work. He doesn’t want us to think about the process but to give him music that’s fresh and live. He also told me to work on my lower tones. While we were recording ‘MRT’, which is about a gunman, he told me to pretend to be an actor performing a role of a gunman. For a soft song, I imagined I was like a bird,” says the smiling singer.

“The songs on Rainbow had more of a rock bias and were harder to listen to. The new album has a really live feel and is very different from the Slot Machine of 10 years ago. I have more chances to show off my bass lines and Steve really liked my bass line on ‘Spin the World’,” says Gak.

“Thanks to our collaboration with Steve, we now know what the international standard is all about. He wants us to maintain our easily identifiable melodies and our signature string, keyboard and synthesiser sound,” says Auto.

The English-language album, “Spin the World”, will be released next year. Right now, Slot Machine is busy promoting its first single, “Give It All To You” and recently introduced its new songs to a Taiwanese audience at Nankang’s Super Slippa Festival.

“It still sounds Slot Machine with plenty of power grooves and a vintage sound that everybody can dance with to,” says guitarist Vit.

 “The first single is about the emotions of a man who is watching a woman in a bar and would like to get to know her,” says Foet.

“Every time we play, we take our reference from [the late luk thung queen] Poompuang Duangchan. I love that grooves and brass sound,” says Gak.

Slot Machine will tour Indonesia and England in October.